The annual National Safe Work Month (October) may have come to an end, but Safe Work Australia continues to remind all workplaces across the country to continue making health and safety a permanent part of your workplace culture by thinking safe, working safe and being safe throughout the year.
“Throughout the pandemic, we’ve seen just how important work health and safety is,” says Safe Work Australia CEO, Michelle Baxter.
“Nearly 70,000 people visited the National Safe Work Month website this year, providing a strong indication of Australian businesses ongoing commitment to health and safety at work.”
Safe Work Australia says it has an important national role to help drive reductions in the incidence of work-related death, injury, and illness and to improve outcomes for injured workers and their employers.
“It is important that workplaces commit to workplace health and safety, not just in October for National Safe Work Month, but every day,” says Ms Baxter.
“Tragically, 194 workers were killed at work last year. Work-related fatalities, injuries and illnesses have a devastating impact on workers, their families, and the community.
“All workers have the right to a healthy and safe working environment and no workplace death or injury is acceptable.
“We are starting to see evidence through our national data of how Covid-19 has impacted the way people work.
“For example, we know that workers’ compensation claims and injuries have increased compared with previous years, particularly in relation to mental health claims.
“If you’re a person conducting a business or undertaking, you must ensure your workers are safe and healthy at work. Investing in work health and safety benefits everyone, now and into the future,” says Ms Baxter.
National Safe Work Month is led by Safe Work Australia and supported by initiatives across Australia from Safe Work Australia Members and their representative organisations, including Commonwealth, state, and territory WHS regulators.
