Increase in workplace deaths prompts concern

According to WorkSafe Victoria, 2016 was the most horrific year for workplace fatalities since 2009.

Workplaces are being urged to prioritise safety this year, after 26 people lost their lives throughout 2016.

“Tragically, 26 Victorian workers did not make it home safely at the end of the day and their families didn’t get to celebrate Christmas and New Years with their loved one,” said WorkSafe Executive Director of Health and Safety Marnie Williams.

Of the workplace fatalities in 2016, the youngest was 21 years old and the oldest was 94 years old, 23 were men, eight occurred in Melbourne and 18 were in regional Victoria, eight were in agriculture and seven were in construction, while five involved tractors, four were caused by falling from height and three were electrocutions.

Inspectors made more than 46,000 visits to workplaces across the state last year and will continue to target high-risk sectors in 2017. This will include the agriculture and construction sectors, which last year accounted for almost 58% of fatalities.

“While workers have a role to play in keeping themselves and others safe, the responsibility falls squarely on the shoulders of employers,” Williams said.

“The consequences of failing to prioritise safety can be catastrophic. As well as the devastation suffered by families and friends, a workplace fatality has an enormous impact on colleagues and, ultimately, the business itself as it is the employer who will face the courts should there be a serious incident.”

Williams said that employers need to constantly reassess the work their employees are undertaking to ensure it is carried out safely. Employees should also speak up if they see something that concerns them.

Image credit: ©iStockphoto.com/Nikita Rogul