Latest Blog Articles

Empowering Female Talents in Business and Safety Sectors

 

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Navigating the Changing Tides of Safety Management: A Post-Global Safety Summit Reflection

 

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Navigating Tomorrow: The Future of Workplace Safety

 

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People Update - November 2023

 

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Client Spotlight - November 2023

 

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New health and safety codes and legislation – November 2023

 

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Injured at work, a personal journey...

 

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Secondments: Your in-house safety support

 

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People Update - August 2023

 

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Prosecutions: 2022 summary for NSW and Victoria #2

 

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New health and safety codes and legislation – August 2023

 

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Safe Work Month: For everyone's safety, work safely

 

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Client spotlight - August 2023

 

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Our refreshed brand identity

 

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How to leverage the OHS Essentials program amidst rising WorkCover premiums

 

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Celebrating Health and Safety Excellence: Our Journey to the Australian Workplace Health & Safety Awards

 

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People Update - May 2023

 

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Prepare your workplace for flu season

 

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New health and safety codes and legislation - May 2023

 

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Client spotlight - May 2023

 

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Navigating the transition from AZ/NZS 4801 to ISO 45001

 

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Client spotlight - February 2023

 

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When the safety inspector issues a notice...

 

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New health and safety codes and legislation – February 2023

 

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Prosecutions: 2022 summary for NSW and Victoria

 

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New health and safety codes and legislation – September 2022

 

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Mental health and psychological safety at work

 

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Client spotlight - September 2022

 

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How we work together to get better

 

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New health and safety codes and legislation – June 2022

 

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Top Tips for a Successful Safe Work Month

 

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Key considerations for building a safe construction environment

 

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Resigned to burnout in 2022? Focus on psychosocial health and safety

 

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New health and safety codes and legislation – March 2022

 

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Prosecutions: 2021 summary for NSW and Victoria

 

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Action OHS and Tree Mason work together for a safe storm clean up

 

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Finding the safety needle in a data haystack

 

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Flexible work and psychosocial safety

 

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New health and safety codes - December 2021

 

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Managing risk when working from home

 

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Tips for effective safety document preparation

 

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Free tools to confidently manage psychosocial hazards

 

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Newly released health and safety codes – July 2021

 

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Your 5 Considerations this Safe Work Month - October 2021

 

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Vaccinations and the workplace - Your FAQs answered

 

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Don’t let COVID-19 mean you neglect the rest of your OHS program

 

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Newly released health and safety codes - May 2021

 

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All you need to know about building an effective Safety Management System

 

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Key considerations to support a safer return to office

 

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Shining a light on ‘health’ in work health and safety.

 

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Ergonomic hazards and risks: Our observations and recommendations

 

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Newly released health and safety codes and legislation - January 2021

 

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How to host a COVID safe end-of-year celebration at your work

 

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Adapting to Industry Needs in a Time of Great Change

 

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3 ways to show your commitment to safety as a manager or leader

 

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Newly released health and safety codes and legislation – September 2020

 

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OPINION | Applying lessons learned from the Melbourne hotel quarantine bungle in our own OHS practices

 

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COVID-19 - Your OHS FAQs answered

 

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Industrial manslaughter law - What you need to know

 

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Special Guidance - Working from Home

 

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Prosecutions: 2019 Summary of VIC and NSW Data

 

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Newly released health and safety codes and legislation - January 2020

 

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OPINION | From Little Things Big Things Grow – Measuring the Return on Safety Investment

 

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Silicosis; what you need to know, and do, to prevent it

 

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8 big safety considerations for the Work Christmas Party

 

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Newly Released Codes & Legislation - October 2019

 

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OPINION | Managing mental health in the digital world

 

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Get workplace safety happening this National Safe Work Month!

 

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Prosecutions: 2018 Summary for NSW & Victoria

 

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How to use communications tactics to support your safety program

 

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Applying a Health and Safety Approach to coping with the coming Federal Election

 

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Workplace Culture and Leadership: Notes for the Aspiring Safety Leader

 

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When the Safety Inspector Comes Knocking...

 

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A Risk Management Approach to Work-related Stress

 

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Chain of Responsibility – Meeting the Challenges

 

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Prosecutions: 2017 Summary for NSW & Victoria

 

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The War on Safety Webinar Series

 

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Safety Champion Software | Increased success and growth in 2018

 

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Job Opportunity - OHS Consultant (VIC) [closing 5 April 2017]

 

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Health and Safety Prosecutions: 2016 Summary for Victoria & NSW

 

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OHS Consulting Opportunities (Melb, VIC)

 

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Prosecutions: January to April 2016 for NSW & Victoria

 

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Planning: Safety in Design – When and What to Consider?

 

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Training: Improving the Impact of your Training – Blocked vs Random Practice

 

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Technology: 10 Questions to Consider When Purchasing OHS Software

 

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Prosecutions: 2015 Summary for NSW & Victoria

 

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Planning: What is your health and safety strategic plan?

 

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Training: Are you training for compliance or safety?

 

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Technology: Wait, there's more “stuff” that you don't have easy access to!

 

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Empowering Female Talents in Business and Safety Sectors

This year’s International Women’s Day continues the critical conversation about inspiring inclusion and empowering women in various sectors. It’s a theme that’s not just about spotlighting the achievements but also about the systemic changes needed for progress. In this post, we’re looking at the multifaceted approach to support women in business and their safety pursuits, as we must be participatory in lifting the structural barriers that hinder equitable representation and impact.

Opening Pathways: Recruit, Retain, and Develop

Regarding workplace equity, a foundational approach for businesses is in how they recruit, retain, and develop their female talent. Companies making phenomenal strides tend to start by setting recruitment criteria that are neutral and transparent. Implementing processes that hide identifying details at the initial review stages ensures that the focus is purely on qualifications, a great levelling field for all candidates.
“Crucial initiatives for promoting gender equality and inclusion at Action OHS Consulting include our flexible working policy, open feedback program, gender-neutral mentoring, and buddy programs. These efforts create an open and inclusive culture aligned with our values, where we’re truly better together.”
Tim Callinan, General Manager – Action OHS Consulting

Leadership and Decision-Making Roles: Guiding the Future

In safety, representation at all levels is critical for women’s leadership journeys. There must be clear paths for advancement, but more than that, there must be active mentorship and sponsorship for women aspiring to lead. Visibility and recognition of contributions form an integral part of this approach.
This approach is even more crucial in areas such as workplace health and safety, which are often male-dominated. Recognising the unique challenges women in safety positions face and providing tailored support is not just about fairness; it’s about creating environments that produce the best safety outcomes. Programmes that focus on mentorship, support networks, and providing a platform for knowledge sharing can catalyse the success of women in these roles.

Bridging the STEM Divide

In male-dominated sectors like STEM, careers in these fields can feel out of reach for many young girls. Yet, fostering their interests through education and mentorship can change that dynamic completely.
At Action OHS Consulting, we’re proud to say that 68% of our team are women, with many in leadership positions and even more vital to delivering safety outcomes for our clients. We understand the importance of diversity in perspectives and ideas, which is why we actively encourage and support women to pursue careers in traditionally male-dominated fields.
We believe educational initiatives and partnerships with schools that bring STEM subjects into the spotlight for young girls are invaluable. These experiences can shape their academic and career trajectories, opening up paths that previously seemed impassable due to societal stigmas.
In the corporate world, supporting female entrepreneurs is vital for driving growth and innovation. Barriers to finance, mentorship, and networking are challenges faced almost ubiquitously; supports tailored to meet these needs can catalyse female-driven projects. Collaboration between companies and organisations to bolster female entrepreneurship can create a more significant, lasting, and broader support system.

Unleashing Economic Empowerment

Creating economic systems empowering women is a complex challenge but fundamental for broader and sustained progress. It involves removing legislative and cultural barriers and, equally crucial, providing affirmative support.
Equal opportunity is a pursuit that all workplaces should be committed to achieving. This includes promoting women into roles of authority and ensuring pay equity. Access to educational resources and mentorship must be facilitated, providing continual development that meets the pace of economic evolution.
At Action OHS Consulting, we pride ourselves on paying equal wages for equal work and providing equal opportunity. However, for us, support for women’s empowerment goes beyond just pay and opportunity equality. Our culturally embedded People Programs make work and economic participation easier for everyone – including women. Programs like, WFH, Hybrid and remote working policies; Flexible Hours; Profit Sharing; Healthy Lifestyle Allowance; Active Mentorship, the list goes on.
International Women’s Day serves as a global reminder of women’s pivotal role in steering the course of safety and humanity. By fostering supportive environments, removing barriers, and advocating for equal treatment and representation, we build a fairer and safer society that thrives on diverse talent and thought leadership. Today, we unite to celebrate women, but tomorrow, we continue the work of our collective empowerment, for a day of celebration should be the start of every other day wherein we live the change we aspire to see.

Navigating the Changing Tides of Safety Management: A Post-Global Safety Summit Reflection

The 2024 Global Safety Innovation Summit, recently held in Wollongong, NSW, was more than just an event; it was a crucible of ground-breaking ideas and a unique opportunity to explore modern philosophies and research in safety management and practice. Reflecting on the tide of insights that swept through the conference, we are clearly at a defining moment in reimagining our relationship and approach to workplace safety.

Some Action OHS Consulting staff attended the three-day conference – these are some of the highlights.

Highlighting Human and Organisational Performance

A standout theme at the summit was the exploration of Human and Organisational Performance (HOP), a conversation steered by respected Australian and international thought leaders.

Delving into the five principles of HOP:

  • People make mistakes: Humans are imperfect, and errors are inevitable.
  • Blame fixes nothing: Casting blame resolves nothing and impedes learning and progress.
  • Learning is vital: Continuous learning is vital to the success of an organisation.
  • Context drives behaviour: The context in which people operate heavily influences and drives their behaviour.
  • Leadership response matters: How management responds can significantly shape outcomes and the capacity to learn and improve.

 

Whilst exploring the opportunities businesses, leaders, and teams have in:

  • Refining safety: Having the capacity to prevent and respond to potential dangers and threats.
  • Understanding normal: Studying what normal work looks like and reflecting that in safety practice.
  • Asking and listening: Asking better questions works to help ensure better outcomes.
  • Respectfully engaging frontline workers: asking what controls need to be present to do work safely
  • Understanding that mistakes happen: Becoming less surprised by human error and failure and a lot more interested in (and a lot better at) operational learning

 

This refreshing perspective challenges us to abandon outmoded practices of assigning individual blame for workplace mishaps. It invites us to consider a more nuanced understanding of the complex web of factors moulding behaviours and decisions at work. By nurturing a culture rooted in leading and improvement, we can support operational excellence and create safe and reliable work environments.

The Imperative of Evidence-Based Safety Management

We live in times where technological advancements redefine how we interact with our surroundings, making the grounding of safety efforts in scientific evidence-based methodology non-negotiable.

Figures like Dr. David Provan and his contemporaries remind us that innovation must be anchored in solid, empirical research. Such a foundation is the bedrock of initiatives that deliver real-world impact and steer progressive change within the field. For example:

  • For changes and innovations to have intended impact/success, they must be supported by safety science.
  • Seemingly impossible goals can be effective – with the right conditions and resources to support experimentation.
  • Be wary of the trap of inspirational innovation.
  • What matters is how we change daily, getting apt at applying and learning from research and evidence.
  • People design artefacts when they want patterns of action.
  • The trap of managing management system artefacts and surface-level controls instead of gathering operational insights and ensuring all is working as intended.

Recognising the “Wicked Problem” of Safety

Despite the excitement surrounding novel frameworks and systems, we must not lose sight of the inherent complexities and paradoxes that safety presents. It’s an intricate puzzle — a “wicked problem” that demands keen vigilance and perpetual inquiry.

New views and contemporary safety management approaches are equally open to assumptions and corruption as traditional safety.

  • What has corrupted health and safety in the past has the same potential with a new view of contemporary approaches to safety.
  • Does the event demonstrate a one-off departure or systematic failure?
  • Metric-based board reports need the same caution around them, as they don’t provide true insight.
  • Safety frameworks designed in the context of the organisation, based on legislation and
  • Being relentlessly curious and getting good at asking good questions is still key.

An Optimistic Horizon with Realistic Undertones

Looking ahead, a mix of optimism and measured realism colours our vision for the future of safety management. The horizon before us offers daunting challenges matched by equally potent prospects for innovation and improvement. Through fostering collaboration, valuing diversity, and encouraging a relentless drive for improvement, we can steer our course through the fluctuating waves of safety management with resolve and clarity.

If any of the ideas above have got you thinking, reach out to one of our consultants.

Let’s build a safer workplace together.

Navigating Tomorrow: The Future of Workplace Safety

As we stand on the brink of a new era, the future of workplace safety is poised for a revolutionary transformation. At Action OHS, we ensure our finger is on the pulse when it comes to the latest safety trends, and we recognise the pivotal role of innovation in reshaping the safety landscape. Join us on an exploration of cutting-edge trends and innovations that are not only defining but redefining the future of workplace safety.

1. Integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning:

One of the most profound shifts in workplace safety is the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning. Discover how smart algorithms are revolutionising risk assessments, incident predictions, and preventive measures, offering a proactive approach to safety management.

2. Internet of Things (IoT) for Real-time Monitoring:

Explore the game-changing impact of the Internet of Things (IoT) on workplace safety. Learn how connected devices and sensors are enabling real-time monitoring of environmental conditions, equipment health, and even employee well-being, fostering a safer and more responsive work environment.

3. Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR) Training:

Step into the future of employee training with Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR). Dive into immersive simulations that replicate real-world scenarios, providing hands-on experience in a safe virtual environment. Understand how this innovative approach enhances training effectiveness and reduces on-the-job risks.

