WorkCover and Cooma-Monaro Council establish safety alliance

WorkCover NSW and Cooma-Monaro Shire Council will today form an alliance to improve the safety of Council staff and the public. The safety alliance commits WorkCover and Cooma-Monaro Shire Council to develop practical and effective approaches to workplace health and safety and injury management through communication, consultation, cooperation and industry leadership. The alliance reflects similar agreements with Wollongong and Wellington Councils.

"In 2008/09 in NSW, two local government workers were killed on the job while 753 were injured," said WorkCover’s Work Health and Safety Division General Manager, John Watson. “Council is one of the largest local employers and almost all staff would be connected in some way to the more than 10,000 people living within the Council area. 

"WorkCover recognises the devastating affect the loss of a loved one in a workplace incident can have on family, friends and colleagues and how it can be exacerbated in a regional town, due to the close links of workers to residents.

"The safety alliance gives the family and friends of Council staff reassurance that both organisations are working together to ensure their loved ones return home safely at the end of the working day."

“The alliance with WorkCover supports Council’s motto of ‘Building a Better Community’ by providing practical guidance, advice and resources in relation to safety," said Cooma-Monaro Shire Council General Manager John Vucic. "The alliance is timely due to the introduction of work health and safety laws on 1 January 2012.". 

"The ability to have direct access to WorkCover experts, who can provide advice on the impact of the new legislation on our organisation, will be invaluable,” he said.

WorkCover NSW fosters relationships with industry associations and peak unions, to achieve safer workplaces, effective recovery, return to work and security for injured workers. WorkCover has 11 partnership agreements with peak bodies that aim to improve workplace health and safety, injury management and workers compensation.