Central Safety Group Melbourne

May 2019

Prevention of mental injury at work - where can employers best direct their efforts?

Presentation by: Claire Nivarovich, Director Mental Health Programs, WorkSafe Victoria

Presentation package now available (members only)

Work-related mental injury is the second most common cause of workers' compensation claims in Australia, and accounts for around 13% of workers' compensation claims in Victoria.
What can employers do to prevent mental injury in their workplace, and where can they best direct their efforts?
Claire Nivarovich, Director Mental Health Programs, WorkSafe Victoria, spoke about this topic in a lunchtime presentation on 14 May, 2019.
She outlined common causes of mental injury at work, as well as employers’ obligations under Victorian legislation to manage and control the risk. Information was given on WorkSafe programs supporting prevention of mental injury and promotion of mental health and wellbeing at work. This included the WorkWell Toolkit, launched last year for small and medium businesses, with a version for larger organisations launched in early April 2019.

The presenter:

Claire Nivarovich is the Director of Mental Health Programs in the Health and Safety Business Unit at WorkSafe Victoria. This role involves delivery of programs designed to prevent mental injury and illness and promote mental health in Victorian workplaces. Claire originally trained as a physiotherapist but learned quickly that working 1:1 with patients did not allow her to feel as though she was making a significant contribution to improving the health of the community at a system level. Claire has since worked within government and the insurance sector on initiatives to ensure delivery of good quality health and disability services.