More than 100 new Workplace Health and Safety Officers are being deployed to schools across Queensland as part of a State Government initiative to tackle occupational violence in the classroom and reduce red tape for teachers.
The 140 new officers will support a small number of schools using a cluster model allowing them to work directly with principals to identify risks, develop strategies and implement supports that stamp out violence, said Minister for Education, John-Paul Langbroek.
“These new Officers will help to restore safety in the classrooms, while giving teachers more time to focus on lifting literacy and numeracy results,” Minister Langbroek said.
“We know principals involved in the pilot program reported improved school safety and staff wellbeing. We’re listening to their feedback and boosting the number of Officers to increase support for our teachers.
“It’s part of the historic Bilateral Agreement we secured to fully-funds State School – something Labor failed to do during their ten years in office.
“We’re absolutely committed to supporting teachers and delivering a world-class education to students.”
The Minister said under the WHSO program, teachers would be relieved of burdensome administrative tasks that take away from teaching time including safety assessments, hazard responses, and incident investigations.
The new roles were piloted across 33 State Schools in 2024, with an additional investment of $57 million allowing the program to expand to 340 State Schools.
More than $80 million was paid to schoolteachers, and staff for physical and psychological injuries across the state in the 2023-24 financial year, with 960 claims lodged with WorkCover Queensland.
