Michaela Meade
A new WorkSafe Victoria strategy will aim to address the growing challenge of mental injuries in workplaces.
The Mental Health Strategy 2021-2024 outlines WorkSafe’s plan to prevent mental injury, build capacity for mentally healthy workplaces and support injured workers.
According to WorkSafe, there were 3518 new mental injury claims last year.
WorkSafe chief executive Colin Radford said mental injury claims were expected to grow to a third of all claims received in the next decade.
“With many adults spending a third of their life at work, mentally healthy workplaces offer huge benefits to workers, their families and communities, and the productivity of their workplaces,” Mr Radford said.
“Mentally healthy workplaces have measures in place to identify and control risks to prevent harm, manage harm when it does occur and support recovery.
“Employers have a responsibility to provide and maintain safe working environments and systems and to control risks to workers’ physical and psychological health.
“By supporting employers to take a prevention-led approach to mental health, WorkSafe aims to create safer workplaces, to reduce harm to workers who suffer a mental injury and support their recovery and safe return to work.”
There are five focus areas of the strategy, including; compliance and enforcement; fostering organisational change; awareness through education and training; building an evidence base; and supporting innovation.
Details: www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/mental-health-strategy
