Coming soon to your area…

12 March 2008

WorkSafe has released details of the first of 2008’s targeted workplace safety campaigns focussing on specific geographical areas.

WorkSafe inspectors will visit a range of workplaces (locations and dates below) checking common safety issues during the projects which run until the end of June.

WorkSafe’s Executive Director, John Merritt, said now is the time to ensure safety standards are being applied.

“Don’t adopt a ‘she’ll be right’ attitude or wait until a WorkSafe inspector arrives, before reviewing your situation. Help yourself, help your workers, help your boss.

”Just because you’ve never had a safety incident doesn’t mean your workplace is safe.

“There are plenty of incidents where we’re told it’s the ‘first time something has happened’, but the reality is that there have frequently been warnings of the potential for injury.”

Mr Merritt said ignoring known hazards and taking shortcuts produced the conditions for disaster.

“In most cases safety improvements can be made at little or no cost, but not addressing safety issues can have serious human and commercial consequences including the potential for prosecution.”  

WorkSafe does not issue fines, but where necessary Improvement Notices and Prohibition Notices are issued.

Improvement Notices are a formal direction to make a safety improvement within an agreed period. Prohibition Notices are issued when there is an immediate risk to health and safety. Receiving a Prohibition Notice means a machine or work practice must cease.

Both notices require sign-off from a WorkSafe inspector before they are lifted and that is generally the end of the matter. Breaching notices often results in prosecution.

Upcoming WorkSafe inspection campaigns

Safer Work Zones – 5 days – targets metropolitan industrial estates
Tullamarine: 31 March to 4 April
Boronia: 28 April to 2 May

Safe Towns – 5 days – targets towns in large regional centres
Bendigo: 5 - 9 May
Warragul: 26 May - 30 May

Mini-towns - 3 days – targets smaller regional centres
Seymour: 17 to 19 March.
Camperdown: 19 - 21 May (TBC)
Falls Creek: 19 to 21 May
Quambatook: 23 to 25 June (TBC).