PURPOSE
The purpose of this Plan is to establish and maintain an effective health and safety management system. vrsANA is committed to implementing a structured approach to workplace health and safety in order to achieve a consistently high standard of safety performance.
This Plan will assist vrsANA in meeting its obligations in accordance with work health and safety legislation. This Plan applies to all work carried out at vrsANA officers and workers and to other persons at risk from vrsANA workplaces. Failure to comply with the requirements of this Plan may lead to disciplinary action.
WORK HEALTH AND SAFETY (WHS) POLICY
The Statement of Commitment and the Implementation of Policy Commitment provide the overarching direction vrsANA will follow in pursuit of workplace health and safety outcomes.
Statement of Commitment
vrsANA is committed to providing a workplace that enables all work activities to be carried out safely. We will take all reasonably practicable measures to eliminate or minimise risks to the health, safety and welfare of workers, contractors, visitors, and anyone else who may be affected by our operations.
We are committed to ensuring we comply with the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (the Act). We will also comply with any other relevant legislation, applicable Codes of Practice and Australian Standards as far as possible.
This WHS Management Plan and vrsANA’s WHS Policies and Procedures set out the safety arrangements and principles which are to be observed by vrsANA and its workers to ensure compliance with the WHS Act and to provide appropriate mechanisms for continuing consultation and management of WHS matters.
Implementation of Policy Commitment.
vrsANA is committed to ensuring, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of its workers (employees, contractors, labour hire workers, outworkers, apprentices, students or volunteers) while they are at work, and that the health and safety of other persons (e.g. visitors) is not put at risk from our operations. This will be achieved by providing and maintaining a healthy and safe work environment through the implementation of safe work practices, safe systems of work and the provision of safe plant and equipment; ensuring that workplaces under the control of vrsANA compliance with the WHS Act and to provide appropriate mechanisms for continuing consultation and management of WHS matters.
Implementation of Policy Commitment.
vrsANA is committed to ensuring, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of its workers (employees, contractors, labour hire workers, outworkers, apprentices, students or volunteers) while they are at work, and that the health and safety of other persons (e.g. visitors) is not put at risk from our operations. This will be achieved by:
- Ensuring means of access and egress; are safe, without risk to
- Routinely consulting on health and safety matters in the workplace in order to maintain effective and co- operative relationships between vrsANA and its workers, and with other duty
- Reviewing, through appropriate mechanisms, the effectiveness of the safety measures
vrsANA’s commitment to providing safe and healthy working environments for its workers includes:
- providing relevant, up-to-date WHS information to all workers on matters such as workplace safety and their responsibilities;
- providing expert assistance in WHS matters where necessary;
- providing instruction and/or training in work processes where appropriate;
- developing and implementing strategies which include workplace assessment, hazard identification, and appropriate remedial action to eliminate or control hazards; and
- implementing and maintaining appropriate information, reporting and statistical systems.
DEFINITIONS
|
Terminology |
Definition |
|
Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) |
A PCBU has the primary duty of care to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable:
|
|
Officer |
It is an officer’s duty to exercise due diligence to ensure that the PCBU complies with its health and safety obligations under the WHS Act.
Note: A person is an Officer under the WHS Act only if they “make, or participate in making, decisions that affect the whole, or a substantial part, of the business of the corporation; or who has the capacity to affect significantly the corporation’s financial standing”. Whether a person is an Officer or not under the WHS Act will depend on the facts of the particular situation. |
|
Worker |
Previously known as ‘employee’. The term worker includes employees, contractors and sub-contractors and their employees, labour hire employees, outworkers, apprentices and trainees, work experience students and volunteers. |
|
Health and Safety Representative (HSR) |
A worker elected by members of their work group to represent them in health and safety matters. |
|
Other persons |
Includes any visitors |
RESPONSIBILITIES
As the duty holder, vrsANA , being the PCBU, must:
- ensure the health and safety of its workers and others in our workplace
- ensure the health and safety of other persons is not put at risk from work carried out as part of its operations
- provide and maintain a work environment that is without risks to health and safety
- provide and maintain safe plant and structures
- provide and maintain safe systems of work
- ensure the safe use, handling and storage of plant, structures and substances
- provide adequate facilities for the welfare of workers
- provide information, training, instruction and supervision
- monitor the health of workers and the conditions of our workplaces.
Specific duties as a PCBU also include:
- record and notify Comcare of any notifiable incidents arising out of the conduct of the business or undertaking
- ensure authorisations are in place for any high risk work or plant
- consult so far as reasonably practicable with other PCBUs or persons who have a duty in regard to a work health and safety matter
- consult so far as reasonably practicable with workers, their representatives and Health and Safety Representatives on work health and safety matters.
The Chairperson and members of the Board
The Executive Chairman and members of the Board, as officers, are responsible for ensuring that vrsANA complies with any duty or obligation under the WHS Act. This is achieved by these officers exercising due diligence, which means they:
- acquire and keep an up to date knowledge of work health and safety matters
- gain an understanding of vrsANA’s operations and the hazards and risks involved
- ensure that appropriate resources and processes are provided to enable hazards to be identified and risks to be eliminated or minimised
- ensure that information regarding incidents, hazards and risks is received, considered and responded to in a timely way
- ensure that vrsANA has, and implements, processes for complying with its WHS duties and obligations
- verify the provision and use of the resources and processes listed above.
