The Safety Show Sydney and Sydney Materials Handling confirmed their status as NSW’s largest workplace safety event, when they drew 10,276 visits over their three days in October — more than a 10 per cent increase on 2006 attendances.
This year’s event featured the inaugural Sydney Materials Handling, a show dedicated to load, move and shift solutions co-located with The Safety Show Sydney. Sprawling over more than three and a half acres at the Sydney Showground, the two shows offered visitors a one-stop overview of the latest workplace health and safety solutions.
Everything from asbestos removal to warehouse management was on show. Growth areas, said organiser, Marie Kinsella of Australian Exhibitions & Conferences Pty Ltd, were materials handling and workplace wellness.
“Industry is obviously keenly aware of the need to address materials handling issues, which WorkCover NSW says is New South Wales’ number one cause of workplace injury.”
Principal Sponsor of The Safety Show and Sydney Materials Handling, WorkCover NSW, gave away thousands of its Smart Move show bags to visitors keen to learn more about the correct manual and materials handling techniques.
“While materials handling is one of industry’s oldest and most difficult to solve occupational health and safety challenges, the show’s increasing contingent of workplace wellness exhibitors proved that industry is looking forward too. There were more psychologists, fitness experts and ergonomists than we’ve ever seen before. And they were kept busy.”
Also held concurrently with The Safety Show and Sydney Materials Handling was The Safety Conference. Highlights were addresses from former Beaconsfield mine manager, Matthew Gill with psychologist, Dr Robert Long; the presentation of OHS law specialist Professor Ron McCallum; and the launch of Labor’s OHS policy by Julia Gillard, who later toured The Safety Show.
Ms Kinsella predicts The Safety Show Sydney and Sydney Materials Handling will continue to grow when they are held from October 28 to 30 in 2008.
In the meantime, the latest in safety will be on show at Safety In Action in Melbourne, which runs from 29 April – 1 May 2008 and at the inaugural WA Safety Show, to be held from August 12 to 14 at the Perth Convention Exhibition Centre.
For more information, phone Australian Exhibitions & Conferences Pty Ltd on 03 9654 7773, email safety@aec.net.au or visit www.thesafetyshow.com