Host Lish Fejer is joined by Certified Occupational Hygienist Kate Cole OAM and WorkSafe ACT Commissioner Jacqui Agius to discuss dangerous substances like asbestos and crystalline silica, and why these exposures remain major contributors to work-related disease and death in Australia. Most often encountered in the construction industry, silica is common in materials like concrete, brick and stone which becomes hazardous when cut or grinded into fine respirable dust. Similarly, asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral fibre that once damaged, disturbed or deteriorated can pose significant health risks. The conversation highlights long disease latency, cumulative exposure at work, uninformed exposure at home, and real enforcement examples in the ACT. They emphasise that asbestos- and silica-related diseases are preventable through eliminating exposure via safety-by-design, proactive asbestos removal and engineering controls like specialised equipment. Listeners are directed to Dangerous goods and hazardous substances - WorkSafe ACT for resources.

In this episode of The Safety Spotlight, host Lish Fayer discusses workplace injury, workers' compensation, and the return-to-work journey with Alistair Grant, President of the Australian Rehabilitation Providers Association (ARPA) and occupational therapist behind the Good to Go program, Peggy Cheong, the Acting ACT Work Health and Safety Commissioner.

They explore the scale of work-related injury in Australia and examine why getting injured workers back into meaningful employment remains so challenging. The episode delves into the two types of workers' compensation schemes, the growing burden of psychological injury claims, and the critical role of early employer support in improving return-to-work outcomes.

Resources discussed are available through WorkSafe ACT and ARPA's Good to Go initiative at goodrtw.org.au.

In this episode of The Safety Spotlight, host Lish Fejer discusses work health and safety prosecutions with WorkSafe ACT's Commissioner Jacqui Agius and Queensland's Independent Work Health and Safety Prosecutor, Simon Nicholson. They delve into how prosecutions serve as a risk deterrent, enforce employer accountability, and raise public awareness on risk in the workplace. The episode also explores the complexity of investigations, the importance of evidence, and the focus on both incident-based and risk-based prosecutions, including the emerging area of psychosocial hazards. Key takeaways emphasise the significance of prevention, proper systems of work, and the evolving legal landscape surrounding workplace health and safety.