Health & safety news

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Workers’ compensation: Your rights on Independent Medical Examinations

The QNU is sometimes contacted by members concerned with how they have been treated during Independent Medical Examinations (IME) with a WorkCover-appointed doctor.

Get your shots: Nurses and midwives targeted in flu campaign

As flu season closes in and the push to get the public to embrace flu vaccinations kicks off, Queensland Health is putting nurses and midwives in the spotlight.

NOTICE: Workplace health and safety laws have changed

On 1 January 2012, the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 replaced the existing workplace health and safety legislation in Queensland.

Returning to work after a workplace injury

Returning to work after sustaining a workplace injury can be a daunting experience, particularly without meaningful return to work processes in place.

Accrual of leave while on workers’ compensation

Queensland’s private sector nurses and midwives can now accrue annual, sick and long service leave during periods of workers’ compensation under recent changes to state legislation.

Know your QSuper insurance entitlements

The QNU has been contacted by two members in relation to their QSuper income protection insurance and total and permanent disability insurance entitlements.

Looking after you: Being well at work [Health & Safety 2011]

As governments work to reduce the burden of chronic disease in Australia, nurses and midwives are increasingly being called upon to participate in health promotion. However, factors particular to our profession, including resourcing issues and the demands of shift work, can mean that the very individuals tasked with maintaining the health of our communities are those that find it the most challenging to maintain their own health status.

Complaints about harmonisation hint at anti-union campaign

The federal Coalition has backed business lobby groups who have begun complaining that the proposed harmonisation of health and safety legislation will place unnecessary regulatory burden on business. If their arguments are accepted by the federal government, workers’ health and safety rights will inevitably be reduced, and union involvement in health and safety curtailed.

Nurses and midwives constantly at risk of workplace fatigue

Workplace fatigue is a particularly important issue for nurses and midwives. Although in the past it may have been considered ‘part and parcel’ of our profession, there are now laws which require the causes of fatigue to be managed.

Safe Work Australia seeks public comment on harmonisation laws

The move to harmonise Workplace Health and Safety laws continues with the release for public comment on 7 December 2010 of the draft model Work Health and Safety Regulations (the regulations) and priority model codes of practice.

Casual employees and workers’ compensation

The QNU has been contacted recently by a number of members who are casual employees and have sustained a workplace injury

Nurses take action for safety on site

Plans to develop a state-wide incident reporting system for nurses working in prisons are under way and a raft of safety initiatives will be implemented thanks to the actions of QNU members working in North Queensland.

RSL Care tries to shift liability for compensation claim back onto worker

The Supreme Court recently ruled in favour of an aged care nurse whose employer tried to mitigate their own liability for workers’ compensation.

Know your health and safety rights

It’s critical that you understand your rights and your employer’s duties around health and safety in the workplace.

Health and Safety book 2010

With the Queensland government spending almost $6 billion to build three new and redevelop two current hospitals before 2016, it is more important than ever for you, as a nurse or midwife, to consider your role in health service development.

National health and safety legislation update

Work continues on the development of national workplace health and safety legislation that will come into effect in January 2012.

Workers' compensation changes finalised

Significant changes to Queensland’s workers’ compensation scheme were passed by State Parliament in June.