WORK TOLL NEEDS ROAD TOLL APPROACH

28 April 2009

SA Unions is marking International Workers Memorial Day with a call for tougher workplace safety standards, saying too many people continue to die because of negligence.

SA Unions Secretary, Janet Giles says literally thousands of people fall victim to death and injury in the workplace each year.  The Australian Safety and Compensation Council estimated as many as 7000 people die each year as a result of workplace accidents or diseases.

In South Australia, there have been 13 workplace related deaths since last October - not taking into account victims of asbestos, of which this state has the highest per capita incidence in the world.

"The workplace death toll is one of the great scandals of our time, yet it goes relatively unnoticed except by those directly affected."

"There are obviously dangerous industries like construction and mining where tough standards are desperately needed.  But just as serious are the less obvious but just as deadly situations - such as exposure to cancer causing environments, or asbestos."

"Workplace death is not always instant - it can be an insidious, agonising process.  Tough laws are needed to protect against preventable death regardless of what form it takes", she says.

"The annual workplace death rate in Australia is more than four times that of the national road toll, yet it received far less public and political attention", Ms Giles says.

"We want governments to take workplace deaths as seriously as they take road deaths. We want to see a commensurate level of investment in prevention, in community education, in safety laws, in penalties for negligence, and in support for victims", she says.

"SA Unions is attending an ecumenical service at the Flinders Street Baptist Church, (65 Flinders Street, 10.00 am).  We will also be supporting the CFMEU rally in Victoria Square (11.30 am) and following protest at Parliament House as part of our ongoing campaign to convince state and federal governments that immediate action is needed to protect workers. This is an enormous toll our community should not have to bear", Ms Giles says.