9 / 68
9
HIRE AND RENTAL NEWS • NOVEMBER 2016
INDUSTRY NEWS
The Work Health and Safety Roadmap
for NSW 2022 is a six year plan to make
the lives of NSW workers and business
owners healthier, safer and more
productive.
Under the vision ‘Healthy, safe, and
productive working lives’, the Roadmap
aims to reduce work-related fatalities
by 20%, serious injuries and illnesses by
30% and serious musculoskeletal injuries
and illnesses by 30% through engaging
and empowering workplaces to manage
health and safety more effectively.
The construction sector has been
identified in the Roadmap as one of the
State’s highest risk industry sectors and
Executive Director of SafeWork NSW,
Peter Dunphy said they will implement
targeted programs to reduce the number
of injuries and illnesses in the industry.
“Over the past 10 years, fewer people are
being seriously or fatally injured in NSW
workplaces,” Mr Dunphy said.
Roadmap NSW 2022 to guide the way to workplace safety
“There has been a 49% decline in
fatalities and a 39% decline in serious
injuries and illnesses which can be
attributed to a number of factors,
including changing attitudes towards
work health and safety, and development
of best practice, industry transformation
and technological developments.
“And while NSW had made good progress
towards meeting national safety targets,
the rates of work-related injuries, illnesses
and fatalities were still too high.
“Over the past three years there were
10,351 major workers compensation
claims in the construction industry.
“And when we consider the more than
30,000 serious workplace injuries and
illnesses last financial year cost the NSW
economy more than $17 billion or 3.7% of
gross state product, it’s clear we must do
more.
“Over the next six years SafeWork
NSW will develop and deliver a range
of innovative initiatives in partnership
with employers, workers, peak bodies,
associations, and community leaders
to protect workers and increase the
competitiveness and confidence of NSW
business,” he said.
“We will seek to limit musculoskeletal
injuries, mental health disorders and
exposure to hazardous chemicals and
materials. We are also committed to
significantly reducing the number of
injuries involving quad bikes, forklifts,
machine guarding, working at heights
and electrocution.
“These innovative programs will
be developed through data driven
insights and information sharing with
stakeholders so practical solutions to
current work health and safety risks can
be found.”
The Work Health and Safety Roadmap
for NSW 2022 is available at website:
www.safework.nsw.gov.au
SafeWork NSW has a new work health and safety Roadmap for NSW which sets a number
of ambitious targets to reduce the rate of injury, illness and fatalities in NSW workplaces.