SafetyAtWorkBlog

Join Kevin Jones, as he explores the urgent issue of psychosocial hazards in Australian workplaces during Safe Work Month 2025. In this audio summary, Kevin reflects on recent high-profile cases—including WorkSafe Victoria’s prosecution of a government agency after a workplace suicide—and advocates for proactive, evidence-based strategies to improve workplace mental health. Through real-world exam...

In this audio summary, I explore the often-overlooked issue of work-related suicide, drawing on a September 30, 2025 blog article and research by John Bottomley and colleagues. The episode challenges dominant narratives that medicalise distress and ignore structural workplace harm, highlighting how neoliberalism, toxic work cultures, and institutional denial contribute to suicidality. With new psy...

This episode dives into the changing landscape of workplace safety in Australia, focusing on the introduction of psychosocial risk regulations—covering stress, burnout, bullying, and isolation. I briefly explore the intersection of OHS, HR, and workplace culture, offering practical insights into compliance, the impact of new laws, and what it means for employers and workers. With real-world exampl...

In this episode, Kevin Jones explores the contradictions in Australia’s OHS laws, where employers are required to comply but left to define what compliance looks like—often only clarified after an incident. Drawing from a new SafetyAtWorkBlog article, he examines how this ambiguity especially burdens farmers and small businesses, and critiques the misuse of “reasonably practicable” standards. With...

In this short podcast, Kevin Jones discusses the Victorian government’s proposal to make working from home a legal right—and why it’s more campaign strategy than safety reform. From missed commutes to missed opportunities, Kevin explores the rhetoric, risks, and oversights in the current debate. Drawing on his latest SafetyAtWorkBlog article, this episode challenges listeners to rethink workplace...

Join Kevin Jones as he discusses the world of quad bikes on Australian farms, exploring their impact on occupational health and safety, compliance, and the politics of prevention. Discover the evolution of safety laws, the cultural resistance to regulation, and the ongoing efforts to make quad bike use safer. This episode is based on a SafetyAtWorkBlog article from October 2021 and remains highly...

In this episode of the SafetyAtWorkBlog podcast, Kevin Jones delves into the challenges and lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. He discusses the evolving role of occupational health and safety (OHS) during the crisis, highlighting the importance of PPE, the inconsistencies in safety advice, and the innovative yet sometimes flawed solutions implemented on worksites. Kevin shares personal an...

Kevin Jones shares reflections from the 2025 AIHS Victorian Branch symposium—where standout sessions tackled safety clutter, AI innovations, and hard-learned lessons from construction incidents. From Site Pilot’s public transparency to SHINe’s push for clarity, this episode blends critique, insight, and a behind-the-scenes tour of Marvel Stadium. Not every speaker hit the mark, but the value of sh...

Join Kevin Jones as he delves into the second edition of Arie Freiberg's book, "Regulation in Australia." This episode explores the reasons behind regulation, market failures, and the role of government in restoring fairness and equity. Kevin also discusses "The Big Myth" by Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway, which examines how business interests have shaped our perception of government and free marke...

In this episode, Kevin Jones explores a new tool that’s quietly transforming how we understand safety in Australian agriculture—the Rural Media Farm Injury Dashboard. Drawing from a SafetyAtWorkBlog article, Kevin examines how media-sourced data is helping surface injury and fatality patterns across farms nationwide, while also revealing the cultural blind spots that keep safety on the margins. Fr...

In this episode, Kevin Jones unpacks the troubling case of Cleanaway Waste Management’s CEO bonus reduction following three worker deaths. Drawing from a forthcoming SafetyAtWorkBlog article, he challenges the notion that trimming executive pay is a meaningful consequence—and asks whether safety is being treated as a KPI or a moral imperative. With references to Woolworths, Orica, and SGH Group, K...

