Woolworths: it's time for an injury free workplace

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Woolworths warehouse workers are now officially working in Australia’s deadliest industry.

We need real safety policies in Woolworths warehouses to ensure every worker goes home without injury. Workers are asking Woolworths, one of Australia’s best performing companies, to encourage a pro-active focus on safety, taking steps to implement industry-wide standards and best practices.

Over the last few months, workers representatives at Woolworths from around Australia have been working together to discuss local and national health and safety issues. Unfortunately, workers in various facilities around the country have suffered back, shoulder and other injuries. Some workers will need to have ongoing treatment to live with these injuries. Woolworths health and safety standards can be insufficient, misunderstood or even simply ignored. They are often inadequate in protecting workers from harm.

Woolworths warehouse workers do not yet have a national forum to adequately address health and safety matters in an effective and efficient manner. Now we want Woolworths senior management to meet with us to address and resolve our issues together. It's time for Woolworths to acknowledge this problem and support its employees in creating a national forum for safety on the job. Let's make all Woolworths warehouses safe places to work!