The Minns Labor Government is maintaining its commitment to protect workers and provide safe and healthy workplaces by hosting a forum to equip the nation's largest employer, the NSW Government, with the latest programs and services developed to keep its employees safe.
The Risk Education Express (REX) People and Risk forum held at Town Hall will provide NSW Government agencies with a suite of programs and resources designed to protect the people, assets and services of NSW.
With the number of psychological injury claims continuing to grow, the forum will address a range of workplace health and safety topics including the whole of Government strategy to preventing injuries and harm and looking after the physical and psychological wellbeing of employees.
With over 450,000 employees, the NSW Government is the largest employer in Australia and is committed to ensuring the safety of its workforce. The forum will update Agencies on best practice in mental health and wellbeing, workplace safety and return to work.
The Minns Labor Government's $344 million Workplace Mental Health Package includes a $127.7 million investment to strengthen the state's work health and safety regulator to address psychosocial hazards and compliance and the enforcement of safe work practices.
Part of the $127.7 million investment includes the introduction of 51 new SafeWork NSW Inspector positions, 20 of which will have a psychosocial focus.
The Minns Labor Government has also committed $20 million in funding to help icare improve support for workers with psychological injuries.
The forum will provide an update on how icare is supporting injury prevention in NSW public sector workplaces through using data-driven insights to inform targeted initiatives and interventions for sectors with the highest risk of injuries.
icare will also provide an update on programs available to Government agencies designed to reduce the risk of psychological injuries for customer-facing frontline staff including a 12-week Psychosocial Risk bootcamp.
Minister for Work Health and Safety Sophie Cotsis said:
"The NSW Government is the largest employer in the state, the country and in the Southern
Hemisphere and I am committed to ensuring safe workplaces for public sector employees.
"Today's forum highlights the Minns Labor Government's commitment to facilitating safe workplaces
for public sector employees, improving return to work rates, and achieving the best possible workers
compensation outcomes for every worker and employer across the State."
icare Group Executive of General Insurance and Care Sarah Johnson said:
"Working closely with Government agencies and our partners, icare is focused on building
capability, strengthening early intervention and supporting safer, healthier public sector
workplaces. Educational forums like this, delivered through our REX team, play an important role in
turning that focus into action."
SafeWork Commissioner Janet Schorer said:
"Collaboration across Government is important to achieving outcomes for the people of NSW and
SafeWork NSW is happy to collaborate with icare on this important initiative.
"Our teams work together on a number of projects and initiatives, including the silica worker register
and the Paralympian Speaker Program.
"I look forward to our ongoing partnership protecting the workers of NSW."
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