Citation

Wigglesworth EC. Ergon. Aust. 2004; 18(1): 8-13.

Affiliation

Accident Research Centre, Monash University, Melbourne

Copyright

(Copyright © 2004, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society of Australia)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This paper reviews the outstanding improvements to health that have resulted from the implementation of research-based findings in Australia in the twentieth century. It emphasizes that the 40% increase in life expectancy for men and women was attained by a system of curiosity-driven, investigator-initiated and investigatordriven projects, supported by a peer-review process that ensured that only the best research was financially supported.

In sharp contrast, occupational health and safety (OHS) research in Australia has been neglected. Funds are microscopic and totally inadequate to retain – let alone attract – competent investigators: and, since the restructuring of National Occupational Health and Safety Commission in 1996, even those paltry sums are allocated with little input from the research community.

To revitalize research into workplace injury, four requirements are suggested. These are (a) its conceptualisation as a public health and not a behavioural problem; (b) a comprehensive data bank; (c) sufficient funds to create attractive career opportunities; and (d) a competitive grants system based on investigator-driven projects, and ranked by a system of peer review.