SafeWork SA is launching a series of industry-specific compliance campaigns after a rise in workplace deaths this financial year.
A total of 22 people have died in workplace incidents so far this financial year.
SafeWork SA is rolling out new campaigns targeting the priority industries of Agriculture, Construction, Manufacturing, Transport, Forestry and Healthcare.
Employers and sole traders are being urged to keep themselves and their workers safe by focussing on a range of contributing factors to workplace fatalities, including:
- appropriate maintenance of plant and equipment
- following safety procedures and not taking short cuts
- ensuring workers take regular breaks to maintain concentration and reduce fatigue
Under the Work Health and Safety Act 2012 (SA), employers have a primary duty of care to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of their workers is not put at risk from the work they are undertaking.
Employers have been put on notice that the most serious health and safety breaches now carry significant penalties after industrial manslaughter was made a criminal offence from 1 July last year.
Employers or Officers of the business face up to 20 years in prison or fines of up to $18 million if they are found to have caused the death of a worker through reckless or grossly negligent conduct.
An analysis of the 2024-25 fatalities found the Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing sector had the highest number of deaths (8) followed by Manufacturing (4) and the Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste services industry (3).
Of the 22 fatalities, nine involved either being struck or falling from a vehicle while six people died after becoming entangled in or struck by motorised plant, three drowned, two fell from heights and two were struck by a load. Eight of the fatalities were sole traders while nine were workers. All but three of the fatalities were male.
Work that can be considered ‘routine’ was the biggest contributing factor to the fatalities. While perceived as low risk, routine work can lull workers into a false sense of security and can erode safety practices, making even simple tasks unexpectedly dangerous.
There were 13 workplace fatalities in 2023-24, 11 in 2022-23 and 18 in 2021-22. The highest number of workplace fatalities on record is 24 in 2005-06.
In response to the fatalities in 2024-25, SafeWork SA has issued 86 notices – 63 prohibition notices and 23 improvement notices. Investigations into the deaths are continuing.
SafeWork SA’s campaigns targeting the priority industries will include site visits and compliance audits to detect and deter unsafe workplace behaviour.
The agency’s presence on worksites is increasing with 4486 recorded site visits and 4038 statutory notices issued in the first nine months of this financial year.
SafeWork SA is coming down hard on serious offenders, securing 16 convictions so far in 2024-25, double that of last year, resulting in fines totalling $2.250 million.
The WHS National Strategic Plan 2023-2033 identified Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing; Construction; Transport, Postal and Warehousing; Manufacturing, and Healthcare and Social Assistance as national priority industries.
SafeWork SA offers a free advisory service to businesses seeking to improve WHS in their workplace.
Call 1300 365 255 to book a site visit while SafeWork SA’s website has comprehensive information to help businesses be compliant. Visit www.safework.sa.gov.au
Quotes attributable to SafeWork SA Executive Director Glenn Farrell
Fatigue, short cuts and poorly maintained plant and equipment are all possible killers, but the associated risks can all be eliminated or appropriately managed through a strong commitment to safety.
Workplace deaths leave a painful and permanent scar on families, work mates, the community and the business itself.
SafeWork SA is pleading with employers, sole traders and those in control of work activities to take their responsibilities seriously and make safety in the workplace their highest priority.
People are the most valuable asset to any business and more needs to be done to ensure they are not exposed to harm.
We’re inspecting work sites more often and where we find non-compliance there will be consequences.
Businesses have a work health and safety obligation to put the safety of their people first and we will not hesitate to issue notices or take further action for unsafe practices.
Source: SafeWork SA
