[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Last year in Australia, Safe Work Australia preliminary data shows that around 180 people died while doing their job. Around 107,000 people made a workers’ compensation claim for serious injury or illness in 2017-18.

Safe Work Month (SWM) runs every year in October and this years theme is ‘Work Health and Safety through COVID-19‘.

Safe Work Month this year acknowledges and reflects the wide-reaching impacts of COVID-19 on Australian businesses, employers and workers.

Workplaces have had to quickly adapt their practices and procedures to reduce the WHS risks arising from COVID-19 and to manage the psychological effects of the pandemic on workers.

The National Safe Work Month theme highlights the WHS challenges, as well as the positive outcomes brought on by the pandemic and the significant role WHS plays in keeping workers safe and preventing the spread of COVID-19.

WHS and COVID-19
The Safe Work Australia website provides a range of national WHS guidance and tools that workplaces can use to minimise the health and safety risks posed by COVID-19.

Supporting the overarching national safe work month theme – Work Health and Safety through COVID-19, Safe Work Australia said each week of October will focus on a WHS topic, including mental health and using data to create better WHS policy. Each topic has a downloadable poster and social media tiles so organisations can promote them in their workplace and to their networks.

• Week 1 (1 October) – Join National Safe Work Month
• Week 2 (5 October) – Navigating mental health through COVID-19
• Week 3 (12 October) – Using data to make workplaces safer
• Week 4 (19 October) – A safe and healthy workplace is for everyone
• Week 5 (26 October) – Keeping WHS a priority

Source: Safe Work Australia, September 2020[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]