Regulator launches aged care safety campaign

WorkSafe WA recently commenced a proactive inspection program to look at safety issues in the state’s aged care and residential care facilities.

The inspection program will look at a number of randomly selected facilities across metropolitan and regional areas of the state throughout the 2023/24 financial year.

Inspectors will place a strong emphasis on industry-specific hazards, along with workplace violence and aggression, staff training and other priority issues identified by WorkSafe WA.

Residential aged care has been identified as an industry with significant challenges concerning workplace violence and aggression and a high number of injuries due to manual handling and slips, trips and falls.

The inspections will be conducted with the aid of a checklist to ensure consistency across all workplaces.

The proactive inspection program aimed to assist employers in the aged care industry in fulfilling their responsibilities for the health and safety of workers in their facilities said WorkSafe WA Deputy Commissioner Sally North.

“The primary goal of our proactive programs is to provide information and to collaboratively work towards a reduction in work-related injuries and illnesses in the industry sectors we target,” North said.

“However, if our inspectors find non-compliance with work health and safety legislation, they will take appropriate action that could include the issuing of verbal directions or notices requiring the facility to remedy the situation.

“A wide range of safety issues may be present for workers in the aged care industry, and we aim to make employers fully aware of the risks and supply them with information on the measures that can be put into place to lessen those risks.”