As Australia heads into what is predicted to be a warmer than average summer, a timely study has found workers are significantly more likely to suffer injuries in hot weather, especially during the first few days of a heat wave.
An employer has committed nearly $400,000 to install remote temperature measuring devices and other safety measures that remove the need for workers to interact with hot substances, after a worker was seriously burned by molten metal ejected from a furnace.
An employer has been permitted to recover more than half of a $320,000 settlement paid to the widow of a worker who died of skin cancer, in a Federal Court case examining shared liability provisions and the meaning of compensation.
Advances in weather forecasting technology mean employers can pre-plan work, months in advance, to ensure tasks match the climate and reduce the risks of working in heat, a heat stress expert has told a Safe Work Australia seminar.
Rescue exercises and emergency simulations can place workers at risk of cardiovascular stress and heat stroke, and should be carefully monitored and include a recovery plan, Canadian researchers have warned.
Work safety authorities have issued special heat warnings to employers, which are particularly important to heed given the Bureau of Meteorology's latest annual climate statement and three-month forecast.
A worker's frustration over his employer's PPE policy and alleged failure to prioritise safety over cost did not excuse his aggressive and intimidating conduct towards his co-workers, a commission has confirmed.