AIHS Announces Review of Aus Work Health and Safety Strategy

Australian Institute of Health & Safety (AIHS) Chairperson Naomi Kemp has announced that the Institute will conduct a review of the Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy 2012-2022.

The Institute will submit its report, which will include advice on what the profession believes are priorities for the next strategy, directly to the Federal Government’s Minister for Industrial Relations.

Ms Kemp said “The Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy had the potential to help shape workplace health and safety in this country and improve lives for all workers.”

“A decade on, it is now time to look at the efficacy of the strategy, its performance objectives, and goals. To be able to learn, we must reflect on what was done well and what could be done better. Then we need to look to the emerging trends of work and think about the next ten years.”

Noting that Safe Work Australia was also commencing a review of its own strategy, Ms Kemp welcomed that review and said “our review will enhance the breadth and quality of feedback from industry and the profession, which can only improve our mutual national prospects of building a more solid base for future performance.

Members of the profession who have followed the progress of the strategy have important views about it, and we want to ensure those views are heard – especially if we’re going to build a foundation for the future” she said.

Patrick Murphy, Chair of the AIHS College of Fellows Policy Committee which will oversee the review, described the review process and planned white paper: “we will be drawing input from all over Australia, especially from the health and safety profession, but also businesses and workers at a number of levels, regulators and kindred organisations and associations with an interest in good health and safety as well.”

“We will be commencing our initial short survey in the coming fortnight, followed by a series of more detailed consultations around Australia over the next few months, and we expect to be reporting to the Commonwealth and the profession later this year.”

“We look forward to making a positive contribution to the thinking that needs to be done to shape the next decade in health and safety in Australia. I invite all people in the field of health and safety with an interest in this issue to participate,” he said.

Article originally published by the Australian Institute of Health and Safety.