$3 million campaign targets small businesses safety

A high-tech interactive CD-ROM will be mailed to Victoria's 200,000 small and medium sized workplaces as part of a new $3 million campaign to improve workplace health and safety, WorkCover Minister Rob Hulls announced recently.

Hulls said the campaign - which includes a four-week advertising blitz - aimed to help employers tackle health and safety issues.

"Small employers are often operating in a complex environment. In some small businesses occupational health and safety gets put to the bottom of a large pile of regulatory and operational 'things to do'," Hulls said.

"Some employers sometimes say they either don't have the resources to get involved in occupational health and safety or don't know where to start. This campaign gives them the tools they need to act now."

The WorkSafe Victoria campaign includes advertisements, CD-ROM and access to free occupational health and safety consultancy advice.

In 2001-02, 76% of all reported workplace fatalities occurred at small to medium sized employers (those with less than $2 million remuneration).

WorkCover claims filed by small to medium sized employers in 2001-2002 (about 10,000) accounted for about 40% of total claims costs to the scheme.

Musculoskeletal disorders (including sprains and strains), fractures and open wounds accounted for the majority of claims. The worst performing sectors were specialist construction trades, wholesale trade, retail trades, road transport, and property and business services.