Gallagher has welcomed Safe Work Australia's updated, evidence-based Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy 2023-2033 (WHS Strategy).
The strategy, which has been agreed by state and territory governments, provides a framework for improving work, health, and safety over the next 10 years across Australia as a referral point for action plans locally. It aims to reduce worker fatalities, injuries, and illnesses and outlines targets to measure progress over the next decade, including a reduction in worker fatalities caused by traumatic injuries by 30%.
“The new strategy has been designed to meet ongoing and emerging challenges over the next decade, including managing psychosocial risks, impacts from the rise of artificial intelligence, automation, and related technologies, and new types of work including gig and platform work,” Gallagher said. “It also focuses on industries with the highest rates of injuries, illnesses, and fatalities, with percentage reduction goals, including work‑related respiratory disease and accelerated silicosis.
“Activities include provisions to assist small businesses and collaborating with worker representatives across industry sectors, toolkits, data collection, and compliance checks.”
Work Safe Australia's data revealed that 70% of fatalities and 61% of serious workers compensation claims occur in the following industries:
“The latest Work Safe Australia data shows that body-stressing, falls, slips and trips, and being hit by moving objects are the cause of most workplace injuries. Vehicle incidents, being hit by moving objects, and falls from a height account for the most fatalities,” Gallagher said. “Mental health conditions account for a relatively small but increasing proportion of serious claims, rising from 6% of all serious claims in 2014-15 to 9% in 2020-21.”
