WorkSafe is set to visit Dandenong to offer work safety tips to manufacturers during its Health and Safety Month.
The workplace safety authority will host a breakfast and forum on Thursday 9 October, including expert-led demonstrations, tips on handling dangerous goods, and supporting recovery and return to work after an injury.
Manufacturing is among the five priority industries WorkSafe is targeting in 2025-’26, as part of a strategic approach to reducing workplace harm.
The sector employs approximately eight percent of Victoria’s workforce but accounted for more than 14 per cent of all workplace injury claims in the last five years, with manual handling being the largest contributor.
More than one in five workplace fatalities in manufacturing occurs in the Greater Dandenong area.
Targeted discussion topics will include automation and robotics, working with health safety representatives, support services for injured workers, managing hazardous sites, and the importance of pre-incident planning and emergency response when managing dangerous goods.
WorkSafe chief health and safety officer Sam Jenkin said the event would give employers and workers a chance to hear expert advice while trading stories and experiences of health and safety in the sector.
“Workers in manufacturing use a wide variety of machinery and tools, each with its own risks and hazards, and this session has the potential to help employers avoid serious injuries and even save lives,” Mr Jenkin said.
“With Greater Dandenong being home to more than 23,000 workers in an industry worth around $30 billion to the Victorian economy each year, it’s vital that manufacturers in the area are staying up to date with the latest health and safety advice.”
The breakfast event is at the Holiday Inn’s Dandenong Room on Thursday 9 October. Registrations at worksafe.vic.gov.au/events/hs-month-2025 dandenong