Friday, April 28 is World Day for Safety and Health at Work and Workers’ Memorial Day. This is a good time to reinforce the message of workplace safety across all industries and workplaces, particularly with the recent spate of workplace-related fatalities across the country. The following linked news reports all occurred in the previous two weeks.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-27/crane-rollover-currumbin-valley-gold-coast/102271624
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-25/serious-crash-at-olympic-dam/102264124
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-14/sydney-ambo-stabbed-on-work-break-in-random-attack/102226574
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-25/dean-holland-jockey-death-tributes-racing/102263024
In 2021, 169 workers in Australia were fatally injured in the workplace. Over 130,000 serious injuries were claimed and over 12,000 serious claims for mental health conditions were made across Australia.
These numbers highlight the need for more awareness of workplace safety and your role (as a worker) in the promotion of safe workplace activities.
Safety in the workplace is everyone’s responsibility. It should not and cannot be left in the hands of management, everyone in the workplace must be involved. It is your right to enjoy a safe workplace, free from risk of injury or illness, either physical or mental. As a worker, you have a legal responsibility to:
- Protect your own health and safety
- Do not place others at risks
- Treat others with respect
- Report safety concerns
- Follow all reasonable directions relating to safety from your supervisor/employer
Workplaces must provide:
- A safe working environment
- Policies and procedures and safe work practices
- A work environment and work culture free of discrimination, harassment and bullying
- Adequate facilities and training to support the welfare of workers
- Safe plant and structures
If any of these things are not occurring in your workplace, it is not safe and corrections need to be made. If you cannot report these incidents to your employer, or if you have and they have either ignored the problem or made no observed efforts to resolve the problem, you can report the issues to your states’ WHS regulator.
South Australia – SafeWork SA www.safework.sa.gov.au
Victoria – WorkSafe Victoria www.worksafe.vic.gov.au
Queensland – Workplace Health and Safety Queensland www.worksafe.qld.gov.au
Western Australia – WorkSafe WA www.commerce.wa.gov.au/worksafe
Tasmania – WorkSafe Tasmania www.worksafe.tas.gov.au
Northern Territory – NT WorkSafe www.worksafe.nt.gov.au
Australian Capital Territory – WorkSafe ACT www.worksafe.act.gov.au