Preventing injuries, accidents, bullying, harassment, and sexual misconduct while at work will be a focus this month – National Safe Work Month.
Martin was 49 when he ran from one building to another carrying a computer, briefcase, and some printed reports.
Suddenly he tripped, but brushed himself off, picked up his items along with the scattered papers, and kept going, eventually reaching his work desk.
Turning on his computer he felt a headache was setting in and his neck, shoulder and arm and hands “all felt a bit sore”.
With an urgent deadline before a meeting, he took two Panadol, turned on his computer and started work.
But Martin’s headache got worse and after a while, he took two more Panadol, and finished his report.
Excruciating pain
Arriving at his office the next day, he reached in to the back of his car to grab his briefcase and computer.
“There was this rip in my shoulder, a pop. The pain was excruciating,” Martin said.
“That is how I ended up on the Return to Work treadmill.
“From the moment you tell anyone you have injured yourself, you get this look as if to say `yeah, sure’.
“There is this stigma that you are just making it all up to rip off the system.”
“From my experience anyway, my manager (at work), some of the doctors, and the return to work people – it’s all smirks and sneers.”
Meeting others “on the treadmill”
Martin’s workplace injury was more than five years ago, he no longer has full use of his arms, has difficulty sleeping and has asked for his identity to remain anonymous.
“One good thing is through the process you meet others on the same treadmill. One woman was being bullied like you would not believe by the organisation she worked for,” he said.
While that woman had since left the organisation rather than take up her legal rights, The [Naracoorte Community] News is aware of others who currently allege being bullied.
Martin praised Naracoorte’s Nigel Nisbett who suffered an acute avulsion tear in his right groin and an avulsion fracture to his pelvis while working at an event in 2021 for the Naracoorte Lucindale Council.
The council’s administration rejected Mr Nisbett’s injury compensation claim and his request for annual leave so he could have an operation.
But Deputy President Judge Mark Calligeros ruled in favour of Mr Nisbett ordering the council to reimburse him and pay back pay for the time he was off work.
“At least he is alive, and I’m alive. Not like some other poor buggers who go to work and never get to go home,” Martin said.
Our loved ones go to work, some never return
Lucindale’s much loved police officer Brevet Sergeant Jason Doig is one of the State’s high-profile cases where a person went to work, and never returned.
In November last year he was the victim of a fatal gunshot while on duty 120 kms from his home.
In May this year a person died while working at an engineering company in Mount Gambier.
In July a man from Salt Creek died after reportedly being trapped in a silo.
In August a man died while working at a timber mill at Tarpeena.
In September artist, conservationist and beef producer James Darling died when the quad bike he was driving on his own property collided with another ATV. Mr Darling was the guest speaker of Naracoorte and Lucindale 2024 Australia Day events.
Although some people have died while working in their own businesses, helping to keep employees safe in the workplace is behind recent reforms to work health and safety laws.
Minister Maher announces reforms
SA Industrial Relations Minister Kyam Maher announced the “significant reforms” following recommendations from the Independent Work Health and Safety Review.
The review – by former WorkSafe Victoria executive director John Merritt – included 39 recommendations, and the government has accepted 36.
Changes to the Act include giving the SA Employment Tribunal a greater role in resolving health and safety disputes, including the power to order employers to fix safety issues on a worksite.
Changes will also enable SafeWork SA to share more information with people affected by health and safety incidents, including victims, their families, and their representatives.
Other changes involve a new SafeWork SA Advisory Committee as a permanent forum to build stronger relationships between the regulator, business groups, trade unions, and safety professionals.
“These reforms represent some of the most important changes to South Australia’s health and safety laws since the creation of the Work Health and Safety Act,” Mr Maher said.
“They will make South Australian workplaces safer, they will make our system fairer for victims and their families, and they will help to fix safety issues at an early stage before serious workplace injuries or workplace deaths can occur.”
SA Unions secretary Dale Beasley said coming home from work safely “isn’t just a priority; it’s a right”.
“These reforms give workers a say in keeping themselves and their workmates safe.”
This article appeared in the Naracoorte Community News.