Comcare urges all workplaces to participate in National Safe Work Month

Comcare urges all workplaces to participate in National Safe Work Month, calling on employers and crews to use free resources, join virtual events and treat safety as a daily practice throughout October and well beyond it.

What Comcare is asking of Australian workplaces

Direct answer: Comcare wants every workplace across Australia to take part in National Safe Work Month by starting conversations, booking into free sessions and turning the campaign into lasting habits — not a single news item that fades once October closes.

The federal safety authority received notification of 1,671 incidents classified as notifiable under the Work Health and Safety Act during 2024–25.

Safe Work Month news at a glance

• Theme: “Safety: every job, every day.”
• Notifiable incidents: 1,671 reported to Comcare across 2024–25.
• Free program: online sessions right through October, opening 9 October.
• Priorities: mentally healthy workplaces, manual handling, plant and equipment.
• Practical steps: review PPE, inspect lifting gear, update equipment registers.

Why this news matters for every role

“This year’s theme, safety: every job, every day, encourages all workplaces – regardless of occupation, industry, location or size – to prioritise safety in every role, every day,” Comcare said.

Adopting such an approach, the regulator highlights, lowers the chances of work-related fatalities, critical injuries and disease, helping people finish a shift and reach home safely.

Comcare proudly supports National Safe Work Month and encourages PCBUs and workers to prioritise WHS within a dynamically changing landscape of hazards, new technology and workforce pressure. The campaign encourages workplaces of any size to act, whether a two-person crew or a national operation.

As safety documentation specialists, we encourage all workplaces to take part this October. Protect everyone's safety, work safely on every task, and keep written procedures current.

Free Comcare events across October

Comcare is organising a number of free virtual sessions during October. The program kicks off on 9 October with a discussion about mentally healthy workplaces, featuring Beyond Blue CEO Georgie Harman AO.

Every event costs nothing to attend, and recordings suit teams spread across multiple depots or wards. Registration for that opening event, plus the wider schedule, sits on Comcare's official news page.

Turn safety news into equipment action

Awareness campaigns work hardest when paired with physical verification. Use October to confirm that plant, tools and equipment genuinely match the tasks crews perform each shift.

Equipment inspections and registers

• Log pre-start checks for every item of powered equipment.
• Tag out damaged gear, then withdraw faulty equipment from use immediately.
• Verify guarding, isolation points plus emergency stops on fixed equipment.
• Maintain a register of high-risk plant, including test dates for lifting equipment.
• Inspect slings, shackles and chain rated for the heaviest lifting planned on your site.

Manual handling and lifting risks

• Reassess repetitive manual handling tasks, load weights and reach distances.
• Supply mechanical aids — trolleys, hoists, vacuum lifters — so handling heavy loads no longer relies on brute strength.
• Brief crews on slinging plus load handling before work starts; our Rigging Safe Work Procedure sets out controls step by step.

Documented safe handling controls also give supervisors something concrete to raise during toolbox talks.

PPE and protective equipment

Review PPE stock levels, fit and expiry dates. Protective equipment stored in a damaged state offers false confidence, so replacements belong in this month's budget.

• Match respiratory equipment to substances actually handled on your jobs.
• Fit-test masks, then record results alongside training evidence.
• Confirm fall-arrest equipment carries current inspection tags.
• Replace hearing protection or eye protection equipment showing visible wear.

More Safe Work Month news from regulators

Other jurisdictions run parallel campaigns worth watching. See how workplaces are urged to join SafeWork SA activities, and note that WorkSafe inspectors visit workplaces during National Safe Work Month.

Our Week 2 campaign recap and earlier campaign news show how weekly themes build momentum.

Resources and October offers

SafetyDocs by SafetyCulture releases National Safe Work Month offers each October, with full 2025 terms and conditions published for buyers who want detail before purchasing. Bookmark our safety news blog for weekly updates.

Read the full news announcement on Comcare's website: Join us this October for National Safe Work Month.