NO DEATHS DURING WORKSAFE WEEK

No workplace deaths were reported to the Labour Department's Occupational Safety and Health Service during WorkSafe week earlier this month, Enterprise and Commerce Minister Max Bradford said today.

"This is how it should be each and every week of the year. This is what OSH is aiming for with its Together to Zero; Eliminating Workplace deaths strategic direction, and no deaths is what WorkSafe Week was all about," Mr Bradford said.

"The WorkSafe Week slogan no job is worth dying for may finally be getting through to people," Mr Bradford said. In recent years, workplace deaths have averaged about one a week. There were 56 workplace deaths investigated by OSH in the year to June 30.

"It is still early days, but it is heartening that the rate has fallen significantly in recent months, with five deaths in the three months July-September compared with the horrifying 15 in the same period last year," Mr Bradford. "However, it cannot be said too often that even one workplace death is one too many."

Mr Bradford said WorkSafe Week had been an excellent event this year, with OSH organised events helping to spread even wider the WorkSafe message. Hundreds of organisations participated in WorkSafe Week, many of them running their own internal safety promotion at the same time and therefore further reinforcing OSH 's partnership with industry.