In Australia, October is National Safe Work Month — a time to make your commitment to improving safety and health in your workplace.
While the health, safety and wellness of staff and students should always be front of mind in “how we do what we do” at UQ, October is a great time to collectively focus on the health, safety and wellness of our staff and students, and ourselves.
Unsurprisingly, this year’s national theme for Safe Work Month is Work Health and Safety through COVID-19, which acknowledges and reflects the wide-reaching impacts of COVID-19 on Australian businesses, employers and workers.
Individuals, their families and the broader community are all impacted by work-related injury and illness. Last year in Australia, Safe Work Australia preliminary data shows that around 180 people died while doing their job. Around 107,000 people made a workers’ compensation claim for serious injury or illness in 2017-18. One in five Queensland workers suffer from a mental health condition. We all have an important role to play to ensure that everyone at our workplace is physically and mentally safe.
Safe Work Month and Mental Health Week events
There are a number of activities during October, both at UQ and externally, to mark Safe Work Month.
This year is a little different, and our Safe Work Month offerings are all available through Zoom. We're also promoting the great program offered by Queensland’s work health and safety regulator.
Mental Health Week (10 October to 18 October) also falls within Safe Work Month. Please see the article on Mental Health Week in HSW Quarter 4 newsletter to see all the UQ offerings available for this important week.
Staff of the UQ Health, Safety and Wellness Division and of the greater UQ health, safety and wellness community are available to assist and support you in promoting the highest practicable standard of occupational health, safety and wellness within UQ, and a positive OHS culture across UQ. Please contact the HSW Division if we can be of any assistance.
UQ Program and Events
|
7 Oct 12pm - |
Oxygen and Gas Alarms at UQ Why do we measure O2 and toxic gases? Lessons learnt from CSIRO. |
|
|
8 Oct 12pm - 12.45pm |
COVID Past, Present and Future A look at historical COVID-19 parallels and issues around the development and roll-out of a vaccine. |
|
|
12 Oct 1pm - |
From Surviving to Thriving A practical webinar to look at managing personal stress and building resilience. |
|
|
13 Oct 1pm - |
Healthy Lifestyle Habits Understand how our minds and bodies can work best in busy lives. |
|
|
16 Oct 1pm - |
Feeding your Mental Health Get the most out of your food for mental wellbeing. |
|
|
19 Oct 12pm - |
UQ HSW Hot Topics Join these UQ presenters as they discuss hot WHS topics around UQ. |
|
|
20 Oct 12pm - |
Industrial Manslaughter Understanding the elements of Industrial Manslaughter. |
|
|
21 Oct 1pm - |
Return to Work Responsibilities Promote a successful return to work for injured workers |
Register |
|
22 Oct 1pm - |
UQ OHSS Academic Program Understand and engage with the UQ OHSS academic programs on offer |
|
|
23 Oct 12pm - |
WHS for supervisors and HDR's WHS responsibilities for UQ supervisors and HDR students. |
|
|
26 Oct 10am - |
AIHS: Be CAP-able Professional development options for health and safety professionals |
|
|
27 Oct 12pm - |
Dreamworld Incident Some of the Coroner's findings will be discussed and how complex organisations can learn. |
|
|
30 Oct 10am - |
Incident Investigation On leading practice in incident investigation with particular focus on practical application. |
WHS Queensland Program and Events
- Safe Work Month 1 - 9 October events
- Mental Health Week 10 - 16 October events
- Safe Work Month 19 - 30 October events
To learn more about Safe Work Month, visit the QLD Safe Work Month website or contact the Health, Safety and Wellness Division.