4. Wearable Technology for Personalised Safety:

Wearable technology is not just a trend; it’s a transformative force in workplace safety. Explore how smart helmets, vests, and other wearables are empowering workers with real-time data, personalised safety alerts, and health monitoring, fostering a culture of individualised safety.

5. Predictive Analytics for Injury Prevention:

Delve into the power of predictive analytics in anticipating and preventing workplace injuries. Discover how data-driven insights are helping organisations identify potential risks, allowing for targeted interventions and creating safer work environments.

6. Emphasis on Mental Health and Well-being:

In the evolving landscape of workplace safety, mental health is taking centre stage. Uncover the initiatives and innovations that prioritise employee well-being, from stress-monitoring applications to supportive workplace cultures that acknowledge and address mental health concerns.

Looking into the future of workplace safety, it’s evident that innovation is the driving force behind a safer, healthier, and more resilient work environment. At Action OHS, we embrace these cutting-edge trends and innovations, leading the way toward a future where safety is not just a compliance requirement but a dynamic, integral part of organisational culture.

OHS Consultant (VIC)

About the job

 

  • Be Empowered. We believe in creating a culture of transparency that empowers you to grow, innovate and make a meaningful impact for our clients and customers.
  • Life:Work Balance. We understand the importance of balancing life and work. Our culture and People Programs provide the balance you need to be happier, healthier and more productive.
  • It starts on day 1. Our focus on investing in our talent begins on your first day via an in depth and tailored Onboarding Program. The Career Pathways Program will ensure your growth and development to reach your full potential.

About Us

Our mission is to strive to make safety accessible and easier for all people, no matter their expertise. Yep, we’re those guys, we work hard to ensure mums, dads, brothers, sisters and (big) children arrive home from work daily, so they can live life to the fullest. To support this mission, we started Action OHS Consulting and then realised that we could empower businesses to manage safety independently, if they had technology that was built to suit them. That’s why we built Safety Champion, which today, co-exists side by side with Action OHS Consulting as sister companies. Collectively, both businesses employ 40 employees, with double digit growth year on year.

With our team continuing to grow, we’re looking for a OHS Consultant who is motivated to support us in building our practice in Victoria. We are setting our team up for success as we continue to evolve! We want you to work closely with our clients and take pride in supporting them to solve OHS problems in a practical, approachable and efficient way. Whether you’re making a move from another consulting role or a residential safety role, you’ll be supported and encouraged by our amazing national team of SME’s. There’s no end to the collaboration and knowledge sharing you’ll gain by working with a team of likeminded humans.

On a day-to-day basis, you will be involved with the following tasks:

  • Working closely with the General Manager and Senior Consultants to support the development and roll out our growth strategy in Victoria;
  • Facilitating health and safety discovery sessions with our clients and implementing recommended improvements;
  • Working in-house at client sites, supporting them in-person to build their OHS Program and strengthen their OHS processes and practices; and
  • Leading health and safety audits/reviews and other safety specific projects.
  • In addition to sharing your OHS insights and solutions with your clients; you will maintain strong relationships with clients of every level, on all projects in which you work, to ensure both successful project delivery and long-lasting business relationships.

Our preference is to have this role based in Melbourne. Of course we will consider hybrid working arrangements (as well as part time or full time). This is a great opportunity to return to work after parental leave or a career break/change, or mix things up with a more flexible way of working.

 

Qualifications

  • Tertiary qualification in workplace safety preferred, however experienced applicants with a vocational experience will also be considered.
  • 3-4 years’ experience in consulting environments or management roles.
  • Highly proficient English writing skills, with experience preparing professional, client-ready proposals, audit/review reports, blog articles, and other technical safety communications.
  • A keen interest and willingness in collaborating with consulting professionals to deliver a consistent and high-quality level of services to our clients.
  • An ability to manage both your own time and projects along with your team, balancing client requirements and requests with agreed project scope and budgets.
  • An ability to manage multiple customers and projects at any one given time.
  • A flexible and adaptable approach to changes in the work environment.
  • A full driver’s license and access to a vehicle, and willingness to travel to client sites as required.

 

Desirable Skills And Experience

  • Professional experience working with ISO 45001
  • Membership with AIHS or AIOH
  • Lead Auditor accreditation
  • Certificate IV TAFE

 

How To Apply

If you feel you have what it takes and are excited about the opportunity to join a growing business, we’d love to hear from you. Apply by submitting your resume and cover letter to Megan Drysdale, Head of People via our Jobs Board. Within your cover letter please let us know your preference for flexibility (ie full time/part time) and your salary expectations.

 

Action OHS Consulting is a values-driven, equal opportunity employer. We very much encourage applications from people from culturally diverse backgrounds, linguistically diverse people, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, members of the LGBTIQA+ communities and people with disabilities.

 

Desired Skills and Experience

Safety, Consulting, Audit, Communication, Report Writing.

Secondments: Your in-house safety support

In today’s ever-evolving business landscape, ensuring a safe and secure work environment is paramount. At Action OHS Consulting, we understand that maintaining safety standards can be challenging without expert guidance. That’s why we offer a secondment service, providing your business with invaluable resources to enhance workplace safety.

 

Understanding secondments

 

Secondments are a specialised service offered that allows your company to integrate qualified occupational health and safety (OHS) consultants into your team. Whether you require short-term support or ongoing assistance, our experts are here to collaborate with you and guide you through the process.

 

The benefits to your business

 

  1. Access to expertise: By engaging our seconded safety consultants, you gain access to a wealth of knowledge and experience in workplace health and safety (WHS). Our experts stay up-to-date with the latest regulations and best practices, ensuring that your business remains compliant and at the forefront of safety standards.
  2. Tailored solutions for your unique challenges: We understand that each business faces distinct safety challenges. Through a comprehensive assessment, our consultants identify your specific needs and create customised safety solutions that align with your organisation’s goals and values.
  3. Project launch excellence: Starting a new project is an exciting venture, but it also comes with inherent risks. With our consultants on board, you can confidently navigate safety protocols, mitigating potential hazards, and ensuring a successful project launch.
  4. Seamless compliance management: Adapting to ever-changing safety regulations can be overwhelming. Our consultants take the guesswork out of compliance by providing clear guidance and proactive strategies, enabling your company to remain compliant effortlessly.
  5. Empowering your workforce: Employees are your most valuable asset, and their safety is of utmost importance. Our secondment service includes tailored safety training sessions, empowering your workforce with the knowledge and skills to maintain a safe work environment.
  6. Addressing persistent safety concerns: If your business faces recurring safety challenges, our consultants excel at investigating root causes and analysis, and implementing effective solutions. Their expertise helps reduce accidents and fosters a safer work culture.
  7. Uninterrupted safety operations: During periods of staff shortages or employee turnover, our seconded consultants step in seamlessly to maintain safety operations, ensuring continuity and safeguarding the wellbeing of your workforce.

 

At Action OHS Consulting, we believe that safety is a shared responsibility. Through our secondments service, we forge a powerful partnership with your business, working collaboratively to create a proactive safety culture that extends beyond compliance. With our qualified safety experts on-demand, you can be confident in the safety and well-being of your employees, allowing your business to thrive in a secure work environment.

 

Contact us today to explore how our secondments service can elevate your workplace safety and propel your business toward a safer and more successful future.

 

WHS Consultant (NSW)

About the job

  • Be Empowered. We believe in creating a culture of transparency that empowers you to grow, innovate and make a meaningful impact for our clients and customers.
  • Life:Work Balance. We understand the importance of balancing life and work. Our culture and People Programs provide the balance you need to be happier, healthier and more productive.
  • It starts on day 1. Our focus on investing in our talent begins on your first day via an indepth and tailored Onboarding Program. The Career Pathways Program will ensure your growth and development to reach your full potential.

 

About us

Our mission is to strive to make safety accessible and easier for all people, no matter their expertise. Yep, we’re those guys, we work hard to ensure mums, dads, brothers, sisters and (big) children arrive home from work daily, so they can live life to the fullest. To support this mission, we started Action OHS Consulting and then realised that we could empower businesses to manage safety independently, if they had technology that was built to suit them. That’s why we built Safety Champion, which today, co-exists side by side with Action OHS Consulting as sister companies. Collectively, both businesses employ 40 employees, with double digit growth year on year.

With our team continuing to grow, we’re looking for a WHS Consultant who is motivated to support us in building our practice in NSW. We are setting our team up for success as we continue to evolve! We want you to work closely with our clients and take pride in supporting them to solve WHS problems in a practical, approachable and efficient way. Whether you’re making a move from another consulting role or a residential safety role, you’ll be supported and encouraged by our amazing national team of SME’s.

There’s no end to the collaboration and knowledge sharing you’ll gain by working with a team of likeminded humans. On a day-to-day basis, you will be involved with the following tasks:

  • Working closely with the General Manager and Senior Consultant to support the development and roll out our growth strategy in NSW;
  • Facilitating health and safety discovery sessions with our clients and implementing recommended improvements;
  • Working in-house at client sites, supporting them in-person to build their WHS Program and strengthen their WHS processes and practices; and
  • Leading health and safety audits/reviews and other safety specific projects.
  • In addition to sharing your WHS insights and solutions with your clients; you will maintain strong relationships with clients of every level, on all projects in which you work, to ensure both successful project delivery and long-lasting business relationships.

Our preference is to have this role based in Sydney. Of course we will consider hybrid working arrangements (as well as part time or full time). This is a great opportunity to return to work after parental leave or a career break/change, or mix things up with a more flexible way of working.

 

Qualifications

  • Tertiary qualification in workplace safety preferred, however experienced applicants with a vocational experience will also be considered.
  • 3-5 years’ experience in consulting environments.
  • Highly proficient English writing skills, with experience preparing professional, client-ready proposals, audit/review reports, blog articles, and other technical safety communications.
  • A keen interest and willingness in collaborating with consulting professionals to deliver a consistent and high-quality level of services to our clients.
  • An ability to manage both your own time and projects along with your team, balancing client requirements and requests with agreed project scope and budgets.
  • An ability to manage multiple customers and projects at any one given time.
  • A flexible and adaptable approach to changes in the work environment.
  • A full driver’s licence and access to a vehicle, and willingness to travel to client sites as required.

 

Desirable Skills And Experience

  • Professional experience working with ISO 45001
  • Membership with AIHS or AIOH
  • Lead Auditor accreditation
  • Certificate IV TAFE

 

How To Apply

If you feel you have what it takes and are excited about the opportunity to join a growing business, we’d love to hear from you. Apply by submitting your resume and cover letter to Megan Drysdale, Head of People via our Jobs Board. Within your cover letter please let us know your preference for flexibility (ie full time/part time) and your salary expectations. Action OHS Consulting is a values-driven, equal opportunity employer. We very much encourage applications from people from culturally diverse backgrounds, linguistically diverse people, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, members of the LGBTIQA+ communities and people with disabilities. 

 

Desired Skills and Experience

Safety, Consulting, Audit, Report Writing, Communication.

Our refreshed brand identity

We are excited to unveil our brand refresh, which showcases an updated brand identity while staying true to our core values and commitment to our clients. Here we take a closer look at the refreshed brand identity, highlighting how it pays homage to our heritage while embracing a contemporary feel.

 

Evolution, Not Revolution

In our pursuit to continuously grow and adapt to an ever-changing business landscape, we recognised the importance of refreshing our brand to continue to resonate with our valued clients.  However, it was equally crucial for us to retain the essence of who we are. Our brand refresh is not a complete overhaul; instead, it is an evolution that marries our values with a fresh and modern aesthetic.

 

Honouring Heritage

Throughout the brand refresh process, we took great care to honour our history. We understand the trust and loyalty that our clients have placed in us over the years, and we wanted our new look to reflect that trust. By incorporating elements that have become synonymous with our brand, we’ve created a visual identity that celebrates our history while embracing the future.

Central to the brand is the focus on our clients and ensuring safety is integrated seamlessly into their place of work. This is visually represented by the individual boxes – with a box on the angle to represent safety as the missing piece to the puzzle. When all of the boxes are in place, we have one neat four-sided shape that represents cohesion and stability. We have also retained the colours blue and yellow. Blue signifies the professionalism with which we approach all clients and projects that we have the privilege to work on, and yellow, which is our nod to safety.

 

Same Values, Fresh Look

While we may look a little different, we want to assure everyone that our core values, mission, and commitment to our clients remain unchanged. We remain committed to fostering strong and lasting relationships and providing the same high-quality experience our clients have come to expect.

 

With our brand refresh, we have embarked on a new chapter in our journey — one that embraces change while honouring our heritage. We want to thank our clients, partners, and stakeholders for their continued support – you can be assured that our commitment to excellence remains as strong as ever.

Celebrating Health and Safety Excellence: Our Journey to the Australian Workplace Health & Safety Awards

Our team was filled with immense pride and gratitude as we were recognised in the Health and Safety Excellence (Small to Medium Enterprise) category at the Australian Workplace Health & Safety Awards 2022 Gala Dinner. Together with our project partners Tree Mason and Macedon Ranges Shire Council we were honoured for our collective effort to keep staff and contractors safe at the Storm Recovery Project Site.

 

This award was the result of a collaborative effort to establish and operate a project site that prioritises safety. Our team led by Phil Neville, worked diligently to guide the project team in implementing safe practices and procedures, ensuring that everyone involved remains safe throughout the duration of the project. This recognition reinforces our commitment to assisting our clients and partners to create safe and healthy working environments.

 

Our journey towards excellence in health and safety began at the outset of the project. We recognised the importance of creating a culture of safety that permeates through every aspect of our work. Our team worked closely with Tree Mason and Macedon Ranges Shire Council to identify potential hazards and develop comprehensive risk management plans. Regular safety training sessions were conducted to ensure that everyone involved in the project understood their roles and responsibilities in ensuring a safe work environment.

 

As we received the award, we were also reminded of the incredible outcomes this project has delivered to the community. It is a project that we are immensely proud to be involved in, and we are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to its success.

