Issue Date:  -  Thursday, 4 August 2005

Free small business assistance comes to the Pilbara

Independent consultants for a State Government program that assists WA small businesses with safety management at no cost will be in the Pilbara later this month.

WorkSafe WA Commissioner Nina Lyhne said today that independent consultants for the ThinkSafe Small Business Assistance Program would be in the area in late August.

“The program offers small businesses with less than 20 employees a free three-hour session with an independent, fully qualified occupational safety and health consultant,” Ms Lyhne said.

“This program focuses squarely on education – not enforcement – and the consultant’s visit is confidential with no aspect of the company’s actual safety performance reported back to WorkSafe.

“It is primarily directed at high-risk industry sectors that have significant rates of injury and disease – agriculture, forestry and fishing, construction, health and community services, manufacturing, retail and wholesale and transport and storage.

“Since the program became available in February, the response has been excellent, with around 40 per cent of applications coming from regional areas.

“Strong regional demand has resulted in the consultants’ visit to the Pilbara, and we intend to bring the service to other regions in the near future.”

Small business employers in the Pilbara should register their interest in meeting with a consultant by submitting an application to WorkSafe.

When a company registers for the program, WorkSafe arranges for an independent occupational safety and health consultant to conduct an assessment of the workplace and prepare a simple safety action plan.

“I encourage employers in small businesses with less than 20 full-time employees to take advantage of this terrific opportunity to improve safety and health management in their workplaces,” Ms Lyhne said.

“The benefits of a safe workplace – in both human and financial terms – can be immeasurable.”

For further information or to apply for assistance under the ThinkSafe Small Business Assistance Program, complete an application form obtained by telephoning WorkSafe’s Hazard Hotline on 1800 429 273 or by downloading the form from the website at www.safetyline.wa.gov.au and returning it to WorkSafe.

Media contact: Caroline De Vaney 9327 8744 or 0408 927563 (media enquiries only).