WORKPLACE INJURIES

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (14:45): I direct my question to the Minister for Industrial Relations. What is the government doing to reduce the number and the cost of workplace injuries in the South Australian public sector?

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (14:46): The government is committed to improving safety performance through the implementation by chief executives of the Safety and Wellbeing in the Public Sector 2010-15 strategy in all public sector agencies. This strategy builds on the success of previous strategies and sets targets for safety performance within a framework which focuses on public sector safety practices. This focus has led to further reductions in incidence costs and time lost to preventable injury and illness in the public sector.

Substantial reductions in work injuries were achieved in the public sector from June 2006 to June 2010: new workers compensation claims fell by 15 per cent and the rate for more serious lost-time injuries fell by 16 per cent. By June 2009, the South Australian public sector had already achieved a 40 per cent reduction in the injury rate, required by 2012 under South Australia's Strategic Plan, Target 2.11, Greater Safety at Work.

The fully integrated Self Insurance Management System consists of the hazard and incident reporting module and the workers compensation database. This enables ongoing comprehensive monitoring and reporting of workers compensation and safety performances across the public sector. To assist safety performance and continuous improvement in workplace safety, nationally accredited qualifications in Occupational Health and Safety and Injury Management have been delivered to 90 public sector injury prevention and 100 injury management practitioners who, since 2005, have attained specialised qualifications at certificate IV, diploma and advanced diploma levels.

Whilst I would like to acknowledge the efforts and achievements of the staff of Public Sector Workforce Relations, the chief executives and public sector employees, workplace safety in the public sector is an ongoing priority that requires attention every day by everyone.