NEW INITIATIVE TO IMPROVE SAFETY FOR WORKERS

From the Minister for Mental Health
Thursday, 04 September 2008

Psychiatric Disability Services of Victoria (VICSERV) will have safer workplaces
thanks to a $200,000 Brumby Government funding boost, announced today
by Mental Health Minister Lisa Neville.

Speaking at an Australian Services Union Social and Community Workers
conference in Melbourne yesterday, Ms Neville announced the funding
would be given to Psychiatric Disability Services of Victoria (VICSERV)
by WorkSafe Victoria as part of an initiative aimed at improving Occupational
Health and Safety in the community services.

VICSERV is the peak body for a large number of psychiatric disability
rehabilitation services (PDRSs) throughout VictoriaMs Neville said that
the project would provide VICSERV with an opportunity to assist community
based rehabilitation and support services to understand their Occupational
Health and Safety duties and put action plans in place to prevent OHS risks
to their staff and others.

“The Brumby Government values the partnership it has with the non-
government sector and believes in supporting safe workplaces for these
workers,” Ms Neville said. “We know that the bulk of Psychiatric Disability
Rehabilitation and SupportServices are small businesses, often with very
few staff, and many responsibilities,” Ms Neville said.The community based
rehabilitation sector is a sub-sector of community services, which WorkSafe
estimates comprises almost 4,000 organisations across 6,500 workplaces.
“The main causes of injuries and illnesses in the community based
rehabilitation service sector are stress, passive cigarette smoking,
manual handling and vehicle accidents,” Ms Neville said.“This project gives
us an opportunity to work with the peak body, VICSERV to make OHS
simpler for small organisations within the sector and to have an independent
consultant give CEOs and Managers advice about how they can efficiently
control OHS risks at their workplaces.

“CBRS directors, managers and project coordinators will be targeted
through VICSERVs CEO and coordinator networks to be involved in the
OH&S strategy and training in their workplaces.”