Safe Work Australia recently released a new 10-year national strategy to reduce workplace fatalities, injuries, and illnesses in Australia.
The strategy builds on the previous ten year strategy and sets an ambitious vision for workplace health and safety outcomes in Australia.
The Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy 2023-2033 (the Strategy) outlines targets to measure progress over the next 10 years, including:
- Reducing serious claims resulting in one or more weeks off work by 20%
- Reducing the frequency rate of claims resulting in permanent impairment by 15%
- Reducing the overall incidence of work-related injury or illness among workers by 3.5%
- Building the capability of PCBUs, regulators and workers to ensure compliance with the duty to manage psychosocial hazards at work
Safe Work Australia Chief Executive Officer, Michelle Baxter said that Safe Work Australia, through its tripartite membership of government, employers and workers, will drive action and monitor the progress of the Strategy targets.
“Collaboration with and among researchers, professional peak bodies and practitioners will also be critical if we are to realise our ambitious vision,” she said.
According to Safe Work Australia, in 2021 more than 130,000 claims were accepted for work-related injury or illness.
Body-stressing, falls, slips and trips, and being hit by moving objects are the cause of most workplace injuries in Australia. Musculoskeletal conditions account for 85% of workers’ compensation claims for serious injuries.
According to the latest data, 70% of fatalities and 61% of serious workers’ compensation claims occur in six industries:
- agriculture
- construction
- transport
- manufacturing
- healthcare and social assistance, and
- public administration and safety.
Enabling the goal of the Strategy – to reduce worker fatalities, injuries and illnesses – will require focussing attention and activities to these high-risk industries, and:
- Embedding good work health and safety practices in all work, across all industries, cohorts and hazards.
- Innovating and deepening knowledge of workplace health and safety risks to broaden understanding.
- Collaborating consistently and effectively to respond to workplace health and safety challenges.
The Strategy outlines many ways to contribute to the success of Australia’s workplace health and safety system. Information and raising awareness, national coordination, data and intelligence gathering, health and safety leadership, and compliance and enforcement.
There are a number of persistent and emerging challenges in Australia that will require a sophisticated approach to address, such as workforce demographic shifts, new types of work, climate related risks, and new technologies.
Safe Work Australia Chair, Joanne Farrell said that achieving the vision of the Strategy – safe and healthy work for all – is not possible without the important contributions of key stakeholders.
“Jurisdictions, industry groups, WHS researchers, experts, practitioners and workers all have a role to play in realising progress under the Strategy,” she said.
