WorkHealth program reveals excessive drinking and smoking is common in the hospitality industry

According to findings from WorkSafe Victoria’s WorkHealth program, smoking and excessive alcohol consumption are widespread in the hospitality industry.

7,300 industry employees in Victoria submitted to a 15-minute WorkHealth check between April 2009 and April 2012. The findings revealed 25% smoke and 42% drink excessively.

Wayne Kayler-Thomson, a WorkHealth ambassador, encourages industry employees to adopt healthier life choices, explaining that these current trends pose a real threat to health, safety and productivity in the industry.

Joanne Forde, human resources manager, Mercure Geelong said that employers have a responsibility to help employees achieve good health. “Supporting the health of staff can benefit not only productivity but also safety – we know that healthy workers are less prone to injury,” she explains.

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Source: http://www.safetyculture.com.au/news/index.php/01/tests-reveal-poor-health-of-hospitality-workers/

Manufacturer fined after worker suffers severe hand injuries

A manufacturer has been fined for safety failings after an employee seriously injured his hand when it became trapped in machinery. The employee was left with a severe burn to his left hand and a crush injury to his thumb as a result of the incident.

The company was prosecuted by the HSE after an investigation found there was no guarding on the machine to prevent employees' hands being trapped. The company pleaded guilty to a breach of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 by failing to carry out an assessment of the risks employees faced while using the machine. The company was fined £15,000 and ordered to pay £3,518 in prosecution costs.

For more information on this workplace safety news, visit: http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2012/rnn-nw-leyrubber.htm

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Energy company scraps urine testing for drugs and alcohol

Unions have welcomed a decision by Endeavour Energy to stop urine testing its employees for drugs and alcohol, and instead introduce saliva-based testing.
- The NSW electricity retailer has written to staff advising them that they've accepted a Fair Work Australia ruling against the regime and will not lodge any further appeals.
- “The decision has transformational potential when it comes to [the] development of a universal Australian standard for testing” - The Fire Brigade Employees Union state secretary.
- “Other industries and unions are likely to review this decision and look at ways they can implement a more transparent, fair and reasonable testing regime in the form of oral swab testing” - United Services Union energy manager.

For more information on this workplace safety news, visit: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8528236

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