The Australian Workers Compensation Statistics for 2020-21 reveal that hazardous materials are responsible for 14% of all serious claims (amounting to almost 19,000 claims). Chemicals and chemical products, meanwhile, are responsible for 1% of all serious claims, accounting for over 1,000 claims.

The volume of serious claims for workers compensation has been in decline over the last two decades, indicating that workplaces are making great strides in safeguarding employee safety. However, the costs associated with compensation claims have risen significantly.

Between 2001 and 2020, the median time lost for a serious claim rose by 4.2 to 7.0 working weeks and the median compensation paid for a serious claim climbed by 190% from $5,200 to $15,100.

These strategies that can improve a company’s hazardous materials handling:

1. Invest in high quality PPE (and maintain it properly): It’s wise to partner with a supplier who has the proper accreditations and a commitment to quality. Counterfeit or substandard PPE is a concern. It’s also important to select and source PPE correctly. Over 80% of health and safety officials surveyed agree that current PPE for women is unsuitable and doesn’t fit properly, reducing its efficacy and sometimes resulting in discomfort or poor mobility.
2. Invest in risk monitoring and management technology solutions: With some service providers offering rental services, it’s becoming easier for companies of any size to make the most of these solutions. Work with an experienced and accredited service provider who can offer tailored solutions that deliver measurable results.
3. Invest in high quality hazardous material storage and management tools: Ensure you select the right storage solutions, which will offer resistance against the environmental elements (e.g. dust, high temperatures, etc) as well as the chemicals themselves. Besides the proper cabinets, it’s critical to have spill control kits and firefighting equipment, including smoke alarms and fire extinguishers as well as fire blankets.
4. Install life-saving equipment for emergencies: This includes solutions such as workplace defibrillators. Around 30,000 Australians suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrests each year, and only 5-10% of them survive without immediate interventions. This survival rate can reach 70% if a defibrillator is used.
5. Provide safety training to workers: Consider immersive training such as virtual reality (VR) training, which is completed up to four times faster than traditional training methods, and results in participants feeling almost 300% more confident to act on what they’ve learned. Similarly, high-definition video and 3D animations enable companies to recreate complex risk scenarios and safety procedures.

Workplace Health & Safety Show Sydney delivers hazardous materials handling essentials

With hazardous materials handling being a critical issue for so many businesses, Workplace Health & Safety Show Sydney is set to provide attendees with the solutions.

Taking place from 23-24 October 2024 at The Dome (Sydney Showground), the Show exhibition features over 160 brands, demonstrating the latest safety products and solutions. This is the ideal place to browse, research and source an extensive range of solutions – saving you time and connecting you directly with suppliers.

Hazardous materials handling companies in the exhibition hall include:

• Hazardous material management and monitoring equipment: RVT Group, Active Environmental Solutions
• Hazardous materials storage and handling: Asecos GMBH
• Fire safety: Checkpoint Group, Gaam Emergency Products, First Aid Accident & Emergency
• PPE: Bastion Pacific, MaxiSafe, The Glove Company
• Training: Affirmer, Flaim Systems

And many more!

In addition to the exhibition, the Show also features a comprehensive education program, offering over 40 hours of content delivered by some of the country’s leading experts. Seminar sessions cover pertinent topics, such as silica dust safety.

More information about the Show is available at https://whsshow.com.au/whats-on-sydney/see-action.