How can the community help keep council staff safe?

Published on 21 May 2025

At Kempsey Shire Council, the safety of our workers — including contractors, volunteers, and visitors — is a top priority. Creating a safe work environment through proactive risk management is essential to preventing injuries and incidents.

Many council roles involve working in environments that carry significant risk, from roadwork zones and heavy machinery to chemical exposure and physically demanding tasks. Increasingly, council staff also face psychological risks, particularly from aggressive or abusive behaviour during enforcement duties or customer interactions.

Council has prioritised investing in strong safety systems, processes, and training. The recent introduction of a new web based platform called DoneSafe allows staff to report and manage workplace health and safety (WHS) issues in real time.

This tool improves the ability to track risks, ensure compliance and deliver safety training across all operations. Staff have already received training on the new system, reinforcing the shared commitment that everyone deserves to go home safe each day.

The Health and Safety Committee, made up of senior staff and elected representatives from all levels of the organisation creates a forum for reporting and reviewing potential issues.  

A strong record on Work Health and Safety (WHS) not only protects the staff but also contributes to lower workers' compensation insurance premiums, allowing more resources to be allocated to delivering services for the community.

But safety isn’t just up to Council — the community plays a vital role.

Many Council staff work in public spaces — on roads, in parks, and around footpaths — where their safety often depends on the actions of others. Statistics show that road workers are some of the most vulnerable people on our roads, with many motorists admitting to speeding through roadwork zones.

Council has a simple message for the community - slow down, pay attention, and respect the people working to keep your community running. To make the Macleay safer for everyone - follow safety signage, maintain safe distances around equipment, and treat frontline workers with courtesy and respect.