The Affected Families and Workers Advisory Committee (AFWAC) provides a forum for bereaved families and seriously injured workers affected by workplace incidents to provide feedback for government, and advocate for change or reform, to meet the needs of those significantly impacted by workplace death or injury.
People affected by serious workplace incidents include:
- Family members of a worker fatally injured in a workplace incident
- Workers who have been seriously injured in a workplace incident
- A witness to, or a colleague closely involved in matters surrounding, a fatal or serious injury caused by a workplace incident.
AFWAC is an advisory committee to the Work Health and Safety Commission (WHSC) in accordance with Schedule 1, clause 19 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2020.
Role of AFWAC
The role of AFWAC is to focus on strategic issues and suggestions that benefit workplace work health and safety or affected families and workers. In the process of doing this, AFWAC will aim to protect the wellbeing of members and minimise re-traumatisation by avoiding as much as possible revisiting individual cases during meetings.
Some of the activities may include to:
- provide advice to relevant state government agencies on the specific liaison and support needs of, and processes for liaising with, people affected by serious workplace incidents
- contribute to the development and review of support networks, forums and mechanisms available for people affected by serious workplace incidents
- foster and collate research on best practice support for liaising with people affected by serious workplace incidents
- consider and provide recommendations on relevant matters referred to AFWAC
- respond to and comment on inquiries, relevant to the role of AFWAC.
For clarity, AFWAC performs an advisory function in relation to support and liaison for people affected by workplace incidents, they do not have a role in the investigation of workplace incidents, or counseling services for families.
Membership
AFWAC is chaired by the WorkSafe Commissioner and consists of a minimum of six members, including the Family Support Liaison Officer. Members will be appointed by the WorkSafe Commissioner and Chair of the WHSC.
The WHSC Chair and WorkSafe Commissioner will seek to:
- appoint members representing a variety of industry sectors, for example, mining, construction, manufacturing, electrical, maritime or agriculture
- appoint both men and women members
- where possible, appoint a variety of members including some who have received serious injuries from a workplace incident and some who are affected family members or colleagues
- appoint rural and regional representation.