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The workplace is no safer down in Australia Obviously inspired by last year's disturbing workplace-safety ads from Canada, Australia's WorkSafe Victoria has begun airing its own graphic depictions of on-the-job gore. There's a predictably horrific nailgun incident, a bagel-slicer bloodbath and (just like Canada's campaign) a kitchen worker who gets boiled alive. While it's not quite as jarring as when we saw this stuff the first time around, the campaign is still a compelling way to get the attention of young workers who are most at risk for severe workplace injury. According to Australian newspaper The Age, the WorkSafe spots will air in two versions—a PG cut for earlier timeslots and a Dario Argento version to be shown after 8:30 p.m. —Posted by David Griner

October 7, 2008 in Freaky, Griner, PSAs, Workplace safety | Permalink

Comments

You're right, the Canadian ads are a little more impacting. Probably because you don't really expect them, especially the retail ad. These ads start with so much "ooh I don't know what to do," you definitely expect something horrible.

BUT I do think these ads are more realistic. I worked in food service and retail as a teen, and I can recall doing stupid things at the time because I didn't want to ask and wasn't trained properly. It's amazing what we let kids do in the workplace. I wouldn't even get near a bread slicer today, yeesh.

Posted by: Nicole | Oct 7, 2008 10:43:13 AM

The Canadian retail ad (ladder girl)is terrific, but the Australian ones are too - http://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/WorkSafe/SiteTools/About+WorkSafe/Campaigns/. The idea that you know something is going to happen adds to the tension. A lot of people who've seen it have been really affected by it as it's like a car crash- you can't help but to watch.

Cheers m./

Posted by: mike | Oct 8, 2008 6:25:22 PM

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