The Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Bill Shorten today encouraged workplaces and workers across Australia to raise awareness of work health and safety during national Safe Work Australia Week beginning tomorrow.

 “Each year up to 300 Australians are killed at work and around 130 000 are seriously injured at work,” Mr Shorten said.

 “The human cost, the emotional cost, is immeasurable. We all need to work harder to reduce these horrific figures.”

 “Every Australian who goes to work should be able to come home safe.”

 The eighth annual Safe Work Australia Week will be held from 21-27 October.

 “Across our nation thousands of workers will use the week to promote and improve health and safety practices in their workplaces and encourage their colleagues to be leaders in work health and safety,” Mr Shorten said.

 “This year’s theme is safety begins with ‘S’ but starts with YOU.”

 “The theme recognises that every worker across Australia can take small steps to improve work health and safety.”

 Workers are encouraged to become Safety Ambassadors and raise awareness of work health and safety in their workplace.

 Safety Ambassadors have access to a range of Safe Work Australia Week resources, which show their commitment to improving safety in their workplace. 621 workers have already registered this year as Safety Ambassadors.

 “23 Safety Ambassadors have also entered the Safety Ambassador of the Year Award. I will be announcing the winner of on 31 October 2012.”

 Safety Ambassador registrations are open until the end of Safe Work Australia Week.

 States and territories will also be involved in a range of activities and events as part of national Safe Work Australia Week or their own work health and safety weeks and months during October.

 For more information about national Safe Work Australia Week and to register to become a Safety Ambassador go to www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au.