October 2014
safTdox News
October is Safe Work Month across Australia.
Businesses and Individuals are encouraged to participate in a variety of activities to promote Health and Safety.
Safe Work Month Resources[1]
Virtual Seminar Series
This October Safe Work Australia is running the inaugural Virtual Seminar Series (VSS)—a free online event run throughout Safe Work Australia Month.
The VSS showcases some of the latest work health and safety thinking, developments, innovations and research and supports the vision of the Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy 2012-2022–the ten year framework to encourage improvements in Australia’s workplace health and safety.
The VSS is aimed at those with an interest in work health and safety and will feature live interactive panels and video presentations by work health and safety regulators, experts, business leaders and academics.
The themes for the VSS are:
- leadership and culture
- responsive and effective regulation
- agriculture and road freight transport industries, and
- small business.
If you would like to receive updates for this free online event, information on the program and the keynote speakers, register at www.swa.gov.au[2] or download the Safe Work Australia Safety Month smart phone app from the Apple App store or through Google Play by searching for "Safe Work Australia Safety Month".
For more information on the VSS and to see the draft program visit www.swa.gov.au[3]
Want to start talking about the VSS in social media? Use the hashtag #virtualWHS
safTdox Client Becomes Safe Work Month Finalist
Work Health and Safety Queensland runs its annual Safe Work Awards in October each year as part of its own Safe Work Month Activities. The business that inspired the creation of safTdox, Barney Beach Accommodation Centre, has been selected as a finalist in Category 3 - Best work health and safety practices in a small business of the Queensland Safe Work Awards 2014. Click this link, If you would like to see the full list of finalists[4].
In the News
Red Tape Reduction Initiative in Queensland from [5] The Queensland Government is committed to reducing red tape and the regulatory burden by 20 per cent by 2018. Office of Fair and Safe Work Queensland (OFSWQ) is working hard to contribute to this goal by identifying and implementing red tape reduction projects.
OFSWQ has sought to become more efficient and effective in delivering its services by leveraging the synergies that exist within its large network designed to deliver fair, safe and just outcomes to the Queensland community. Of particular importance is the need to ensure that any reductions in red tape do not diminish safety standards and high levels of compliance continue to be met in Queensland's 414,000 businesses.
A summary of OFSWQ's red tape reduction achievements is listed below along with potential future initiatives.
- Legislation - Streamlining legislative requirements reduces confusion and contributes to a higher likelihood of compliance.
- Business improvement - Moving processes online, reducing fees where possible and providing easier access to services enables business to direct time and resources away from administration and towards real safety outcomes.
- Forms - Simplifying the procedures to gather information required under legislation reduces time and cost for business and increases compliance.
- Future initiatives - OFSWQ is continuing to seek ways in which it can improve internal and external processes to reduce red tape and ensure high levels of safety compliance.
Businesses and individuals from across the Queensland community are encouraged to send their red tape reduction ideas to whspolicy@justice.qld.gov.au[6].
Further details about red tape reduction across Queensland can be found on the website of Queensland Treasury and Trade[7].
Fatal Incidents
- 15 September 2014 in Reedy Creek, a worker died when he sustained a head injury while operating an item of plant as part of a process to weld large polyethylene pipes for coal seam gas related infrastructure.
- 26 August 2014 at the Gracemere Saleyards near Rockhampton. A worker died in hospital from injuries he sustained after he fell from the top of a cattle transport trailer and was caught between its tray and gate and the back of another trailer. The trailers were positioned tail to tail in order to transfer cattle.
Prosecutions
No new prosecutions since September Newsletter. To read details of previous prosecutions visit WHSQ Prosecutions page[8]
In Focus
Safety Training
Training your staff in the proper use of equipment, handling of chemicals, and manual handling are just as essential as making sure staff have proper licences and qualifications required to do their jobs.
The first training that ALL employees should receive at your workplace is their Safety Induction. Then any training that is legally required for a worker to do their job should be addressed if not already done.
Next there should be a 12 month training plan that focusses on very specific topics. Scheduling a short training session at regular intervals, for example, each month, or every two months, can help to keep the plan on track. More than that, it ensures that staff are kept well informed and up to date with current best practice and keeps safety foremost in their minds.
Training can be performed in-house if you have people who are competent to deliver and assess the topic. Or you can access an external training provider. For example, an external qualified training provider would be employed to deliver Fire Extinguisher training, or First Aid training. Externally provided training can be done at the workplace or workers may go to another venue as required.
Suggested Topics
Some topics that we have found beneficial to our clients and which can be covered in a short training session (2-4 hours) include:
- Manual Handling (In Queensland using the PErforM risk management program)
- Sun Safety
- Hydration
- Communication
- Focus on a specific policy from your WHSMS
- Risk Assessment
- Incident Reporting and Investigation
- Hazard Reporting
- Job Safety Analyses
Essential training that can also be covered in short sessions includes:
- Fire Extinguisher training and
- Emergency Evacuation training
Management Commitment
A training plan that is implemented with training attendance documented in a Training Register, Feedback forms, Assessments, and Attendance Sheets, demonstrates the commitment that Management has made to Safety in their workplace.
Yes this does cost money. But well trained staff are less likely to injure themselves or others at work and at home. Fewer injuries results in many benefits to your business including better morale, more effective work practices, and less risk of prosecution for a breach of the WHS Act.
safTdox Training
safTdox will soon have an online course catalog to make it easier to book training sessions for your workplace.