Resources Safety Resets to run through National Safe Work Month

• Workers across Queensland's resources sector are taking part in site Safety Resets.
• Safety Resets are a chance for workplaces to ensure the industry's number one priority is the health and safety of workers. 
• This year's theme is getting back to basics: if it’s not safe or you’re unsure, stop!

With National Safe Work Month running through October, resources workers throughout Queensland will take part in the biennial sector-wide Safety Reset.

The Safety Resets will include workers in coal, minerals and quarrying along with the petroleum, gas and explosives industries.

Previous Safety Resets have identified some barriers to safety in the workplace such as:

• a fear of reprisal if you speak up
• complicated reporting processes
• inadequate site inductions and safety training, and
• poor communication.

Queensland held its first Safety Reset in 2019 following a tragic year when six mine workers died in the workplace.

Quotes attributable to Resources Minister Scott Stewart:

“Safety in the resources industry is everyone’s responsibility.

"The most important thing to come out of any Queensland work site at the end of the day is our workers.

"We need to remain vigilant, even when operations are running smoothly because complacency can lead to injury."

“Safety Resets provide an important opportunity for every worker to take stock and see what practises must be improved to ensure the workplace is safe.”

“We want people and workplaces to go back to basics which is why the focus of this year’s Safety Reset is to empower and support workers to recognise unsafe situations, stop work, and report the issue, that is; SEE STOP REPORT.”

Quotes attributable to Resources Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ) CEO Mark Stone:

“The Safety Reset program is vital to supporting a positive safety culture. 

"Everyone in the resources sector needs to know how to identify a hazard, and how to report it. 

"Key to that is supporting a reporting culture so workers can identify risks and hazards without fear of reprisal."

Further information:

More information on the 2023 Safety Reset is available here

ENDS

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Chris Lees (Minister Stewart) – 0434 859 940

Amy McCann (RSHQ) - 0457 094 250