Workplace killers targeted

Monday 07 August 2000

WorkSafe Week 2000 is targeting the main causes of accidents and injury in the workplace.

The Week will run from the 1st to the 7th of October and focus on the traditional black spot industries of agriculture, construction, forestry as well as the across industry issue of hearing loss.

"The aim of WorkSafe Week is to bring home the appalling toll of accident, injury and illness as a step in improving health and safety standards," says OSH’s General Manager, Bob Hill.

The theme of the WorkSafe Week this year is "A Safe Workplace is no accident".

"We hope people will think about the two messages contained in the theme. The first is to encourage employers and employees to be a part of the drive to lower accidents, injury and illness in the workplace. The second is that a safe workplace is the product of a planned and systematic approach to health and safety."

To help deliver the message and support businesses to improve their health and safety standards OSH today launched a dedicated WorkSafe Week website, www.worksafeweek.org.nz.

The site not only has information on health and safety and WorkSafe Week, it also focuses on how businesses can get involved in the Week. This includes events being run by OSH, and importantly, ideas and support on how businesses can run their own in-house events.

"Past WorkSafe Weeks have highlighted there are a huge number of businesses that see the benefit of using WorkSafe Week to make health and safety part of the way they work.

"This year we really want to see as many people getting the benefits of getting involved in the week as possible."