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Getting access to a service provider can be like a game of snakes and laddersPhone.

A colleague in our office has been trying to update her new bank details with a service provider. Her attempts to provide that information and resolve the issue have been challenging to say the least.

Interactions included numerous unsuccessful calls to their customer service line, navigating through complex main menu options, voice recognition failings, and the final assault, enduring the repetitive melody of some 16th century/German-born composer during lengthy wait times.
Continue Reading Are your HSE reporting processes a game of snakes and ladders?

15 Australian workers have been killed so far in 2016, and based on statistics below, an additional 175 people may die in work related incidents this year.

Workplace fatality stats

Whilst many organisations properly devote vast resources and time to managing health and safety, and have processes in place to respond in a time of crisis, many don’t have a plan for managing the people issues during a crisis.
Continue Reading Confronting the confronting questions

The NSW work health and safety regulator has brought a successful prosecution against a company director resulting in a criminal conviction and fines against the director and the company. An order was also made requiring the director to pay the costs of the prosecution. It appears that this is the first such successful prosecution under the harmonised Federal safety legislation in NSW. However, the fines imposed in this case ($15,000 against the director and $150,000 against the company) were low given the specific circumstances of the case.
Continue Reading Director prosecution and conviction in New South Wales

In September 2015, the Building Code 2013 was amended to incorporate mandatory drug and alcohol testing for Commonwealth funded construction projects. From 16 October 2015, head contractors must have a comprehensive fitness for work policy in place to manage alcohol and other drugs which includes mandatory testing.
Continue Reading Zero tolerance – the new standard in the construction industry

Everybody agrees that drug and alcohol use in the workplace is a serious safety issue.

And when it comes to safety, unions understandably press employers to manage any issues and hold them accountable in doing so. But, when it comes to managing drug and alcohol at work, many unions have struggled to walk the talk.
Continue Reading Walking the talk: the thin red line of drug and alcohol testing