Workplace Safety is Everyone Business

We explore best practices for businesses and employees to improve workplace health and safety.

Workplace safety has improved significantly over time in Australia. The traumatic injury fatality rate for workers in Australia has decreased by 30% since 2012. Currently, 3.5% of workers experience a work-related injury or illness each year, approximately one-third of the global rate of 12.1%, according to Safe Work Australia. However, there is still work to be done. In 2024, there have so far been 99 workplace fatalities. While Australia compares favorably with the rest of the world, every fatality is unacceptable and represents a worker who, tragically, did not come home from work.

What causes incidents?

Vehicle incidents accounted for the largest proportion of worker fatalities (42%), followed by falls from a height (15%), according to Safe Work Australia. For injuries and illnesses, 80% of all serious claims involve body stressing, falls, slips and trips, being hit by moving objects, or mental stress.

Celebrating Safe Work Month

October marks the beginning of Australia’s annual Safe Work Month, an initiative started by Safe Work Australia to remind employers and workers to commit to creating safe and healthy workplaces. The 2024 theme “Safety is everyone’s business” reminds us that a safe and healthy working environment is a fundamental principle and right across all industries and occupations, while reinforcing the business benefits that come from committing to safer workplaces.

Workplace health and safety is imperative for businesses. Creating a safe and healthy work environment is a moral and legal responsibility. It reduces suffering and financial hardship for workers and their families, and research studies have found it also provides a key business advantage by increasing productivity and profitability. Safe workplaces lower absenteeism and minimize the risk of costly compensation claims, prosecution, fines or loss of skilled staff. Investing in a workplace health and safety management system provides a multitude of benefits that far outweigh its costs. 

Who is responsible for workplace health and safety?

As this year’s Safe Work Month theme encapsulates, "Safety is everyone’s business"! Employers are responsible for providing their workers with a safe work environment and not putting the health and safety of their workers and other people at risk. Employees also have responsibilities under Australia’s workplace health and safety policies and procedures. 

What should employees do?

• Take induction and training seriously
• Follow agreed safe work practices
• Report a situation that could result in someone getting hurt
• Ask for clarification or help when they are not sure about how to perform a task safely
• Wear personal protective equipment
• Not put themselves or their workmates at risk 

How should employers manage workplace health and safety?

Employers should maintain and establish safe ways of handling and storing machinery, substances and structures, provide employee training or supervision, and monitor the health of workers and working conditions. To do this, an employer should implement an Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS), which uses a systems-based approach and is fundamental to an organization's risk management strategy. 

A systems-based approach is far more effective in protecting people from harm and meeting safety goals than a system that relies on documentation alone, according to Comcare, Australia’s national authority for work health and safety, and compensation. 

What is ISO 45001?

ISO 45001 is the globally recognized OHSMS standard. It enables an organization to:

• Protect its workforce and others under its control
• Comply with legal requirements
• Facilitate continual improvement
• Demonstrate commitment to occupational health and safety
• Eliminate hazards and reduce risks, including system deficiencies
• Reduce the costs of injury and workers' compensation
• Integrate occupational health and safety (OHS) with other management systems
• Enable more informed decision-making
• Integrate other health and safety aspects, such as worker wellness and wellbeing

How can SGS help?

SGS has decades of occupational health and safety experience. We can help you along the path to ISO 45001 certification with an audit that can include a gap assessment and benchmarking. We will determine your level of competence and help you to achieve ongoing improvement in putting health and safety practices at the heart of your organization. We also offer ISO 45001 training to help your employees gain the knowledge and skills needed to support compliance with this standard.

For further information, please contact:

Steven Guyatt
National Business Development Manager
t: +61457008717