Are There Unavoidable Risks in Your Workplace?
Safe Work Australia released a report called Work Health & Safety Perceptions: Manufacturing Industry in February 2015 that is interesting for its tackling of the idea of "unavoidable risks" in workplaces.
Unavoidable Risks
The research results set out in this report show that:
“Almost a third of workers and 13% of employers regard risks as unavoidable in the workplace.”
See page 25 Work Health & Safety Perceptions: Manufacturing Industry - Safe Work Australia
Where Did the Perception of Unavoidable Risks Come From?
- “20% of manufacturing businesses did not identify safety issues and only two thirds put in place safety measures”
- “Some workers and employers also accept risk taking if they are short on time.” At least one in 5 workers and employers accept risk taking if there is time pressure”
- Small to medium manufacturing businesses “nominated time and financial pressures as major barriers to work health and safety.”
Serious Workers Compensation Claims
(A serious workers compensation claim is one where the employee is off work for 1 or more weeks)
According to the report, the rate of serious workers compensation injury or illness claims in the manufacturing industry in 2012-13 was 61.2% higher than the national average of claims made by all the employees in Australia. (see pages 4 and 53, Australian Workers Compensation Statistics, 2012-13, Safe Work Australia)
However, the manufacturing industry has more serious hazards than many other industries and there are a few industries and occupations that have higher rates of serious claims. See table 30 on page 53 Australian Workers Compensation Statistics, 2012-13, Safe Work Australia) for the incidence rate of serious claims in various industries
For more information on WHS training or WHS compliance services, or if you would like help to make your WHS management system even more robust, please feel free to contact us at train@courtenell.com.au or phone us on 02 9552 2066.
May 18, 2015 (Reviewed 8 August 2024)