NSCA Foundation

Workers in NSW can now speak up, save lives with new app


Monday, 18 May, 2020

Workers in NSW can now speak up, save lives with new app

SafeWork New South Wales (SafeWork NSW) has launched a new app, ‘Speak Up, Save Lives’, which allows workers to anonymously report workplace health and safety issues by sending photos of unsafe practices directly to SafeWork NSW. Workers who notice anything risky are encouraged to protect their own safety as well as that of others, by reporting it to SafeWork NSW. “SafeWork inspectors do a fantastic job — but they can’t be everywhere at once,” Kevin Anderson, NSW Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation, said. “The app is a quick, easy and confidential way for anyone to report unsafe worksite or work practices using only their mobile phone.”

The Speak Up, Save Lives app and web-based tool was developed in consultation with the industry and the family of Christopher Cassaniti, an 18-year-old who passed away in a tragic workplace incident in 2019. Since the launch of the Speak Up, Save Lives web platform in October 2019, SafeWork NSW has received 1647 reports from workers and handed out 472 improvement notices and $56,880 in penalties.

“Any number of terrible incidents could have happened as a result of these safety issues and Speak Up means that workers can report issues before these incidents occur and prevent anyone from having to go through what the Cassaniti family have been through,” Anderson said. The most important feature of Speak Up is confidentiality, Anderson said, as workers who are casually employed, on temporary or labour hire contracts, or from a CALD community, are less likely to raise concerns about unsafe work. “Speak Up, Save Lives breaks down those barriers and allows reports to be made completely anonymously,” Anderson added.

NSW workers can type in ‘Speak Up NSW’ to the Apple or Android store or visit the SafeWork NSW website to report unsafe work, anywhere, anytime.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/lookslikephoto.com

NSCA Foundation is a member based, non-profit organisation working together with members to improve workplace health and safety throughout Australia. For more information and membership details click here
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