 

We would like to extend our congratulations to everyone involved in the project, including our partners, Tree Mason, Macedon Ranges Shire Council and Emergency Recovery Victoria. Their commitment to safety and excellence was instrumental in this recognition. We would also like to thank the AIHS for the honour.

 

As we continue our journey towards excellence in health and safety, we remain committed to creating safe and health working environments that enable our clients to thrive. We hope that our success will inspire others to prioritise safety and create cultures of excellence in their workplaces.

 

For more information you can read the Storm Recovery Project Case Study and you can can view the webinar from the Australian Institute of Health and Safety.

Navigating the transition from AZ/NZS 4801 to ISO 45001

Implementing a health and safety management system for your business is an important step in creating a safe work environment. A safety management system (also known as SMS or WHS/OHS management system) is a set of policies, procedures and plans that systematically manages the health and safety of your workplace.

 

The international standard for occupational health and safety, ISO 45001, will replace the Australian/New Zealand Standard (AZ/NZS) 4801 on 13 July 2023. If you’re currently using the AZ/NZS 4801 standard and haven’t begun to migrate your SMS to meet the ISO 45001 standard, it is time to consider transitioning to the ISO 45001. Read on to learn more about how to migrate successfully and without disruption to your business and customers.

 

What Is AS4801 and ISO 45001?

 

AS4801 is an Australian standard for occupational health and safety (OHS) management systems and sets out requirements for the establishment, implementation, maintenance, and continual improvement of an OHS management system. It includes guidelines for identifying and assessing hazards and risks, establishing OHS objectives and targets, implementing controls and measures to prevent or mitigate OHS risks, and monitoring and reviewing the performance of the OHS management system.

 

ISO 45001 is an international occupational health and safety management system (OHSMS) standard that was designed to provide organizations with a comprehensive framework for controlling risks and hazards in the workplace. It replaces OHSAS 18001 and is designed to help organizations improve their occupational health and safety performance by providing them with a structured approach to managing risk, meeting legal requirements, and enhancing employee well-being.

 

The main differences between the two standards relate to the understanding of an organisation’s context to define the scope, objectives, and targets for health and safety, along with defining health and safety leadership, training, monitoring and reviewing performance and implementing corrective actions.

 

The Benefits of Migrating to ISO 45001

 

Migrating to ISO 45001 will have many benefits for businesses of all sizes. The benefits include:

 

  1. Meet legal requirements: It helps businesses ensure that they meet their legal requirements when it comes to occupational health and safety standards.
  2. Create a safety culture: It can help businesses create a culture of safety in the workplace by providing employees with clear procedures on how they should manage risks associated with their job roles.
  3. Save money: It can reduce costs associated with compliance issues due to its proactive approach towards preventing incidents or injuries in the workplace.

 

What You Need To Do Before Migrating To ISO 45001

 

Before you embark on the journey of migrating your business to ISO 45001 standards, there are some key things that you need to do.

 

  1. Conduct a whs audit: A workplace health and safety audit your existing processes and systems will help to identify any areas where improvements can be made prior to migration.
  2. Appoint an auditor: Appoint an internal auditor who will oversee compliance with the new standard once implemented.
  3. Develop a plan: Develop a plan for ongoing monitoring and evaluation once the migration process has been completed.

 

What happens if I don’t migrate to 45001?

If you do not migrate to ISO45001, your AS/NZS 4801 certifications will no longer be valid.

 

We are here to help

Migrating your business from AZ/NZS 4801 to ISO 45001 may seem like a complex and time-consuming process but we are here to help. Our team of occupational health and safety consultants, in consultation with your business’s key stakeholders, will map your current health and safety management system against the ISO45001 elements to identify the gaps and create an action plan to address the gaps so that you can be certified.

 

Ultimately the transition to ISO 45001 is worth it in in terms of improved safety performance within your organisation. Once successfully implemented, the new standards will help protect both employees as well as customers from potential harms caused by inadequate health and safety management processes within your business environment.

 

Contact us today to find out more about how we can help.

OHS Consultant | VIC, NSW & QLD

Full time or part time.   

  • Opportunity to join a growing Australian OHS Consulting business  
  • Values based organisation with a commitment to making a real difference  
  • Victorian based role with flexible working arrangements 

 

Are you a passionate OHS practitioner or professional, ready to make the move into consulting?  Do you have experience in managing safety and would like to share that knowledge and skills to improve the health and safety of people across a range of workplaces?  We are looking for passionate safety advisors, looking to start their consulting careers in a firm that cares about its people, its client’s, and the work we do. 

 

About Us 

Our mission is to strive to make safety accessible and easier for all people, no matter their expertise. Yep, we’re those guys, we work hard to ensure mums, dads, brothers, sisters and (big) children arrive home from work daily, so they can live life to the fullest. 

To support this mission, we started Action OHS Consulting and then realised that we could empower businesses to manage safety independently, if they had technology that was built to suit them. That’s why we built Safety Champion Software, which today, co-exists side by side with Action OHS Consulting as sister companies. Collectively, both businesses employ 40 employees.

 

About the Role 

Our strategic growth plans see us building out our OHS/WHS consultant capacity along the eastern seaboard (Victoria, NSW and QLD).  We are looking for passionate OHS/WHS professionals and practitioners who are motivated to resolve workplace health and safety issues in a practical, approachable, and efficient way.  

 

With your outstanding communication and writing skills and your evidence-based approach to managing safety, you will assist our clients and make a real difference in their workplaces.  Our consultants are client-focused, aiming to provide effective solutions so our clients can manage their safety responsibilities, whilst still focussing on their core business operations. We strive to embed safety into business as usual and seek consultants who share this philosophy. 

 

You will work across multiple industries, and in a range of workplaces from small businesses through to multi-national corporates. There is no one industry vertical that we work within, so you must be prepared and confident to step into all kinds of workplaces, and work with clients of all levels. However, we usually (but not always) find ourselves working with organisations in which there is a small safety team, or the safety management role is held by someone within the Human Resources.  Operations or Finance function. 

 

You will work closely with and have ongoing mentoring from a Senior Consultant and our General Manager, with exposure to learnings from across the business, in addition to having the autonomy to develop strong working relationships with your clients and work across a range of projects.   

 

This role offers great flexibility with opportunities to work from our Cremorne office (if you’re based locally), home or onsite at client workplaces.  

 

Qualifications 

To be considered for this role, you must have:  

  • A vocational OHS qualification with relevant OHS/WHS experience. 
  • 3+ years experience in OHS/WHS management or senior advisory in-house roles. 
  • Highly proficient writing and communication skills, as demonstrated through experience in the development of professional and/or technical documentation, and presentations for a range of audiences and forums. 
  • A full driver’s licence and access to a vehicle, with a willingness to travel to client sites as required. 
  • Membership of the Australian Institute of Health and Safety (AIHS) or other relevant professional membership.   

 

Applicants with the following will be highly regarded:  

  • A tertiary qualification in workplace health and safety; injury management and rehabilitation; or an allied health speciality 
  • Professional grading/certification with the Australian Institute of Health and Safety (AIHS) 
  • Lead Auditor qualifications and professional experience working with ISO 45001 and / or the National Audit Tool 
  • Demonstrated experience in building management systems that have been certified against the ISO standard for safety.  Experience with both the quality and environment standard is also welcomed. 
  • Current/previous accreditation with the WorkSafe Victoria OHS Essential Program (or the ability to obtain)  
  • Certificate IV TAE qualifications  
  • Bilingual or multilingual speakers 

 

How to Apply 

If you feel you have what it takes and are excited about the opportunity to join a growing business, we’d love to hear from you. 

Apply by submitting your resume and cover letter to Megan Drysdale, Head of People via LinkedIn or people@actionohs.com.au by COB 24 June 2023.  Within your cover letter please let us know your preference for flexibility (ie full time/part time) and your salary expectations. 

 

Action OHS Consulting is a values-driven, equal opportunity employer. We very much encourage applications from people from culturally diverse backgrounds, linguistically diverse people, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, members of the LGBTIQA+ communities and people with disabilities. 

 

Applications will only be accepted from candidates who have the appropriate approval to work in Australia.  

Free tools to confidently manage psychosocial hazards

As of 30 May 2021, SafeWork NSW released its Code of Practice for Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work. This is the first specific Australian work health and safety code of practice providing practical guidance and information on psychosocial hazards.

 

Click here for more information and to download the Code: https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/983353/Code-of-Practice_Managing-psychosocial-hazards.pdf

 

Shortly after, in June 2021 ISO 45003:2021 Occupational health and safety management – Psychological health and safety at work – Guidelines for managing psychosocial risks was published. This document was designed to work in conjunction with its sister document ISO 45001:2018 Occupational health and safety management systems — Requirements with guidance for use. ISO 45003 contains clear guidance on how to incorporate psychosocial risk management into safety management systems. It enables organizations to prevent work-related injury and ill health of their workers and other interested parties, and to promote well-being at work.

 

Click here for more information and to download ISO 45003: https://www.iso.org/standard/64283.html

 

The health and safety legislation defines ‘health’ as including both physical and psychological health. When psychosocial hazards and risks at work are not effectively managed, this may increase the risk of work-related psychological and physical injuries, incidents and errors.

Thus, the release of the Code and then the standard is an exciting development and provides businesses with explicit clarity on what common psychosocial hazards look like and how to ensure psychosocial risk management is integrated into how organisations do their work. From our experience, whilst the last decade has seen a heighted awareness on psychosocial hazards, businesses have been seeking guidance on how to identify contributing factors, and what they can to do to control psychosocial hazards once identified.

 

 

The Challenge

As a herniated disc is an output of a manual handling hazard; mental ill-health is an output of a psychosocial hazard.

On first review of these documents, businesses are likely to be challenged – as each reader may need to reflect on their mindsets and past bias. The positive is, that through our dealings, we know that businesses have a desire to be proactive in the psychosocial hazard space, however, have often struggled with the contributing factors and the potential controls. The details contained within Code of Practice for Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work and ISO 45003;2021 we feel provides direction to assist business start to understand what psychosocial hazards are, allowing them to be more proactive in this space.

 

What are Psychosocial Hazards?

Psychosocial hazards at work are a combination of work aspects and work situations that may cause a stress response which in turn can lead to psychological or physical harm. Psychological hazards stem from –

  • the way the tasks or job are designed, organised, managed and supervised
  • tasks or jobs where there are inherent psychosocial hazards, or environments that evoke a physiological or stress response
  • the equipment, working environment or requirements to undertake duties in physically hazardous environments
  • social factors at work, workplace relationships and social interactions, or the lack thereof.

 

Some of the most common psychosocial hazards include:

  • Role overload (high workloads or job demands)
  • Role underload (low workloads or job demands)
  • Exposure to traumatic events
  • Role conflict or lack of role clarity
  • Low job control
  • Conflict or poor workplace relationships between workers and their supervisors and managers and co-workers
  • Poor support from supervisors and managers
  • Poor co-worker support
  • Workplace violence
  • Bullying
  • Harassment including sexual harassment
  • Inadequate reward and recognition
  • Hazardous physical working environment
  • Remote or isolated work
  • Poor procedural justice (processes for making decisions)
  • Poor organisational change consultation

 

 

Of this list, there will be psychosocial hazards relevant and some psychosocial hazards not relevant to your work; there may also be hazards at your workplace not included. On top of this, psychosocial hazards can vary from workgroup to workgroup. They will be identified through a hazard and risk identification process not only for the organisation but for different work locations.

 

 

Legal Duties?

Under state and territory workplace health and safety legislation employers have a duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers and visitors to the business by identifying hazards and eliminating or minimising any risks. ‘Health’ includes both physical and psychological health. Hazards are anything that can cause harm, and risk means the possibility of harm (death, injury or illness) which might occur if a worker is exposed to a hazard. With Safe Work Australia reporting:

 

  • 7,200 Australians are compensated for work-related mental health conditions, equating to around 6% of workers’ compensation claims, and approximately $543 million is paid in workers’ compensation for work-related mental health conditions.
  • From the date, it is clear that workplace factors can influence the health and safety of those in our workplaces. As a result, there is a legal duty to identify where these hazards may stem from; and establish ways to control their impact.

 

 

What do I need to do?

If you are in NSW the importance of the Code cannot be understated. As a gazetted Code, all NSW businesses must comply with the steps it sets out, which are viewed as evidence of reasonably practicable steps available to a duty-holder. The Code applies to all workplaces, no matter what size or location, and therefore should be read and understood by all business owners. The guidance in it can also assist businesses across Australia.

 

Importantly, the Code provides user-friendly examples of how different types of organisations might approach psychosocial hazards in their business. In addition, ISO 45003:2021 will also guide businesses in any state regarding what good practice looks like. While this is a standard and not mandatory by law, with the increased focus in this space we anticipate that it may become a minimum expectation for businesses in the future.

 

What if I am not in NSW ?

Given the philosophical similarities between the health and legislation in Australia, and with businesses having a primary duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers and other persons are not put at risk from work carried out arising from the business – the code and standard will assist businesses to identify and manage any risks in your workplace.

 

 

The Opportunity

These documents provide a guideline for organisations to audit their own approach to managing psychosocial hazards, with a view of identifying improvements, and closing any gap in the effectiveness of that approach.

 

Psychosocial hazard management is not a fix and forget situation. Like all other aspects of safety, it requires continual review and improvement. With each improvement, as the psychological health of your workers improve, you can expect workforce productivity, creativity and organisational success to flourish.

 

 

Need Assistance?

If you are looking to streamline your identification and management of psychosocial hazards, please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss further.

