Queensland resources workers across the state will participate in the biennial industry-wide Safety Reset.
The 2023 Safety Reset marks the third time the initiative is being held, and it’s intended to refocus attention to the health and safety of workers and their right to return safely home after work.
Previous Safety Resets held had identified barriers to safety in the workplace which included a fear of reprisal someone spoke up, complicated reporting processes, inadequate site inductions and safety training, and poor communication.
The first Safety Reset was held in 2019 following a year in which six mine workers died at the workplace.
It was a joint initiative between Queensland Resources Minister Scott Stewart and representatives from the Queensland Resources Council, Cement, Concrete, and Aggregates Australia, the Mining and Energy Union Queensland (a division of the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union), and the Australian Workers Union.
“Safety in the resources industry is everyone’s responsibility. The most important thing to come out of any Queensland work site at the end of the day is our workers,” Stewart said.
“We need to remain vigilant, even when operations are running smoothly because complacency can lead to injury. Safety Resets provide an important opportunity for every worker to take stock and see what practises must be improved to ensure the workplace is safe.
“We want people and workplaces to go back to basics which is why the focus of this year’s Safety Reset is to empower and support workers to recognise unsafe situations, stop work, and report the issue. That is: see, stop, report.”