Safe Work Australia has reported 15- to 25-year-olds have a 75% greater chance of being injured at work with apprentice deaths and serious injuries peaking between 7 am and 10 am.

Approximately 15% of the Australian workforce is made up of workers between 15 and 24 years* and over 14,000 serious workers compensation claims are made by workers in this age group. One of the contributing factors to workplace injuries is young and inexperienced workers being unable to recognise and cope with potential hazards.

As an employer, you must ensure the work environment and the way workers carry out their work is safe, regardless of the type and terms of their employment. This includes protecting young workers from both physical and psychological workplace hazards. Employers of young workers and apprentices should ensure the apprentice is supervised at all times and working safely, with the correct use of PPE, including making sure they participate in Toolbox Talks and sign off on Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS).

Safety for Young Workers and Apprentices who are the most inexperienced on worksites is a key focus of the newly released AR Interactive - NSW Construction Site Safety Guide 2023/24 produced in conjunction with Master Builders Association of NSW (MBA NSW), The Crane Industry Council of Australia (CICA), Concrete Sawing & Drilling Association of Australia (CSDAA) and endorsed by the NSCA Foundation. The Guide aids in recognising and controlling key hazards with the latest WHS Regulatory Guidelines and Framework focused on proactive prevention of injury, ill-health and essential information in order to help create a workplace safety culture of Zero Harm.

Designed to be displayed in the workplace, the AR Interactive - NSW Construction Site Safety Guide 2023/24 is developed with interactive augmented reality (AR) capabilities for use with a smart device, by simply downloading the free Pro-Vis AR Safety App via the App Store or Google Play. This leading-edge digitally interactive Guide is a targeted response to a changed landscape as workers often respond well to information relayed via visual means such as videos and 3D animations rather than technical written documents, and so is a highly effective communication tool available via free subscription at www.provisual.com.au.

Downloadable resources via Pro-Vis AR Safety App include:

• Safe Work NSW Young Workers eToolkit
• NT WorkSafe Information for Young Workers Video
• Safe Work Australia Young Workers Tell Us Their Views on Work Safety Video

Together Pro-Visual Publishing, MBA NSW, CICA and CSDAA have carefully selected additional subject matter that addresses issues pertinent to this vital industry sector following in-depth industry feedback which includes:

Psychosocial Hazards and Risks in light of the model Work Health and Safety (WHS) Laws which now include regulations on psychosocial hazards and a new model Code of Practice Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work. This guide is an overview of the Australian mental health workforce policy landscape, which varies across jurisdictions, however has commonalities in its aims and principles, as mental injury claims continue to increase. Downloadable resources via Pro-Vis AR Safety App include:

• Safe Work Australia Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work Infographic
• Safe Work Australia Psychosocial Hazards Sound like at Work Document
• SafeWork SA Top 10 Tips to maintain your mental health video
• Mates in Construction Man Up video
• Work Safe QLD Workplace Mental Health Matters video

Safety around Concrete Pumps: Safe Work Procedures and Equipment Hazards. Download the Pro-Vis AR Safety App to view videos on Avoiding Problems of Concrete Pumping Works and Hose Whip. For example:

• The Constructor, Civil Engineering Home Major Problems of Concrete Pumping Works and How to Avoid Them? Video
• WorkSafe Work BC Concrete Pump Hose Whips, Killing Worker Video

Scaffolding Safety for Non-Scaffolders: Safe Work Procedures, structural integrity and stability. Unsafe scaffolding has been responsible for several deaths and many injuries on construction sites and becomes a hazard not only for scaffolders, but for all trades working on or from the scaffolding, or those working on the ground around the scaffolding base.

• Download the Pro-Vis AR Safety App to view Systems Support Scaffolding Safety Video

Staying Safe Around Powerlines: Safe Work Procedures.

• Download the Pro-Vis AR Safety App to access a link to Look up and Live App.

Pro-Visual Publishing CEO John Hutchings states: “Health and safety strategies and accident prevention measures need to be individualised and adapted to the type of worker most likely to be at risk, shaping a culture of safety for Young Workers and Apprentices. Having complementary WHS Management Systems allows businesses to anticipate, adapt and respond to the risks and opportunities created by a highly innovative industry like Construction. The success of the AR Interactive - NSW Construction Site Safety Guide cannot be achieved without the collective feedback from the construction industry, peak industry Associations and corporate sponsors.”

^{*Australian Bureau of Statistics}

For free Guides email: marketing@provisual.com.au or visit: https://www.provisual.com.au/free-guide-subscription.html.

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