OPINION | Applying lessons learned from the Melbourne hotel quarantine bungle in our own OHS practices

 

“…Those Who Do Not Learn from History Are Doomed to Repeat It.” – George Santayana

 

I am sure that you have seen this quote before – or slightly different versions of it. When reviewing the apparent failings in the handling of the COVID-19 hotel quarantine scheme in Melbourne, this quote quickly springs to mind.

 

If ever there was a time to take lessons from the past and apply them in practice to avoid similar catastrophic outcomes, it is now and this situation.

 

I penned this article because I believe we can learn from some of the shortcomings I see, with respect to the management of this scheme. I will draw out key lessons that can be applied in our workplaces, to help us avoid repeating the some of the mistakes made in health and safety management in this so-called hotel quarantine bungle.

 

Note, I do not have inside sources. My understanding of what has occurred is based on the dialogue shared from multiple news and media sources. Whilst more information with respect to what happen will no doubt be shared at a later stage following the inquiry, the intention of this article is to use a practical and current example, to walk you through how the risk management approach could be applied in this instance, with the information at hand.

 

As you read this article, my hope is that you will be more comfortable with the risk management process, allowing you to confidently improve safety performance at your workplace.

 

 

What were the [reported] mistakes?

In late March, the Victorian Government awarded security contracts for the hotel quarantine scheme to multiple private based security firms. The scheme was designed to safely house people returning to Australia in compulsory COVID-19 isolation in various hotels throughout the city, to avoid any community spread from possible positive COVID-19 cases.

 

 

However, due to the reported mismanagement of the scheme, it has been suggested that Melbourne’s COVID-19 July second-wave could be traced to people in these hotels.

 

Whilst there is a current Government inquiry into exactly what occurred, some information (whether real or speculated) has been revealed. That is:

  • Security workers were recruited on an adhoc basis, with some recruited through ‘cold-calling’ or via a mobile phone text.
  • Security workers were given very little training in how to manage what were potentially difficult and high-risk clients, confined to their hotel rooms for two weeks.
  • Security workers were given no or little training in relation to physical distancing.
  • Security workers were given inappropriate amounts of Personal Protective Equipment with little training about how to use it correctly. In many cases security guards were forced to reuse single use masks.

 

Certainly, the full extent of these failings will be determined in the inquiry, we can deduce from the information at hand that problems may have resulted from three main shortcomings:

  • the wrong person for the job,
  • a lack of training and information to enable workers to do the job safety and properly, and
  • a lack of equipment to enable workers to perform their tasks safely.

 

 

What can we learn in relation to safety in our workplace?

This example presents a very stark reminder to all of us about effective health and safety management.

 

1. The first is that effective safety outcomes at work don’t just happen!

 

It takes explicit consideration of:

(i) what could go wrong (i.e. how the work [hazard] could injury and/or harm a workers, contractor, visitor, or the public); and

(ii) what practices you will implement to manage this injury and/or harm from occurring (i.e. what are your controls).

 

When looking to establish controls, consider compliance codes and what others are doing to manage the foreseeable hazard.

To support consistency, allow future reflection, and ensure knowledge is not lost; consider documenting the agreed procedures.

 

 

2. The second is to be thorough when identifying and assessing controls

 

This scenario has demonstrated that not only should businesses consider the controls, they should consider both “how” and “why” workers “could” or “would” circumvent the controls. It is accepting that if you stop at the first identified control, whilst “academically” it may sound effective, in reality it may not be “implemented”.

 

In this situation, Safety as Imagined = Effective; whilst Safety as Done = Ineffective.

 

When challenging controls, I have always found it beneficial to ensure you have one or more people playing devil’s advocate. Business often don’t dedicate the time to risk management that they should.

 

Life experience tells us that rules are made to be broken. Consider using this foresight at the risk assessment stage, rather than settling for the first identified control just so you can move onto the next task. It may save you time now, however, it is sure to see you spending much more time in the future.

 

 

3. The third is to upskill your people!

 

Not only is it important to find the right people for the job; but once you have done this, workers need to understand the potential hazards associated with their work, and the controls that have been established.

 

Rather than reciting rules to your workers [for them to remember], engage them in fully understanding the hazards and controls through communication, discussion and training. 

 

 

If you can’t explain why the control is important, and how it will assist in managing the hazard, perhaps, you have not found the right control yet, or, it’s not a safety hazard you are trying to manage.

 

 

I have often found that explaining the “why” and “how” to be more effective when discussing hazards and controls. Why? It better resonates with the workforce and allows you to really explore and understand what is happening. If you understand something, you really know it. Yet, if you are simply reciting rules, this may not stick. 

 

 

4. The fourth is to monitor your efforts and learn

 

This step will allow you to respond to danger signals early.

 

When monitoring, don’t take any breakdowns or failures identified in your controls as a negative. Consider these an opportunity to improve. And if your monitoring efforts are not picking up any breaches, revert to point 2.

 

Just how much harm may eventuate from any failures in your controls will vary. Sure, you may get lucky and nothing will happen. We hear this often. However, in addition to managing against harm and/or injury, a risk assessment can improve productivity and reduce downtime.

 

 

Where to start?

Though the safety journey can be daunting, it is critical. Often a big challenge for business owners and leaders is getting a good picture of safety in your organisation and then taking the first step.

 

How do you eat an elephant? I bite at a time. Clearly, no one is encouraging dining on these fantastic animals, but it’s good advice about how to tackle a huge, overwhelming project. Break down what is required into bite sized pieces, prioritise and then address each in turn.

 

Certainly, the presence of COVID-19 in our world presents a great opportunity for all business to review the time they explicitly put into managing safety. All organisations, across all industries, are now required to have an established “COVID safe plan” that keeps their people and the broader community safe.

 

 

As such, consider COVID-19 is as another hazard. One to be addressed in a similar fashion to any other hazard. Perhaps your team could schedule time to look at how you manage other hazards?

 

Then, whilst you’re at it, consider the risks to the health and safety of the people in your workplace. Ergonomics. Fatigue. Manual Handling. Forklifts, Mobile Plant or Traffic Management. Occupational Violence or Bullying. The list goes on. And put steps in place to mitigate those risks.

 

Let’s keep in mind that whilst mistakes can be made, lessons can always be learned. So, take some time away from your regular work and sit down to consider how you can apply these lessons to your work health and safety practices and protocols. Even just considering the simple steps outlined above can do wonders when it comes to protecting the people in your workplace from unnecessary harm.

Prosecutions: 2017 Summary for NSW & Victoria

Let’s face it, business leaders and safety professionals all play the same game: Maximising profits, without establishing or endorsing operations that will cause harm to their workers or the public. Due diligence is about collecting information to allow informed decisions to be made. As such, workplace prosecutions are something that health and safety practitioners, and business leaders alike, should maintain currency of to identify trends and ensure past situations are not repeated.

 

For the third year in a row, Action OHS Consulting has taken some time to collate and review the data available from WorkSafe Victoria and SafeWork NSW to support you in influencing key stakeholders within your organisation and assisting your business to make informed decisions with respect to its health and safety program.

 

This article provides an overview of the prosecutions for 2015, 2016 and 2017 calendar years.

 

Prosecutions: Numbers and Related Legislation

Calendar year 2017 saw a total of 105 prosecutions against the Victorian health and safety legislation, whilst in NSW the number of prosecutions was 28. When the past three years are compared, there has been a 23% increase in Victoria. Whilst over the same period, there has been a 46% reduction in the prosecutions that have occurred in NSW.

Within Victoria:

  • 97 prosecutions were recorded against the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004
  • 2 prosecution were recorded against the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2007
  • 6 prosecution involved both the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 and the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2007

Whilst 2017 saw the introduction of the updated Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017, with prosecution timeframes on average over 2 years, the outcomes from prosecutions against the updated regulations are likely to become visible from 2018 and beyond.

Within NSW:

  • 27 prosecutions were recorded against the Work Health and Safety Act 2011
  • 1 prosecutions was recorded against the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011

Whilst there was one (1) prosecution against the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 in 2016, with the maximum timeframe for prosecution outcomes in 2017 being 3 years and 11 months – this may signal a complete transition in NSW to prosecutions against the harmonised legislation, following the 2000 Act being superseded as of 1 January 2012.

The timeframe for the prosecutions outcomes from 2017, when measured against the date of the offence, have been listed in the table below.

Table 1: Timeframe between date of offence and the prosecution outcome, for the 2017 prosecution outcomes reported by SafeWork NSW & WorkSafe Victoria.

 

Prosecutions: An Overview of the Health and Safety Fines Issued

Year on year, the average fine and median fine increased in NSW. Whilst in Victoria only the median fine increased with the average fine staying around $85,000. The average and median fines were greater in NSW.

In NSW each prosecution resulted in a monetary fine. In Victoria 88 fines were issued (83% of prosecutions). When considering total costs (e.g. court costs, court funds, etc.) all prosecutions were financially impacted.

In addition to the fines, WorkSafe Victoria issued 10 Enforceable Undertakings in 2017 which equates to 10% of prosecutions. This is compared to the 6 and 7 issued in 2015 and 2016 respectively. An Enforceable Undertaking is a legally binding agreement between WorkSafe Victoria and the employer. The employer is obliged to carry out the specific activities outlined in the agreed undertaking. EUs will typically guide and direct the business being prosecuted to improve its health and safety program.

With respect to fines, the maximum fines for both Victoria and NSW increased year on year. The maximum fines issued to a business were associated with the following events:

  • During asphalt resurfacing works, a company engaged a traffic control company to perform the traffic management operations at the workplace and a separate company to supply a sweeper vehicle and driver for the resurfacing works. A traffic management worker was struck and killed (as they were aligning bollards to separate live traffic from the resurfacing) by the sweeper vehicle when it breached the exclusion zone and reversed into him without warning – Victoria: $1,300,000.

The background: The sweeper vehicle had previously narrowly missed two workers at the workplace on two separate occasions when it breached exclusion zones without warning. The sweeper vehicle was driven in reverse in the work zone when unnecessary and persons on foot at the workplace were unaware of the movements of the sweeper vehicle. Spotters had been provided for other mobile plant operating in the area but no spotters were assigned to the sweeper vehicle. The offender’s induction to the workplace did not address the dangers posed by the sweeper vehicle reversing on a busy site and there was no Safe Work Method Statement setting out safe procedures for moving or setting up bollards. The offender also failed to supervise effectively, or at all, the operation of the sweeper vehicle and the movements of persons on foot in the vicinity of the sweeper vehicle.

The outcome: There is a requirement to supervise and manage contracted parties. In this instance, there was a risk of death or serious injury as a result of the unsafe operation of the sweeper vehicle at the workplace.

 

  • On 19 June 2014 a worker suffered serious injuries following an electric shock as a result of working in close proximity to high voltage overhead power lines – NSW: $1,000,000.

 

With respect to the Victorian prosecution, it confirms the requirement for organisations to supervise and manage the work of contracted parties, and their interactions onsite. In this case, the court found the primary contractor should have had more control over the day-to-day supervision of the work activities, and reviewed Safe Work Method Statements. The management of contractors will vary between contractor engagements, and will depend on a number of factors. One thing is certain, you must have a clear management plan. If you are not sure what this plan looks like in your organisation, this outcome suggests that you should seek advice.

 

It is not just businesses that are being prosecuted in relation to health and safety breaches

If you were of the belief that health and safety prosecutions were limited to corporations – think again. In 2017, 3% and 19% of prosecutions were issued to workers in Victoria and NSW respectively – equating to 3 and 5 prosecutions respectively. This is a reduction in the distribution of worker related prosecutions from 2016.

An overview of the prosecutions related to workers in NSW and Victoria are as follows:

In NSW there were five (5) workers prosecuted:

  • Worker suffered serious head injuries when he fell approximately 11 metres while lopping a tree – NSW: $80,000.
  • A worker was fatally injured when he came into contact with the tracks of an excavator at a waste sorting facility – NSW: $60,000. Note: The corporate defendant was fined $300,000.
  • A visitor to a residential property suffered serious burns when an explosion and fireball occurred as a result of bitumen laying works – NSW: $40,000. Note: The corporate defendant was fined $160,000.
  • A 20 year old labourer fell approximately 11 metres off a roof of a house after being hit by a swinging branch cut from a tree, suffering a fractured shoulder from the fall – NSW: $20,000.
  • A SafeWork NSW Inspector observed a worker operating a forklift without wearing a seatbelt (at Flemington Sydney Markets). The worker was issued with a Penalty Notice for failure to wear personal protective equipment (being a seatbelt) – NSW: $1,000.

This is compared to the maximum fine being issued in Victoria which was $15,000.00 plus costs of $2,000.00. In this instance the prosecution was associated with the following event:

  • A company secretary and shareholder with a 21 year old apprentice were unloading floor sheeting which had been craned onto the second floor trusses of a partially constructed apartment building. The trusses collapsed onto the first floor, with both floors collapsing to the ground. The apprentice was fatally injured. There was no safe system of work for unloading the sheeting onto the second floor trusses to determine whether those trusses were capable of bearing the load – Victoria: $180,000.
  • WorkSafe Inspectors attended a construction site and charged a self-employed builder with five offences for failing to ensure that persons were not exposed to risks to health and safety arising from his undertaking (including fall from heights, unsecured site and untested and tagged electrical equipment) – Victoria: $10,000.00 and ordered to pay costs in the amount of $2,500.00
  • An incident was reported to WorkSafe. That afternoon two Inspectors and one Investigator attended the site. During the course of their visit, the offender gave a wrong name to an Inspector, hindered an Inspector by refusing to answer relevant questions, acted in an intimidating and threatening manner by aggressively striking metal with a hammer, saying he hated them and made threats of violence, pushed an Inspector, and ordered the Inspectors to get out of the workshop. The offender was charged with offences related to assault, intimidation and hindrance/obstruction of an Inspector and providing a false name to an Inspector – $1,000.00 and ordered to pay costs of $3,038.05.

 

Prosecutions: What is the Cause and where are the Gaps?

