Safe Work Month: Supporting workplace health and safety through COVID-19 and beyond
No one should be killed or injured at work, says personal injuries lawyer Gino Andrieri from Maurice Blackburn.
Yet tragically, 24 people were killed and almost 28,000 seriously injured at Victorian workplaces last year, WorkSafe statistics show.
Mr Andrieri said Safe Work Month this October was a timely reminder for all Victorians to make sure health and safety was prioritised at their place of work, especially during COVID-19.
“As a workplace injuries lawyer, I continue to see the result of too many workplace accidents or incidents that could have easily been prevented,” he said.
“Poor safety practices seriously impact workers on a daily basis, often with tragic consequences for the individuals involved, their families and the wider community. Safe Work Month is the perfect time for employers and employees to check that their workplace is safe.”
Of the 27,862 workplace injury claims lodged with WorkSafe Victoria last year, figures show that 9000 were for musculoskeletal injuries, more than 4500 were for traumatic joint, ligament and tendon injuries, while about 4000 were for mental health conditions.
“One workplace death or injury is far too many and we should all be able to go home and enjoy our lives outside of work after each and every shift,” he said.
The theme of ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Safe Work Month 2020 is .
As coronavirus infections continue to drop in Victoria and a further easing of restrictions is expected, physical distancing, personal protective equipment and masks are among the many measures necessary to keep all workers and community safe moving forward, Mr Andrieri added.
Maintaining the mental health of workers was especially important this year, he said, given the heightened stress, anxiety and uncertainty many people were feeling because of the pandemic.
PLEASE NOTE: Let us know if you would like us to find an injured local worker willing to discuss the impact of their workplace injury in the media.
