Are we putting safety at the forefront in Australian workplaces?

October is National Safe Work Month, and Safe Work Australia believes it is a perfect occasion to spread better awareness about the potential pitfalls that can arise when safety isn’t a priority.

Every October across Australia, National Safe Work Month is observed to increase awareness and provide an opportunity for workplaces to improve their health and safety parameters.

The impacts of work-related injuries and fatalities cannot be understated. As previously reported on HR Leader, the Safe Work report revealed that tragically, in 2023, there were 200 people fatally injured at work in Australia. Ninety-five per cent of worker fatalities were male.

“All workers have the right to a healthy and safe working environment, and any workplace death is unacceptable,” said Marie Boland, Safe Work Australia’s chief executive.

“While Australia compares favourably to the rest of the world, the fact that 200 people did not come home from work in 2023 reminds us that we cannot afford to be complacent.”

Along with the fatalities, the financial effects of injuries at the workplace have sky-rocketed, with the report showing that 139,000 serious workers’ compensation claims were made (2022–23).

Accounting for a lot of these claims was mental health conditions, which amassed for 0.5 per cent or 14,600 serious claims in 2022–23. This accumulated to a 19.2 per cent increase in 2021–22 and a 97.3 per cent increase compared with 10 years ago.

These statistics make the month even more important. As the landscape of the contemporary workplace continues to change, health and safety measures cannot be put on the back burner. Instead, they must remain a priority for Aussie businesses, as the ramifications can be extremely detrimental.

On that note, the theme for 2024’s National Safe Work Month is “Safety is everyone’s business”. This theme highlights the collective effort that forging a safe workplace takes and the collective benefit that safe work practices can have for everyone in the workplace.

“Creating safe and healthy workplaces is vital – this October, I urge workplaces across Australia to make safety their business and participate in National Safe Work Month,” said Boland.

“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.”

By ensuring that safety is a priority within your organisation, actions can be taken to further ensure that your workplace is free of both physical and psychological hazards.

“Having a safe and healthy workplace is a fundamental right for all workers, across all occupations and industries,” said Boland.

“Commit to making work health and safety core to how you do business this National Safe Work Month and beyond.”