As we approach the tenth month of 2017, approximately 115 people have been killed in workplace accidents. With the National Work Safe Month initiative taking place throughout October, it’s time to look at how all businesses, employers and managers can commit to building safe and healthy workplaces for all Australians.
This year’s theme is “sharing safety knowledge and experience benefits everyone”. Safe Work Australia, a statutory body established by the Australian Government, is encouraging everyone to share the things they do, big or small, that make your workplace safer, happier and healthier for all.
National Work Safe Month also coincides with World Mental Health Day. Around 1 in 5 Australians are affected by mental illness, with many unable to seek help because of stigma. We encourage all workplaces to act on this to shed a more positive light on mental health by changing their attitude to change a life.
The facts: Cost of injury and illness in the manufacturing industry
Every year, 14 people are killed because of workplace accidents in the manufacturing industry. A closer look at those fatalities shows:
- 19% are by vehicle accident
- 19% are a result of falling objects
- 17% are factory process workers
The serious worker’s compensation isn’t any less shocking, with 14,900 serious claims per year. Around 36% of those injuries are muscular stress while lifting, carrying and handling objects and over 40% of injuries occur in food product and fabricated metal product manufacturing industries.
How to take part in National Safe Work Month
While the Commonwealth. States and territories are responsible for regulating and enforcing Work Place Health and Safety laws, business owners, managers and employers have a duty to ensure their employees likelihood of hazard and risk is eliminated, or at least minimised. This also includes creating a safe environment where employees can feel comfortable bringing workplace health and safety issues to their direct management line to have actioned.
If you’re looking to get involved in National Work Safe Month, share your initiative on social media using the #safeworkmonth so that businesses and their employees in Australia can benefit from your knowledge and experience – whether your working career has been two years or twenty!
This year’s theme is “Sharing safety knowledge and experience benefits everyone” and we want you to share the things you do, both big and small, that make your workplace safer and healthier.
How we do workplace safety at The Drake Group
Each trailer is manufactured on-site at the Drake Trailers and O’Phee Trailers facility, with steel cut and welded with our innovative robotic welder. As we are using advanced technical machinery, safety, compliance and performance are the highest priorities for The Drake Group, not only for our employees, but for our clients when making product recommendations and building and designing trailers specific to their industry safety requirements. Each stage of our trailer manufacturing includes strict quality control and risk assessment, finished with a visual inspection by management before the client drives it out the door.
The Drake Group has a combined 100 years of practice in innovation, efficiency, reliability and safety in trailer design, engineering and manufacturing. To find out how your business can benefit from our trailer experience, get in contact with us today.
Use this manufacturing industry infographic to raise awareness of National Safe Work Month in your workplace.