In this episode, Kevin Jones critiques Safe Work Australia’s latest discussion paper on “best practice” in work health and safety legislation. With the final review report not due until mid-2026, Kevin questions whether anchoring reform to existing laws risks reinforcing the very limitations that need challenging. Drawing from his SafetyAtWorkBlog article, Kevin explores who gets heard in these co...

Kevin Jones discusses the OHS context of a recent Australian childcare industry scandal. This episode highlights the exposure of non-compliance with safety requirements and allegations of sexual abuse. The Victorian government has announced an inquiry, and other jurisdictions are following suit. Kevin discusses the need for national changes, the importance of creating a child-safe culture, and the...

In this episode, host Kevin Jones delves into the myth of "reasonably practicable" within occupational health and safety (OHS) and the moral implications it carries. Kevin argues that safety is not just about adhering to laws but about upholding values and a moral code in the workplace. He emphasizes that legislation should be seen as a tool, not a destination, and challenges listeners to go beyon...

Join host Kevin Jones as he delves into the intersections of occupational health and safety (OHS) and workers' compensation, inspired by a seminar on "Using Biopsychosocial Risk Profiling to Inform Claim Triage" by ISCRR. This episode explores the importance of integrating OHS findings into claim triage processes, the need for a broader understanding of workplace mental health, and the economic an...

Join Kevin Jones as he delves into the critical issue of employer accountability in workplace health and safety. In this episode, Kevin challenges the common narratives that shift the focus to affordability and government intervention, emphasizing the fundamental obligation of employers to protect their workers. He explores the role of media in shaping public perception and highlights the importan...

Join Kevin Jones as he delves into the often-overlooked human impact of workplace incidents and the institutional blind spots that perpetuate harm. This episode, based on a SafetyAtWorkBlog article, explores the forgotten focus on human consequences, the troubling truth about suicidality in the workplace, and the need for safer systems of work. Kevin challenges outdated narratives and advocates fo...

This morning I attended the launch of a white paper about Shared Values and mental health and was able to grab five minutes with the CEO of the Shared Values Project, Helen Steel.

Episode 12 involves a conversation with Glen Poole, the CEO of the Australian Men's Health Forum while at the Australian Labor Party's National Conference in Adelaide on December 16 2018. We discuss the importance of men's health and the relevance of the workplace in generating and managing workplace mental health

This episode is part 2 of my keynote presentation at the Heads of Workplace Safety Authorities Inspectors forum in Tasmania recently. This podcast is an edited version of the second half of that presentation. This time I discuss the “primary duty of care”, the role of unions, the new work structures, Industrial manslaughter laws, the need to operate in a coordinated cooperative method across disci...

Recently I was invited to provide a non-regulatory perspective and to be challenging and provocative at a conference in Tasmania. It was organised by WorkSafe Tasmania as part of the efforts by the Heads of Workplace Safety Authorities to strengthen the connections between workplace health and safety inspectors throughout Australia and New Zealand. This podcast is an edited version of the first ha...

Recently a group of workplace health and safety professionals organised a one day conference in Christchurch New Zealand. This event evolved from a LinkedIn group established only a few years ago. I attended the conference and found 10 minutes to talk with the main organiser of the conference, Matt Jones.

Kevin Jones, editor of the SafetyAtWorkBlog, interviews safety professional and international conference speaker Eldeen Pozniak.

This weekend is the International Workers Memorial Day. It is highly likely that the issue of Industrial Manslaughter laws will be raised as part of a trade union campaign. Dr Gerry Ayres, the OHS&E Manager of one of the branches of the CFMEU, features in an online petition about these laws and it seemed the right time to interview Dr Ayres about these laws but also about workplace health and safe...

In mid-March 2018 I was invited to speak at the inaugural NSW Regional Safety Conference & Expo in Newcastle, New South Wales. Once the conference had ended and prior to the Hunter Safety Awards event that night, I was able to talk with Sarah-Jane Dunford, the organizer of the events and the Director of the Riskology consultancy firm.