This August, as part of National Tradie Health Month, SafeWork NSW is urging tradies and their employers across the state to prioritise workplace wellbeing by speaking up about any work health and safety (WHS) concerns.
National Tradie Health Month is an initiative run by the Australian Physiotherapy Association to raise awareness about musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) impacting Australian tradies.
MSDs are preventable and are the most common injuries and diseases sustained by carpenters, plumbers and electricians. MSDs can significantly impact a worker’s health and quality of life, whilst also affecting the productivity and operational costs of the business.
MSDs can occur suddenly or progressively over time. They can be caused by physical and psychosocial hazards, which may interact with one another to cause harm. Hazardous manual tasks are the leading cause of MSDs, followed by falls on the same level. Psychosocial hazards such as high workload, bullying and poor supervision may also increase the risk of MSDs in the workplace.
Employers can protect their workers from MSDs by conducting risk management, applying good work design that eliminates or minimises risks, providing resources and relevant training, and regularly assessing and updating control measures.
SafeWork NSW is committed to reducing MSDs through the Musculoskeletal Disorder Prevention Plan 2024 to 2026 by working with key stakeholders to ensure workplaces understand and address MSD risks.
Information about MSD prevention is available on the SafeWork NSW website including how to manage MSD risks, as well as legal duties for both employers and workers in the workplace. There is also a useful Preventing Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) webinar series available online in English, Mandarin and Cantonese.
SafeWork NSW’s message to tradies is that if you are not sure about something, stop and check. If you see something that isn’t safe on a worksite and are worried about raising it, you can speak up anonymously using the Speak Up Save Lives website.
Quotes attributable to SafeWork NSW Commissioner Janet Schorer:
“Musculoskeletal disorders are preventable in the workplace, but more than half of serious workers compensation claims in NSW are MSDs.”
“Workers can suffer these injuries and diseases over time or suddenly. These disorders can have significant impacts on a worker’s physical and mental health as well as the productivity and cost to businesses.”
“SafeWork NSW’s online webinars and resources provide a useful guide for employers to better understand the impacts of MSDs, consider their legal duties and how to better protect workers. Employers and employees need to work together to take responsibility for creating safer workplaces.”
Back to top