With respect to the criteria/codes that lead to the prosecution – the criteria that was associated with 10% of the prosecutions in 2017, as defined by WorkSafe Victoria, are outlined below.

 

These criteria are consistent with 2015 and 2016, with the exception of “Failure to notify VWA of a notifiable incident” being associated with 16% of all Victorian health and safety prosecutions in 2015 and “Unguarded plant” and “Failure to conduct a risk/hazard identification” being included on this list in 2016, being aligned with 14% and 12% of all Victorian health and safety prosecutions.

The introduction of “Failure to provide a safe workplace” places a clear duty on workplaces to understand their operations, the hazards associated with their work, and ensure that the established controls are implemented. In addition, the increase in “High risk construction work” along with with “Falls/work at height offences” aligns with WorkSafe Victoria’s focus on high risk industries.

Other criteria noteworthy to report on includes:

  • “Traffic Management” as this criteria has been aligned with between 5% and 8% of prosecutions during 2015, 2016 and 2017;
  • “Failure to prepare a SWMS”, as this is new to the list in 2017 at 8%, and aligns with the increased activity in the construction space as outlined above; and
  • “Inexperienced employee” returning to the list after no being included in 2016 at 6%. This should not be limited to just “young” workers.

During 2017 and into the first-half of 2018, Action OHS Consulting did observe a rise in inbound calls for support, associated with improvement notices being issued by WorkSafe Victoria regarding these three criteria.

Failure to provide a safe system of work, safe working environment and information, instruction, training or supervision were associated with one quarter of all prosecutions. This outlines the requirement for workplaces to actively:

  • Assess their workplace risks. Consider listing all foreseeable hazards in the workplace, and document the current controls that have been established by your workplace. If “all” seems too hard, try and select the “Top 5” hazards – with respect to their potential to cause serious harm. List the controls that you have in place. Speak internally and look externally, is there anything that has been missed, or something that others do? Yes? Document the additional control strategies into an Action Plan and plan how these can be implemented into your operations.
  • Establish an induction program. This may include a “buddy” being assigned to “new” and/or “young” workers. Ensure the induction includes an overview of your safety program and the operational activities that the worker will undertake.
  • Consider safety when engaging contractors. Workplaces often engage contractors to support processes that the workplace is not familiar with, which often means new hazards are introduced to the workplace. Prior to engaging contractors, along with price, seek information from those you are about to engage to understand how they will maintain that safe working environment that you have established. Let them know what you need them to do, and ask them what they need you to do, to help them be safe while working with you.
  • Ensure your implementation is sustainable. Don’t rely on just one person. Spreadsheets and folders can be effective if you are organised, however, are difficult to maintain visibility when tasks are due – or more importantly, when tasks are missed. Web-based platforms such as Safety Champion Software will support visibility of your health and safety program, guide and remind you when deadlines and key milestones approach.
  • Consider safety as part of your procurement process. Before you buy anything, consider the safety implications. Don’t limit this to equipment, machinery, computers – extended this to services as well. Don’t make safety an afterthought.

We would be interested to hear your thoughts, questions or fears.

 

If, like us, you would like to interrogate the data on prosecutions, we would be more than happy to share an unlocked copy of the data with you – simply Contact Us. Alternatively, send an email to info@actionohs.com.au, or phone 1300 101 OHS (647) explaining you’d like a copy of the prosecutions data.

The War on Safety Webinar Series

Recognising a pressing need for small and medium sized businesses to access us­­­eful and targeted advice about health and safety, Action OHS Consulting has developed a free four-part webinar series titled the War on Safety to assist. It launches 8 August 2018. 

 

Since this webinar series is now over – we’re offering access to the recordings. Interested? Click here.

 

We were inspired by the ABC’s War on Waste program… and threw a little spin on our own title. Yes, we want to catch your attention. Because safety is important. 

 

The series aims to fight through the perceived complexity of health and safety laws to provide free resources, practical tips and an understandable interpretation of the legislation.

 

We’ve had a lot of feedback that the title of the webinar series is a little dramatic! But it really does represent the frustrations of many small businesses out there”, says Director and Principal OHS Consultant, Craig Salter.

 

“Generally, SMEs think they need to adopt a big business approach to safety, and as such, become overwhelmed by where to start. This often means that they sit on their hands and hope nothing goes wrong. Through our interactions, we regularly hear from SMEs that they don’t know where to turn to for information or support. This is really why we’ve designed much of our business around supporting these types of businesses, and why we’ve developed initiatives like this webinar series to assist”.

 

After working with over 500 Australian businesses over the last five years, Action OHS Consulting has designed the series based on the many frustrations and challenges SMEs experience when trying to comply with the laws.

 

Armed with over 50 years of collective knowledge, the consultants at Action OHS Consulting will deliver quick 30-minute webinars providing much needed insight on exactly how SMEs can manage their health and safety duties to work in line with the legislation, and importantly protect their people from harm.

 

The series will debunk the misconceptions commonly associated with good workplace health and safety practice. At the end of the series, businesses will have the knowledge and confidence to establish a safety system suitable for their business.

 

Action OHS Consulting will co-host the series with their sister organisation Safety Champion – a software solution purposely built for the SME market.

 

Webinar Schedule

All webinars will commence at 11am AEST

 

8 August 2018 Planning for casualties

How to develop a safety program

 

Registrations closed
12 September 2018 Can I burn them up?

Understanding the safety documents you need

 

Registrations closed
10 October 2018 Who are my allies?

Where to find free, useful resources

 

Registrations closed
14 November 2018 Now let’s get that army moving

How to make safety business as usual

 

Registrations closed

Safety Champion Software | Increased success and growth in 2018

The Action OHS Consulting team has developed a cloud-based OHS software solution that supports businesses with health and safety management and compliance. With over 250 workplaces already using the system – including a number of Australian-based global retailers reaching beyond Australia into New Zealand, Asia, UK, and USA – the solution is seeing considerable success and growth into 2018.

 

Why?

Because, importantly, it is a solution that not only speaks to safety professionals but also to businesses without dedicated health and safety personnel or resources.

 

How does it work for non-health and safety people?

The solution comes with over 100 ready-to-go templates and workflows – including a complete and fully configurable Safety Manual, which has been aligned with the international standard to provide guidance to businesses about what tasks to complete. But what’s more, as a health and safety consulting company, our experienced consultants can ensure that these configurable health and safety documents are aligned with the needs of any business. This ensures that the implementation of the system is practical, appropriate and clear for a non-health and safety person. 

It is here where Safety Champion sets itself apart from the other software products that are available. Safety Champion is more than just software. It is a holistic solution developed by health and safety professionals, which can guide businesses towards better health and safety practices. The Action OHS Consulting team are on the ground working with Australian businesses every day. We have seen the frustrations businesses experience trying to comply with the laws and we know what is needed.

 

“We know you want Safety Manuals to ensure consistency in practices, and we know that you want guidance on what tasks or activities you need to complete – whether this be to manage compliance, investigations post incident, notification on training, insurance or chemical safety data sheet expiry. So, we have built these into Safety Champion for you. It’s simple.”

 

So, essentially, Safety Champion was created to replace the reliance on the Safety Manual – which we often observe is sitting on a shelf, collecting dust and not being used by anyone!

We know that the large majority of people want to do the right thing. But, historically, the problem has been knowing what the right thing is. To ensure ongoing sustainability, we have aimed to build in independence. Safety Champion will ensure that that your health and safety system can be managed by you, and will be followed through even if you don’t have access to a safety officer or one of our consultants.

 

Sounds too good to be true? It isn’t! Interested in finding out more about Safety Champion OHS Software? Simply fill out a Contact Us request and one of our experienced and qualified health and safety consultants will be in contact.

Job Opportunity – OHS Consultant (VIC) [closing 5 April 2017]

We have an exciting opportunity for a safety consultant looking to apply their skill and learn how to become an effective safety practitioner to join our team. Whilst this is a junior / entry consulting position, you will be tasked with supporting key clients which include a mix of small- and medium-sized organisations, government departments and a number of Australia’s most iconic businesses. In addition you will be exposed to, and have the ability to support and influence the direction of our cloud-based safety software solution Safety Champion Software. This exciting opportunity to join the Action OHS Consulting team and offers the chance to become a key team member as we transition to a medium enterprise.

Who we are: Action OHS Consulting is a health and safety consulting business and software development firm that delivers operational and strategic support, advice and solutions to our clients primarily in Victoria and NSW. In addition, we have been approved to deliver WorkSafe Victoria’s Approved Health and Safety Representative (HSR) Training. An overview of some of our current and past clients can be found here – Action OHS Consulting Clients.

Your Key Responsibilities: You will be working directly with small- and medium-sized organisations to provide operational support to assist them to address their health and safety legislative needs. This may include:

  • Developing Health and Safety Documentation (e.g. Policy and Procedures)
  • Developing Safe Work Method Statements / Safe Operating Procedures across a range of industries (e.g. manufacturing, warehousing and distribution, etc.)
  • Consulting with clients regarding the development of documentation
  • Facilitating/Leading Risk Assessments
  • Undertaking Workstation / Ergonomic Assessments
  • Leading the commissioning of our cloud-based software Safety Champion into workplaces
  • Supporting Lead Auditors undertake Safety Audits and Safety Gap Analysis Reviews.

You will be supported throughout your employment, working under the direction of our Senior Consultants until you have the skills and confidence to support the client yourself.

Crucial to your success in this role will be your ability to effectively: communicate, problem solve and influence. In addition, you will have: excellent attention to detail, effective writing skills and have the capability to work to deadlines. Please advise how you address these “softer-skills” in your cover letter.

 

This position will provide you with an opportunity to learn and develop your skills as an OHS Practitioner. In addition, you will have the ability to directly contribute to the day-to-day running of an incredibly successful and forward thinking OHS consulting business. An amazing growth  opportunity.

 

Qualifications and Knowledge: As this is a junior consulting role in health and safety, we anticipate that the candidate will have either:

  • 2 years or more, OHS experience + Cert IV OHS; or
  • Tertiary Qualifications in OHS.

Qualifications that will be highly regarded include, one or more of the following:

  • Tertiary Qualifications in an Allied Health or Human Movement discipline
  • Lead OHS Management System Auditor Training
  • Certificate IV Training and Assessment.

Previous experience working in consulting, Return-to-Work and Injury Management, or self-insurance would be beneficial.

Salary Package: $65,000 to $90,000 based on a combination of qualifications and past experience.

The role is available for applicants seeking a full-time or a part-time role. Those seeking a part-time role should be able to provide a minimum of 3 days per week and provide flexible working arrangements to suit organisational and client needs.

How to Apply: Apply now by sending your resume and cover letter to info@actionohs.com.au by COB Wednesday 5 April 2017.

If you have any questions regarding this role, or wish to find out how Action OHS Consulting and Safety Champion Software continues to develop excellent relationships with our clients to assist them achieve safety excellence please do not hesitate to contact us | 1300 101 647.

 

Health and Safety Prosecutions: 2016 Summary for Victoria & NSW

Workplace prosecutions are something that health and safety practitioners should maintain oversight of to identify trends. This article provides an overview of the prosecutions listed by WorkSafe Victoria and SafeWork NSW for Calendar Year 2016 as of 28 February 2017.

 

During 2016, over $10,000,000.00 in fines were issued to businesses and workers in Victoria and NSW following breaches to health and safety legislation.

 

Prosecutions: Numbers and Related Legislation

Calendar Year 2016 saw a total of 91 health and safety prosecutions in Victoria and 35 prosecutions in NSW. When compared to 2015, this is an increase in Victoria (6) and reduction in NSW (17).

Total Health and Safety Prosecutions 2016

Within Victoria:

  • 83 prosecutions were recorded against the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act 2004 only;
  • 1 prosecution was recorded against the Dangerous Goods Act 1985 only;
  • 3 prosecutions were recorded against the OHS Regulations 2007 only;
  • 3 prosecutions involved both the OHS Act 2004 and the OHS Regulations 2007; and
  • 1 prosecution involved both the OHS Act 2004 and the Dangerous Goods Act 1985.

In addition, there were 25 prosecutions associated with the Workers Compensation legislation.

Within NSW:

  • 1 prosecution was recorded against the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 (this is compared to 21 prosecutions in 2015); and
  • 22 prosecutions were recorded against the Work Health and Safety Act 2011.

The reduction in the prosecutions related to the OHS Act 2000 in NSW from 21 in calendar year 2015 to 1 in 2016 is related to this Act being superseded as of 1 January 2012 (5 years prior to 31 December 2016). Both the average and median time for a prosecution to occur in NSW (from the date of incident) where an outcome was established in 2016 was approximately 2 years and 8 months; the maximum time for prosecution being 5 years and 1 month (followed by 4 years and 2 months).

 

Prosecutions: An Overview of the Health and Safety Fines Issued

Year on year, both the average fine and median fine increased in both Victoria and NSW. The average fine exceeded $50,000 in both states. The average and median fines were greater NSW.

Average and Median Fine Health and Safety Prosecutions 2016

In NSW each prosecution resulted in a fine. In Victoria, 93 fines were issued. This equates to 80% of prosecutions resulting in a “financial” fine. This is compared to 69% of the prosecutions in 2015. When considering the total direct cost associated with the the prosecution (e.g. court costs being issued, court funds being assigned, etc.), all prosecutions in Victoria were financially impacted. Outside of issuing fines, WorkSafe Victoria issued 6 Enforceable Undertakings (this is compared to 7 Enforceable Undertakings being issued in 2015). In these cases, the Enforceable Undertaking is a legally binding agreement between WorkSafe Victoria and the employer. The employer is obliged to carry out the specific activities outlined in the undertaking. Such scenarios ensure that the workplace implement agreed corrective actions.

