THE federal government has launched a strategy to direct work health and safety in Australia for the next decade.

Announcing the Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy 2012-22 on 31 October, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Bill Shorten said it promotes collaboration between the Commonwealth, state and territory governments, industry and unions and other organisations.

“While significant progress has been made to improve the work health and safety of our nation’s workers, more can still be done,” Mr Shorten said.

“The Australian Strategy is targeted at decision makers, but through the action area of leadership and culture and initiatives like the Safety Ambassador of the Year Award individuals are also encouraged to promote and drive work health and safety in their community or organisation.”

The strategy sets out four outcomes to be achieved by 2022:

• reduced incidence of work-related death, injury and illness achieved by
• reduced exposure to hazards and risks using
• improved hazard controls and supported by
• an improved work health and safety infrastructure.

A number of national targets and performance indicators will be used to measure the strategy’s success, including:

• a reduction in the number of worker fatalities due to injury of at least 20 per cent
• a reduction in the incidence rate of claims resulting in one or more weeks off work of at least 30 per cent, and
• a reduction in the incidence rate of claims for musculoskeletal disorders resulting in one or more weeks off work of at least 30 per cent.

To view the Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy 2012-2022, click here