Labor is putting Victoria's most dangerous workplaces on notice and sharpening its focus on the industries, hazards and issues causing the most workplace harm across the state.
Minister for WorkSafe and the TAC Steve Dimopoulos today visited WorkSafe's Geelong head office, meeting newly recruited inspectors funded by the Carroll Labor Government.
High risk industries
Construction, healthcare and social assistance, government, agriculture and transport are again the state's highest-risk industries.
Together they accounted for more than 60 per cent of last year's 61 workplace deaths and 55 per cent of its 26,323 injury claims.
Construction remains the deadliest. Twenty-six workers killed, more than 10,600 injured, in three years. Falls from height are still the biggest killer.
WorkSafe is targeting the hazards doing the most damage: falls, vehicles and machinery, hazardous manual handling, workplace violence and psycho-social risk.
More inspectors, tougher fines
WorkSafe's powers are about to get sharper.
As part of broader efforts to address workplace harm, WorkSafe's enforcement powers will soon be expanded with the introduction of infringement notices for additional offences.
This includes the ability for inspectors to issue on-the-spot fines for falls from height offences.
As stated by Minister for WorkSafe and the TAC Steve Dimopoulos
"No worker should risk their life just going to work - That's why we're targeting the hazards doing the most damage in the workplaces doing the most harm."
"Focusing on the industries and hazards causing the greatest harm lets us make the biggest difference. We'll keep backing employers who do the right thing - and acting against those who don't."