With respect to fines, the maximum fines for both Victoria and NSW increased year on year. The maximum fines issued to a workplace were associated with the following events:

  • The offender failed to provide a safe system of work which resulted in an employee being crushed by a trailer carrying a 20 foot shipping container when undertaking duties associated with his role – Victoria: $1,000,000.
  • A worker was fatally injured when he fell approximately 5 metres through a penetration at a construction site – NSW: $425,000.

Maximum Fine Health and Safety Prosecutions 2016

 

It is not just businesses that are being prosecuted in relation to health and safety breaches

If you were of the belief that health and safety prosecutions were limited to corporations- think again. In 2016, 10% and 34% of prosecutions were issued to workers in Victoria and NSW respectively.

Distribution of Health and Safety Prosecutions 2016

 

The reason behind fines issued to workers in NSW being on average 382% greater than those issued to workers in Victoria may be associated with the harmonised health and safety legislation clearly defining:

  • (i) who the Officer within a business is; in addition to,
  • (ii) outlining the positive due-diligence duties placed on these officers.

Worker Health and Safety Prosecutions 2016

In NSW there were three (3) workers at the Officer level who were issued with fines greater than $50,000.00:

  • A worker was fatally injured when the tractor he was using to slash grass rolled over, crushing him – NSW: $160,000;
  • A worker was fatally injured when he fell approximately 5 metres through a penetration at a construction site – NSW: $85,500; and,
  • A worker was seriously injured when he fell 3-4 meters to the ground at a residential construction site.

This is compared to the maximum fine being issued in Victoria which was $15,000 plus costs of $2,000. In this instance the prosecution was associated with the following event:

  • An employee was performing unscheduled maintenance on plant and equipment that did not have adequate guarding. The employee had not received any information, instruction or training with respect to maintenance. He sustained a partial amputation of the right arm.

Interestingly, with respect to prosecutions against the Workers Compensation legislation in Victoria, in addition to workers being required to pay back any money accessed via fraudulent activity (which equated to a total of approximately $700,000), of the 19 prosecutions, 43% of workers were issued with a suspended imprisonment sentence. The average fine was $1,977.60.

 

What Criteria are Regularly Associated with Health and Safety Prosecutions?

With respect to the criteria/codes that lead to the prosecution – the top 10 criteria, as defined by WorkSafe Victoria, are outlined below.

Codes for Health and Safety Prosecutions 2016_Table

Codes for Health and Safety Prosecutions 2016

These criteria are consistent with 2015, with the exception of “Failure to conduct a risk/hazard identification” being added to the list and “Failure to notify VWA of a notifiable incident” being removed from the list.

The introduction of “Failure to conduct a risk/hazard identification” places a clear duty on workplaces to establish explicit and robust processes that identify hazardous situations. Whilst many businesses can demonstrate an ability to manage risk once a hazard has been identified, this criteria requires workplaces to proactively look for hazards that are associated with their workplace activities.

In addition to these criteria, other criteria noteworthy to report on includes Traffic Management and Forklifts both being associated with 8% of prosecutions. During 2016, internally, Action OHS Consulting observed a rise in improvement notices being issued by WorkSafe Victoria due to new client contact as a result of forklift use and traffic management practices.

 

Lessons your Business can Take from these Reported Health and Safety Prosecutions

Failure to provide a safe system of work, safe working environment and information, instruction, training or supervision were associated with one quarter of all prosecutions. To improve your safety performance, and learn from “errors” from the past, workplaces should proactively:

  • Assess their workplace risks. Consider listing all foreseeable hazards in the workplace, and document the current controls that have been established by your workplace. At this time, consider additional control strategies. Document these additional control strategies into an Action Plan to support implementation.
  • Consider safety as part of your procurement process. Don’t make safety an afterthought.
  • Consider safety when engaging contractors. Workplaces often engage contractors to support processes that they are not familiar with, which means new hazards may be introduced to the workplace. Prior to engaging contractors, along with cost, seek information from those you are about to engage to ensure that they can maintain the safe working environment that you have established.
  • Establish an induction program. This may include a “buddy” being assigned to new and/or young workers. Ensure the induction includes an overview of your safety program and the operational activities that the worker will undertake.
  • Identify how you will manage implementation. Spreadsheets and folders can be effective if you are organised, however, as technology solutions evolve, web-based platforms such as Safety Champion Software will support, guide and remind you when deadlines and/or key milestones approach.

Apart from one of your workers being injured, a workplace incident and/or prosecution can have a negative impact on operations. Many large organisations, as part of their contractor and/or supplier programs, require businesses to report on their health and safety performance in their Tender applications or Invitations to Supply. A prosecution is likely to rule your organisation out of future engagements. In addition, a workplace that has been prosecuted may see this impact their brand. Not only may this see the general public decide to purchase from your competitors, it may also see your ability to access and retain talent damaged where workers have the ability to “choose” their employer of choice.

If you are like the team at Action OHS Consulting and Safety Champion Software and get a real kick out of interrogating data to make sense of trends; a link to the health and safety prosecutions in Victoria and NSW for 2016 can be found by following this link: Consolidated Raw Data from Victoria and NSW Health and Safety Prosecutions: Calendar Year 2016. This information was compiled by our data analysis from the information available at both the WorkSafe Victoria and SafeWork NSW websites.

If you would like more detail on our analysis, or provide us with an overview of your analysis or the trends that you see, please don’t hesitate to send an email to info@actionohs.com.au or contact us by telephone on 1300 101 OHS | 1300 101 647.

 

www.actionohs.com.au | info@actionohs.com.au | 1300 101 OHS | 1300 101 647

OHS Consulting Opportunities (Melb, VIC)

Are you interested in a health and safety consulting role where you get to role your sleeves up, get your hands dirty and make a difference?

You will be a self-starter who has a demonstrated ability to provide both considered and proactive health and safety advice. Your decisions will be based on reason, with a focus on operational and commercial impacts, legislative compliance, not just “the safety stick”.

Excellent verbal and written communication skills are essential – it is the basis of what we do and what health and safety consultation is built-on. As you would expect, the ability to think on your feet and multi-task will always be an advantage in the consulting environment.

The positions that we have available, call for driven people and people are invested in making a difference. The quality of our work has resulted in rapid growth which means we are in the process of considering roles for consultants to support our growing list of SMEs, government, publicly listed and privately owned businesses.

Attitudes which we are looking for? Great ones! Attitude is how we have built our team, so if you’re excited to work with us, that’s a great start.

Proven experience and skills that we would like to see include:

  • Actively working within an operational WHS/OHS role (or roles!); and
  • Principal and/or Lead OHSMS Auditor experience; or
  • Safety Management System Development; or
  • An Allied Health (i.e. Physio, OT, Exercise Physiology) background to support our ongoing delivery of workstation ergonomics assessments and manual handling advice.

Skills wise, qualifications we would see you having:

  • Tertiary Qualifications in OHS;
  • Membership with an industry body such as Exemplar Global , SIA, AIOH, HFESA,  ESSA;
  • OHSMS Auditor Training;
  • Cert IV in TAE.

We have offices located in Sydney and Melbourne. All roles are based in Melbourne (Richmond). While you will be based in Melbourne, you will need to be prepared to travel using your own vehicle and/or occasionally staying overnight. The number of roles we have, and what these roles look like are not set in stone; full-time part-time or freelance – we will consider them all. Our goal is to find the right person or people to support our amazing clients, not to try and fit a mould.

If you would like to apply, or gather more information regarding the opportunity; please do not hesitate to contact us: info@actionohs.com.au | 1300 101 647.

 

Building a Safe Workplace Together

www.actionohs.com.au | info@actionohs.com.au | 1300 101 OHS | 1300 101 647

Prosecutions: January to April 2016 for NSW & Victoria

Workplace prosecutions are something that health and safety practitioners should maintain oversight of to identify trends and maintain awareness of foreseeable hazards. This article provides an overview of the prosecutions listed by WorkSafe Victoria and SafeWork NSW between January and April 2016.

 

Prosecutions: Numbers and Related Legislation

The first 4 months of 2016 saw a total of 42 health and safety prosecutions in Victoria and a total of 6 prosecutions in NSW.

 

Within Victoria:

  • 40 prosecutions were recorded against the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004
  • 1 prosecution was recorded against the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2007
  • 1 prosecution involved both the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 and the Dangerous Goods Act 1985.

Within NSW:

  • 1 prosecution was recorded against the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000
  • 5 prosecutions were recorded against the Work Health and Safety Act 2011.

 

Prosecutions: An Overview of Fines

The average fine in both states came in at $83,000. The median fines varied significantly. The maximum fine issued by each state regulator is as follows:

  • Victoria – $750,000
  • NSW – $187,500.

 

 

In NSW each prosecution resulted in a monetary fine. In Victoria 40 fines were issued (95% of the total prosecutions). In addition to the fines, WorkSafe Victoria issued 2 Enforceable Undertakings. In these cases, the enforceable undertaking is a legally binding agreement between WorkSafe Victoria and the employer. The employer is obliged to carry out the specific activities outlined in the undertaking. Such scenarios ensure that the workplace implement agreed corrective actions.

 

Prosecutions: What is the Cause and where are the Gaps?

With respect to the criteria/codes that lead to prosecution – the top 10 criteria, as defined by WorkSafe Victoria, are outlined below.

  1. Failure to provide a safe working environment – 43%
  2. Failure to provide a safe system of work – 38%
  3. Failure to provide information, instruction, training or supervision – 26%
  4. Falls/work at height offences – 21%
  5. Crush injuries 19%
  6. Failure to conduct a risk/hazard assessment – 17%
  7. Guarding – 17%
  8. Failure to conduct a risk/hazard identification – 12%
  9. Failure to provide and maintain plant – 12%
  10. Unguarded plant – 12%.

 

Prosection Criteria-Code_Jan-April 2016

 

Combined, failure to provide a safe system of work and safe working environment resulted in over one third of the prosecutions. This outlines the requirement for workplaces to actively:

  • Assess their workplace risks. 
  • Consider safety when procuring equipment – how effective is guarding?
  • Considering safety when engaging contractors.

It is noteworthy to comment that six (6) of the prosecutions in Victoria were associated with the failure of the workplace to isolate energy when repairing and/or cleaning equipment. All workplaces that have plant and equipment should strongly consider establishing Safe Operating Procedures (SOPs) in consultation with their operators, and ensure that their workers and contractors have been trained and competent in these.

 

Prosecutions: Of Interest

Some prosecutions that may be of interest may include:

  • Once the loading of a truck was complete, the truck driver asked the employee operating the forklift to lift him up onto the truck on the tynes of the forklift. The forklift operator stated that he knew it was the wrong thing to do but he did it anyway. Whilst being lifted, the truck driver’s right hand became entangled in the mast and mast channel of the forklift. The truck driver suffered bruising and some lacerations to his hand, but did not receive treatment as an inpatient in hospital. The offender pleaded guilty and was, without conviction, sentenced to pay a fine of $18,000 and to pay costs of $3,895.
  • A workplace was transferring a 660 litre bin loaded with cardboard through an Automated Car Park Station. While waiting in the car park, an elderly women was struck by the corner of a 660 litre wheeled waste storage bin loaded with cardboard. The woman was knocked to the floor. The offender pleaded guilty and was, without conviction, sentenced to pay a fine of $50,000.00 and to pay costs of $4,564.00. It was reasonably practicable for the offender to control the risks to health and safety associated with the task by ensuring bins were not overfilled with cardboard, using a spotter when transporting bins through public areas and scheduling of loaded bin movements out of hours to minimise risks to the public. 
  • A manufacturing company that produces materials for the construction industry was sentenced to pay a fine of $40,000.00 and to pay costs of $3,975.00 following a worker breaking their leg after the 500 kg material collapsed while undertaking the task. The “task” involved two (2) employees lifting and loading a suspended material weighing 500 kilograms onto a flatbed truck. There was no safe system of work associated with the task of lifting, transporting and loading facade modules at the workplace. It was reasonably practicable for the offender to control the risk by implementing a safe operating procedure for lifting, transporting and loading materials which included the identification of the risks and the associated control measures.
  • A company that provides cleaning services to various businesses via engagement of subcontracted cleaners. A cleaner was engaged to clean at a meat and poultry production business. The cleaner was cleaning a mixer (which had an interlocked grate at the top, but access via the exit point at the bottom) which mixed meat. The cleaning company failed to ensure that the workplace was safe, by failing to ensure that the workplace where the cleaning was to take place provided adequate information, instruction and training to the subcontractors, in relation to the lockout/tagout system for isolation of the mixer prior to dismantling and cleaning it, and failed to prohibit its subcontractors from working until such adequate information, instruction and training was provided. The cleaner was cleaning the mixer with a hose and a scourer and put his hand with the scourer through the bottom opening to remove the debris. The mixer began to operate and his left hand was caught by a rotating auger, severing three fingers, only two of which were able to be surgically re-attached. The offender pleaded guilty and was, with conviction, sentenced to pay a fine of $20,000 and to pay costs of $7,000.
  • An employee, who was given the job of preparing the rig for work, was unfamiliar with its controls and had never installed or been trained in how to install the 1.8 metre leader extension which had to be fitted to the mast. Despite reporting his concerns to his supervisor, work on preparing the rig continued. As a result, 10 of the 16 bolts needed to secure the leader extension to the rig were not fitted. Later that day the deceased was working at the top of the rig when the mast snapped causing the deceased to fall to the ground, along with a 20 metre section of the mast. A conviction was imposed and a fine of $750,000.00.
  • An employee suffered serious arm and hand injuries which required hospitalisation after attempting to clean a cannelloni dough mixer. The guarding on the dough mixer did not prevent access to the danger area, due to the interlock device that was fitted not isolating power to the rotating paddle inside the feeder hopper. There were no policies, procedures or instructions for the cannelloni dough mixer. The incident was not reported to WorkSafe immediately or in writing in 48 hours, and the incident scene was not preserved. The offender pleaded guilty and was, with conviction, sentenced to pay a fine of $30,000.00 and costs of $2,557.00.
  • A 15 year old employee of a labour hire business was driving a forklift. Three children (two of whom had no prior farm work experience), were left unsupervised and the forklift was accessible to those three children in that the keys were left in the ignition. There was a risk of serious injury or death to employees using the forklift without being licenced, and that leaving the keys in the forklift allowed unauthorised access to the forklift. The deceased was killed when the forklift he was driving tipped over causing fatal injuries. The offender pleaded guilty and was to pay a fine of $450,000.

