Safe Work Australia Week
16 - 22 October 2011
Focus on safety 2011
Western Australian workplaces get active for Safe Work Australia Week
More than 200 small to large Western Australian companies and organisations took part in Safe Work Australia (SWA) Week 2011 with an impressive range of safety focussed activities and events.
From morning teas and information sessions to quizzes, office massages and hazard spotting days, as long as the event raised safety awareness, organisers were limited by only their imagination. The "ten @ ten" safety topics were popular with some workplaces using the talks to kick start the working day. For others, SWA Week was an opportunity to establish or review their safety policies and procedures or to do some practical ‘housekeeping’ such as replacing or repairing equipment.
The following are just a few activities for 2011. Details on all the Western Australian SWA Week events are available in industry order.
ChemCentre
The company’s primary business is laboratory testing so to get staff focussed on safety they created the ‘Safety Games’. Using a grid on the floor, teams battled it out to find the safe path to escape a chemical spill and the operational faults in a laboratory based scenario.
‘Most staff including managers took part in the day and it proved to be a fun, challenging and thought provoking event.’
Percipient Consulting Pty Ltd
This small IT company grabbed the attention of staff during SWA Week through daily safety hints and tips and displaying posters.
‘It is easy to forget the importance of safety matters in a small office environment so we just want to remind everyone in a bright and fun way.’
Acacia Hill child care centres
Seven centres in the metropolitan area got the children involved by creating a checklist for identifying potential hazards. Over the week the centres created a hazardous substances register with spot checks on safe chemicals storage and labelling.
Christ Church Grammar School
The school conducted fire extinguisher and fire blanket training and held a sausage sizzle hosted by the school’s safety reps.
Swan Kalamunda Health Service
The hospital focused on raising the profile of its OSH Reps. Wearing special orange t-shirts, the reps and staff enjoyed a sausage sizzle and afternoon tea and a Guess the OSH Reps’ Names competition. The inaugural winner of OSH Rep of the Month was announced and to maintain the award’s profile, a new winner will be awarded each month leading up to the OSH rep of the year for SWA Week 2012.
West Coast Institute of Training
West Coast got very active with an OSHmazing Race, Hazard Hunt, the Wii Olympics and OSHletics. The Institute ran information sessions on work/life balance, positive people, back care, sprains and strains and drugs/alcohol and offered spot the hazard elearning modules.
Boom Logistics
The company arranged for a doctor to attend toolbox meetings at each of its South West depots to provide education on prevention of skin cancer and conduct skin cancer checks for participants who have specific concerns.
CSA Global
CSA held a ‘Super Spine Day’ that focussed on neck and back care with an interactive seminar conducted by an experienced physiotherapist. The day also included a 10 minute massage by remedial massage therapists.
The day featured ‘learning and enjoyment for our staff through a tailored workplace ergonomics educational program and in-office massage services to reduce the negative effects of stress and muscular tension.’
What events and activities have been registered within your industry?
Useful links
- Safe Work Australia Week brochure
- Take 10 @ 10 safety topics – Take 10 minutes at 10.am in your workplace to talk about safety;
- Guide to inspecting your workplace;
- Guidance note – Material Safety Data Sheet;
- Safety and health representative information;
- Email WorkSafe community education officers to book a visit (metropolitan areas only; and
- Register to attend the Perth Work Safe 2011 Forum.