How safe is your workplace?

“How safe is your workplace?” is the question WorkSafe Victoria is encouraging workplaces to answer in a major public awareness campaign commencing this Sunday, 23 August.

The campaign aims to help employers and workers prevent workplace injuries by creating a work environment where safety is openly discussed and there is a genuine commitment to always improve health and safety.

Employers can access an online self-assessment tool which gives them an indication of what they are doing well, where they can do better, as well as access practical advice about improving safety in their workplace.

The campaign is based on research conducted with 1000 Victorian workers earlier this year who were asked about their perceptions of health and safety.

The research also found businesses typically received better safety ratings if:

• workers were given opportunities to have their say on OHS issues;
• managers and workers provided positive recognition or appreciation for acting safely at work;
• there was a nominated health and safety representative in the workplace.

Other WorkSafe-funded research highlights that organisations that failed to proactively address health and safety issues typically had higher rates of worker anxiety and stress, as well as physical injuries.

WorkSafe Victoria Chief Executive Clare Amies said the research highlighted the importance of proactively talking about and taking action to address health and safety at work.

“Our new campaign is designed to highlight the fact that employers who proactively engage with employees on health and safety issues are able to reduce the risk of serious injury in the workplace,” Amies said.

“It’s vital that employers and workers actively engage in workplace safety and work together to achieve better safety outcomes.”

The ‘How safe is your workplace?’ campaign will run for four weeks initially and feature across TV, radio, online and print. The survey will be an ongoing resource for workers and employers across Victoria.

To find out how safe your workplace is, complete the online survey at www.howsafeisyourworkplace.com.au.

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