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Occupational
Health & Safety |
PASSPORT TO SAFETY - PROTECTING YOUNG WORKERS
A pilot program to protect young workers from death and injury on
the job has had outstanding success, with participants reporting
more than 20% improvement in identifying hazards, avoiding injury,
and understanding emergency procedures
[read on]
STOP
THE DEATHS - SAFETY CRISIS
SA Unions describes South Australian workplaces
as being in a health and safety crisis.
-
Worker Safety
Must be the Priority - SA Unions says the penalties given to big
firms for worker deaths and injuries are insignificant and not
an effective deterrent against future safety breaches.
Employers need to protect their most important asset - their
employees. Young workers especially are vulnerable to
workplace accidents, a serious injury early in a young worker's
career can affect their entire future
The shocking surge in industrial
accidents is of great concern and SA Unions fears the situation will
only worsen under the new federal industrial laws.
SA Unions is calling on the state
government to take urgent action to protection South Australian
workers.
International
Commemoration Day for Dead & Injured Workers
2007-
International Day of Mourning is held each year to remember those who died at
work and recommit ourselves to make sure workplaces are safe.
UNION
WORKPLACES - SAFER WORKPLACES
A commemoration was held on
Friday 27 April at 1.30 pm
St Francis Xavier's Cathedral,
Adelaide
A symbolic release of balloons was held with the theme
“bound for heaven”
Launch of SA Asbestos Coalition
The SA Asbestos Coalition was launched
at the Asbestos Forum, 28 October 2005. The Coalition
comprises of unions, researchers, medical experts, asbestos victims
associations, Workplace Services, WorkCover, and asbestos removal
companies, which will coordinate efforts to increase public
awareness about the danger of asbestos, achieve better protection
and facilitate compensation for victims.
[read on]
For more information contact SA Unions
on 8279 2222.
SA
Workers Memorial Trust Fund
SA Unions marked International Day of Mourning
2005 in memory of killed and injured
workers by announcing a memorial for South Australians killed on the
job.
The memorial
fundraising effort has been kick started by a $10,000 contribution
from the state government, through Workplace Services and WorkCover.
In addition to public donations, contributions will be sought from
employers, especially those whose workers have died.
Too many people
die at work due to unsafe work practices. In South Australia,
the average is about 25 workplace deaths a year - equal to about 1
death a fortnight. That is frankly appalling and we hope
through this memorial to raise the awareness of the need for
workplace safety, and help save the lives of workers.
The
workers memorial fund is an initiative of SA Unions, supported
by the State Government through Workplace Services and
WorkCover to raise public funds to build a
permanent memorial for those workers
who have died at work or due to a workplace injury or disease.
To donate to this fund you can donate to :
Workers Memorial Trust Fund
Commonwealth Bank, Gouger Street, Adelaide
Account Number : 10129526
BSB
Number : 065005
Warning - Asbestos Kills
There is no known "safe" level of
exposure to asbestos. There is no cure, except preventing exposure in the
first place - find out more
The SA Unions is campaigning for :
1. The elimination of injury and disease in the
workplace.
2. Ensuring that workers have a right to
perform their work in an
environment that is safe and
without risk to their health and
safety.
3. The promotion and strengthening of the
Occupational Health,
Safety and Welfare Act 1986.
4. Integration of best practice OH&S and
prevention policies into
the industrial relations
system and industry development
framework.