Work is a dangerous place. There are approximately 1.4 workplace deaths per 100,000 and for the mining sector the risks increase to 8.8 workplace deaths per 100,000.

Generally speaking, there is an expectation from employers that their employees will continue to act in an appropriately professional manner even if they have been bereaved.

Employers sometimes underestimate the effect that an illness or death of a colleague has on other workers and may be unaware of what actions may help their bereaved staff.

Information on employee assistance programs can be found here .

Practically, employers can assist their employees in times of trouble by helping them to access information on leave entitlements and payments in a timely manner.

It is also important for employers to make contact with the family or employee as soon as possible and enable other staff to share their condolences with their colleague in a meaningful way.

These are the things that really matter. These gestures make people feel valued and will be noticed and remembered if they fail to occur.

Sending flowers is also an appropriate symbolic gesture of goodwill and respect. Consider also sending more flowers a month after the bereavement has occurred. It is likely that they might be even more appreciated at this time.

Click on the links below to see how these websites and organisations can support your staff and their family through the difficulties that lay ahead.

Workcover

Worksafe

National Association for Loss and Grief

Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement

Lifeline or phone 131114

Griefline Telephone Counselling or phone  03959 67 799 daily from noon until  3 a.m.

Mensline Australia

Kids Help Line

Suicide Help Line

Voice of Industrial Death

Industrial Deaths Support and Advocacy Inc (IDSA) is a not for profit organisation set up to assist those affected by a workplace death.

‘IDSA is an organisation established to assist people whose loved ones have died at work, whether in industry or in any other type of workplace.’

‘This organisation provides at no cost, practical support and assistance for the needs of families and others who have been affected by a workplace death.’

All disasters are devastating, and the devastation in Haiti is of catastrophic proportions.

No government infrastructure remains intact and recovery and rescue teams are restricted by lack of transport, communication and fuel.

The  Australian Council for International Development  (ACFID) is an independent national association of Australian Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) working in the field of international aid and development. Check out the website to see what they do and their membership directory.

The links below will also lead you to destinations where you can offer your support;

Caritas

World Vision

Oxfam

UNICEF

Red Cross

PLAN

Compassion

Care Australia

Doctors without borders

A perusal of  the NSW Lawlink archives lists updates on the following topics which may be of interest for some readers.

Responding to Coronial recommendations.

New website to guide victims of crime through the justice system.

NSW Government assistance for asbestos victims.

Panel set up to review domestic violence deaths.

Attorney General warns of hoax inheritance email.

$87 million waiting to be claimed from estates.

Grieving families given more say in coronial matters.

New laws on inheritance pass parliament.

Spouses to get estates when no wills are left.

Focus on legal advice for the elderly. Law access 1300 888 529 provides information and legal advice.

For free dispute mediation services phone   1800 990 777             9am -5pm Monday to Friday

Lawyers fees for will disputes curbed.

To read more check  HERE

Things have been a little quiet on the website front as I have been in holiday mode, but now that the New Year has dawned full of possibilities, I would like to take the opportunity to share another dawn with you from my holiday snaps.

A Japanese movie about the rituals around death and the departed, this film was awarded best foreign picture at the Oscars.

I have not yet viewed this movie though I have it on a trusted and valued friend’s recommendation that this movie, with it’s beautiful music and exquisite attention to detail, is not to be missed.

To explore more for yourself  -  Departures - the movie

For those of us who are more than a little confused by all the current talk about risks and probabilities I went in search of a website that tried to make these things easier for us to understand.

Understanding Uncertainty is a website ‘ that tries to make sense of chance, risk, luck, uncertainty and probability.”

There is a lot to learn and it’s all free - there is even a post on A Worriers Guide to Risk.

Australian  researchers have now confirmed what those who have known the pain and despair of grief have long suspected. You can indeed die of a broken heart.

University of Sydney lecturer Dr Thomas Buckley reported that changes were found in the blood pressure, heart rate , immune system and clotting  immediately after the loss of a loved one.

Researchers at the Royal North Shore Hospital found that these changes greatly increased a grieving persons risk of a heart attack in the immediate months following the loss, with the risk gradually reducing over the following two years.

Researchers stated that the focus of future studies will be to look at how best to prevent heart attacks in grieving people.

African - American woman Germaine Baines has died in Los Angeles at the age of 115 years. As expected when a person experiences something exceptional, we like to explore what might have led her to live so long.

I found some of the statements this lady made about her life interesting.

‘I did not have a lot of fun as an adult but I enjoyed going  to church every Sunday’.

What does this say about the  maintaining of routine and ritual?

This lady supposedly maintained her rituals and routines, year after year, for decades.

Is this what assisted her to live longer?

I guess I’m wondering this because in my personal experience I have known many people who may well have described their lives in much the same way and have gone on to live to ‘ a ripe old age ‘.

You know how sometimes you will say something, just because the opportunity arises…….Today I thought I would share with you a glimpse of the Schubert family in action.

A few weeks ago whilst I was visiting my parents, we were discussing some of those important things like wills , executors and funerals and I said something that I first heard at a stress management education course many years ago.

‘I don’t know why your fussing though as the number of people at your funeral will be determined by the weather.’

Yes they laughed and I might also have missed a great opportunity for deep and  meaningful conversation but my Dad has now taken the weather factor into consideration and decided to have a service at a church rather than at the graveside so there will be no need for family and friends to get wet.

The Open University UK is a wonderful source of knowledge that allows anyone access to free online learning with their Open University Program.There are a myriad of interesting courses to choose from, including some that would interest people wanting to increase their knowledge about death and dying.

There are mini subjects such as Life Stories, The Meaning of Home and Living with Death and Dying which take just a few hours to complete and lengthier topics such as Moral and Ethical Principles in End of Life Care  which provide opportunity for more indepth analysis and exploration of the topic. The time frames are only a guide and you learn away at your own pace.

I have literally spent hours browsing this brilliant website, absorbed in the possibilities for my own future learning. I hope you enjoy it too!

Follow the link to the learning space  to find out what it has to offer you.