Published Monday, 30 June, 2008 at 01:30 PM
Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
Minister calls on Wide Bay to ‘connect to safety’
Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel today addressed Wide Bay business and industry on the Government’s campaign encouraging Queenslanders to place a higher value on workplace safety.
Mr Mickel was speaking at the Hervey Bay Boat Club as part of the Wide Bay Sunshine Coast Regional Engagement Plan ‘Connect to Safety’ event.
“Through the ‘Homecomings’ advertising campaign the Queensland Government wants to rally community support to help reduce the burden of workplace injuries and fatalities on individuals, families, businesses and the community,” Mr Mickel said.
“Research on attitudes to workplace safety tells us that although there is universal acceptance that safety at work is important, it is not valued highly enough.
“Everyone thinks it’ll never happen to them, but thinking it will affect someone they care about has a bigger impact.”
Mr Mickel was joined at the event by the National Safety Council of Australia chief executive officer, Colin Seery as well as many workplace health and safety professionals.
In Queensland in 2006-07 there were 114 work-related fatalities and 29,456 serious injuries where workers needed five or more days off work.
“That is almost 30,000 families each year who are directly affected by a serious workplace incident,” Mr Mickel said.
“If Queensland is to achieve its targets of a 40 per cent reduction in injuries and a 20 per cent reduction in fatalities by 2012, significant change is needed in the community’s attitudes and behaviour towards workplace health and safety.
“The campaign aims to get people to think differently and understand the consequences of an accident at work reach far beyond the workplace.”
For more information visit www.deir.qld.gov.au.
Media contact: John Smith 3237 1125 and Nathan Moir 3235 4060
30 June 2008
Mr Mickel was speaking at the Hervey Bay Boat Club as part of the Wide Bay Sunshine Coast Regional Engagement Plan ‘Connect to Safety’ event.
“Through the ‘Homecomings’ advertising campaign the Queensland Government wants to rally community support to help reduce the burden of workplace injuries and fatalities on individuals, families, businesses and the community,” Mr Mickel said.
“Research on attitudes to workplace safety tells us that although there is universal acceptance that safety at work is important, it is not valued highly enough.
“Everyone thinks it’ll never happen to them, but thinking it will affect someone they care about has a bigger impact.”
Mr Mickel was joined at the event by the National Safety Council of Australia chief executive officer, Colin Seery as well as many workplace health and safety professionals.
In Queensland in 2006-07 there were 114 work-related fatalities and 29,456 serious injuries where workers needed five or more days off work.
“That is almost 30,000 families each year who are directly affected by a serious workplace incident,” Mr Mickel said.
“If Queensland is to achieve its targets of a 40 per cent reduction in injuries and a 20 per cent reduction in fatalities by 2012, significant change is needed in the community’s attitudes and behaviour towards workplace health and safety.
“The campaign aims to get people to think differently and understand the consequences of an accident at work reach far beyond the workplace.”
For more information visit www.deir.qld.gov.au.
Media contact: John Smith 3237 1125 and Nathan Moir 3235 4060
30 June 2008