Quick Start Guide

Getting Started with your new safTdox safety management system

safTdox is designed to store controlled documents.

It is important to understand that any documents that you download from safTdox, once they are downloaded, become 'uncontrolled' documents. To edit (update) documents from safTdox you will need to download them to a local computer. Documents that you are working on (Working Documents) should not be returned to safTdox until the changes are complete and the new version has been approved for use (Approved Documents).

In most cases, documents from safTdox such as Incident Reports, Site Safety Audits, and Risk Assessments, will be printed so that they can be completed and signed. Once signed, these documents need to be scanned and uploaded to the Admin area of safTdox as most will be considered to be confidential if they contain the names of individuals involved.

The original documents (paper) also need to be filed and kept, particularly in Queensland, as electronic versions of signed documents are not admissible in court unless the originals have been unintentionally lost.

Getting Started

Recommended First Steps

1. Work through the General Induction Presentation in the Courses folder.
2. Read your new Health and Safety Policy.
3. Print a copy of the Generic Site Audit 'Checklist and conduct your first site audit.
   1. A site audit should be conducted for each work site.
   2. All audits must be signed and dated.
   3. Scan completed form and upload to safTdox Admin area.
   4. File the paper original appropriately for an additional layer of security in your system.
4. Review the Site Audit you have just conducted and make an Action list of issues that need to be fixed, monitored, or eliminated.
   1. Some issues will be very simple to fix, such as clearing walkways and exits.
   2. Other, more serious or complex issues, may required a Risk Assessment. If this is the case then you will use the Risk Assessment tools which include:
      1. MANAGING WHS RISKS PROCEDURE (In Procedures folder)
      2. Risk Assessment Report (In Forms folder)
   3. All Hazards and Risks must be eliminated as far as is reasonably practicable
      1. If elimination is not possible, then you work down the Hierarchy of Control (i.e. through the levels) to find the highest level control that you can apply.
      2. The lowest (poorest) level of control is Personal Protective Equipment and should only be used in cases where no other control is available.
5. Remember Safety is Everybody's Business and as the PCBU you have the responsibility of communicating about safety matters with all of your workers, contractors, and clients. Review your new Consultation Policy.

safTdox Administration

Set up at least two Admin user accounts in your safTdox system in case the primary Safety Leader is not available.

Key Safety Personnel

Make sure that you have a

• qualified First Aid Officer at your workplace - who will be responsible to review and manage First Aid Requirements.
• designated Safety Leader - who will be responsible for safTdox and overall safety at your workplace
• designated Warden - who will be responsible for Emergency Procedures

In small workplaces, these roles may be filled by one person. The important thing is that everyone knows who has these roles.

Hazard and Incident Reporting

Hazard and Incident Reporting needs to be encouraged as much as possible.

It is common that people brush aside incidents that happen to them as being unimportant or perhaps embarrassing. For a workplace to be safe ALL hazards and incidents, no matter how minor someone thinks they are, must be reported. Only by doing this can you be sure that you have the opportunity to address and control potential injuries in your workplace.

An attitude of 'No Fault' and open communication is the most helpful here. In fact, some workplaces reward individuals for reporting hazards and 'near misses' as incentive to make the workplace as safe as possible.

Risk Assessment

Not all hazards or incidents require full formal Risk Assessments. Common sense should be used in considering whether or not to conduct a full risk assessment in a particular case.

But when considering how to control (fix) a hazard or the cause of an incident, the level of risk determines how quickly this must be done. If you have one hazard to take care of, then of course you just go ahead and sort it out. But if you have several different issues to address, these would be prioritized by the level of risk and a specific person and due date would be assigned to manage this.

Responsibility, accountability, and timeliness are key features of managing risks.

Gradual Continued Implementation

1. Continue to read through the new safTdox documents.
2. Get everyone involved in working out what pertains to you, what doesn't, and what's missing. Consider having regular consultative meetings, with everyone involved, to discuss specific policies or other items.
3. Begin including safety training into your normal training schedule. Courses such as Fire Safety, Emergency Evacuation Practices, Healthier Workplaces, PErforM (Manual Handling)

All safTdox documents are editable and it is intended that you will make them your own by editing, modifying and/or archiving the ones that don't pertain to you.

Continuous Improvement

A successful safety management system requires monitoring and continuous improvement. A schedule for the review and updating of policies, procedures and forms is often helpful. Review cycles vary from annual reviews to 5 year cycles. Choose a cycle that makes sense for your business.

Reviews would always be conducted when changes are made in the business, for example, physical changes to the site, organizational changes or legislative changes.

safTdox Support

Contact Us by email - safTdox Support[1]