WorkSafe Tasmania is celebrating 20 years of achievements in work health and safety, along with
the halving of Tasmanian workers compensation claims, with the 2015 WorkSafe Tasmania Awards.

WorkSafe Tasmania spokesperson Paul Arnold said when the WorkSafe Tasmania Awards were first
launched in 1996, a total of 16,165 Tasmanians were injured in workplaces across the state.

“Since 1996, this workplace injury rate has more than halved, with a total of 7,634 Tasmanian
workplace injuries recorded in 2014,” Mr Arnold said.

“Since 1996, the total number of Lost Time Injuries has also reduced by 57 per cent and the injury
frequency rate (the number of injuries per million hours worked) has reduced by 58 per cent.

“Over the 20 years, the total days lost to workplace injuries have also reduced by 25 per cent while
the total payments (with compounded CPI adjustment) have also reduced by 15 per cent.

“This is a fantastic achievement; however there is still more work to do in order to ensure each and
every Tasmanian worker returns home safely to their family at the end of each working day.”

Launching the WorkSafe Tasmania Awards program for 2015, Mr Arnold said the Awards were
constantly evolving in order to reflect the different ways businesses now approach work health and
safety.

“This year the Overall Winner of the WorkSafe Tasmania Awards will receive $5,000 to further
develop or promote their work health and safety initiative, some of the categories have been
changed and there are more opportunities to be rewarded,” he said.

“Since the inception of the Awards, a range of high profile Tasmanian businesses have entered,
ranging from Blundstone to Boag’s and Cadbury to Cripps (including a number of small business
entrants), while some have also gone on to be recognised at the national awards in Canberra.

“In 1996, the first ever Overall Winner of the Awards was James Boag’s for its innovation in
management program.

“It’s great to see the diverse range of businesses that have entered the WorkSafe Awards over the
past 20 years from all corners of the state with around 44 per cent of Award entries coming from
organisations in the south, 27 per cent from the north, and 29 per cent from the north west.

“We are now encouraging all Tasmanian businesses that have made a commitment to work health
and safety to enter the 2015 WorkSafe Tasmania Awards.”

It’s easy to enter: simply visit www.worksafe.tas.gov.au and make use of the new easy online entry
process or phone 1300 366 322. Entries close on Friday 24 July 2015.
WorkSafe Tasmania spokesperson Paul Arnold