Workplace Health and Safety Queensland www.worksafe.qld.gov.au
Work Health: Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland
April BennettsSenior Advisor, Healthy Workers InitiativeT: 3247 4786M: 0467 796 559E: [email protected]
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland www.worksafe.qld.gov.au
Top issues within transport industry
• Workers have sustained highest injury incidence rate (Australia)
• Highest serious claim rates (QLD)– Most injuries: muscular stress/falls/ vehicle accidents
• Highest prevalence of health risk behaviours (Australia and QLD)
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland www.worksafe.qld.gov.au
Benefits of worker health
• Did you know that fit health workers of normal weight have:– Increased alertness and decreased fatigue
– Improved ability to solve problems
– Better productivity
– Take less sick leave
– Lower risk of injury and fewer workers compensation claims
– Improved health and wellbeing and lower health care costs
– Decreased risk of sleep apnoea
In short, healthier workers are good for business!
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland www.worksafe.qld.gov.au
Making worker health a priority
Workplace health and wellbeing initiativesWorkplace health and wellbeing initiatives
Aims to:
• Improve health of workers (positive business outcomes)
• Make healthy choices easy choices
Considers:
• Work environment impact
• Integrates with existing health and safety systems
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland www.worksafe.qld.gov.au
The impacts of work on worker health
Work Related Risk Factors
Obesity (physical
inactivity/ poor nutrition)
Job stress / lack of job control / time pressures (lack of time)
Shift work
Long work hours / lack of work-life balance
Lack of access and availability to store, obtain, and prepare health foods
Sedentary work
Organisational culture (e.g. lack of support for healthy lifestyles)
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland www.worksafe.qld.gov.au
Integrating workplace health, wellbeing and safety
ComplianceWork Health and Safety Act 2011
A PCBU (person conducting a business or undertaking) must:• “… ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and
safety of their workers while they are at work”• “provide and maintain a work environment without risks to the
health of workers”
Workers:• have a responsibility “to take reasonable care for their own health
and safety and to comply with reasonable safety instructions”
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland www.worksafe.qld.gov.au
www.healthyworkers.gov.au
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland www.worksafe.qld.gov.au
Guiding principles
• Integrated commitment and vision
• Joint consultation and
communication
• Environmental audit
• Cross-disciplinary approach
• Shared monitoring, evaluation and reporting
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland www.worksafe.qld.gov.au
Queensland Workplaces for Wellness Initiative (QW4WI)
• Part of the National Partnership Agreement on Preventive Health
• Chronic disease prevention through the workplace setting – SNAPO risk factors
• Workplace Health & Safety Queensland (WHSQ): partnering with Queensland Health to implement
• WHSQ focus: blue collar industries including transport and storage
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland www.worksafe.qld.gov.au
Queensland Workplaces for Wellness Initiative (QW4WI)
WHSQ grants•Targeting industry bodies, unions, workplace consortiums and not for profit organisations.
http://www.deir.qld.gov.au/workplace/workers/healthy-workers/funding-program/index.htm
Advisory and coaching service and professional development course•Provide advice and skill development to employers to implement health and wellbeing activities
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland www.worksafe.qld.gov.au
Queensland Workplaces for Wellness Initiative (QW4WI)
Awareness and education•eSafe •Online materials for use by safety/employers: includes Work Health Planning resource
Workplace Quit Smoking Program
Support for workplaces•Workplace tool kit•Webportal information and tools•Recognition scheme
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland www.worksafe.qld.gov.au
“If our most important asset is our employees,
then how can we build workplaces to let them know that we care about and support
their health and wellbeing?”
Conclusion
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland www.worksafe.qld.gov.au
Thank You
For more information visit:Workplace Health and Safety Queenslandhttp://www.deir.qld.gov.au/workplace/workers/healthy-workers/index.htm