BY Cristina Serra
Workplace Relations and Human Resources Consultant

We often think about the financial benefits of work – but our work is also pivotal to our health and wellbeing. Engaging with colleagues and the community through our work delivers opportunities to build others and ourselves up.

Whether it be through gaining more confidence, developing skills and talents or expanding our knowledge; it allows us to contribute to what makes this state unique and that is our general sense of community. Our ability to work helps us enrich our community, and it is something we should never take for granted.

We all play an essential and key role in ensuring we all make it home at the end of every workday. WorkSafe Tasmania aims to keep Tasmanian workers ‘Safe and Well Every Day’.

Our goals include no work related fatalities, improved return to work outcomes, reductions in the frequency of serious injury and positive regulator performance assessments.  Reaching our goals is paramount to achieving our objective – healthier, safer and productive workplaces. However, we cannot do this alone.

WorkSafe Month is an opportunity for us all to take part in something together and to remind Tasmanian employers and workers the very reason why we should always strive to improve work health, safety, wellbeing and return to work.

This year’s WorkSafe Month theme of ‘Safe Bodies, Safe Minds’ focuses on the importance of physical and mental health and wellbeing at work and what we can do to ensure our work is safer, healthier and more productive.

The Month includes a comprehensive range of state-wide activities that will engage and educate workers and employers alike of the importance of a holistic approach to health and safety.

Some of these opportunities include:

WorkSafer Expo
2019 sees the return of the biennial WorkSafer Expo at the Albert Hall in Launceston on 30 October.  The Expo has something for everyone as it brings together exciting exhibitors from a large range of industries, all offering varying services and products.
Additionally, there will be a number of inspiring keynote speakers eager to share their experiences and expertise on ways to make us safer at work.

Workshops
WorkSafe will be hosting a number of workshops throughout the state.

  • OzHelp Foundation will be running subsidised Mental Health First Aid training courses.
  • In our ‘Positive Work Culture’ workshops Garry Mills Peak Performance will be focusing on the benefits of mentally healthy workplaces, how leaders can create and maintain a positive and healthy workplace and the steps that can be taken to support someone that might be struggling.
  • The Australian Physiotherapy Association Tasmanian branch will be delivering ‘Early Intervention’ musculoskeletal prevention workshops aimed at encouraging supervisors, managers and workers to identify and reduce manual task risks.
    PTSD: Mental Health Matters Conference
    This year also includes an innovative conference on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder with national industry leaders heading up an informative and engaging day.
    Additional activities and more information can be found at http://www.worksafetasmonth.com.au