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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-10-28 Daily Xml
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SAFE WORK MONTH

The Hon. S.W. KEY (Ashford) (15:13): My question is to the Minister for Industrial Relations. Minister, can you outline what contribution Safe Work Month makes in improving health and safety in South Australian workplaces?

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton—Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development) (15:13): Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA: I will talk about that afterwards—safety in the workplace. I thank the member for Ashford for her question and I acknowledge her lifelong commitment to the health and wellbeing and welfare of workers. It was on Monday that I had the honour of launching the metropolitan week of Safe Work Month at the Adelaide Showgrounds. Safe Work Month, with the theme of 'Workplace safety is in your hands', remains a centrepiece initiative for educating the community about the importance of safety at work and the practical ways by which this can be achieved.

Safe Work Month commenced on 4 October 2009 at the Loxton Show and has so far provided over 120 free workshops, giving practical, how-to safety information that can be easily applied in workplaces. So far, the North-East, North-West and South-East regions of our state have benefited from dedicated week-long events in their areas. The expanded Safe Work Month format has allowed presenters to focus workshop topics in regional areas on providing vital information specific to the high-risk industries that support their area.

For example, in Whyalla, Roxby Downs and Port Pirie, those sessions focused on the manufacturing and construction industries, while Port Lincoln, Streaky Bay and Ceduna workshops were hosted on aquaculture safety that included factual case studies on common industry hazards. A workshop in the Coonawarra region was dedicated to design and installation requirements for winery tanks and a cross-agency workshop in Struan offered an insight into the safe handling of cattle in confined spaces.

The metropolitan week of Safe Work Month hosts events all over Adelaide. In addition to workshops, it includes a health and safety representatives' network meeting, a networking breakfast for women in occupational health and safety, and a mock industrial court trial.

As in previous years, Safe Work Month is being conducted through the auspices of the SafeWork SA Advisory Committee, which is chaired by Mr Tom Phillips. I must say that Mr Phillips is an outstanding chair of the advisory committee. Certainly, in his commitment to improving occupational health and workplace safety in this state he is doing an amazingly good job. I know the house would join me in congratulating him on the work he has done, but, importantly, recognise that there is still a long way to go, and Tom is an important part of that process.

Safe Work Month is also conducted in partnership with SafeWork SA, Business SA, SA Unions and WorkCover SA. Safe Work Month 2009 culminates in the Safe Work Awards this Friday night, which recognise excellence in OH&S. It is encouraging to see that entries for the awards have increased by over 50 per cent from last year. The awards recognise technical innovations, leading workplace safety management systems, and the hard work and dedication of individuals.

The award categories for 2009 are: Best Workplace Health and Safety Management System; Best Solution to an Identified Workplace Health and Safety Issue; Best Workplace Health and Safety Practices in Small Business; Best Individual Contribution to Workplace Health and Safety (one for the best health and safety representative and one for the best employed safety officer); Employer of the Year; and Best Public Safety Event.

The Augusta Zadow Scholarships are incorporated into the Safe Work Awards program, with two scholarships of up to $10,000 each offered each year to assist the recipients with further education, research or occupational health, safety and welfare initiatives for the benefit of working women in South Australia.

Sir, you would testify to the fact that there was a little accident here earlier today, when I inadvertently knocked over some water. As is appropriate, I advised the people around me of this hazard to their safety, and came up to you and advised you that there was a hazard here, but that we had under control and that everything was in order. I guess the point I make, without being trite or flippant, is that workplace safety is everyone's responsibility. Our workplaces will be much safer places if everyone takes their responsibilities seriously.

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