Even something as simple as a power lead left in the wrong spot can be considered as creating an unsafe work environment. It is important that when we go to work we’re not facing an increased possibility of injury or death.

No matter the workplace, poor work health and safety (WHS) can cause injury, illness and even death.

While the emotional cost cannot be underestimated, the financial cost to the whole Australian community is staggering.

According to Safe Work Australia - which develops national policy relating to WHS and workers’ compensation - work-related injury and disease cost the Australian community around $61.8 billion a year.

This figure includes direct and indirect costs, from workers’ compensation premiums and compensation payments, to loss of productivity and earnings, and the cost of social welfare programs.

That is why October every year is designated as National Safe Work Month.

It is a time when Safe Work Australia encourages workers and employers across the country to commit to building safe and healthy workplaces for all staff.

While it is the responsibility of the Commonwealth, states and territories to enforce WHS, it is the on-the-ground efforts of employers and employees that go a long way to creating a safe workplace.

Business owners, managers and employers owe a duty to employees to ensure their health and safety at work (as far as is reasonably practicable).

Equally, employees have a duty of care to themselves - as well as their employer and fellow employees - to not put themselves in a position where they could be injured in the workplace.

Safe Work Australia has devised 10 principles - produced in a WHS handbook titled “Principles of Good Work Design” - that demonstrate how to achieve good design of work and work processes, which can be applied to any workplace, business or industry.

Good work design basically means putting together a plan that takes into account hazards and implements risk control.

This plan should provide a high level of protection – as far as is reasonably practicable – while at the same time improve business success and productivity.

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It should take into account the different characteristics of different workplaces, as well as the needs and capabilities of the staff in the context of the business they work in.

At its core, good work design identifies hazards, assesses and control risks, and continues to improve, while not ignoring expert advice or the experience gained from being implemented in a workplace.

As Safe Work Australia says, “because the whole community bears the financial cost of poor WHS, we know that safe and healthy work benefits everyone”.

For information on workplace safety and promoting safe workspaces, visit www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au.