Work Health: Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace

1. Workplace Health and Safety Queensland Work Health: Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace April Bennetts Senior Advisor, Healthy Workers Initiative T: 3247 4786 M: 0467 796 559 E: april.bennetts@justice.qld.gov.au

2. Top issues within transport industry Workers have sustained highest injury incidence rate (Australia) Highest serious claim rates (QLD) Most injuries: muscular stress/falls/ vehicle accidents Highest prevalence of health risk behaviours (Australia and QLD)

3. Benefits of worker health Did you know that fit health workers of normal weight have: Increased alertness and decreased fatigue Improved ability to solve problems Better productivity Take less sick leave Lower risk of injury and fewer workers compensation claims Improved health and wellbeing and lower health care costs Decreased risk of sleep apnoea In short, healthier workers are good for business!

4. Making worker health a priority Workplace health and wellbeing initiatives Aims to: Improve health of workers (positive business outcomes) Make healthy choices easy choices Considers: Work environment impact Integrates with existing health and safety systems

5. The impacts of work on worker health

6. Integrating workplace health, wellbeing and safety Compliance Work Health and Safety Act 2011 A PCBU (person conducting a business or undertaking) must: • “… ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of their workers while they are at work” • “provide and maintain a work environment without risks to the health of workers” Workers: • have a responsibility “to take reasonable care for their own health and safety and to comply with reasonable safety instructions”

7. www.healthyworkers.gov.au

8. Integrated commitment and vision Joint consultation and communication Environmental audit Cross-disciplinary approach Shared monitoring, evaluation and reporting Guiding principles

9. Part of the National Partnership Agreement on Preventive Health Chronic disease prevention through the workplace setting – SNAPO risk factors Workplace Health & Safety Queensland (WHSQ): partnering with Queensland Health to implement WHSQ focus: blue collar industries including transport and storage Queensland Workplaces for Wellness Initiative (QW4WI)

10. WHSQ grants Targeting industry bodies, unions, workplace consortiums and not for profit organisations. http://www.deir.qld.gov.au/workplace/workers/healthy-workers/funding-program/index.htm Advisory and coaching service and professional development course Provide advice and skill development to employers to implement health and wellbeing activities Queensland Workplaces for Wellness Initiative (QW4WI)

11. Awareness and education eSafe Online materials for use by safety/employers: includes Work Health Planning resource Workplace Quit Smoking Program Support for workplaces Workplace tool kit Webportal information and tools Recognition scheme Queensland Workplaces for Wellness Initiative (QW4WI)

12. Conclusion “If our most important asset is our employees, then how can we build workplaces to let them know that we care about and support their health and wellbeing?”

13. Thank You • For more information visit: • Workplace Health and Safety Queensland • http://www.deir.qld.gov.au/workplace/workers/healthy-workers/index.htm