Why workplace safety training is essential for your business

No matter what industry you work in, Australian employers are responsible for providing staff with a safe workplace, free from hazards and health risks. If you run a company or organisation, it’s important that your business is compliant with current workplace safety laws and regulations, to promote a safer workplace and ensure the safety and wellbeing of your employees.

Failing to comply with health and safety regulations can not only put your staff at risk, but can also result in severe financial implications, as well as damage to your company’s reputation.

An example of this can be seen in a recent case where Essential Energy was convicted and fined $300,000 following the death of an electrical worker at Bulahdelah, NSW.

Essential Energy receive fines for employee’s death

Earlier this year, SafeWork NSW, the state’s workplace health and safety regulator, charged Essential Energy with a breach of section 32 (1) of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW), for failing to comply with its duty under section 19(1) to ensure the health and safety of workers.

A company employee, aged 47, was fatally electrocuted while carrying out his work, in an incident which “could easily have been prevented” according to Executive Director of SafeWork NSW, Peter Dunphy. 

During SafeWork NSW’s investigation, it was found that Essential Energy was aware of the risk of keeping the top conductors energised while workers removed the bottom conductors, however the company chose to keep them energised for service delivery reasons. This led to the staff member being electrocuted, resulting in his death.

Invest in workplace safety training for all staff

Tragic incidents, such as the one above, should and could have been avoided. Many workplace accidents, injuries and fatalities can be easily prevented with proper compliance methods and an appropriate investment in workplace safety training.

Considering the potential loss in productivity, legal expenses, fines and insurance arising from a workplace incident, workplace safety training is well worth the investment.

With WH&S compliance training, you can increase staff awareness of potential hazards in the work environment, as well as educating individuals on correct reporting procedures and policies. 

Through the use of workshops, online courses and e-learning training modules, you can make sure staff are properly engaged in workplace health and safety, while reducing the risk of accidents, injuries and hazards for your organisation.

Go1 SafeWork has got you covered

If you’re an employer looking to invest in workplace safety training, Go1 SafeWork can make this process a whole lot easier for you and your staff.

We have compiled a course package containing some of the top workplace health and safety courses available through e3Learning, to make it easy for businesses to improve their workplace.

You can make your training process quick and easy with this convenient package containing 3 online safety courses that every Australian business needs – and best of all, this package is available completely free.

Improve your workplace health and safety

Covering a range of topics, the Go1 SafeWork package provides the training that you need to get your team up to scratch and help improve workplace health and safety for your organisation.

Through this package, you’ll be able to educate your team on the following important WH&S topics:

• Bullying and Harassment
• Manual Handling
• Emergency Response

By making the safety of your workplace a top priority, you’ll be showing your commitment to the safety and wellbeing of your employees. You’ll also have peace of mind knowing that your business is compliant with Australian laws and regulations.

As Peter Dunphy, Executive Director of SafeWork NSW, said when discussing the Essential Energy tragedy, “every worker should return home to their family at the end of the working day.” Enrol in Go1 SafeWork’s free online courses and get started on creating a safer workplace for your staff.