National Safe Work Month
National Safe Work Month occurs annually every October.
Established by Safe Work Australia in 2009, National Safe Work Month is held each October to raise awareness of WHS.
National Safe Work Month encourages all workplaces around Australia to prioritise WHS and take action to reduce the number of work-related fatalities, injuries and illnesses. Each year, Safe Work Australia provides a range of resources, tools and activities to help workplaces participate in the campaign and promote the benefits of safe and healthy work for workers, employers, their families and the broader community.
Workers’ Memorial Day
Workers’ Memorial Day is observed on 28 April each year.
Safe Work Australia recognises Workers’ Memorial Day to remember workers who have died from workplace injuries, illnesses and diseases, and to acknowledge the families, friends, colleagues and communities who continue to live with their loss.
On 28 April 2013, the National Workers Memorial was officially opened on Ngunnawal Country in Kings Park, Canberra. The Memorial provides an important focal point for Australians to honour the memory of workers who have died. Each year on 28 April, commemorative events are held across Australia by families, unions, WHS regulators and other organisations.
Visit the National Workers Memorial website to learn more.
World Day for Safety and Health at Work
World Day for Safety and Health at Work is recognised on 28 April each year.
Promoted by the International Labour Organization (ILO) since 2003, World Day for Safety and Health at Work (World Day) raises awareness of WHS and encourages action to prevent work-related fatalities, injuries and illnesses.
Each year, the ILO identifies a global theme to focus attention on a specific WHS issue and encourage discussion, awareness and action in workplaces around the world.
To support World Day, Safe Work Australia shares information about the importance of health and safety in the workplace.
Clean Air. Clear Lungs. – Be Silica Smart
Clean Air. Clear Lungs. – Be Silica Smart originally ran from November – December 2023. The second phase of the campaign ran from July – September 2026.
In November 2023, Safe Work Australia launched Clean Air. Clear Lungs. – Be Silica Smart to raise awareness of the risks of silica dust and help workers and employers manage exposure in the workplace. This campaign built on the 2021 ‘Clean Air. Clear Lungs.’ campaign, which focused on occupational lung diseases.
The campaign provided information and resources for workers, employers and consumers, including links to silica dust information in each state and territory. To support culturally and linguistically diverse audiences, campaign information and resources were translated into 5 priority languages: Chinese, Arabic, Vietnamese, Korean and Hazaragi.
In July 2026, Safe Work Australia launched the second phase of the Clean Air. Clear Lungs. – Be Silica Smart campaign in partnership with the Asbestos and Silica Safety and Eradication Agency.
This phase aimed to raise awareness of the WHS risks of silica dust and support employers to identify, assess and manage silica-related risks in the workplace. It was supported by new campaign resources and digital and social media advertising in the priority languages throughout August and September 2026.
Workers' compensation stigma
The workers’ compensation stigma campaign originally ran from May – June 2023. The second phase of the campaign ran from August – November 2026.
In May 2023, Safe Work Australia launched a campaign to raise awareness of workers’ compensation stigma and help employers, supervisors and workers take action to reduce it.
Workers’ compensation is an important safety net for workers who are ill or injured because of work. It helps them recover and return to work safely. Workers’ compensation stigma occurs when there is discrimination or stereotyping against a worker seeking workers’ compensation. It can discourage or prevent workers from making a claim and impact their recovery.
To help workplaces reduce workers’ compensation stigma, a campaign kit featuring a range of practical resources for employers, supervisors and workers was promoted. This included fact sheets, case studies, posters and infographics.
In August 2026, a follow-up campaign was launched to continue raising awareness of workers’ compensation stigma through Safe Work Australia’s social media channels. This campaign aimed to re-promote campaign resources to encourage broader audience engagement and uptake.
Deliver Yourself Home Safely
Deliver Yourself Home Safely ran from May – December 2023.
In May 2023, Safe Work Australia launched Deliver Yourself Home Safely, a national education and communication campaign for food delivery workers – in particular bicycle and scooter riders.
The campaign aimed to improve workers’ knowledge and awareness of WHS and encourage positive safety behaviours in the food delivery industry. Insights from market research informed the campaign strategy and the development of campaign resources, including posters, fact sheets, infographics, checklists and a campaign kit.
The campaign was supported by targeted digital and social media advertising and stakeholder engagement activities, including engagement with food delivery platforms, the food delivery industry and culturally and linguistically diverse communities. To support these communities, the campaign webpages and resources were translated into 6 languages: Mandarin, Punjabi, Nepali, Hindi, Vietnamese and Urdu.
Clean Air. Clear Lungs. – occupational lung diseases
Clean Air. Clear Lungs. – occupational lung diseases ran from June – December 2021.
In June 2021, Safe Work Australia launched the inaugural Clean Air. Clear Lungs. national education campaign to raise awareness of occupational lung diseases and help employers and workers eliminate or manage the associated risks.
The campaign targeted artificial and natural stone workers, as well as employers and owners of micro, small and medium-sized businesses in the manufacturing, construction and agriculture industries. It provided practical information to help these audiences reduce the risk of occupational lung diseases in the workplace.