October is National Safe Work Month. The theme for the year is ‘Safety is everyone’s business’, which aims to promote a safe and healthy working environment as a fundamental principle across all industries and occupations. The theme also reinforces the benefit to organisations that flows from aiming to provide a safer workplace. Some states and territories also have their own themes.

The primary objective of this annual campaign is to raise awareness of the importance of safety, and to encourage all individuals and organisations to prioritise safety in their workplaces to reduce the number of work-related injuries, illnesses and fatalities. 

National Safe Work Month dedicates a topic to each week of the month. This year’s topics are:

1. Work health and safety fundamentals
2. Psychosocial hazards
3. Risk management fundamentals
4. Musculoskeletal injuries.

There are a number of steps you can take to become involved in National Safe Work Month, including by attending one of the many events held throughout the country, which are set out below.

Australian Capital Territory

The ACT’s theme is ‘Stepping up safety’, with the goal of building on the knowledge of safety within the organisation. There will be safety sessions dealing with key focus areas, such as safety fundamentals, small business safety, consultation, and health and safety representatives. Click here for a full list of events. 

New South Wales

SafeWork NSW is promoting the national month on its social media pages. It recommends following it on social media for safety tips, tools and resources, and using this month to start safety discussions in your workplace.

Northern Territory

NT WorkSafe will be raising awareness that it has the highest fatality rate in Australia, at 3.5 fatalities per 100,000 workers, compared with the national fatality rate of 1.4 fatalities per 100,000 workers. The regulator’s National Safe Work Month webinars this year will focus on psychosocial hazards, electrical safety, risk management, excavation and investigating incidents. Click here to find out more.

Queensland

In Queensland, there will be various activities and events throughout the month. Key topics will include consultation, mental health conversations and managing airborne contaminants. WorkSafe Queensland will also be hosting the Work Well Conference on 22 October 2024 and the free online Work Well Speaker series. Click here for more information.

South Australia

SafeWork SA is running a workplace activity competition that encourages organisations to run their own events to raise awareness about work health and safety. It is also conducting webinars, mock trials and incident investigation events. Click here for more details.

Tasmania

In Tasmania, there will be several in-person and online events that focus on work health, safety and wellbeing, with the theme being ‘Safe bodies, safe minds: Working together to ensure workers return home safe and well every day’. The events also qualify for continuing professional development points. Click here to see the full program of events.

Victoria

WorkSafe Victoria is hosting a comprehensive series of online webinars that discuss a broad range of health and safety issues, as well as regional in-person events in places such as Wangaratta, Ballarat and Bendigo. Click here for more information on these events.

Western Australia

Western Australia’s Safe Work Month will include two in-person and online forums with industry speakers, including the topics agricultural safety and musculoskeletal injuries. There is also a stage play about mental health and an awards night at the end of the month. Click here for more topics and resources.

Create your own event

Don’t forget, as leaders in your organisation or safety professionals, it is your role to promote and build the safety culture. Use the opportunity of National Safe Work Month to arrange an event in your organisation or team.