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Safe Work Australia has created a new infographic tool to support small businesses to operate safely and manage work health and safety risks from COVID-19.

The Small business planning tool outlines key steps for safely operating your business during the COVID-19 pandemic, including:

• understanding and following public health rules and work health and safety (WHS) laws
• assessing and managing WHS risks
• ongoing review and monitoring

Go to Safe Work Australia's COVID-19 Small business planning tool.

WHS guidance for COVID-19 is also available for over 30 different industries on key topics including duties under WHS laws, risk assessments, physical distancing, cleaning and hygiene.

Go to the COVID-19 Information for workplaces page.

Other resources including checklists, guides and fact sheets are also available in the COVID-19 Business resource kit.

As National Safe Work Month comes to an end, Safe Work Australia would like to thank everyone who participated in this year's National Safe Work Month - Work Health and Safety through COVID-19.

Throughout October, thousands of Australian workplaces joined National Safe Work Month to promote best practice work health and safety (WHS). This year, National Safe Work Month has focused on WHS through COVID-19 but WHS doesn't end here.

WHS is not set and forget - risks can change and new risks can emerge. Australian workplaces must continue to model best practice WHS and create safe workplaces for everyone. Continuous risk management in the workplace must remain a priority as we work through COVID-19 and beyond.

For guidance on how to continue to model best practice, watch our keeping WHS a priority animation and download our information sheet. To assess what your organisation is already doing to implement best practice WHS, download the WHS best practice checklist for employers.

For more information contact your WHS regulator or visit the Safe Work Australia website.

Together, we can create safer workplaces for everyone.

There is one month to go until National Safe Work Month 2020 - Work Health and Safety through COVID-19.

Each October, Safe Work Australia invites workplaces to take part and focus on health and safety at work during National Safe Work Month.

It's an opportunity to build awareness of work health and safety, encourage discussion about safety at work and share best practice.

It's easy to get involved - visit safeworkmonth.swa.gov.au, download the National Safe Work Month campaign kit and use the resources to promote work health and safety in your workplace. 

You can customise the campaign kit resources by adding your business logo to a range of posters, social media tiles, website banners, desktop wallpapers, email banners and e-newsletter and media release templates.

Don't forget to use #safeworkmonth and #safetytogether, when promoting your organisation's National Safe Work Month initiatives on social media.

For more information, go to safeworkmonth.swa.gov.au. To receive the latest updates, subscribe to our National Safe Work Month mailing list.

Together, we can create a safe workplace for everyone.

Join National Safe Work Month and support work health and safety through COVID-19.

Whatever the industry or workplace - everyone can join National Safe Work Month and commit to keeping people safe and healthy at work. A safe workplace benefits everyone and it's easy to get involved.

To participate in National Safe Work Month this October, watch our animation and follow the steps below:

1. Go to the National Safe Work Month website and download the campaign kit for online and printable resources. You can customise posters, social media tiles, newsletter templates and website headers with your organisation's logo to promote National Safe Work Month in your workplace.

2. Download National Safe Work Month work health and safety (WHS) resources including, the  Keeping WHS a priority in your workplace information sheet, Preventing psychological injury at work during COVID-19 information sheet, WHS best practice checklist for employers and the COVID-19 WHS case studies. 

3. Share the resources in your workplace via social media, email, virtual meeting or by distributing in print.

4. Go to the National Safe Work Month in focus web page to download posters and social media tiles and promote the weekly topics:

• Week 1 - Join National Safe Work Month
• Week 2 - Navigating mental health through COVID-19
• Week 3 - Using data to make workplaces safer
• Week 4 - A safe and healthy workplace is for everyone, and
• Week 5 - Keeping WHS a priority.

5. Find out what's on in your region and register for a webinar, online training course or virtual presentation on WHS topics relevant to your organisation or industry.

6. Don't forget to use the hashtags #safeworkmonth and #safetytogether when promoting your organisation's National Safe Work Month initiatives on social media so we can look at re-sharing on Safe Work Australia's social media channels.

For more ideas on planning your National Safe Work Month activities, download our Join National Safe Work Month information sheet.

To receive the latest updates, subscribe to our National Safe Work Month mailing list.

Together, we can create safer workplaces for everyone.

Safe Work Australia has published Occupational lung diseases in Australia 2006-2019.

The report provides an overview of occupational lung diseases in Australia and identifies industries and occupations where workers may be at risk of developing an occupational lung disease, such as the construction, mining and quarrying industries, and those working with engineered stone.

The report highlights several significant trends, including:

• a substantial increase in:
   .  pneumoconiosis, especially coal workers pneumoconiosis, and
   .  silicosis from working with engineered stone
• a decline in workers' compensation claims for asbestos-related occupational lung diseases, such as asbestosis
• an increase in the understanding of the role of occupational exposure and the risk of developing coal workers pneumoconiosis, and
• an apparent decline in work-related asthma cases as evidenced by fewer compensation claims.

Overall, the report shows that occupational lung diseases continue to be a health concern in Australia and substantially contribute to the burden of lung disease. In particular, the report found:

• Further research is needed to identify incidence patterns of occupational lung diseases in high risk industries and occupations.
• Additional data collection and the thorough application of all data sources will assist in providing a comprehensive national perspective on occupational lung diseases.

