National Safe Work Month: VMHPAA calls for “safety: every job, every day” to include psychological health, supervision, and real supports for all workers
- Shane Warren
- Oct 1
- 2 min read
MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release
1 October 2025
The Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association of Australia (VMHPAA) is backing National Safe Work Month this October and endorsing Safe Work Australia’s 2025 campaign theme - safety: every job, every day - urging employers to give equal weight to psychological and physical safety in every role, on every shift.
Why it matters
Psychological injuries are rising. Mental health conditions made up 9% (11,700) of serious workers’ compensation claims in 2021–22, a 36.9% increase since 2017–18.
Injury is still common. 3.5% of people who worked in the previous 12 months experienced a work-related injury or illness (2021–22).
Safe Work Australia’s guidance this month steps workplaces through practical risk assessment actions - identify hazards, assess and control risks, and review - so improvements stick beyond October.
VMHPAA priorities for safer, healthier work
Treat psychosocial hazards like any other risk. Embed them in the risk register, consult early, and act- role overload, low control, bullying, remote isolation, and vicarious trauma all require controls.
Back workers with supervision and debriefing. Fund routine clinical/reflective supervision and structured peer support for roles exposed to trauma or aggression. (SWA data highlight concerning trends in workplace violence and aggression.)
Invest in practical resources. Use Safe Work Australia’s Activity Kit to plan toolbox talks, SafeTea check-ins, and risk reviews then keep doing them after October.
Make it “every job, every day.” Apply controls consistently across all teams - permanent, casual, contractors; city and regional; office, site, and field.
“Safety culture is built in minutes, not milestones. If every team treats psychosocial risk like any other hazard, identifying it, controlling it, and checking it worked, we’ll see fewer injuries, faster recovery, and better performance across the board.” said Shane Warren, Chair, VMHPAA
“The people doing emotionally heavy work - health, community, call-centre, education, justice - need predictable supervision, safe staffing levels, and recovery time. That’s not a wellness extra; it’s core WHS.” said Shane on frontline and community roles.
How to get involved this October
Run weekly activities that mirror Safe Work Australia’s risk process from hazard ID to reviewing controls using the National Safe Work Month resources.
Track a small set of metrics (incident reports, near misses, EAP/supervision uptake, RTW outcomes) and share wins with staff. (Safe Work Australia has delivered this campaign annually since 2009—use the momentum.)
Media Contact:
Shane Warren, Chair
Susan Sandy, Secretary
Philip Armstrong, CEO
VMHPAA
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