TRANSCRIPT
Safe Work Australia Month October 2014
Ann Sherry
Chair, Safe Work Australia
Ann Sherry, Chair, Safe Work Australia speaking
Music playing
I’m Ann Sherry and I’m the Chair of Safe Work Australia. Today marks the start of 2014 Safe Work
Australia Month, and what an exciting month it’s going to be.
This year’s theme is Work Safe, Home Safe. It helps us to remember that our most important reason for
staying safe at work, is not at work at all - we all want to go home safely to our family, friends and loved
ones.
Each October safety month reminds all of us, but particularly business leaders, that health and safety
should be on top of our priority list. We know good health and safety is good for business.
There's increasing evidence of the relationship between well managed work health and safety and better
business outcomes. We see lower costs, increased employee engagement and innovation, continuous
improvement, higher productivity and improved profitability. During safety month, Safe Work Australia
and regulators around the country are providing events and information to assist in improving work
health and safety.
Starting today as the key part of safety month, is the Australian Strategy Virtual Seminar Series. This
exciting, free, online event will showcase some of the latest developments, innovations and research in
work health and safety. This is the first time Safe Work Australia has organised this type of event and I
hope you will join with me in making it a great success.
Hosted on the Safe Work Australia website, the Virtual Seminar Series is aimed at people with an interest
in work health and safety. It will feature video presentations by work health and safety regulators,
experts, academics and business leaders. Some of the presentations which I'm looking forward to hearing
are about how organisations can move from a reactive to a proactive work health and safety culture, and
how regulators can be more responsive.
Other highlights of the Virtual Seminar Series include two live online panel discussions where you will be
able to ask questions of the panel. The first panel will explore leadership and culture and the second will
discuss managing work health and safety in challenging environments. The full program of events and all
the presentations will be on the Safe Work Australia website or your mobile device. I encourage you to
take a look.
If you're as passionate about improving workplace safety as I am, I urge you to consider becoming a Safe
Work Australia Month Safety Ambassador. Hundreds of everyday Australians have already signed up as
Safety Ambassadors for their workplace. The role of a Safety Ambassador is to take the lead during safety
month, spread the message that safety is everyone’s responsibility and everyone can make a difference.
Registered Ambassadors also have the chance to enter their workplace in the Safety Month Workplace
Participation Reward. New in 2014, the Workplace Participation Reward will acknowledge one workplace
for outstanding participation and engagement in safety month and the winners will receive a fantastic
training opportunity.
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There really are so many ways you can take part in safety month. To find out more you can go to the Safe
Work Australia website or download the safety month app.
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