Workplace fatalities that have occurred in Brisbane and Perth over the last week serve as a salient reminder that, for all the perceived improvement and commitment to employee safety in Australia, there is still much work to do.
Whilst the latest Safe Work Australia statistics state that the 132 workplace fatalities recorded in Australia so far in 2016 are a significant improvement on the consistent 200+ each year that were recorded earlier this decade (refer graph below), we must simply keep striving to eradicate them altogether.
I am very proud of our RPR Trades team’s approach and solutions in relation to employee safety, which underpin our entire business, however these latest fatalities have caused us to reflect and think about anything we could do better or differently, that might potentially save a life. And the truth is, there is always something you can do better or differently, if you make it a priority.
October is National Safety Month, which:
“aims to improve awareness of work health and safety, encourage discussion about safety at work and share positive workplace stories from across Australia.”
There are some wonderful initiatives, messages and case studies to learn from, participation is easy, and it’s not too late to get involved. A great platform to help potentially save a life – can there be any higher priority?