A Consumer NZ report on pre-made emergency survival kits provides a timely reminder for businesses and employers concerned about staff safety The consumer organisation found most either lacked key items, contained gear of poor quality or weren’t good value Consumer NZ looked at seven pre-made “getaway” kits that claim to have most of the gear one person needs to survive for three days when they need to evacuate in a hurry. Continue →

Active commuting by bicycle is associated with a substantial decrease in the risk of death from all causes, cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD), compared with non-active commuting by car or public transport, a study in The BMJ has found Walking is also associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, but the risk of death from cancer was no different than non-active commuting, the results show. Continue →

The simple act of walking down stairs could help prevent diabetes, according to new research from Edith Cowan University, which cites something known as eccentric exercise Researchers from ECU’s School of Medical and Health Sciences recruited 30 obese elderly women and put them on an exercise program, with half walking upstairs and the others walking downstairs. Continue →

Worldwide the number of people affected by and remaining disabled from stroke has increased significantly Although ageing and population growth has been shown to be the main drivers of this increased, not all of the increased stroke burden can be accounted for by these demographic changes. Continue →

Fatigue is more than feeling tired and drowsy – in a work context fatigue is a state of mental and/or physical exhaustion that reduces a person’s ability to perform work safely and effectively It can occur because of prolonged or intense mental or physical activity, sleep loss and/or disruption of the internal body clock. Continue →

A majority of district health boards (DHBs) around the country don’t provide 24/7 access to sign language interpreters, which puts deaf people at significant risk in medical emergencies, the Green Party claims A report released by Deaf Action New Zealand recently showed that only eight of 20 DHBs say they can provide access to sign language interpreters 24/7. Continue →

Work Rehab and Fit For Work are joining forces to provide what is claimed to be the most comprehensive range of occupational health services available from any company in New Zealand “This joint venture will greatly benefit Kiwi businesses wanting a single nationwide supplier of integrated occupational health services,” Director Lenny O’Connell believes. Continue →

New Zealand’s mobile surgical bus has marked its 15-year anniversary after more than 21,300 operations in 24 towns. Continue →

Several groups have joined forces to call for the introduction of the Accessibility for New Zealanders Act as part of Hearing Week, which runs from 26 February to 4 March The National Foundation for the Deaf has joined The Access Alliance steering group with members Auckland Disability Law, Blind Foundation, CCS Disability Action, Deaf Aotearoa, Disabled Person’s Assembly, Parents of Vision Impaired New Zealanders, Inclusive New Zealand and Kapa Maori Aotearoa to call for the introduction of the Accessibility for New Zealanders Act. Continue →

Australia’s Asbestos Diseases Research Institute has begun new research that aims to improve diagnosis of one of the most aggressive forms of cancer caused by asbestos exposure Australia has the world’s highest incidence of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) per capita, with around 600 new cases diagnosed each year due to previous widespread use of the known carcinogen asbestos. Continue →

  The rise in agritech is making it tough for farmers to stay in prime shape and as a result, personalised exercise programmes in rural communities are in high demand, Exercise New Zealand (ExerciseNZ) says New Zealand’s rural community has a population of around 600,000 people driving the country’s largest industry, primary productivity. Continue →

Timber and building hardware merchants are being reminded to assess and manage their risks following a recent case where a builder was injured by timber that fell from a high rack A customer was injured – and one year after the incident was still unable to work – after a bundle of weatherboards weighing over 300 kg fell from height and struck him in the back when he was outside in a building supplies merchant’s timber yard. Continue →

Honeywell has announced a new four-gas, portable monitor that once turned on can operate continuously for two years without the need to change sensors or charge batteries, helping customers boost safety compliance and reduce maintenance costs. Continue →

The New Zealand-owned engineering and design consultancy, Harrison Grierson, recently made health and safety history, with the highest score ever recorded in New Zealand for Sitewise certification.  Continue →