At the start of National Safe Work Month, Safe Work Australia is encouraging all Australians to make safety their business.
National Safe Work Month is held every October and provides an opportunity for workplaces across Australia to recognise the importance of work health and safety.
The impacts of work-related injuries and fatalities are far reaching, affecting individuals, families and the broader community. Safe Work Australia data indicates that in 2023, 200 workers in Australia were fatally injured at work, and 139,000 serious workers’ compensation claims were made (2022-2023p).
This year’s theme, Safety is Everyone’s Business, calls on workplaces across the nation to make safety their business. It highlights the collective benefit of safe work practices to everyone in the workplace by reinforcing WHS as a fundamental principle and right.
This October, prioritise work health and safety, by making it your business. Making safety a priority and taking action to ensure your workplace is free of physical and psychological harm helps to keep workers safe. Every worker, across all industries and occupations, deserves to come home safe.
The event is led by Safe Work Australia and supported by initiatives across the country from Safe Work Australia Members and their representative organisations, including Commonwealth, state and territory WHS regulators as well as employers and unions.
For more information and to access the National Safe Work Month resources, go to safeworkmonth.swa.gov.au
Safe Work Australia Chief Executive Officer, Marie Boland, said creating safe and healthy workplaces was vital.
“This October I urge workplaces across Australia to make safety their business and participate in National Safe Work Month,” she said.
“This year we want workplaces to think about safety as part of the everyday business of their workplace—creating a safe and healthy workplace that is free from physical and psychological harm benefits everyone.
“Having a safe and healthy workplace is a fundamental right for all workers, across all occupations and industries.
“Commit to making work health and safety core to how you do business this National Safe Work Month and beyond.”
Week 1:
- Proactively managing your WHS risks
You have a duty to eliminate or minimise health and safety risks as much as you reasonably can to keep workers and others (e.g. visitors) safe.
Safety doesn’t happen by chance or guesswork. You must proactively identify situations that could cause harm, then make changes to eliminate or minimise the risk of harm happening. Don’t wait for something to go wrong before you take action.
Identify and assess – talk to workers (consult), look for hazards in the workplace, assess the risks – how serious harm could be, how it might happen, how likely it is.
Control – eliminate the risks (e.g. stop doing the task or re-design) if possible or minimise the risks as much as you reasonably can using control measures.
Monitor and review – monitor closely and review control measures to make sure they are working well and there is nothing more or different you need to do.
Remember you must consult with workers and take their views into account when taking action to manage WHS risks.