OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS (15:52): Last Thursday, I had the pleasure of representing the Treasurer and Minister for Workers' Rehabilitation at the launch of a new occupational health and safety induction DVD for apprentices and trainees entering the workforce. The launch was conducted at Peer Veet, an organisation that I have been involved with for many years. The function was attended by Michael Boyce, CEO of Peer Veet, who is also the President of Group Training Australia (South Australia) Inc. Also in attendance were Greg Connor, General Manager of South Australia's Employers Mutual Limited, and Rob Thomson, Chief Executive Officer of WorkCover South Australia, to name a few.

The new occupational health and safety induction DVD launched on the day was an initiative that was jointly funded by GTA (SA) and EML and was the culmination of 18 months of work. Evidence shows that new workers are, unfortunately, at greater risk of workplace injury and illness than other workers. New workers are often unfamiliar with their workplace, the tasks they have to perform and the equipment and substances they have to use. This is particularly true of trainees and apprentices.

The new occupational health and safety induction DVD was professionally produced, and it will be a valuable resource that can be used to reach out to a large group of sometimes vulnerable workers. The DVD provides a general introduction to occupational health and safety and explores some of the most common incidents that apprentices and trainees are likely to be involved in in the first two years of their working life.

A special mention must go to Jon Burke of Creative Digital Video, who produced the video, and Mal Baxter of Peer Veet, who coordinated the production of the video, along with Mal Aubrey, Executive Officer of GTA. Initiatives such as this DVD are critical because they promote safer workplaces, which are vital to reducing the number of work-related injuries that occur in South Australia.

The network of group training organisations that makes up GTA (SA) employs 4,000 apprentices and trainees. Peer Veet, where the launch occurred, is a member of GTA (SA) and employs over 400 apprentices and trainees. Mr Acting President, as you know, I have a long association with the Peer group and, whilst I was a board member, I can assure you the board took a very keen interest in occupational health and safety in the organisation. It was, in fact, an item for discussion at all board meetings. I am sure the new DVD will be put to good use by Peer and other GTOs.

Initiatives such as this DVD are critical in promoting safer workplaces, as I said before. At the launch, EML also gave a commitment to assist GTASA rewrite its Smart Pack Safety Management and Resource Kit which GTA has offered to make available to small businesses elsewhere. It was a great pleasure to participate in the launch of this new DVD, and I congratulate GTA and EML for its production.

This initiative will enhance the knowledge of apprentices and trainees and will, hopefully, reduce workplace injuries. As I said at the presentation, when we leave for work all of us should expect to return home in a fit and safe way. This initiative is one that is very important to ensure that those who are most vulnerable in their early working lives reduce the risk of incurring an occupational health and safety injury at work.