SA industry safety improvement program

SafeWork SA's Industry Improvement Program is targeting workplaces in South Australia that are contributing disproportionately to the number of workers compensation claims in the state.

Director of strategic interventions, Bryan Russell said the program was a major initiative within a suite of strategies aimed at helping workplaces reduce the incidence of work-related injury and illness: "The program, which began late in 2006, has an expected time frame of three years and early indications are that it has been well received. To date, 140 employers have been contacted and SafeWork SA has completed more than 130 audits of OHS management systems and workplace hazards. We have seen encouraging results so far in safety performance across a number of workplaces."

The program consists of five strategic actions:

• Engagement with key industry sectors
• A large-employer program
• A tailored medium-sized-employer program
• A small-business project
• A risk-mitigation project

It is expected that these actions will help the state achieve the 40% reduction in workplace injury by 2012 in accordance with the South Australian Strategic Plan.