Fed: Services for work-related deaths

AAP General News (Australia)
04-27-2004
Fed: Services for work-related deaths

MELBOURNE, April 27 AAP - Victims of workplace accidents and work-related disease will
be remembered across Australia tomorrow at services to mark International Workers' Memorial
Day.

Thousands of unionists are expected to observe a minute's silence at 11am, while safety
seminars will be held in capital cities.

The Industrial Death Support and Advocacy Group (IDSA) said the number of work-related
deaths in Australia each year was higher than the road toll.

According to the most recent figures, an estimated 2,200 workers died from work-related
causes in 2001-02, compared to 1,750 on the nation's roads.

Of the total, 198 died from traumatic injuries, while about 2,000 were the victims
of work-related disease.

Worldwide, it is estimated there are around 1.3 million work-related deaths each year.

"These are shocking statistics, especially when you think of the flow-on effect for
families, friends colleagues," ISDA secretary Deanne May said.

Ms May, whose son Gary was killed in a workplace explosion 18 years ago, said more
needed to be done to prevent people dying on the job.

"A lot needs to be changed to make employers more responsible, to make penalties heavier
and really enforce it," she said.

"Companies just get away with it. Plus they can just change their name and be operating
the next day."

Early today, a 39-year-old Victorian worker died when he was crushed as his forklift
rolled at a factory in suburban Melbourne.

WorkSafe said an investigation had been launched into the death, which was the second
involving a forklift in Victoria in the past two weeks.

AAP bp/dk/apm

KEYWORD: DEATHS

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