October marks National Safe Work Month 2025, an initiative led by Safe Work Australia to highlight workplace health and safety across all industries. This year’s theme reminds us to prioritise ‘Safety: Every Job, Every Day’ and make it a reality through a proactive approach to managing WHS risks.
At Labourpower, we live and breathe this philosophy every day!
As the National HSEQ Manager, with over 30 years’ experience in workplace health, safety, environment, and quality management, I’ve seen one truth stand out:
Safety doesn’t clock off at 5 pm – safety goes 24/7.
Safety Goes Beyond the Workplace
For many businesses, safety is seen as something that starts at the warehouse gate and ends at the clock-off siren. But, in labour hire and recruitment, safety follows our people into every corner of their day:
- On the job, whether driving a forklift, loading freight, or working in an office, hazards must be identified, risks managed, and safe practices followed.
- On the road, fatigue, distraction, and poor planning can turn commutes or client site travel into serious risks.
- At home, practising safe lifting, proper ergonomics, and mindfulness around wellbeing can prevent injuries and stress that can spill over into the workplace.
At Labourpower, we encourage our teams and clients to view safety as a 24/7 commitment because a safe worker on shift is supported by safe habits off shift.
Building a Culture of Safety – Not Just Compliance
It’s easy to talk about policies and procedures, but a genuine safety culture is built on trust, leadership, and daily practice.
At Labourpower, we’ve made safety part of our DNA by:
- Embedding HSEQ inductions into every onboarding process.
- Running regular toolbox talks with labour hire staff across client sites.
- Leveraging technology and reporting tools to monitor hazards in real time.
- Providing mental health support to ensure psychological safety is valued just as highly as physical safety.
In essence, safety is not just a rulebook we hand to employees – it’s a shared value that drives everything we do.
The Current Challenges in Recruitment & Labour Hire
In 2025, the recruitment and labour hire industry faces some pressing safety challenges, for example:
- Fatigue management – with shift work and high-demand environments, ensuring workers are rested and fit for duty remains a top priority.
- Manual handling injuries – still one of the biggest risks in warehousing, logistics, and manufacturing.
- Workforce diversity – adapting safety programs for a multicultural workforce, ensuring training is clear, inclusive, and effective.
- Psychosocial hazards – stress, workload, and bullying are emerging as major factors impacting staff wellbeing, reinforced by updated WHS regulations.
By staying ahead of these challenges, Labourpower ensures that our clients receive not only skilled staff but also safe, supported staff.
Why Safety Matters to Everyone? Clients, Candidates & Communities
For clients, safety means fewer disruptions, lower costs, and a stronger brand reputation.
For candidates, it means confidence, security, and the knowledge that their employer values them.
Most importantly, for the community, it means families know their loved ones come home safe every day.
At Labourpower, we take pride in being more than a labour hire agency – we are workforce safety partners.
Safe Work Month 2025 – Call to Action
This Safe Work Month, we encourage every business leader, site supervisor, and employee to ask themselves:
What can I do today to make my workplace safer tomorrow?
At Labourpower, we will continue to lead by example, investing in safety, embedding strong practices, and reminding our people that Safety Goes 24/7. Because in the end, nothing matters more than ensuring every person who puts on the Labourpower uniform returns home safe, every single day.
Plan of Action
Safe Work Australia has structured the month around a four-tiered risk-management framework, with a different focus each week:
- Identify Hazards
- Assess Risks
- Control Risks
- Review Controls
Week 1: Identify Hazards
In recruitment, this process begins with matching. We map client environments, site conditions, and candidate capabilities through pre-start assessments and site inductions, identifying potential hazards early.
Week 2: Assess Risks
Not all hazards pose the same risk. Therefore, we evaluate the likelihood and severity, prioritising high-impact areas—such as forklift zones, confined spaces, and manual handling—before placements begin.
Week 3: Control Risks
Here’s where we act, for instance:
- Deploy appropriate PPE (helmets, visibility, gloves).
- Provide site-specific training, including safe forklift operation and hazard reporting through digital tools like our Labourpower App.
Week 4: Review Controls
Safety isn’t a set-and-forget checklist. Consequently, we conduct regular safety audits and toolbox talks, ensuring controls remain effective and evolve with the worksite.
Hot WHS Trends in 2025
- Digital Risk Management: Regulators are scrutinising how technology is used for hazard identification and worker communication. Accordingly, employers must ensure tools facilitate real-time reporting without distraction.
- Psychosocial Safety: Burnout and mental strain are now acknowledged hazards. We integrate psychological risk controls, Peer SafeTea sessions, and mental health awareness during NSWM.
- Behaviour-Based Safety: Inspired by initiatives like Daracon’s BBS program, we reinforce safe behaviour through leadership visibility, positive reinforcement, and worker feedback loops.
Safe Work Month – How You Can Take Action
A Blueprint for Safety
| Strategy |
Action Step |
| Leverage Safe Work Australia Resources |
Utilise their Canva toolkits, posters, SafeTea event ideas, and social media tiles to reinforce safety visually. |
| SafeTea Toolbox Talk |
Host a safety-themed morning tea with site-specific discussions to spark meaningful engagement. |
| Worker Involvement |
Engage workers in hazard hunts and quick risk-spotting competitions to reinforce ownership and accountability. |
| Psychosocial Health Check |
Offer brief mental wellbeing check-ins, guided by EAP/safety advisors. |
| Digital Audits |
Share workplace safety survey links via your internal network to gather quick feedback and gain valuable risk insights. |
With 30+ years in safety leadership, I’ve seen firsthand that safety is rarely the most visible aspect—until it’s missing. National Safe Work Month 2025 isn’t just a calendar entry. It’s a national reminder that safety must come first in every shift, every job, every day.
Let’s make safety real, practical, and universal. Because every Australian deserves to return home safely every day.
– Barry Geaitani, National HSEQ Manager
Resources & Further Reading
Looking for a recruitment partner who puts safety first? At Labourpower, safety isn’t just a policy – it’s a promise. Contact us today to discover how our labour hire solutions keep your workforce safe, strong, and supported 24/7!