New handbook for good work design

A new handbook to help businesses meet their obligations under the work health and safety laws, reduce worker injury rates, and improve their productivity and bottom line has been launched by Safe Work Australia (SWA).

The handbook ‘Principles of Good Work Design’ contains information about the 10 principles of good work design and how they can be applied to any workplace, business or industry.

SWA Chief Executive Officer Michelle Baxter said that well-designed, healthy and safe work allows workers to have more productive lives, which in turn drives business efficiency.

“Principles of Good Work Design shows businesses how to go about designing out hazards before a worker gets injured, which delivers tangible savings by avoiding the costs associated with incidents that result from poor work design practices,” Baxter said.

“It is often easier and more cost-effective to address hazards and risks during the planning and design stage. This applies to the places we work in, the things we use at work, as well as to how we design organisational structures, roles and tasks.”

The handbook is a ‘living’ electronic document that will be updated regularly with links to case studies and practical examples from businesses that have successfully applied the good work design principles.

“The handbook complements a range of existing resources available to businesses and work health and safety professionals,” said Baxter.

“Failure to consider how work is designed can result in poor risk management and lost opportunities to innovate and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of work. Good work design can radically transform the workplace in ways that benefit the business, workers and clients.”

The resource is available on the Safe Work Australia website.