Australia’s leading workplace safety trade show and conference will be held in Melbourne 16-18 April 2002, at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre. Now in its fifth year, Safety in Action 2002 will promote safer practices in the workplace to reduce the accident toll. More than 4500 visitors attended the 2001 trade show.
Research has shown that the most high risk industries are manufacturing, agriculture, transport, storage, community services and construction. Most workplace accidents and 68% of work-related deaths occurred in these industries during the last half of 2000 in Victoria (the most recently audited period). Safety in Action 2002 will focus on these industry sectors with exhibits featuring personal protective equipment, health and safety software, height safety equipment, hazardous goods handling and storage products, vehicle safety products, environmental monitoring and first aid equipment. For the first time the exhibition will also feature a dedicated area for materials and manual handling.
“This is a critical field in workplace safety,” said Ms Sally Hunt, Project Manager for event organiser Australian Exhibition and Conferences. “In the last half of last year 8982 sprain and strain injuries were reported in Victoria alone. Safety in materials and manual handling needs a much greater focus to reduce this incidence.”
The conference will include topics covering legal and stakeholder issues; OHS for managers, supervisors and engineers; contemporary research; occupational hygiene; ergonomics; and safety in schools, engineering, building and construction.