A TEACHER in a Northern Territory school set upon by three teenage students in an unprovoked classroom attack will have his leg amputated next week in a Melbourne hospital. David Arnold, 64, a 2005 Teacher of the Year award winner, will undergo the life-changing procedure in the Epworth Hospital on Monday after nine operations since the assault in April, 2008 failed to save his leg after it was jumped and stomped on by the students.

Read more: Teacher to lose his leg after attack by students

Thank you for all those that participated in the recent survey regarding the amount of time off given to elected safety representatives to carry out their functions.

The response was overwhelming with a 65% return rate. Unfortunately, the results were disappointing and many of the respondents expressed their concern about a perceived lack of support and respect for the role in our schools.

Only 21% of respondents are receiving regular time off from normal duties; 33% receive time off on request and 46% receive no time at all. 61% of safety representatives did not consider that they were provided with sufficient time off to carry out their functions effectively.

Read more: Safety Representative Survey

WA’s cyclone season has begun, and businesses throughout the North-West of the State have been reminded to ensure contingency plans are established and in operation.

Acting WorkSafe WA Commissioner Lex McCulloch said today it was crucial that everyone on sea and on land knew what to do when there was a cyclone in the area.

“The cyclone season officially began on November 1, and under WA’s occupational safety and health laws, employers must have adequate plans and provide adequate training to protect workers in the event of a cyclone,” Mr McCulloch said.

“The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast a slightly higher than average number of tropical cyclones in the waters off the North-West coast this season.  The Bureau has said that we can expect around two coastal impacts, with one of those likely to be severe.

Read more: Cyclone contingency plans should be in place

All buildings should be cleared of asbestos by 2030 to save future generations: unions

An Asbestos Safety Certificate should be required every time a residential property is sold or leased in order to protect future generations of Australians from asbestos diseases, say unions.

Under a proposal by the ACTU, properties would be audited for asbestos so that residents or buyers were fully-informed of any health risks.

It is estimated that more than a million houses in Australia contain asbestos, which was banned from production in 1988. More than 500 Australians die each year from the asbestos disease, mesothelioma, and these numbers are expected to increase over the next decade.

The proposal for an Asbestos Safety Certificate is in the ACTU’s submission to the Commonwealth Government’s Asbestos Management Review. It says all  asbestos should be removed from the built environment by 2030.

Read more: Buildings should be asbestos free by 2030

Register now!  Perth Work Safe 2011 Forum registrations now open.

The Perth WorkSafe Forum will be held at Burswood Convention Centre on Monday 17th October 2011.

Safety and health representatives, managers and supervisors, safety professionals and officers from all industries and interested members of the community are encouraged to attend the annual forums.

To register complete either the interactive registration form or the brochure for each delegate and return by Friday 7 October 2011

Read more: Perth Work Safe 2011 Forum