Geelong Football Club triple premiership star Cameron Ling has joined forces with international journalist and news presenter Anjali Rao to promote WorkSafe Health and Safety Month.
Rao and Ling will share their own experiences to promote workplace health and safety events around the state throughout October.
WorkSafe received 26,936 claims for workplace injuries in 2018/19. Tragically, 24 people died as a result of workplace incidents during that time.
Ling said he has seen first-hand the impact a workplace injury had on his father and how this affected so many other aspects of his life. Rao, an award-winning journalist who worked as a CNN anchor, said she was delighted to be able to help WorkSafe promote the importance of health and safety.
More than 44 per cent of injury claims last financial year were lodged by workers in the health, manufacturing and construction sectors.
Musculoskeletal and traumatic joint, ligament, muscle and tendon injuries remain the most common workplace injuries and account for almost half of all claims.
The growing awareness of mental health issues in workplaces and the wider community was reflected in a 15.2 per cent increase in claims for mental health injuries to 3771.
The Andrews Labor Government announced a Workplace Manslaughter Implementation Taskforce earlier this year as the first step in developing new legislation to make workplace manslaughter a criminal offence.
Under the proposed new laws, employers will face fines of almost $16 million and individuals responsible for negligently causing death will be held to account and will face up to 20 years in jail.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Workplace Safety Jill Hennessy
“No one should ever die or be injured at work, and WorkSafe’s latest claims data reinforces why we must continue to drive home the importance of workplace safety.
“Worksafe inspectors are out in force, cracking down on employers who do the wrong thing – because one death in a workplace is one too many.”
Quote attributable to Worksafe Health and Safety Month Ambassador Anjali Rao
“Having worked in high-pressure, 24-hour news environments, and reported on devastating events, I know first-hand the toll work can take on health, especially mental wellbeing.”
Quote attributable to Worksafe Health and Safety Month Ambassador Cameron Ling
“Everyone has the right to be safe at work and I’m honoured to again be ambassador for WorkSafe Health and Safety Month to help ensure workers go home safely to their families each and every day.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020