Staying safe at work as the year draws to a close

Employers and workers are being urged to exercise caution during the end-of-year rush and to prioritise safety at work.

The festive season can bring a sense of urgency across many industries, whether it’s looming deadlines on construction projects, meeting a surge in demand in retail, transport and warehousing and hospitality, or working through a demanding harvest season.

WorkSafe Victoria’s Executive Director of Health and Safety, Sam Jenkin, says no industry is immune to the risks.

“For many workplaces, the approaching end of year can be a frantic time and the drive to complete projects or meet customer demand can unfortunately mean safety is not always at the forefront of people’s minds,” he said.

“There is no end-of-year deadline, order fulfilment or customer demand that is worth the risk of a debilitating injury and not getting to spend the holiday season with the ones you love.”

The hectic nature of the holiday period can also put workers at greater risk of fatigue and exposure to violent and aggressive behaviour, particularly in public-facing roles.

Jenkin said it is important that employers set realistic workloads, give workers the information and training they needed to do their jobs safely, and ensure there are systems in place to prevent and respond to fatigue and work-related violence if it does occur.

“It’s unacceptable to burden workers with unreasonable workloads or leave them exposed to violence and aggression,” he said.

“It's important that all workers, including those who may be experiencing their first job, are adequately trained to perform tasks safely, are properly inducted and supervised, and understand their right to a safe workplace.”

WorkSafe Victoria will be visiting retail and hospitality venues over the Christmas period to ensure employers are meeting their obligations, particularly in preventing and managing occupational violence and aggression.

Dedicated construction inspectors will also be checking that builders and contractors are not cutting safety corners to finish projects and are safely shutting down sites so they don’t pose a danger to members of the public over the break.

The need to prioritise safety continues into the new year, with many sectors operating with a reduced workforce before gearing up following post-holiday shutdowns.

Image credit: iStock.com/RobertDupuis