WISER for Android 2.0 Now Available

NLM Technical Bulletin 15 May 2013

WISER for Android 2.0 is now available and can be installed directly from the Google Play Store. Here’s a look at what’s new in this release.

WISER (Wireless Information System for Emergency Responders) is a system designed to assist first responders in hazardous material incidents. WISER provides a wide range of information on hazardous substances, including substance identification support, physical characteristics, human health information, and containment and suppression advice.

WISER now fully integrates content from the Chemical Hazards Emergency Medical Management (CHEMM) Web site. This integration includes:

• New hospital provider and preparedness planner profiles
• Acute care guidelines for six known mass casualty agents/agent classes
• The addition of a wealth of CHEMM reference material
• CHEMM Intelligent Syndrome Tool (CHEMM-IST), a new help identify tool designed to diagnose the type of chemical exposure after a mass casualty incident

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Tutorials for WISER are available here

Inadequate Infection Control By Vets Widespread

University of Sydney 13 May 2013

The infection control practices of veterinarians are inadequate with almost 50 percent of vets contracting infections from animals during their career, research led by the University of Sydney has found.
“There is an urgent need for our profession to better educate vets about protecting themselves, and by extension the general public, against contracting infection from animals,” said Dr Navneet Dhand, from the University’s Faculty of Veterinary Science.

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Inquiry hears electrical safety not identified as an issue until first fatal electrocution during Home Insulation Program

The Courier Mail Brittany Vonow May 09, 2013

ELECTRICAL safety was not identified as an issue until the first fatal electrocution after the government’s Home Insulation Program began in 2009.Kevin Keeffe, who was the then Assistant Secretary of the Energy Future Branch at the Department of Environment, Water Heritge and the Arts, told the Coroners Inquiry into the deaths of three men, all working to install insulation into Queensland homes between 2009 and 2010, the threat of fire was more pressing during the scheme’s planning.

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Inquest told foolproof insulation safety not viable

ABC News Annie Guest May 8, 2013

An inquest into the deaths of three Queensland insulation workers killed during the controversial pink batts rollout has been told that to guarantee safety an installation company would have had to give up on making a profit.
The three who died were using metal staples to lay electrically conductive insulation in 2009 and 2010 when the practice was already banned in New Zealand.

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Electrocution victim Matthew Fuller permitted to work in ‘live’ ceiling after only ten days on the job, inquiry hears

The Courier Mail Brittany Vonow 8 May 2013

A MAN electrocuted while working on a government insulation scheme called his supervisor 15 minutes before he died, worried the wiring was too complicated to work on, court hears.

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Matthew Fuller had life-threatening near miss in week before death from electrocution while working on insulation scheme

The Courier Mail Brittany Vonow 7 May 2013

TWO near-misses happened in the week leading up to the electrocution of Matthew Fuller, who was killed while installing insulation under the federal government’s rebate scheme.

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Pink batts worker Matthew Fuller was untrained, unsupervised, inquest hears

The Australian Sarah Elks 7 May 2013

MATTHEW Fuller was inexperienced and inadequately trained when he died installing insulation under the Rudd government’s pink batts scheme, an inquest has heard.

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Pike River miners’ escape doomed

The Australian AFP 7 May 2013

THE Pike River coalmine was unsafe and should not have been operating when it exploded killing 29 men in 2010, a New Zealand judge has ruled.

Judge Jane Farish has released detailed findings after last month’s conviction of Pike River Coal Ltd on nine health and safety charges laid by the former Department of Labour.

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Report reveals Qld’s most dangerous industries

ABC News Melissa Maddison 2 May 2013

The construction and agricultural sectors have been identified as among the most dangerous industries in Queensland in an audit of workplace deaths.
A report by Workplace Health and Safety found between January and June 2012 there were 19 fatalities after workplace incidents.

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Link to Report

National memorial honours victims of workplace accidents

ABC News Siobhan Heanue 29 April 2013 [updated]

A national memorial for ordinary men and women killed in workplace accidents has been unveiled in Canberra.

On average, about 300 Australians die every year in workplace accidents.

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