October is National Safe Work Month, an opportunity for employers and employees to come together and reflect on our shared responsibility to build safer, healthier, and more respectful workplaces. This year’s theme of “Safety: every job, every day” is a powerful reminder that there’s far more to workplace health and safety than preventing physical harm; it’s also about protecting the psychosocial safety of team members by creating a culture of respect.
Workplace health and safety is vitally important for everyone, no matter where they work or what they’re doing. Safe Work Australia’s latest data reveals that 200 employees were fatally injured at work in 2023, with 139,000 worker’s compensation claims for serious injuries and illnesses.
Everyone deserves to go home safely at the end of the day. It’s figures like these that drive Cater Care’s commitment to creating safe workplaces for our team members, contractors, clients, and the communities we support. With more than 3,000 team members in aged care and retirement homes, schools, mine sites, hospitals, retail outlets, and university residences across the country, maintaining a positive and proactive approach to safety underpins Cater Care’s “Enabling Safety” philosophy.
A truly holistic approach to safety requires taking psychosocial hazards just as seriously as physical ones. Here at Cater Care, we’re unwavering in our commitment to creating safe, inclusive workplaces that make every single one of our team members feel secure and valued. That’s why this Safe Work Month we’re reinforcing our internal Respect@CaterCare program which fosters a culture where respect is the foundation of how we work together.
We maintain a strict zero tolerance policy towards any and all forms of bullying, harassment, and discrimination at Cater Care. Safety and respect go hand-in-hand, and it’s up to all of us to ensure that every workplace is a supportive environment for every person, every day.
Cater Care’s safety culture is driven by the positive contributions of our team members at all levels of the business. Our teams actively discuss hazards and explore ways to improve safety through regular Toolbox and Pre-Start meetings, and our support teams are always looking for ways to improve processes and reduce risk wherever possible.
Our Service Delivery Excellence Awards play a key role in recognising our Safety Champions. These Awards commend team members who consistently demonstrate outstanding qualities in key areas of service, and the Safety Champion Award recognises individuals who uphold our values by creating safer environments for themselves and those around them Over the past year, our quarterly Safety Champion Award winners have truly demonstrated what it means to live out Cater Care’s commitment to safety.
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Their achievements reflect the genuine positive impact we can all have when safety is at the heart of everything we do.
Creating safer workplaces doesn’t have to be an impossibly complex or difficult task; it can be as simple as calling out negative behaviours and recognising positive contributions to create a more respectful working environment. National Safe Work Month has only just begun, and the Cater Care team will be keeping busy as we strive towards a future where nobody has to worry about their friends or family members’ safety at work.
We hope you all enjoy a safe and productive National Safe Work Month.
