Safe Work Australia is pleased to announce the theme for National Safe Work Month 2026: Safe work is for life.
Held each October, National Safe Work Month is a time for workplaces across Australia to focus on safe and healthy work for all. In 2026, the campaign will highlight that WHS is about more than preventing harm in the moment – it’s about protecting workers’ lives, health and future.
Safe work is for life reflects the fundamental purpose of WHS: to prevent work-related death, injury and illness, while also recognising the long-term impact workplace harm can have on workers, families, businesses and communities.
188 workers tragically lost their lives due to traumatic injuries in 2024, and there were 146,700 serious workers’ compensation claims in 2023-24p. That’s more than 400 serious claims a day across Australia.
Each of these numbers represents a life altered by a workplace incident that could have been prevented. Work should never cost someone their life, their health, or their ability to live fully outside of work. Every worker deserves to return home safely, and every workplace can make a meaningful difference through genuine consultation, proactive risk management, and sustained long-term commitment to safety.
This October, Safe Work Australia will provide resources and practical tools to support workplaces to reflect on what Safe work is for life means for them and to take action to reduce serious injuries, illnesses and fatalities in Australian workplaces – for life. Be sure to subscribe to our emails and follow us on social media for all the latest news: