Thursday, 28 April 2022 is World Day for Safety and Health at Work and Workers' Memorial Day. The day provides an opportunity to reflect on how to prevent occupational deaths, injuries, diseases and illnesses. It is also a day to remember those who have died from a work-related injury or illness.
The latest Safe Work Australia data reveals that 194 workers were fatally injured at work in 2020. Any workplace fatality is tragic and unacceptable. By raising awareness of the importance of health and safety in the workplace, Australian workplaces can implement an effective and preventative approach to work health and safety and ultimately save lives.
The theme set by the International Labour Organization for this year's World Day for Safety and Health at Work is ‘Act together to build a positive safety and health culture’.
This theme encourages workplaces to foster a strong work health and safety culture in which everyone contributes to a safe and healthy working environment.
Australian workplaces are continuously changing, evolving, and adapting due to a range of global factors – some within and some out of our control. There is no better example of this than the impacts that the COVID-19 pandemic had, and continues to have, on workplaces across all industries. Employers, small business and workers have had to adapt their WHS practices and procedures to keep workers and customers safe. Navigating the ever-changing circumstances of the pandemic has emphasised the importance of WHS and a workplace culture that values safety.
For guidance on how your workplace can manage COVID-19 WHS risks, see our COVID-19 guidance.
We need to embed WHS into our workplace culture and make it everyone’s responsibility – to save lives and create happy, safe, and healthy workplaces.
Accompanying World Day, the International Trades Union Congress has set the theme for Workers' Memorial Day 2022 as ‘Make safe and healthy work a fundamental right. It’s a no-brainer’.
We encourage everyone to recognise the importance of health and safety in the workplace by promoting World Day and Workers' Memorial Day on 28 April 2022.
Use the World Day resources
How to get involved
- Download our social tile and post your awareness-raising content on social media and tag #worldWHSday2022 #SafeDay2022 #IWMD2022.
- Watch the International Labour Organization’s global webinar.
- Attend a virtual Workers’ Memorial Day event
- Educate yourself and others about the importance of cultivating a safe and healthy workplace, explore our resources, or arrange a safety expert to speak in your workplace.
Supporting information
- COVID-19 Information for workplaces | Safe Work Australia (swa.gov.au)
- Key work health and safety statistics, Australia 2021 | Safe Work Australia
- International Labour Organization (ILO)
- Trade Union Congress (TUC)
- Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU)
Further advice
Visit your state or territory regulator website for information and local activities for World Day for Safety and Health at Work and Workers' Memorial Day on 28 April 2022.