A worker who was on "availability duty" when he tripped and broke his leg, while walking his dog, was "doing what he was paid to do when he was injured", a full supreme court has ruled, noting previous judgments - both for and against the worker - unnecessarily applied the High Court test for interval injuries.
The Fair Work Commission has affirmed that working safely, in a way that doesn't put fellow workers or the public at risk, is an inherent requirement of a job, in a dismissal case involving a former WorkSafe Victoria lawyer who breached vaccine rules.
Highlighting the dangers of excessive remote work and barriers to safety management, a comprehensive analysis of European WHS data has confirmed that the COVID-19 pandemic significantly exacerbated a range of risks faced by workers in a major sector.
UK researchers have emphasised the need for protective wellbeing strategies for remote workers, after finding working from home increases the likelihood of engaging in unhealthy alcohol and tobacco consumption, and physical health and mental wellbeing deteriorating, particularity in younger people.
A WHS Code for accommodation facilities, and a regulatory unit with expertise in workplace harassment and assault, have been promised in response to a Western Australian inquiry, but the State Government has highlighted the "legal complexities" of creating a register of known offending workers.
A major UK study of COVID-19 vaccination rates has uncovered a concerning phenomenon: many occupations involving direct contact with members of the public or vulnerable people have low vaccination rates, while the rate is high among employees who can work from home.
The National Cabinet's agreement to reduce isolation periods for positive COVID-19 cases has been followed by the easing of work-related restrictions, including work-from-home rules, in several jurisdictions. One of these states has also clarified its ongoing WHS notification requirements for the pandemic.
Managing employee mental health is a responsibility of all organisations, and understanding that workplace wellbeing is driven by "how work is designed" is essential to implementing preventive and supportive strategies, according to a workplace wellbeing expert.
