SafeWork NSW has released a plan to improve safety and injury management in the NSW nursery industry.
SafeWork NSW is focussing on the industry after $8.6 million in workers compensation claims over the past nine years.
Executive Director of SafeWork NSW, Peter Dunphy said SafeWork would work with NSW nurseries to improve safety.
“The plant nursery industry contributes more than $260 million to the NSW economy and is comprised of more than 400 mostly small businesses that employ 1,800 workers,” Mr Dunphy said.
“After consulting with industry to identify priority health and safety and return to work issues, we have developed an action plan which outlines how we will work together to improve health, safety and productivity in the State’s nurseries.
“Most businesses in the industry are small businesses, and finding the time and money for safety improvements can be a challenge, that’s why we will be focussing on tailored tools and incentives that support them in improving safety.
“Our experience is that the best outcomes are achieved when we work in collaboration with industry to improve health, safety and injury management outcomes.
“That’s why we will work closely with the nursery industry to develop health and safety and injury management solutions.”
“This will be done through on-site support and advice, safety incentives, promoting the benefits of early recovery and return to work and, where necessary, supporting businesses to improve health, safety and return work outcomes.
“I’m confident that through the support of business, industry and workers we can improve industry health, safety and productivity, and see more injured workers back in sustainable work sooner.”
“Every worker deserves to return home safely at the end of the working day and in collaboration with our Industry Action Plan partners, the Nursery and Garden Industry of NSW and ACT, Cancer Council NSW and Cancer Institute NSW, we will implement programs that make it among the State’s safest industries.”
The five major safety issues that the plan will address are lifting and handling of heavy objects, exposure to the sun, exposure to hazardous chemical, safety around moving vehicles and delayed recovery and return to work.
See our plant nurseries page for advice on safety in the plant nursery industry or call 13 10 50.
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