Work Shouldn’t Hurt survey – help improve safety in the workplace

The ACTU Centre for Health and Safety has extended its annual OH&S survey until 11 October.

The survey provides an insight into the health and safety experience of workers. The survey is a quantitative, longitudinal tracking program and aims to track key WHS issues and risks to inform our law reform and campaigning work.

It should take approximately 15 mins to complete.

To complete the Work Shouldn’t Hurt 2022 survey: click here 

Each year, Australian Unions runs this survey to better understand worker experiences of health and safety in the workplace. It covers topics about how work is managed as well as common risks and hazards.

This is your chance to have your say and share your experiences. Even if you completed the survey last year, we want to hear from you again. Whatever you say will be treated with the strictest of confidence. Most questions are optional.

All answers will be kept confidential and will be stored and managed in accordance with the ACTU’s Privacy Policy.

The results and findings will be used in our campaigns and ongoing work with research partners to protect the rights of all workers to a safe and healthy workplace.

If this survey raises any issues for you, you can call Lifeline for support and assistance on 13 11 14 or, if you are a union member, you may have access to counselling services through your union.

Health and safety recognised as a fundamental right at work

After years of campaigning by workers globally, the right to a healthy and safe workplace was adopted as a new fundamental right by the International Labour Organisation at this year’s International Labour Conference in Geneva.

The right to a safe and healthy work environment is now enshrined into the International Labour Organisation’s framework of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.

This principle now sits alongside the right of freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining, the elimination of forced labour, the abolition of child labour, and the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation.

ACTU President Michele O’Neil’s said that, although this was an incredible achievement, more work needed to be done to improve occupational safety and health.

This included the need for a shift in focus from just physical injury to a broader understanding which encompasses the importance of psychological safety at work and bringing an end to gender-based violence and sexual harassment.

In Australia 200 workers die at work each year. A further 5,000 workers will die from occupational diseases including asbestos related disease and silicosis.

“Health and safety at work goes beyond physical injuries and incl risks to workers’ psychological health. Work-related mental health conditions are the fastest growing injury type in Australia. Our work must include eliminating psychological risk factors including, high workloads, poor work support as well gendered violence and harassment if we want to continue making work safe and healthy,” O’Neil said.

“We welcome the new Federal Labor Government’s commitment to implement in full all 55 recommendations of the Respect@Work. Obligations on employers to prevent sexual harassment are long overdue.”