Remembering the contribution of workers
Today is International Workers Memorial Day, a day where we can reflect on those workers who have lost their lives or been seriously injured at work.
We must work together to prevent future workplace deaths, injuries and illnesses, and improve working conditions.
Jacqueline Agius, Work Health and Safety Commissioner, said today serves as a good reminder to ACT employers to start prioritising work health and safety practices.
“This year, the theme for International Workers Memorial Day is ‘health and safety is a fundamental workers’ right’.
“Today we mourn the lives of the workers who went to work and did not come home. We can only honour the lives of these workers who have died at work, if we fight for the lives of the workers who are living. This responsibility falls to all of us.
“Working people, wherever they work, from construction sites to cafes, from education to health, from the public service to the community sector, from retail to transport, from service industries to manufacturing, from cleaning to firefighting, should be able to count on the certainty that they will go home safely after spending their day or their shift at their workplace.
“I started in this role as Work Health and Safety Commissioner one year ago today, and my priority over the past year, and beyond, is to make sure every worker goes home safely at the end of their work day.
“It’s time to improve the health and safety culture in ACT workplaces because one workplace death or injury is one too many.”
WorkSafe ACT welcomes the ACT Government’s introduction of industrial manslaughter penalties under Work Health and Safety legislation, which will provide support to families of those killed in the workplace.
Today is also World Day for Safety and Health at Work which acknowledges the impact that the global COVID-19 pandemic is having on our working lives and the importance of building an effective, resilient, and adaptable work health and safety framework.
WorkSafe ACT encourages everyone to get involved, work together, and help improve health and safety at Canberra workplaces.
Media contact
Amy Pedley
02 6205 4074
On this page