WorkSafe Victoria is calling on all Victorians to prioritise health and safety in the workplace following the tragic deaths of 65 workers in 2020.
Chief Executive of WorkSafe, Colin Radford said the toll was five less than the previous year, when 70 people died from work related injuries or disease.
“These are not numbers or statistics; they are loved members of our families and communities,” Mr Radford said.
“Mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, siblings, colleagues and team mates, who died as a result of a workplace incident that should have been avoided,” he said.
“There is no excuse for taking shortcuts and failing to make health and safety your number one priority.”
Mr Radford said all Victorian employers and workers could, and must, do more to reduce the number of workplace deaths.
He said 12 of the deaths were in the public administration and safety industry in 2020, which was the most dangerous industry in the State.
“This includes the deaths of four police officers killed on the Eastern Freeway in April and five emergency services personnel who died from the effects of diseases contracted at work,” he said.
Mr Radford said the 2020 toll included 29 workers who died in a Victorian workplace incident; 20 workers who died in work-related road incidents; 13 workers who died from the effects of disease contracted as a result of their work; one worker who died following a workplace-related medical incident; and one worker who died from a workplace-related suicide.
He said that on 1 July, the criteria for defining a workplace fatality were broadened to include deaths from work-related transport incidents, disease, criminal acts, and medical or suicide incidents.
Mr Radford said the broadened criteria ensured that every workplace death was recognised and acknowledged and that every family got the support they deserved.
Minister for Workplace Safety, Ingrid Stitt said the figures shone a light on the true extent of the workplace health and safety risks Victorian workers faced, and the ongoing need for tough laws to prevent the tragedies.
