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International Worker's Memorial Day

An Australian Exhibitions and Conferences product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team May 1, 2006

Six workers in Victoria, Australia, have been killed in the week leading up to International Worker's Memorial Day.

That six Victorians were killed at work over the past week is tragic but just the tip of the iceberg, says Australia's principal workplace safety professional body ahead of the Safety in Action Conference in May, with the national annual death toll estimated at up to 2200.

Safety Institute of Australia (SIA) national president Phil Lovelock said injury and disease in Australian workplaces have a far greater impact than is widely recognised.

Unsafe conditions in workplaces continue to exist, resulting in up to 500 deaths from traumatic injury and between 650 and 2200 deaths each year from exposure to hazardous materials.

"The number of people who die at work dwarfs the much more heavily publicised road statistics," he said.

"This week serves as a reminder that tragedy at work is never far from us".

"The SIA extends its sympathies to all the families of the people who went to work and didn't come home".

"It's particularly poignant given that today is International Worker's Memorial Day".

Every year, workplace deaths are commemorated by the international day of mourning, with the International Labour Organisation estimating that as many as 5,000 people worldwide die every day as a result of work-related accidents or illnesses.

"We don't have deaths on the scale of some other countries because more and more employers are heeding the call," Mr Lovelock said, "but the terrible week we've had proves more must be done".

"It's vital that employers and workers alike have the training, supervision and tools they need to do the job safely".

"Education is critical".

"We're expecting around 1000 delegates to attend the Safety In Action Conference from May 16 - 18 and about 10,000 to visit the concurrent trade show".

"Clearly, though, more need to come and discover what should be done and how to do it".

In the wake of the six Victorian deaths, WorkSafe Victoria, which is the principal sponsor of Safety In Action, called on workers and business operators to go "back to basics".

WorkSafe's Executive Director, John Merritt, said most workplace deaths and injuries were the result of known risks that had not been acted on.

"Workplace deaths are not 'freak accidents'," Mr Merritt said.

"They are, in general, the result of basic safety issues not being attended to".

"Most people die or are hurt at work as a result of foreseeable factors".The Safety In Action Conference will be held from Tuesday 16 to Thursday 18 May 2006 at the Melbourne Convention Centre, while its partner trade show runs concurrently at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre.

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