icare PARTNERSHIP WITH PARALYMPIANS RAISES AWARENESS OF WORKPLACE SAFETY, INJURY PREVENTION

icare is targeting its new look Speakers Program to the Health and Community Services industry to drive down workplace injuries and help support a culture of workplace safety.

In the last 12 months, over 6000 people have been injured in workplace accidents within the health and community services industry in New South Wales, with each claim costing, on average, almost $12,000 over its lifetime.
Through the program, run in partnership with the Australian Paralympic Committee, current and former Paralympians who have been affected by workplace injuries visit workplaces across the state to share their stories.
Brett Stibners, an Australian Paralympic wheelchair basketball champion, was 21 when he fell asleep at the wheel driving between jobs and was involved in a car accident. The accident resulted in his leg being amputated above the knee.
“By sharing my experience of a devastating workplace incident, I want to educate workers to stay safe and help businesses understand the lasting benefits of injury prevention and safe return to work.”
icare General Manager Loss Prevention and Pricing, Workers Insurance, Jason McLaughlin, said icare’s Speakers Program was a great way to support employers engage with the importance of workplace health and safety.
“There is no better investment than giving your staff the training and tools they need to operate a safer work environment every day. This program empowers employers to change the safety culture of their workplace by helping their employees understand the ‘why?’ around injury prevention,” McLaughlin said.
“Our Paralympians are role models of human endeavour and people leading successful lives after being impacted by a severe injury. By sharing their experience, businesses can learn not only about the impacts of a workplace injury but how people can successfully recover if they are injured.
“By putting injury-prevention first NSW employers will reduce loss of productivity, improve their return to work outcomes, and ultimately lower their workers’ insurance claims and premium,” McLaughlin said.
Over the past 6 months, Brett and his fellow Paralympic speakers visited over 70 workplaces across NSW.
Derek Pryor, from SafeWork NSW and the Shoalhaven Safety Group, said “We’d like to thank Brett for sharing his personal account of the impact of his injury. It was a powerful message for us all.”
For more information on icare’s NSW Paralympian Speakers Program, or to book a speaker for your organisation, visit: www.icare.nsw.gov.au/icare-speakers-program