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Too many Wairarapa people are dying or getting sick or injured on the job and it's time we did more about it, says Wairarapa MP Georgina Beyer.
In Wairarapa, 268 injuries* occurred in the 10 months to May this year. In the year to June 2004, there were 10 work-related deaths in the wider Wellington region.
"Every day about 700 Kiwis across the country suffer an illness or injury that requires medical attention, and every year, about 1000 New Zealanders die prematurely from work-related diseases," said Ms Beyer.
Reducing the toll of work-related deaths, injury and sickness is the aim of a new government plan that sets long-term co-operative goals for employers, workers, medical specialists and government agencies.
The Government's new Workplace Health and Safety Strategy provides a 10-year plan for local and central government, unions, employers, industry, and non-government organisations, to work towards health and safety goals.
Work-related injuries account for about 100 sudden deaths a year, and about 200,000 ACC claims. About 6 percent of people with work related injuries suffer permanent impairment. The estimated cost of death, injury and illness caused by occupational disease and injury is between $4.3 billion and $8.7 billion a year.
"The economic cost is incidental when we consider the personal cost to families, workmates and communities who all suffer when someone becomes seriously ill or dies because of a work related illness or injury.
"A big challenge will be changing people's attitudes within workplace cultures, because they influence the way people behave at work," said Ms Beyer.
*local figures relate to injuries in the Tararua, Carterton, Masterton and South Wairarapa local council areas. The deaths figure relates to the regional council area.
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