Findings from the report will inform the implementation of Safe Work Australia's occupational lung diseases work plan.

Occupational lung diseases in Australia 2006-2019 was prepared by the Monash Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health and presents changes in the extent and incidence of occupational lung diseases since the 2006 report Occupational respiratory disease in Australia.

Safe Work Australia has released the Work-related Traumatic Injury Fatalities Australia 2019 report, which provides the latest detailed national statistics on all workers and bystanders fatally injured at work.  

This includes breakdowns and trends of the data, including for industry, occupation, main cause and demographics in Australia.

The 2019 report shows that over the last decade, the number and rate of work-related fatalities have been gradually decreasing. 

In 2007, the fatality rate was 3.0 fatalities per 100,000 workers.  In 2019, this rate has decreased by 53% to 1.4 fatalities per 100,000 workers. The number of work-related fatalities recorded in 2018 represented an unusual decrease compared to the longer-term trends in fatality numbers.

While the number of work-related fatalities has been steadily decreasing over the last decade, any workplace death is tragic and unacceptable. Understanding the causes of injury and the industries most affected can help reduce work-related fatalities.

The report details that in 2019 62% of worker fatalities occurred in the following industries:

• Transport, postal and warehousing (58 fatalities)
• Agriculture, forestry and fishing (30 fatalities)
• Construction (26 fatalities)

The most common causes of worker fatalities in 2019 were:

• Vehicle collisions (43%)
• Falls from a height (11%)
• Hit by falling objects (11%)

The report and data is drawn from a range of sources, including reporting of fatalities in the media, notifications from jurisdictional authorities, and the National Coronial Information System.

This report complements and provides additional detail to the Key Work Health and Safety Statistics published on 12 October 2020.

There are only two weeks to go until National Safe Work Month - Work Health and Safety through COVID-19.

To help you prepare, new work health and safety (WHS) resources have been published on the National Safe Work Month website, including:

• Join National Safe Work Month and commit to keeping people safe and healthy at work information sheet
• WHS best practice checklist for employers
• Keeping WHS a priority in your workplace information sheet
• COVID-19 WHS case studies.

Employers, small businesses, duty holders and work health and safety representatives are encouraged to download these resources and distribute them within their workplaces to keep WHS a priority during National Safe Work Month.

Supporting the overarching National Safe Work Month theme - Work Health and Safety through COVID-19, each week of October will focus on a WHS topic, including mental health and using data to create better WHS policy. Each topic has a downloadable poster and social media tile so you can easily promote them in your workplace and to your networks.

Don't forget to use #safeworkmonth and #safetytogether, when promoting your organisation's National Safe Work Month initiatives on social media.

To receive the latest updates, subscribe to our National Safe Work Month mailing list.

Together, we can create safer workplaces for everyone.

The workplace exposure standard (WES) for respirable crystalline silica (silica dust) has recently halved. If you work with materials like engineered stone, concrete or tiles, use the new silica checklist to see if you need to implement additional control measures in your workplace so that the WES is not exceeded.

Safe Work Australia has published information, including a checklist, to help persons conducting a business or undertaking (for example, an employer or small business owner) to understand the changes to the WES for silica dust, and to assess and effectively manage the risks of silica dust in their workplace.

The WES for silica dust has halved from an eight-hour time weighted average of 0.1 mg/m³ to 0.05 mg/m³. The reduced silica dust WES was implemented in most jurisdictions from 1 July 2020.

Learn more about the changes to the WES for silica dust and use the workplace checklist to manage changes to the WES for silica dust at your workplace.

The national guide Working with silica and silica containing products explains what you must do to keep your workers safe from the risks of silica dust. This guide has been translated into six languages for those who speak a language other than English.

Data is provided by claim type, industry, occupation, age, gender and jurisdiction. Key findings show that as at 31 July 2020:

• 533 workers' compensation claims related to COVID-19 were lodged in Australia
• 34% of these claims related to mental health impacts of COVID-19
• 34% of workers' compensation claims lodged were from the health care and social assistance industry
• 17% of workers' compensation claims lodged were from the public administration and safety industry
• the 'community and personal service workers' occupation had the highest number of workers' compensation claims.

The data has been collected from the relevant Commonwealth, state and territory workers' compensation authorities.

Download the snapshot here.

For more information relating to COVID-19, see our COVID-19 work health and safety (WHS) guidance for workplaces. Information is available for 37 industries covering topics including WHS duties, risk assessments, physical distancing, cleaning, hygiene and mental health.

Recognise World Mental Health Day on 10 October by sharing National Safe Work Month mental health resources.

Dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic has been a stressful time for all Australians. While employers might not be able to help the stress workers are facing at home, they must eliminate or minimise the risk to psychological health and safety at work as far as is reasonably practicable.

Safe Work Australia has published a Preventing psychological injury at work during COVID-19 information sheet which provides information about work-related psychosocial hazards that may have been introduced or increased due to COVID-19, how to prevent psychological injury at work during COVID-19 and links to useful resources.

