Workers may be interested in the latest report by Safe Work Australia, which reveals that there has been a decrease in the number of workplace injury fatalities.
Released October 4, the fourteenth edition of the Comparative Performance Monitoring (CPM) report looked at workers compensation statistics for the period 2010-11.
Safe Work Australia chair Tom Phillips said that although the decrease in workplace fatalities is a good sign, “one fatality is [still] too many”.
And in the case of 2010-11, there was more than one death – nearly 170 people died from work-related accidents.
“Furthermore in 2010-11, 11 out of every 100 workers were injured seriously enough to require one week or more off work,” Mr Phillips added.
He is reminding everyone in the country to be vigilant about workplace health and safety protocols, to try and minimise the risk of potentially fatal incidents.
“To continue to reduce work-related death, injury and disease Australians must stay committed to improving work health and safety,” he said.
This advice is bound to be reiterated throughout Safe Work Australia Week, which commences on October 21.
The week began eight years ago, and was created to raise awareness about the importance of workplace safety.
Mr Phillips hopes that both employers and workers alike will use the initiative as an opportunity to enhance risk management and improve injury prevention strategies.
“Safe Work Australia Week encourages all working Australians to focus on improving health and safety in their workplaces to reduce death, injury and disease not just during the week but every week of the year,” he explained.
For those harmed in workplace accidents, compensation schemes exist to help with recovery and rehabilitation costs, as well as cover time taken from work and medical expenses.
There are accredited personal injury lawyers in Sydney that specialise in compensation law, who operate on a no win no fee basis – meaning no charge is laid unless the case is successful.
They may be able to help you make a claim, should you be eligible. If you are injured at work it is important to report the incident straight away and report to a doctor immediately, so that details are recorded.
Be sure to tell your doctor of every body part that was harmed, and be thorough with your explanations.
