October is National Safe Work Month—a time to commit to building a safe and healthy workplace.
Being healthy and safe means being free from physical and psychological harm. A safe and healthy workplace benefits everyone. This is why, during October each year, Safe Work Australia asks businesses, employers and workers across Australia to join National Safe Work Month and commit to building safe and healthy workplaces for all Australians.
Safe Work Australia is the national policy agency responsible for WHS and workers’ compensation arrangements in Australia. Since 2009, they have run a national campaign each October to raise awareness of WHS and provide resources for Australian workplaces to run their own events.
About National Safe Work Month
Individuals, their families and the broader community are all impacted by work-related injury and illness. Last year in Australia, Safe Work Australia preliminary data showed that around 163 people died while doing their job. Around 120,300 people made a workers’ compensation claim for serious injury or illness in 2019-20.
This October there will be a focus on a different health and safety area for each week of National Safe Work Month.
Week 1 – Injuries at work
Everyone has the right to be safe at work. Week 1 of National Safe Work Month focuses on some common health and safety risks and how to control these to keep workers safe – whether it is from slips, trips and falls, lifting, pushing and pulling (manual tasks), or moving objects.
Week 2 – Mental Health
Mental (psychological) health, just like physical health, is an important part of work health and safety. Preventing psychological harm is an essential part of creating a healthy and safe workplace. Work-related psychological injuries have a significant impact on workers, their families and business. These injuries may result in longer time away from work and cost more than other injuries.
Monday 10 October is World Mental Health Day, a day to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and to mobilise efforts in support of mental health.
Week 3 – Managing WHS risks and preventing harm
Managing WHS risks is essential to creating a safe and healthy workplace. To manage WHS risks, you need to:
- identify hazards by finding all the things that could potentially harm your workers or other people, and;
- assess the risk by thinking about the likelihood and consequences of any injury or illness that could result if a worker or other person is exposed to a hazard.
Week 4 – Safe and healthy work for all
Australia is a world leader in WHS. While there have been significant strides towards reducing both the frequency and severity of work-related injuries and illnesses, workers and others continue to be injured at work, sometimes fatally.
In Victoria, WorkSafe Health and Safety Month will present its biggest ever program of events, following two years of online-only sessions due to COVID-19.
WorkSafe’s regional roadshow will include sessions on how to create mentally healthy workplaces, prevent work-related gendered violence and support injured workers to recover and return to work.
All events are free for employers and workers and registrations are now open.
Regional events will take place in:
- Bairnsdale – 4 October
- Traralgon – 5 October
- Warragul – 6 October
- Narre Warren – 7 October
- Shepparton – 10 October
- Mildura – 11 October
- Echuca – 12 October
- Bendigo – 13 October
- Shepparton – 14 October
- Ballarat – 17 October
- Horsham – 18 October
- Portland – 19 October
- Port Fairy/Warrnambool – 20 October
- Geelong – 21 October
Webinars will run from 24-28 October.
For more information visit:
www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/events
There are many things you can do straight away to ensure that you have robust work health and safety plans and initiatives in your business. Inspire HQ can review your current WHS procedures or work with you to implement:
- Work Health and Safety policies
- Onboarding and induction procedures
- Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)
- WorkCover assistance
Contact us now on 5331 1734 or admin@inspirehq.com.au and book a free Inspire HQ people hour to find out more.
