National Safe Work Month 2022
This year for National Safe Work Month, we are focusing on the theme: Know safety, work safely – make safety at work your priority.
We have free webinars, in person events and resources to help you.
Every October, we support Safe Work Australia’s National Safe Work Month. This year we are asking workers and employers to commit to safe and healthy workplaces for all Australians.
On this page you can register for one of our free webinars or in person events. You can also find resources and information on making safety at work your priority.
How you can get involved
Each week we will focus on themes to promote and enable healthy and safe work with free webinars, in person events and resources listed below.
Register for our free webinars
Join Comcare leaders as they discuss work health and safety challenges in the jurisdiction and the latest education, training and upcoming initiatives.
Watch nowHear from Georgie Harman, CEO of Beyond Blue about leading teams, sharing vulnerability, managing your wellbeing and resilience, plus the latest insights and data.
Watch nowProfessor Sharon Newnam from Queensland University of Technology will cover how we can review and maintain WHS management systems and the future of work.
Recording available soon
Register to attend in person events
If you are part of the Comcare jurisdiction, we invite you to come along and meet the inspectorate team at one of 9 in person events we’re hosting across Australia.
Each session runs for 2 hours with networking opportunities and the chance to hear about our latest news and initiatives.
Register nowKnow safety, work safely in your workplace
- Register for our free webinarsHear from leaders in work health and safety, and mental health.
- Download Comcare's DIY guideTips and resources to support your National Safe Work Month activities
- Creating a safe and healthy workplaceUnderstand the roles and responsibilities of employers and workers.
- Fostering mentally healthy workplacesGuidance, resources and tools for employers, workers and workplaces.
- Managing WHS risks and preventing harmGuidance, resources and tools for employers, workers and workplaces.
- Safe, healthy and productive work for allPrinciples of good work design, WHS management and investing in experience.
Creating a safe and healthy workplace
Employers and workers need to be aware of their responsibilities and entitlements during COVID-19; both have duties under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act) to ensure a safe working environment.
Broadly, a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU), who is usually the employer has duties to:
- Provide and maintain a work environment that is without risk to health and safety
- Provide adequate and accessible facilities for the welfare of workers to carry out their work
- Monitor the health of workers and the conditions of the workplace to prevent illness or injury.
Workers’ duties under the WHS Act include:
- Taking reasonable care for their own health and safety
- Taking reasonable care their acts or omissions don’t adversely affect the health and safety of others
- Complying as far as they are reasonably able with the employer’s reasonable instruction.
Find out more about the roles and responsibilities of employers and workers.
- Managing psychosocial hazards
- Maintaining COVID-Safe workplaces
- Preventing and managing risks
Fostering mentally healthy workplaces
Mental health is a level of wellbeing where people can cope with ordinary work and life pressures.
We have guidance, resources and tools for workers and workplaces to help foster a mentally healthy workplace,
In the workplace we know that good work is good for our mental health and wellbeing. A healthy and safe workplace provides structure and purpose, a sense of identity, and opportunities to develop skills and increased feelings of self-worth.
Workplace mental health statistics
- 1 in 5 Australian workers have a mental health condition
- Poor mental health costs Australian businesses $11 billion per year
- Every $1 invested in a mentally healthy workplace has a Return on Investment of $2.30.
Find out more about mental health statistics and your mental health responsibilities at work.
Everyone has a responsibility in the workplace to:
- Reasonably comply with health and safety instructions
- Take reasonable care of their own mental health
- Take reasonable care that their actions do not adversely affect the health and safety of other people.
- Mental health stigma in the workplace
- Enhanced manager confidence and capability
- Good work supports workers and workplaces
Managing WHS risks and preventing harm
Employees and other workers play an important role in helping keep the workplace safe and setting work health and safety (WHS) standards. Practical strategies such as effective communication and consultation can foster a strong health and safety culture, while minimising injury and illness in the workplace.
In addition, a WHS management system is required for any workplace in Australia under the WHS Act.
- Work Health and Safety Management Plan (PDF, 508.6 KB) can be used to form the basis, or inform, your work health and safety management system.
- Writing a Health and Safety Policy – guidelines to writing a work health and safety policy, prepared by Health and Safety Executive UK though laws mentioned do not relate to Australia.
We also have the Office Safety tool to help you identify health and safety risks in your work or home office. There’s also some useful information on managing risks in the workplace to support your commitment to workplace safety.
- Developing a WHS management system
- Explore our Office Safety tool
- Recovery and return to workTips and strategies to help employers and support workers recover at and return to work.
Find out more
Safe, healthy and productive work for all
There are some key principles to help guide employers and managers in creating safe, healthy and productive work.
Intervene early and know the warning signs
- Providing early support to injured or ill employees to enable their recovery and return to work is critical.
- The earlier you notice an employee is experiencing potential signs of ill health or injury, the sooner you can intervene and take steps to help them.
- The longer someone is off work, the less likely they are to return to work (PDF, 591.2 KB).
Consider good work design when you plan
- One of the best ways to prevent and control workplace injuries is to adopt good work design principles and minimise hazards early in the idea planning phases.
Support a workplace health and safety management system
- We know that creating the right work environment and managing potential sources of harm, such as high work demands, low levels of control and poor support, can benefit everyone at work.
- A workplace health and safety management system can minimise the risk of injury and illness from workplace operations. It is one of the most effective ways to make sure health and safety is embedded across your organisation and is a part of everything you do.
- Benefits of good work design
- Intervene early and know the warning signs
- Investing in experience to support more workers