AUSTRALIAN workers have grieved for the lives lost in workplaces on International Workers’ Memorial Day.
The ACTU used the occasion to highlight the plight of construction workers under the Howard-era Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC), and called for the abolishment of the ABCC’s powers.
According to the ACTU, since the establishment of the ABCC, the number of construction site deaths in Queensland has risen, from 19 deaths in 2004 to 2005, to 29 in 2005 to 2006, and 33 in 2007.
The ACTU has also called for a harmonised national workplace health and safety legislative regime which would strengthen the rights and safety standards of Australian workers.
Meanwhile, WorkSafe Victoria has stressed the importance of maintaining and improving workplace safety standards in tough economic times.
Since the 2008 Worker’s Memorial Day, WorkSafe says it has received reports of 21 traumatic work-related deaths. The workplace safety authority says the ultimate responsibility for safety is in the workplace and the community.
Besides workplace fatalities, WorkSafe Victoria says work-related injuries can also be debilitating. Around 60% of all injuries reported to WorkSafe are a result of poor manual handling, slips trips and falls.
WorkSafe provides a range of services to help Victorian employers and workers enhance workplace safety. All states and territories have workplace safety authorities who play similar roles.
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