State Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes has announced new grants for multicultural businesses and traders.
Applications are open now for the Multicultural Business Chambers and Trader Groups program, with grants of up to $20,000 available.
Northern Victorian business groups can use the funds to assist local multicultural businesses and initiatives that drive collaboration and skill building, and celebrate diversity.
“This program is supporting our multicultural small businesses to run locally led projects within the community that will help businesses flourish throughout the region,” Ms Symes said.
The program is part of the Victorian Government’s $17 million investment to support multicultural businesses, with the grants supporting locally led projects that aim to support businesses in digital and in-language marketing, local business expo events and provide opportunities for networking.
Applications close on July 17. For more information about the program and how to apply, visit https://tinyurl.com/2u66fkz8
New guidance, inspections target forklift safety
WorkSafe Victoria has published new safety guidelines and launched a statewide inspection program to help drive down the toll of forklift-related deaths and injuries.
WorkSafe data shows on average more than one worker every week in Victoria is seriously injured after being struck by forklifts or falling forklift loads.
The guidance outlines ways to reduce the risk by ensuring traffic management systems, such as physical barriers, exclusion zones and signage are in place.
The guidance also encourages employers to consider retrofitting relatively low-cost safety technology such as seatbelt locks that ensure the forklift can't start unless the seatbelt is fastened, and proximity devices that detect pedestrians and automatically power mobile plant down to low speed.
From this week, WorkSafe inspectors will target forklift safety in a statewide inspection program, with a particular focus on the manufacturing, postal and warehousing sectors, where the majority of forklift-related deaths and injuries occur.
WorkSafe Executive Director of Health and Safety Narelle Beer said it was crucial for employers to have the right information and guidance to better manage the risks of forklifts in their workplaces.
"Forklifts are an important piece of machinery for many Victorian workplaces, however, if not used and managed safely, they also have the potential to cause serious harm," Dr Beer said.
"Through measures such as this new guidance and the work of our inspectors, WorkSafe is ensuring employers are taking proactive steps to ensure their workers and others are safe around forklifts."
View the new forklift guidance here https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/resources/forklift-safety-guidebook-pdf-version