Planned safety projects

In 2012/13 WorkSafe proposes to conduct the following safety projects subject to availability of resources.

Geraldton project - WorkSafe will engage assistance from the Department of Agriculture & Food and Department of Fisheries in a compliance campaign to improve safety in agriculture and commercial fishing; the campaign will be conducted out of Geraldton. The project will commence by providing information and an awareness phase which includes the promotion of ThinkSafe small business and the Agriculture Safety and Health Workbook & Checklist to obtain voluntary compliance.

Kimberley Region - Carry out inspections of the infrastructure maintenance and service provisions provided to indigenous communities throughout the Kimberley region.

Subject to available inspectorate resources the following project work will be carried out across 2012-13:

Multi storey construction sites – a state based project focussed on both residential and commercial multi storey construction addressing the priority area of working at heights.
Metropolitan enforcement – a project based on small geographic locations within the metropolitan area where the team has identified a large number of construction sites which are in close proximity; with the aim of enforcing compliance and creating a highly visible presence of inspectors.
Regional enforcement - WorkSafe plans to carry out targeted enforcement drives in regional areas to ensure compliance in the construction industry is consistent with metropolitan standards. The priorities will be:
- Great Southern Regional Blitz - Construction
- Mid West Region Blitz – Construction

Hazardous substances in the health, education and community services sectors – investigations of workplaces in these sectors to address the responsibilities of workplace duty holders in this priority area. These sectors contain significant end users of hazardous substances such as TAFEs, universities and hospitals.
Plastics manufacturers – health hazards – a geographically-based set of workplace investigations in the Midwest, concentrating on priority hazards at plastics manufacturers. Health hazards include dermatitis, asthma, cancer and noise induced hearing loss.
Stress and bullying: risk management systems – this project will investigate systems used in larger organisations to manage the risks of stress and bullying in the workplace. Previous projects have found that when these hazards are investigated, the findings are not used to manage the problem at an organisational level.
Communicable diseases – all industry sectors – investigations of high risk occupations, for example healthcare workers, local council workers and care workers, who are at risk of communicable diseases such as hepatitis and HIV/AIDS. The project has an emphasis on workers from a non-English speaking background.

Wooden structural fitting and component manufacturing - Proactive investigations will be conducted in this sub-industry of Wood Product Manufacturing, due to high injury rates.
Other Wood Product Manufacturing - Proactive investigations will be conducted in this sub-industry of Wood Product Manufacturing, due to high injury rates.
Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing - The project was chosen due to an increase in injury rate.
Other Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing - Proactive investigations will be conducted in this sub-industry of Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing, due to high injury rates.

Laundry services – boilers – the safe operation, maintenance and inspection of boilers at laundry operators in the metro and regional areas will be checked by this project. Boilers in laundry services are often located in close proximity to workers and members of the public.

Restaurants - Proactive investigations will be conducted in this industry due to the large number of injuries
- Checklist
Heavy machinery and scaffolding renting and hiring - Proactive investigations will be conducted in this sub-industry of Rental and Hiring Services due to an increase in the number of injuries.
- Checklist
Waste collection services - Proactive investigations will focus primarily on waste collection and rubbish trucks.
Arts and recreation services – Nature reserves and conservation park operation: A small industry with a surge in injuries. The Service Industries Team will work together with the industry to identify causes of injuries and to promote occupational safety and health.
Public order, safety and regulatory services – Corrective Centres: This industry has a high number of injuries and the Service Industries Team will work with the main employers to identify causes and to promote occupational safety and health.

Freight forwarding services - Proactive investigations will be conducted in this sub-industry of the Transport Industry, which has high injury rates and is often the subject reactive demand.
- Checklist

Independent supermarket - Proactive investigations will be conducted in this industry which has a high injury rate and is also the subject of regular reactive demand.
Fast food outlet - Proactive investigations will be conducted in this industry due to high injury rates and the high number of young workers.
- Checklist
Hardware building and garden suppliers retailing - Proactive investigations will be conducted in this retail sub-industry due to high injury rates and also because it is often the subject of reactive demand.