Today’s launch of ShopCare, the Retail and Supply Chain Health and Safety Sector Group shows the sector recognises the importance of a coordinated, collaborative approach to reducing harm, says Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Iain Lees-Galloway.

“I congratulate the Retail and Supply Chain Health Group on launching ShopCare, which establishes the entire sector’s commitment to health, safety and wellbeing for its workers. It is an example of an industry taking the initiative to solve complex health and safety problems.”

ShopCare has been set up with industry support and funding from the first round of the ACC Workplace Injury Prevention Grants, which support business innovation and strengthening leadership in health and safety in our high-risk sectors.

The three-year investment will help establish this group to work with all organisations involved across the sector and focus on reducing the highest levels of harm. They will use data and evidence to do this and identify injuries that could result in serious harm or death, including forklifts, movement of vehicles and pedestrians, road transport and fatigue.

“The Government Health and Safety at Work Strategy, launched late last year, recognises the importance of everyone involved, business, NGOs and government, working together to improve the health and safety of workers over the next 10 years.

“With everyone working together collaboratively we can bring about effective change in terms of improving the health and wellbeing of all our workers. Working in this way not only improves health and safety but also supports strong, resilient and sustainable businesses.”

There are 50 to 60 deaths from work incidents each year, and exposures to chronic health risks are estimated to account for 750 to 900 deaths a year.

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