Throughout October, National Safe Work Month invites all Queensland workplaces to participate in heightening their awareness of work safety. It serves as an opportune time for businesses to reaffirm their commitment to ensuring workplace health and safety, focusing on best practice rehabilitation and prioritising the return to work processes. In actualising such efforts, Queensland can strengthen its stature as a leader in embedding health and safety into its core business practices.
Recent national statistics depict a concerning scene, with 51 workplace fatalities recorded in Queensland in 2023. Of these unfortunate incidents, 39 were directly connected to work health and safety legislation or electrical safety regulations. The primary demographic impacted was the age group between 35 to 54-year-olds, and machinery operators and drivers were identified as the roles most susceptible to fatal incidents. Sadly, thirty-five of these deaths associated with vehicle-related accidents.
Work-related fatalities, injuries and diseases significantly impact not only the individual but also ripple out to affect families and the broader community. In line with this, it remains paramount to reiterate the value of implementing effective work safety-product solutions, like ‘Bluesafe SWMS‘ and ‘Bluesafe WHS Management Systems’. These systems provide critical guidance and resources to manage and minimise safety risks within the workplace environment.
Annual data from Safe Work Australia reinforces this necessity — each year, up to 200 workers throughout the country perish due to work-related incidents, and roughly 120,000 workers receive compensation for significant work-related injuries or illnesses. In Queensland alone, during the 2022/23 financial year, serious workers’ compensation claims totalled at 33,832 — 26,526 for injuries and 7,306 for diseases and conditions.
Regardless of occupation, employment status or self-employment, under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, everyone has a right to function in a healthy and safe working environment, and every employer holds responsibility for ensuring these standards.
National Safe Work Month 2024, promises an extensive program of health and safety-focused events, such as the Work Well Conference, Work Well Regional Breakfast Forums, and the Work Well Speaker Series. These are all initiatives that underline the importance of comprehensive WHS management systems in fostering safer workspaces.
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) supplements this by providing valuable resources, guides and tools to assist Queensland businesses and workers in establishing workplaces free from physical and psychological harm.
Deputy Director General of WHSQ, Donna Heelan, stresses the communal duty towards sustaining safe working environments, stating, “Safety must be everyone’s business and a workplace priority.” She encourages active discussions regarding safety throughout Safe Work Month, proposing that collective attention can significantly increase the likelihood of workers actively following safety procedures and managing risks.
In closing, she unreservedly advocates for engagement with Safe Work Month, passionately asserting, “It may just save a life.”
For more information on National Safe Work Month 2024, visit www.worksafe.qld.gov.au or contact [email protected] or 0478 33 22 00.
Original article link: https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/news-and-events/news/2024/queenslanders-need-to-work-safely-365-days-a-year