Workplace is urging employees to be alert in the workplace. Photo: Supplied
WorkSafe recently released data regarding fatalities and injury claims within the Victorian workplaces.
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While the numbers have shown an improvement in workplace safety, WorkSafe is urging Victorians to remain vigilant.
Of the 50 lives that were lost throughout the state, two fatalities occurred in the Loddon Campaspe area — an improvement on the 2023 death toll of five for the region.
The two deaths happened in Campaspe and the Macedon Ranges due to a vehicle incident and exposure to environmental factors.
The deaths occurred in the manufacturing and education and training industries.
WorkSafe executive director health and safety Sam Jenkin said the death toll across Victoria shows that tragedies can occur in any workplace.
“Victoria is among the safest places to work in the world, but it is simply unacceptable (that) lives are still being lost in what are entirely preventable workplace incidents,” he said.
“No family should suffer the devastation of losing a loved one at work, and we remain unyielding in our commitment to working towards a future of zero workplace deaths.”
WorkSafe executive director Sam Jenkin said fatalities can happen anywhere. Photo: Supplied.
In 2024, WorkSafe accepted 1,033 injury claims in the Loddon Campaspe area, which was a decrease from the 1,108 claims made in 2023.
Campaspe had the third highest claims in the region with 166 successful claims made.
The majority of injuries reported to WorkSafe in the region were caused by body stress, falls, trips and slips, being hit by moving objects and mental stress.
Most of these injuries came from different industries, including healthcare and social assistance, manufacturing, construction and education and training.
Mr Jenkin said WorkSafe is continuing to work towards safer workplaces.
“For too many years we have continued to see workplace harm due to the same hazards in the same industries, which is why WorkSafe has set ambitious targets to challenge the status quo,” he said.
“We are asking for the support and buy-in of the entire Victorian community — only together can we create safer workplaces that last for generations to come.”
In NSW, SafeWork is also cracking down on workplace safety, with a statewide compliance operation in the works and over 140 notices already issued this year.
The operation is focused on the cause of fatalities in the previous year, including the separation between people and plant, preventing access to moving parts, preventing rollovers, and ensuring proper training and licensing.
Inspections are happening in the NSW agricultural, retail, construction, manufacturing and transport industries.