It is worth mentioning that 10% of the prosecutions were the result of workplaces that failed to notify WorkSafe Victoria that a notifiable incident that occurred in their workplace, and 7% of the prosecutions were the result of workplaces that failed to preserve the incident site. Both of these requirements are expressed clearly within Section 38 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004. If your workplace is not familiar with what incidents require notification, or, if there is no reference in your procedures on how to manage a notifiable incident – this is something you should consider reviewing immediately. Please Contact Us if you require direction.

Finally, apart from legal fees, fines and a negative prosecution result, a conviction can comprise future work opportunities and the ability for your organisation to participate in tenders. Why? Many contractor agreements these days request that you provide information outlining your:

  • Hazard management processes (i.e. SWMSs, JSAs, etc.);
  • Worker competencies (e.g. licences, etc.);
  • Insurance details (i.e. Workers Compensation, Public Indemnity and Professional Liability); and,
  • Prosecution history (from convictions to regulator notices received).

Safe workplace practices will reduce your workplace’s likelihood of incident and/or injury, and support your workplace growing. The output being a productive workplace that provides workers with both confidence and job security.

 

www.actionohs.com.au | info@actionohs.com.au | 1300 101 OHS | 1300 101 647

Planning: Safety in Design – When and What to Consider?

The 2nd ‘Safety in Design’ Conference was held recently in Melbourne during May 2016. As the name suggests, the topics discussed on the day centered on the importance of considering and planning for safety in areas such as:

  • process and functional safety (e.g. when designing plant and/or guarding);
  • construction of new and/or refurbishment of buildings;
  • purchase of new plant; and
  • designing guarding for current plant (i.e. retro-fitting) – which has been raised by a number of our clients in recent times.

The presenters focused on the challenges of safety in design and the importance of balancing the risks and costs of today, whilst anticipating the needs of tomorrow through a “whole of life” design review. Whole of life considerations that are often forgotten about, include:

  • repair and maintenance;
  • cleaning;
  • training and licence requirements;
  • monitoring requirements (e.g. noise and/or dust); or
  • decommissioning, etc.

A key message from the conference was that safety needs to be considered at the concept stage, when decisions are made about the ‘intended purpose’ and/or ‘required deliverable’, as opposed to safety being considered only after the design commences. The following example was shared which gave this thinking some perspective:

If safety in design was considered after a decision was made to have a rail-road crossing, the safety considerations will be specific to the design, and in line with the “agreed deliverable”. The safety aspects of the design would make the rail-road crossing as safe as possible – it would include booms, lights, signals, etc. However, wouldn’t it be better if safety in design was considered at the concept stage? If the “goal” was to prevent cars and trains impacting, safer solutions such as a bridge and/or underpass may have been an option for consideration.

 

 

Being consulted with in the concept phased resonates daily in the workplaces we support. We recently had a client contact us to gather advice about what they needed to ensure was in place prior to purchasing a forklift, due to their walkie stacker: (1) not being able to access the top level of racking, and (2) not being able to reach-forward. After reviewing the “efficiency” that could be generated across a small floor area where load shifting occurred for less than 2 hours per day, against the hazards that would need to be controlled if a forklift was introduced (e.g. mobile plant moving at faster speeds, licencing requirements, fuel onsite – resulting in the management of hazardous chemicals, etc.), the client started to investigate walkie stacker options that provided the result / goal they were after. 

 

Safety in design (and procurement) should be considered when the “goals” of the design are being considered, not once the “finalised deliverable” has been prescribed.

 

Consideration of safety in the concept phase will support elimination, or provide the best opportunity to significantly reduce risk of whole of life design issues with an item of plant or a building. From our view point as health and safety consultants, past experience continues to demonstrate that trying to manage and reduce hazards post implementation can:

  • be financially expensive. Retro-fitting requires a new plan(s), sourcing materials and trades for smaller/one-off jobs.
  • be resource demanding. Someone at your workplace (or many), will be required to focus their time on a project that could have been resolved earlier. Their time will be utilised due to their involvement in supporting risk assessments, construction, managing contractors, etc. – everything can’t be “outsourced”. In addition, time will be spent training your workers in the new practices and/or processes.
  • impact safety culture. Your workers may feel that their voices are not considered as “known” hazards continue to reappear; as opposed to be managed better, or eliminated. 

We understands that there is incredible pressure on business owners to look for cost saving measures when purchasing new plant, leasing new premises, or refurbishing current premises in order to remain profitable. Therefore, managing risk by considering safety in the concept phase of the design, when project “goals” are being agreed on makes absolute sense.

 

www.actionohs.com.au | info@actionohs.com.au | 1300 101 OHS | 1300 101 647

Training: Improving the Impact of your Training – Blocked vs Random Practice

Training is critical for all organisations to ensure that workers have the appropriate knowledge and skill to competently complete the inherent requirements of their role safely.

What training looks like varies considerably and will often depend on the training requirement. We often ask the question to our clients “what consideration did you make when developing the training program in your workplace?” Often, their response is limited. This article takes a look at “blocked” practice versus “random” practice.

In a sporting context, everyone has been exposed to blocked and random practice. Think about going to the golf driving range, shooting a basketball or netball. When training to execute the skill, do you think it would be better to act out Scenario A 10 times, before moving onto Scenario B for 10 attempts, and then onto Scenario C for 10 attempts (this approach is referred to as blocked practice); or, would it be better to act out Scenario A once, Scenario B once and Scenario C once and repeat this 10 times (this is referred to as random practice)?

The answer is dependent on whether you were assessing the performance in the training, or the performance at a later date.

Blocked practice should produce better performance than random practice during the initial rehearsal/training.

 

Blocked practice is an effective way for the participant to “understand” the components of the individual skill. Once this skill is understood, it is random practice that facilitates the participant’s ability to retain the skill. 

 

Why? During random practice, the participant is required to fully focus on the skill and replay the entire motor pattern. Blocked practice sees the participant make small adjustments to the motor pattern, in line with how they executed the skill on the last occasion. In a “real” life situation, do you have the ability to make minor adjustments based on your last performance?

When designing effective training, consider the knowledge of the participants:

  • If the task is new for the worker(s), you may want to schedule training activities to transition from a blocked to a random approach when developing the training materials.
  • If it is re-training and the workers are familiar with the skill, you may want to schedule all training activities in line with random practice.

In addition, you will need to consider what do the attendees’ work tasks looks like? If their work requires constant variation in the task; random practice is likely to be more effective. Golf is a great example here, you often hear about players frustrated as to why their “form” at the driving range does not translate onto the golf course. The reason for this is, on the golf course they only get one shot/chance to execute the skill (and that shot counts). Whilst at the driving range, they implicitly make minor adjustments (to their motor pattern) between attempts, using the knowledge of their last attempt. This means that the consequence of errors is not as visible. It also means that the “form” they have described on the driving range, has been learnt from the adjustments they have made from their earlier shots during that practice session.

How can this be better managed? At the driving range, consider changing clubs or the scenario for each shot, train how you play. This is the same for training in the workplace – is there variation when your workers operate machines, or undertake certain activities?

To support learning, where appropriate, a key consideration for the person developing the training is to move away from a blocked approach to a randomised approach. Whilst challenging for your participants initially – it will improve their skills in the future.

Another aspect to consider is how your competency assessments are structured? If the operator can continue to attempt until they “pass”, does this demonstrate competency, or does this demonstrate that they have an ability to use the feedback provided from the knowledge of the last result? The importance of getting this right will depend on the impacts to your workplace of the “error”.

 

www.actionohs.com.au | info@actionohs.com.au | 1300 101 OHS | 1300 101 647

Technology: 10 Questions to Consider When Purchasing OHS Software

Businesses of all sizes struggle with managing their workplace safety responsibilities. When operations are busy, activities which have been initiated to ensure that the established risk controls are in place and working can often be forgotten. Let’s face it, there should be a reason why these activities have been scheduled, and if this reason is to protect the health and safety of workers, contractors or visitors, they should not be placed on the “to do later” list. Increased workloads, being “busy”, or “forgetting” is no justification.

 

At every workplace there should be a well understood reason for every health and safety task that is being undertaking. If the reason you are undertaking the task is not understood, maybe now is time to review those tasks, rather than just “forgetting” about them?

 

 

In addition to “tasks” being completed; the management of “the evidence” of tasks being completed is often unstructured. 

Software can assist. Software does assist. It is common place now for OHS Software programs to automatically email the identified workplace stakeholders, with reminders of when important tasks are scheduled for completion. OHS Software programs should then provide the workplace with a way to manage the OHS record(s) on completion. The simplicity of OHS Software means that it is something that many workplaces are now considering to introduce to support the visibility of their OHS Program and establish workplace efficiencies.

Whilst there are many software applications on the market, all OHS Software is not the same. The majority of the OHS Software programs that are on the market are “commercial off-the-shelf (COTS)”. This means that they have been made, ready for sale to the public. It means that they are not developed specifically to a workplace – that includes your workplace. They have been designed to be implemented easily into workplaces with minimal customisation. This means that the “80-20 rule” should be considered (i.e. at a minimum, the OHS Software program should be able to effectively deliver 80% of the outputs you require). However, with careful planning and by following the considerations below, you should be in a position to elevate that 80 closer to 100 – by identifying the OHS Software program that is “more-right” for your workplace’s needs.

Procuring an OHS Software program should be considered a long-term relationship. To ensure that you get the right OHS Software program for your business, it is absolutely essential that you do your homework first. Listed below, in no particular order, are ten (10) questions you should consider, before purchasing a “web-based” OHS Software program:

  • Are you looking for an “OHS Software package” or “OHS Policy and Procedures”? OHS Software packages are effectively “frameworks”. This means that your workplace will be required to develop the OHS Policy and Procedures additional to the OHS Software licence. Some packages will provide a “Manual” that is in line with their OHS Software program (this is rare). If a Manual is provided, ask your supplier how much work will be required to align the Manual to meet your workplaces operational needs, and if any additional documentation may be required.
  • Are you looking at OHS Software or “Web-based” OHS Software? Besides being antiquated, OHS Software that is loaded onto individual computers (think the “old” Microsoft Office), does not have the “flexibility” of web-based OHS Software. The user is locked into being at their computer to access their OHS Management System. Web-based OHS Software will also allow users to access their OHS Management System anywhere, and on any device (where they have access to the internet). A bonus of web-based OHS Software is that the supplier should provide you with “free” automatic updates as the OHS Software develops – this cannot be said for Microsoft Office!
  • How easy is the OHS Software to use? This may sounds straight forward, but it is often overlooked as the procurement team gets caught up in the initial excitement of the “new” and “shinny” software program that is going to make “everyone’s” life easier. While some OHS Software packages may look great when demonstrated, it is important that you are considering/questioning:
    • if it provides the functionality you need?
    • does it address your business critical workplace’s needs?
    • if the user interface is clear and simple to navigate?
    • will your users, who may have varying levels of computer literacy, be able to easily use the OHS Software?
  • Are there limitations surrounding the number of workers (Users) who can access the OHS Software? The evidence tells us that health and safety is about the collective, not individuals, at a workplace. A number of OHS Software programs place limitations explicitly around the number of user licences a workplace has access to, or implicitly does this by “significant” increases in their pricing when multiple licences are requested. If there are limitations around the number of users who can access your OHS Software, ask the question…

…how will our workplace live the mantra that “safety is everyone’s responsibility”? 

  • Does the OHS Software have a lock-in period? If the OHS Software package effectively delivers all of the benefits that you signed-up to during the initial procurement, it makes sense that you would continue to use the software – right? As disclosed above, the majority of OHS Software is “Commercial off-the-shelf”, this means that the business you are looking to purchase the OHS Software from, often has not invested time in developing the software specifically for “your” workplace needs. This being the case, you should be very nervous of OHS Software suppliers that look to lock you into contract greater than 1 year. If the OHS Software: (i) behaves as promised; (ii) has effective help support; and, (ii) continues to improve in line with advances in technology, you will stay. For the majority of businesses, OHS Software does not need to be developed specifically for the organisation.
  • Can you access the OHS Software from Mobiles and Tablets? With so many organisations operating outside the traditional office setup; would workers being able to access your OHS Software from their mobile telephone and/or tablet be of benefit?
  • Does the OHS Software provide you with access to all Modules or just “some” Modules? All software can be a “tricky” to navigate. Whilst advertising a “starting” price, OHS Software providers will often charge additional fees that are “disproportional” to the initial outlay, for any extra modules that you identify in the future that could benefit your workplace as your safety program matures. Make sure you understand all potential future costs – even if you don’t think you will need them all right now. Running multiple systems due to cost, as we often see, is confusing and disorganised.
  • What does the OHS Software “Help” support look like? Before financially investing in an OHS Software system, you need to ensure that there is an easy way for questions and/or concerns that you have to be raised and managed. As a minimum, the OHS Software should provide you with access to:
    • a “Help” Support Manual.
    • the ability to raise issue either by email and/or telephone.
    • Note: It may also be in your best interest to understand if there is any cost associated with any help requests that you make.
  • What happens to “your” data if you decide that the OHS Software is no longer for you? Firstly, it is your data. Secondly, you have a legislative duty to maintain selected health and safety records. Therefore, it is absolutely critical that you have access to these. Can you export or download the data yourself? Or does the OHS Software provider charge you retrieval costs?
  • Does the OHS Software have compatibility with other IT Systems? All software should support efficiency. With workplaces typically having at least one IT Program established prior to implementing an OHS Software package, it is worth identifying how the OHS Software package can align with your current IT system(s)? For example, will you be required to manage employee information across multiple platforms (i.e. your payroll system and your OHS Software package)? Or will the two (2) packages be able to communicate with each other? If the OHS Software cannot directly communicate with other IT Programs you have installed, what other options have been provided to you to support efficiency? For example, is there the ability to import data?

