WorkSafe will target five priority industries over the next 12 months to help deliver ambitious goals for reducing workplace deaths and injuries in Victoria. The focus sectors of health care and social assistance, construction, government, agriculture and manufacturing have together accounted for almost 60 per cent of all work-related deaths and accepted workplace injury claims in the past five years. WorkSafe Chief Health and Safety Officer Sam Jenkin said the new approach was part of a plan to achieve significant five-year targets outlined in the WorkSafe Victoria Strategy – including reducing fatalities by 30 per cent and injuries by 20 per cent. "The safety of workers in workplaces is our highest priority, so it makes sense that we focus resources on the sectors where the greatest harm is happening and the hazards causing it," Mr Jenkin said. "We have carefully identified areas where the rate of injuries or fatalities is highest, relative to the size of the industry, and mapped out a path to enable, motivate, influence and enforce better performance and compliance." WorkSafe will continue to use a range of tools to improve safety across priority areas, including targeted visits and assessment programs, as well as education, awareness-building and collaborative initiatives to influence change. Mr Jenkin said this did not mean duty holders in other industries would avoid scrutiny or miss out on invaluable support and advice on what they need to do to meet health and safety obligations. "Holding employers to account is a key part of our strategy and WorkSafe won't hesitate to use every regulatory tool available against employers who fail to protect workers – including potential criminal charges," he said. "But a big part of our role is about making sure all duty holders are supported to understand their obligations, and have the information, education and systems to make a difference." WorkSafe has worked closely with stakeholders to develop a Statement of Regulatory Intent, which provides the Victorian community a transparent and accessible view of key priorities for the 2025-26 financial year. In addition to the target sectors, WorkSafe will focus on key hazards causing the most physical and psychological harm across all industries – including falls from height, occupational violence and aggression, hazardous manual handling, bullying and harassment, occupational illness and disease, loading and unloading, and mobile plant. "WorkSafe has set ambitious prevention targets for the next five years – but we know we can't influence change and improve safety on our own," Mr Jenkin said. "That's why we'll continue consulting with stakeholders and working closely with industry to ensure that, not only is every employer aware of their duties, but they understand why and how to prioritise safety."
