The Federal Government has been accused of ‘dragging its feet’ on work health and safety reform, as new Safe Work Australia statistics reveal the national work-related fatality has increased for the first time in more than a decade.

SWA’s Key WHS statistics Australia report shows that while the fatality rate has decreased by 53 per cent since a 2007 peak, 183 workers died during 2019, 38 more than in 2018, with the biggest increases coming in transport (58 compared to 38) and across NSW (61 compared to 47).

The data also shows the rate of claims through workers’ compensation for serious injuries increasing in agriculture, manufacturing, transport and logistics as well as health, community, and personal services.

The ACTU has since accused the Federal Government of failing to act on the recommendations of a 2018 review of national WHS legislation which recommended industrial manslaughter provisions.

Recommendations from the national review of the model WHS laws also included regulations governing psychological injury and ill health which would mean factors contributing to mental illness in the workplace would be treated like physical hazards.

ACTU assistant secretary Liam O’Brien said the Government had caused the increased fatality toll through this inaction.

“Every worker has the right to go to work and come home safe. Sadly, this data shows the appalling toll of Government inaction on workplace health and safety.”

“The Morrison Government has been sitting on recommendations from the national WHS Review for 2 years. That inaction has made Australian workplaces less safe, and it has caused the first increase in workplace deaths in more than 10 years.”

The ACTU noted that the increase in transport fatalities likely downplays the “horrific rates” of injury and death for delivery workers in the gig economy as many work-related deaths which occur on our roads are counted as traffic accidents, rather than workplace fatalities.

“The rates of injury and death in the transport sector, in no small part due to the appalling conditions faced by delivery workers in the gig economy, is a national disaster. More than one worker a week died in transport alone in 2019,” O’Brien said.

Key findings from SWA’s report include:

• 183 people were fatally injured at work in 2019
• machinery operators and drivers had the highest number of fatalities by occupation (72 fatalities) in 2019
• there were a total of 114,435 serious workers’ compensation claims in Australia in 2018-19
• the agriculture, forestry and fishing industry had the highest worker fatality rate in 2019
• body stressing was the leading cause of serious workers’ compensation claims in 2018-19, accounting for 36% of all serious claims
• vehicle collisions accounted for 43% of worker fatalities in 2019.

What is HSE Software and How Does myosh Work?

myosh is a cloud based workplace health and safety platform that works with you and your team.

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myosh is fast and fully configurable HSE Software that is easy to use and adapt for any Industries.

Over 50 configurable modules integrate to collect HSEQ data.

Modules are used to manage hazards, investigate incidents, manage risk, conduct audits and much more.

Our mobile app is used for fast data capture in the field, online or offline. Features include QR code scanning, digital signatures, Geo Locations and Geo Fencing, pdf export and more. You can configure mobile forms, visibility and functionality in your Administration panel

The myosh Dashboard provides powerful organisational insight by transforming your hseq data into intelligent visual charts, marps and tables. Up to date data is derived from modules and displayed in an interactive visual format, configured specifically for you and your team.

myosh is built on the Viking PaaS, a super configurable platform with powerful capabilities. Teams can quickly and easily configure the platform to their own very unique end to end process requirements.

We encourage you to treat your software technology like a team member. The myosh academy is designed to empower your team with the skills to ensure they use their software tools productively. Everyone learns differently, so the academy holds a variety of resources including videos, guided learning and verified online learning courses for each myosh module.

Your investment in myosh helps you and your team manage risk, compliance and improve workplace health and safety. Today, successful organisations view safety as an asset, and health and safety spending as an investment. This is because a safe workplace adds measurable business value, and can drive tangible improvements in performance, profit, and culture.

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The Facts and The Figures

Organisations are constantly reminded that health and safety failure is expensive. And whilst this is certainly true, there are benefits to health and safety success that go beyond cost-avoidance. Today, successful organisations view safety as an asset, and health and safety spending as an investment.

Download the report and discover the tangible and measurable benefits that health and safety initiatives can have on:

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myosh Academy

Your investment in myosh helps you and your team manage risk, compliance and improve workplace health and safety.

We encourage you to treat your software technology like a team member. The myosh Academy is designed to empower your team with Knowledge, Skills, Tips and FAQS, and to ensure they use their software tools productively.

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