Recognise World Mental Health Day on 10 October by promoting this information sheet within your workplace. You can also:

• download the work-related psychological health and safety guide which provides a step-by-step process for managing work-related psychological health and safety
• share the National Safe Work Month mental health case studies which provide examples of best practice work health and safety for COVID-19, and
• participate in National Safe Work Month virtual events and initiatives in your region during October.

For more information, see Safe Work Australia's COVID-19 information on mental health which includes links to support services.

Learn more about National Safe Work Month at safeworkmonth.swa.gov.au.

Together, we can create safer workplaces for everyone.

One of the most significant factors impacting work health and safety (WHS) when working from home is prolonged sitting.

Safe Work Australia is proud to support BeUpstanding - a free evidence-based program designed to address the WHS risks associated with prolonged sitting.

Employers and businesses can sign up to the BeUpstanding trial to gain access to resources and guidance on how to encourage workers to stand up, sit less and move more.

This year has seen an increase in desk-based workplaces transitioning to, or increasing existing, working from home arrangements to minimise the risk of exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace. Workplaces across the country have had to adapt their policies and procedures and consult with workers to ensure WHS requirements are met even if workers are at home.

The BeUpstanding toolkit includes fact sheets, videos and email templates which are tailored to desk-based workers working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Go to the BeUpstanding website for more information.

Information and resources on WHS duties and WHS risks associated with working from home are also available on the Safe Work Australia website.

Participate in a free webinar hosted by Safe Work Australia and Comcare as part of National Safe Work Month.

The webinar will explore the rapid and large-scale changes that workplaces of different sizes and across various industries have undertaken in the face of COVID-19. Presenters from Comcare and Safe Work Australia will discuss shifts in work health and safety (WHS) risks and hazards, leadership, culture, working arrangements and WHS policy and systems that have contributed to accelerated workplace change.

There will also be the opportunity to submit questions to the presenters.

Webinar details

Date: Tomorrow, Thursday 8 October 2020
Time: 10.30 am - 11.30 am AEDT
Via: Microsoft Teams

Who should attend:

• employers
• work health and safety practitioners
• health and safety representatives
• human resources managers
• mid-level managers
• workers.

Register to attend on the Comcare website.

Webinar recording now available.

As part of National Safe Work Month, Safe Work Australia partnered with Comcare to broadcast the Accelerated workplace change in the face of COVID-19 webinar.

Presenters explored the rapid and large-scale changes that workplaces of different sizes and across various industries have undertaken to address the WHS risks and challenges presented by COVID-19.

Topics covered include:

• new WHS risks
• WHS duties
• mental health
• working from home
• leadership and culture
• safety systems
• ongoing risk management of exposure to COVID-19.

The webinar recording is now available on the Safe Work Australia website.

Safe Work Australia has published new COVID-19 work health and safety guidance for workplaces.

Guidance for managing risks from COVID-19 is now available for:

• Accommodation services
• Mobile consultants and client engagement services
• Tertiary education

Guidance for the Retail industry has also been expanded with additional information for shopping centres.

A new COVID-19 Small business planning tool is now available, outlining key steps and considerations for small businesses operating during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For more information and resources, go to the Safe Work Australia COVID-19 Information for workplaces.

Safe Work Australia has developed a new guide to help businesses decide how to manage the risk of COVID-19 in the workplace.

The National guide for safe workplaces - COVID-19 is now available on the Safe Work Australia website.

The Guide provides practical guidance for work health and safety (WHS) duty holders about how to work safely during the pandemic.

It can be used by any duty holders under the model WHS laws who have a role in managing the risk of COVID-19, including persons conducting a business or undertaking, persons with management or control of the workplace and officers. 

The Guide aligns with and complements Safe Work Australia's more detailed COVID-19 information for workplaces.

Go to the National guide for safe workplaces - COVID-19.

Our national guidance has been translated into six languages and will help protect workers who work with silica or products containing silica.

Working with natural and engineered stone, asphalt, concrete, bricks or pavers can expose workers to silica dust. This guide provides information about controlling the risks of exposure to silica dust when working with silica and silica containing products. It will help persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBUs) to understand and make decisions about protecting their workers from exposure to silica dust.

The guide for Working with silica and silica containing products is now available in Arabic, Chinese (simplified and traditional), Greek, Italian and Vietnamese.

More information about crystalline silica and silicosis, including what it is, what work activities generate silica dust and how to reduce the dust can be found on our website.

Safe Work Australia has created a new COVID-19 work health and safety information hub for small businesses.

The new Small Business Hub has tailored information and tools to help businesses manage risks from COVID-19 and keep people safe at the workplace.

The hub has guidance and resources for businesses transitioning back to usual operations as restrictions ease, as well as businesses that have been able to stay open safely.

It also features a new series of short videos with information on key COVID-19 work health and safety topics including risk assessments, physical distancing and cleaning the workplace.

A range of other resources and tools are also available in the hub, including a small business planning tool, guidance on work health and safety duties, and practical resources including posters and checklists.

Go to the Safe Work Australia COVID-19 Small Business Hub.