Launch of Internet education facility dealing with occupational safety & health [Audio]

31/8/98

A 'virtual institute' providing free access to high-quality education in occupational safety and health was launched today by Labour Relations Minister Cheryl Edwardes.

Opening WorkSafe Week '98 - the State's biggest occupational safety and health event - Mrs Edwardes said the SafetyLine Institute was a new and exciting concept in education and training using the Internet.

The SafetyLine Institute is an on-line education and training facility developed by WorkSafe WA initially to cross-skill its own 160 staff.

Everything is on-line, including the assessment at the end of each lecture and course, textbooks are not required and registration and access to courses and lectures is free.

Subjects covered by the 100 lectures include hearing loss caused by noise, hazardous chemicals, HIV/AIDS risks at work, fire emergency systems in buildings, asbestos diseases and machinery.

Mrs Edwardes said the institute lectures which demonstrated the professional skill contained within public sector agencies would can be shared with everyone through this model.

The SafetyLine Institute can be accessed by the public at www.safetyline.wa.gov.au/institute

Mrs Edwardes today opened Worksafe Week '98, the third Safety and Health Expo at the Challenge Stadium in Mt Claremont.

"Worksafe Week is WA's premier occupational safety and health event and the Safety and Health Expo is the only event of its type in WA which focuses on occupational safety and health products and services," she said.

"WorkSafe Week is designed to raise awareness of occupational safety and health issues, and the Expo - which is open to the public - is an excellent way to make information available.

"Employers and employees have the opportunity to discuss with the experts their safety and health problems, and with around 60 companies exhibiting it is highly likely they will find the right solutions at the Expo.

Also, as part of WorkSafe Week '98, about 1,200 delegates will be involved in industry seminars co-ordinated by WorkSafe WA in Perth and Bunbury.

"Other organisations will be conducting seminars, and several awards presentations will be held during the week," Mrs Edwardes said.

"WorkSafe Week is facilitated by the State Government as part of the WorkSafe WA 2000 Vision that WA has the safest workplaces in the world by the year 2000."

The week's theme is ThinkSafe and the message for workplaces is - 'Where there's a risk, pause and think'.

Mrs Edwardes said the ThinkSafe campaign was clearly having an impact on safety awareness and behaviour in WA.

"A recent national occupational safety and health awareness survey found that WA had the highest score of all States and Territories for increased community awareness over the past five years," the Minister said.

She said the poll linked these findings to the ThinkSafe campaign.

Media contact: Nicole Trigwell 9421 7777