This is by no means an exhaustive list and it should not cover the full breadth of your review. If you would like further support, or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. With regards to additional considerations, we will look to provide more information in future blogs. If you have any feedback on your experience with procuring OHS Software, we would love to hear from you.

 

www.actionohs.com.au | info@actionohs.com.au | 1300 101 OHS | 1300 101 647

Prosecutions: 2015 Summary for NSW & Victoria

Workplace prosecutions are something that health and safety practitioners should maintain oversight of to identify trends. This article provides an overview of the prosecutions listed by WorkSafe Victoria and Safe Work NSW for 2015 as of 15 March 2016.  

 

Prosecutions: Numbers and Related Legislation

2015 saw a total of 85 health and safety prosecutions in Victoria and 52 prosecutions 52 in NSW.

Prosecutions NSW and VIC 2015_Updated MAR16

Within Victoria:

  • 80 prosecutions were recorded against the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004
  • 2 prosecutions were recorded against the Dangerous Goods Act 1985
  • 1 prosecution was recorded against the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2007
  • 1 prosecution involved both the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 and the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2007
  • 1 prosecution involved both the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 and the Dangerous Goods Act 1985.

Within NSW:

  • 21 prosecutions were recorded against the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000
  • 30 prosecutions were recorded against the Work Health and Safety Act 2011
  • 1 prosecution was against the Explosives Act 2003.

Interestingly, whilst the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 in NSW was superseded as of 1 January 2012, approximately 40% of the prosecutions listed in NSW during 2015 were against the superseded Act.

 

Prosecutions: An Overview of Fines

The average fine in both states exceeded $50,000. In NSW the average fine was only slightly greater when comparing between the current and superseded legislation; however, the amounts for both: (i) median fine ($80,000 v  $47,250), and (ii) the greatest fine (412,500 v $300,00), were greater when prosecuted against the current legislation. This is in line with the guidance that was provided on enactment, that penalties would increase when the harmonised Work Health and Safety Legislation was introduced.

 

Prosecutions Fines NSW and VIC 2015_Updated_MAR16

 

Prosecutions Fines NSW Median Max

 

In NSW each prosecution resulted in a monetary fine. In Victoria 59 fines were issued (69% of the total prosecutions). In addition to the fines, WorkSafe Victoria issued seven (7) Enforceable Undertakings. In these cases, the enforceable undertaking is a legally binding agreement between WorkSafe Victoria and the employer. The employer is obliged to carry out the specific activities outlined in the undertaking. Such scenarios ensure that the workplace implement agreed corrective actions.

 

Prosecutions: What is the Cause and where are the Gaps?

With respect to the criteria/codes that lead to prosecution – the top 10 criteria, as defined by WorkSafe Victoria, are outlined below.

  1. Failure to provide a safe system of work – 34%
  2. Guarding – 20%
  3. Failure to provide a safe working environment – 18%
  4. Failure to notify WSV of a notifiable incident – 16%
  5. Failure to provide and maintain plant – 16%
  6. Failure to provide information, instruction, training or supervision – 13%
  7. Falls/work at height offences – 13%
  8. Crush injuries – 12%
  9. Failure to conduct a risk/hazard assessment – 8%
  10. Failure to preserve incident site – 8%.

 

Prosecutions Criteria NSW and VIC 2015_Updated_MAR16

Combined, failure to provide a safe system of work and safe working environment resulted in over half of the prosecutions. This outlines the requirement for workplaces to actively:

  • Assess their workplace risks. Workplaces should consider listing all foreseeable hazards in the workplace, and document the current controls that have been implemented to support the management of the hazard. At this time, the workplace should consider additional/ alternative control strategies. If the risk associated with the hazard can be further mitigated, this should be documented with a Safety Action Plan developed to support implementation.
  • Consider safety when procuring equipment. Often safety is an afterthought. Considering safety prior to purchasing will better ensure that controls do not require retro-fitting and/or additional equipment is not required to manage the “new” hazard presented – both having financial implications.
  • Considering safety when engaging contractors. Workplaces often engage contractors to support processes that they are not familiar with, which means new hazards may be introduced to the workplace. Prior to engaging contractors, along with price, seek information from those you are about to engage to ensure that they can maintain that safe working environment you have established.

Guarding and maintenance of plant equates for over one third of prosecutions. Guarding is a high level control that ensures there is separation between workers (and their limbs) and moving parts. Management and supervisors should be undertaking regular walk-throughs to ensure that guarding is not overridden. The guarding that management and supervisor walk past is the fatality and/ or amputation that they accept. Where guarding has been removed, management and supervisors should talk with the operators to understand the basis for this. Are operational KPIs realistic? Can processes be reviewed? Is the plant fit for the purpose that the workplace wants? Is additional equipment required?

Worth a mention is the 16% of workplaces that failed to notify WorkSafe Victoria of the notifiable incident that occurred in their workplace and the 8% of workplaces that failed to preserve the incident site. Both of these requirements are expressed clearly within the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004. If your workplace is not familiar with what incidents require notification, or there is no training or reference in your procedures on how to manage a notifiable incident – it is something you should consider reviewing immediately.

Finally, apart from legal fees, fines and a negative prosecution result, the lengthy duration of legal proceedings can impact workplace resources (e.g. with conflicting focuses between the prosecution and workplace safety). The impact also flows through to other areas of the business resulting in a negative safety culture, low morale amongst workers as well as the negative impact on business development due to ‘loss of faith/brand damage’ that is perceived by the general public.  

 

www.actionohs.com.au | info@actionohs.com.au | 1300 101 OHS | 1300 101 647

 

Planning: What is your health and safety strategic plan?

Does your workplace have an OHS plan? If so, does your workplace have OHS objective and targets to support you to achieve the outputs of this plan? And, if you have established objectives and targets, are these periodically reviewed, evaluated and redefined (if necessary)?

 

Or do they actually sit somewhere in the background, getting reviewed on an ad-hoc basis… or worse still, after a health and safety incident occurs? We’re going to reveal a phrase in here that we think encompasses a trap that many businesses and organisations might fall into when it comes to health and safety management.

 

“A target without a plan is just a wish…” 

 

When we take time to consider this phrase, it is evident that to effectively achieve any workplace safety goals we have set in place, requires careful and considered planning. Why then do many workplaces continue to leave their Health and Safety Program in “the hands of the Gods”?

 

 

Where to from here?

To get you started, we wanted to outline some clear and practical advice for the strategic planning of your workplace safety program. Here goes…

 

  • Ensure that Senior Managers are aware of their legislated health and safety duties and due diligence obligations.
  • Establish key stakeholders to help define your workplaces health and safety objectives and targets. It is important that the objectives and targets that your workplace agrees on, are aligned to your Health and Safety Policy. When establishing targets make sure that they are:
    • S – Specific
    • M – Measurable
    • A – Achievable
    • R – Realistic
    • T – Time-framed 
      • Lead performance indicators: Measure the actions your business takes to improve performance.  They are in-process measures and can be predictive.
      • Lag performance indicators: Report on outcomes. This is an after-the-event measurement, essential for charting progress, but less effective when attempting to influence the future.
      • Note: Lead indicators often require an investment in time to implement. Generally, lead indicators require initiative and/or action prior to a result being seen by a lag indicator.
  • With consideration to your workplace Health and Safety Targets, establish a Safety Action Plan. Within the Safety Action Plan outline timeframes and attach responsibilities.
  • Communicate Health and Safety Targets to workplace.
  • Periodically review Health and Safety Targets and Safety Action Plan.

 

How about a free 30 minute consult. If you’re in Australia, book yours today.

 

Some free resources to get started with your planning

We’ve worked with over 500 Australian businesses over the last several years, designing and establishing solutions to a range of needs. And trust us, we see the many frustrations and challenges that businesses have with safety, as they attempt to comply with the laws.

 

Rest assured, there are some great resources you can access for free to get you started. Some that we love;

  1. Check out WorkSafe Vic’s Industry Hotspots website that provides you with an idea of what hazards and risks are most relevant in your industry – the ones you should look to address/prevent first. http://injuryhotspots.com.au/#/
  2. Here’s a list of Australian-based regulators where you can go to get relevant advice and guidance. https://www.actionohs.com.au/ohs-legislation/ 
  3. If you need a software system to keep your safety management tasks on track and ticking along, try Safety Champion’s GO FREE plan. A forever free plan for safety software that allows you to manage incidents, inspections, hazards, corrective actions and more. http://safetychampion.com.au/

 

Remember, we’re in the business of making safety easier and more accessibly to all businesses and people – irrespective of their safety knowledge or expertise. If you need assistance, please don’t hesitate to let us know. Contact us today.

 

www.actionohs.com.au | info@actionohs.com.au | 1300 101 OHS | 1300 101 647

Training: Are you training for compliance or safety?

The majority of workplaces we speak with understand the need for training; however, many do not “understand” the purpose of training. Well-kept and documented training records demonstrate excellent compliance practices, not excellent training practices.

The purpose of training is not to demonstrate your records management skills; it is to ensure that your workers have been provided with the right skills to complete their job safely. Think about it for a moment; has your training been developed for you workers, or have they been developed to tick a compliance box?

Whilst your business may have well-presented training materials, do these training materials focus on all learning styles? If your training is based on paper based instructions or reading off a computer screen, you may have missed the mark for some workers. Robust training should be developed to include all learning styles. One of the most common and widely-used categorisations of learning styles is Fleming’s VARK model. This model suggests there are three learning styles:

  • Auditory:The worker learns through listening. These workers depend on hearing and speaking as their main way of learning. Auditory learners must be able to hear what is being said in order to understand. These workers may have difficulty with instructions that are written.
  • Visual:The worker learns when ideas, concepts, data and other information is associated and presented with images and techniques.
  • Kinaesthetic (Tactile):Learning takes place by the workers doing the task or role playing the task, rather than listening to how the task is done or watching a demonstration.

Whilst most workers will learn across all styles, some may be strongly aligned to one style. To ensure that training is not only a compliance exercise, look to incorporate all three learning styles into the delivery of all of your training sessions.

 

www.actionohs.com.au | info@actionohs.com.au | 1300 101 OHS | 1300 101 647

Technology: Wait, there’s more “stuff” that you don’t have easy access to!

A Safety Officer’s workplace is often a nightmare of folders, disorganised paperwork, papers, folders and more folders; mixed with checklists, spreadsheets and templates. 

Action OHS Consulting is often engaged to undertake safety audits. The nervous Safety Officer that greets us is not an irregularity. Whilst there is no need to be nervous – I get it. Folders for incidents, folders for chemicals, folders full of meeting and training records, spreadsheets acting as risk registers, contractor registers and incident registers partly in Excel with the other part in either Word or Access, not to mention email chain after email chain. This form of management often means that in addition to the desktop audit, we are also engaged to visit multiple sites to “verify” safety performance.

This form of management, to the surprise of the client, regularly leads to gaps in the implementation of the Safety Management Plan that are only picked up when we are on-site. Whilst the client will continue to unsuccessfully search for the requested safety record, is this gap due to the safety record being misplaced, lost, or not completed – we will never know.

There has to be an easier way – and there is. With technology advancing, cloud and web-based solutions are becoming more relevant and accessible.

Cloud based software provides a more efficient and transparent way of working. Automated reminders and remote visibility of implementation, the days of the Safety Officer having to be on-site to “influence” safety is quickly disappearing. Influencing safety is about impacting behaviours and empowering site management to talk and manage safety ongoing. It is about understanding the ‘pain points’ associated with the implementation of your workplace’s health and safety system, with a view to continuously improve these. If a Safety Officer “needs” to be on-site for “safety to happen”; the issue is not safety; it is the knowledge and/or skills of your workplace managers.

The endless nightmare of paper files, or records stored on hard drives, shared over email – restricts the Safety Officer to do their job. It restricts the Safety Officer’s ability to access information to verify and monitor performance when they are not at the workplace.  It moves their role from being a safety leader or coach, to a safety compliance officer. It restricts their ability to influence which limits their ability to improve safety performance.

From our experience, it is obvious that most businesses are keen to take a step forward…some, however, are unsure how to.

Setting up a system that facilitates remote access to workplace specific information such as: incident records and registers; programmed tasks or events; chemical registers; and, maintenance or contractor registers, will allows the Safety Officer to monitor, gather knowledge, and then influence. If the system can also guide your workplace stakeholders of “what they need to do” by email or text message – surely this only makes implementation of your safety system more easy.

With technology progressing, change is imminent and now is an opportune time to consider if you want to lead or follow.

If you are looking to head down the technology pathway, before you start the conversation with providers, take some time to identify what “you want” from a cloud based software system. Consider your current stressors and pain points. Identify your “not negotiables” and “it would be nice if it could”. Be aware that you will be dealing with businesses that have a commercial interest in your decision, meaning that there is a lot of “slick” marketing out there designed to confuse and convince you that their option is the only fit for you. Start the conversation. Ask questions. Ask alot of questions, making sure you think about who you are dealing with. For example, are you dealing with a software company that is knowledgeable about software? Or, a safety focused company that is knowledgeable about software and safety?  

 

 www.actionohs.com.au | info@actionohs.com.au | 1300 101 OHS | 1300 101 647