04 Oct National Work Safe Month 2023
October marks the commencement of Safe Work Month, an annual nationwide event (SWM) that is dedicated to increasing awareness within both the community and industry regarding the significance of workplace health and safety, as well as promoting best practices in rehabilitation and the path to returning to work.
For Anton Guinea, Safe Work Month holds a deeply personal significance.
“National Safe Work Month shines the spotlight on safety at work and is a real call to action for employers and employees to think about their own personal safety and the safety of those around them,” said Anton.
“For me, workplace safety has taken on a completely different significance. At the age of twenty one, I experienced a dreadful accident when a switchboard exploded nearby, resulting in second degree burns covering approximately 15 per cent of my body.”
“I had to endure a recovery period of over a month at the burns unit in Brisbane,” shared Anton.
“I was so ashamed to speak about my experience and what had happened to me that I relocated with my now wife, for about ten years before I returned back to Gladstone,”
“This unfortunate incident is what significantly influenced much of the work I currently undertake. I made the decision to raise my voice, and ever since then, I haven’t looked back. My primary goal is to emphasise the critical importance of workplace safety and to inspire others to initiate these conversations, as they have the potential to save lives.” shared Anton.
