Call for business leaders to recognise safety on World Day for Safety and Health at Work
In 2015, 193 workers lost their lives at work. Each loss is a profound tragedy for families, colleagues, businesses and communities.
This Thursday 28 April is World Day for Safety and Health at Work and Workers’ Memorial Day — a day to focus on preventing work-related deaths, injury and illness, and to remember those who have died at work.
Safe Work Australia encourages businesses across Australia to take action to prevent work-related injury and illness and to consider how they can recognise World Day for Safety and Health at Work and Workers’ Memorial Day in their workplace. Suggestions include stopping for a minute of silence, organising a morning tea to talk about work health and safety or attending a local workers’ memorial event.
Safe Work Australia’s Chair Diane Smith-Gander has called on business leaders to commit to building awareness about work health and safety and placing safety as a top priority.
“Thursday 28 April is an opportunity for all of us to reflect on ways we can prevent work-related injury and illness,” said Ms Smith-Gander.
“Collectively, we must make it our mission to prevent workplace death, injury and illness—we owe it to ourselves, the families of those who have died, to workers, and to our children, who are our future workforce”.
When Ms Smith-Gander was a child her father was injured in a workplace incident. This experience inspired her lifelong belief in a worker’s right to a safe and healthy workplace, a conviction she brings to her role as Safe Work Australia Chair.
“Our vision is for Australia to lead the world in worker health and safety,” said Ms Smith-Gander.
Safe Work Australia develops national policy relating to work health and safety and workers’ compensation arrangements across Australia.
Preliminary data shows that 193 workers lost their lives at work in 2015.