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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-11-13 Daily Xml
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SAFE WORK WEEK

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (14:47): My question is to the Minister for Industrial Relations. Can the minister advise the chamber of the recent events that took place at Safe Work Week and the outcome of the Safe Work Awards?

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Hang on. I can't hear you, minister.

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (14:48): I would like to thank the honourable member for his very important question. I acknowledge the long-term commitment that the Hon. Mr Maher has had for working people in this state. Safe Work Week 2012 was held on 22 to 26 October across metropolitan Adelaide. Once again, a high number of businesses and individuals demonstrated their keen interest in making their workplaces safer. The resounding success of the Safe Work Week program of events has confirmed its importance and value.

This year more than 83 workshops were held at the Education Development Centre at Hindmarsh attended by more than 3,800 registrants. These sessions provided high quality, relevant information on topics as broad as the harmonised work health and safety legislation and as specific as how to improve safety of loading and unloading operations for trucks and forklifts. More than 360 businesses also signed up to receive the Take 10@10 packages which provide training material on 12 work health and safety topics. Participants can then discuss these topics at their own workplace, meaning that many more South Australians can participate in workplace safety awareness training than only those who can attend Safe Work Week.

Approximately 20,000 free safety publications were distributed throughout Safe Work Week, covering a wide range of topics. This information enables people to make a difference to the safety of their workplaces. In the lead-up to Safe Work Week, SafeWork SA also delivered presentations to various regional areas of the state. This enabled SafeWork SA to bring the work health and safety message to the doorsteps of regional workplaces and the industries at times that suited them.

To conclude another successful Safe Work Week, it was my privilege to present the 2012 Safe Work Awards at a ceremony on Friday 26 October at the Adelaide Convention Centre. The Safe Work Awards are the annual celebration and recognition of the achievements of those employers and individuals who have demonstrated their commitment to work health and safety by making significant contributions to safety in their own workplaces.

StaminaLift International won the award for Best Solution to an Identified Workplace Health and Safety Issue. The StaminaLift bed mover has revolutionised healthcare delivery by eliminating manual handling risks when moving beds in hospitals. The bed mover was developed in consultation with hospital staff over several years. It provides a safer work process for staff, with fingertip control of a joystick being the only force required to fully manoeuvre beds weighing up to 500 kilograms. The Hon. Ms Gago would appreciate the benefits of that, being a past secretary of the nurses' federation and would realise how many injuries occur to working people while moving people through corridors and lifting them onto and off their beds.

A commendation was also awarded to the City of Charles Sturt, whose staff instigated changes to a vehicle for sign installation and maintenance and worked with management to ensure a safer workplace. The Best Workplace Health and Management System award saw a commendation awarded to OneSteel Recycling for establishing a systematic approach to risk management in a hazardous industry. A commendation was also awarded to Bowhill Engineering for its commitment to developing and implementing a workplace health and safety management system to ensure the health, safety and welfare of its regional workforce.

Harcourts Mile End won the award for Best Workplace Health and Safety Practice in a Small Business for its excellence in developing practical solutions to address worker safety within a busy and dynamic small business environment. The business addressed issues including remote and isolated work, psychological hazards such as public aggression, physical and verbal abuse, general staff health and office ergonomics.

I also congratulated Ms Rebecca Chapman from Flinders Medical Centre, Ms Sue Newberry from MyBudget and Mr Tim Cotton from McMahon Services, all of whom received awards in the category of Best Individual Contribution to Workplace Health and Safety. Ms Chapman, Ms Newberry and Mr Cotton have demonstrated the positive impact that individuals can have on workplace safety. Mr Leroy Cook, from Coles Distribution Centre, was awarded a commendation for Health and Safety Representative of the Year. The winners in these categories will now contest the national Safe Work Award to be held in Canberra in April 2013.

In addition, an Augusta Zadow scholarship, which supports occupational health and safety projects that are undertaken by, or for, South Australian women, was awarded to Dr Moira Jenkins of Aboto and the University of Adelaide. The scholarship of $16,900 is to support the development of a program to help workers return to safe work after sustaining psychological injury as a result of workplace bullying and harassment.

I congratulate all the Safe Work award winners and entrants for their contribution to advancing the safety of South Australian workplaces. I also extend my thanks to the SafeWork SA Advisory Committee, which has worked in partnership with SafeWork SA, WorkCover SA, South Australian Unions and Business SA, together with the Australian Industry Group, the Master Builders Association of South Australia and the South Australian Farmers Federation. Their dedication and collaboration in the delivery of this year's Safe Work Week has ensured its continued success.

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