This may include:
- having work health and safety as a standing agenda item for each Board meeting
- integrating WHS laws into everyday business through consultation with Managers and all workers
- developing a work health and safety management system framework, which will be reviewed on a regular basis by the Chairperson and Board members
- ensuring that WHS risk management is incorporated into all business activities and that hazard identification, risk assessment and control is an on-going process, including:
- development and maintenance of a WHS risk register
- development and maintenance of WHS policies and procedures
- ensuring an effective injury/incident reporting procedure
- ensuring appropriate processes are in place for WHS issues relating to contractor management
- ensuring that the procurement of any equipment takes into account WHS matters
- ensuring that regular hazard inspections of the vrsANA workplaces occur
- ensuring that WHS is a standing agenda item at all staff meetings
- incorporating WHS updates and information into regular reporting
- ensuring that contractors and visitors to vrsANA are provided with appropriate and reasonable WHS information at site entry, and
- ensuring that WHS issues are part of all training provided for staff, including induction
- ensuring that the work environment is a safe
- consult with their workers on measures to protect their health and safety
- actively follow agreed safety practices and model positive attitudes towards health and safety matters
- arrange for their workers to be instructed in healthy and safe systems of work and procedures and supervise the practice of safe working procedures
- notify the Chairperson and/or other members of the Board of all incidents, hazardous situations, dangerous occurrences or immediate risks to health and safety of any workers
- ensure that all workers are informed of this policy
- undertake consultation with all managers and workers on change that may affect their health and safety
- ensure that WHS is a standing agenda item at all staff meetings
- communicate WHS matters to the Chairperson of the Board.
Managers and Leaders
Managers and leaders are responsible for providing a workplace that is, as far as reasonably practicable, safe and healthy workplace for workers and visitors, in particular in the areas of their control. This includes:
- modelling health and safety leadership
- demonstrating a commitment to good health and safety performance, by:
- talking about safety at regular meetings
- ensuring safe work procedures are followed
- reporting incidents, hazards and safety concerns promptly
- assessing task risk and not allowing an activity to continue until it can be controlled adequately
- fostering a strong work health and safety culture where worker input is valued
- Promoting and implementing the vrsANA Work Health and Safety Management System
- actively support the identification of hazards and risks and the management of these
- understand and monitor safety performance objectives
- proactively manage other duty holders (e.g. contractors), when required.
Workers
Workers must take reasonable care for their own health and safety while they are at work, and take reasonable care that their acts or omissions do not adversely affect the health and safety of other persons. They must comply, so far as they are reasonably able, with any reasonable instruction given by the Station Manager, as well as co-operating with any reasonable vrsANA policy or procedure which relates to workplace health and safety. On a day to day basis, this includes:
- to the extent of the worker’s control or influence over working conditions and methods, take reasonable care to work safely
- making sure that the work area safe when leaving it
- make proper use of all appropriate safeguards, safety devices and personal protective equipment
- follow agreed safe working practices and rules
- report all known hazards, accidents and incidents as soon as possible.
It is acknowledged that, in accordance with the Act, a worker may cease, or refuse to carry out work if they have a reasonable concern the work would expose the worker to a serious risk to their health or safety. The Act requires workers who cease work to notify the relevant manager that they have ceased unsafe work as soon as practicable after doing so. It also requires workers to remain available to carry out ‘suitable alternative work’. This would not however require workers to remain at any place that poses a serious risk to their health or safety.
Contractors
Contractors, sub-contractors and self-employed persons are defined as “workers” under the WHS Act if they carry out work in any capacity for vrsANA. They are required to:
- comply with the requirements of the WHS legislation
- have in place any work health and safety policies and programs required under State/Territory safety legislation
- consult with vrsANA about safety matters and comply with policies
- work safely and to include the safety of vrsANA staff and visitors in their safety plans.
If any staff member believes that a contractor may be engaging in an unsafe work practice, they are required to report this issue to their manager.
Visitors
Visitors and other persons to vrsANA also have responsibilities to abide by our workplace safety rules and procedures. These responsibilities include to:
- take reasonable care for their own health and safety and for the health and safety of other persons
- comply with, so far as they are reasonably able, all reasonable safety directions provided by vrsANA staff
- report all safety related incidents to vrsANA staff.
- ensure the adequate supervision of any accompanying children.
- not enter any restricted area without authorisation or escort.
- not bring or consume alcohol or illegal drugs at vrsANA workplaces.
- not wilfully or recklessly interfere with vrsANA property.
CONSULTATION AND COMMUNICATION ARRANGEMENTS
Open communication between workers and managers is important to ensuring a safe workplace. Therefore, workers are encouraged to:
- ask questions relating to WHS
- bring up safety concerns
- make recommendations regarding WHS
- give regular feedback
- become involved in evaluation of safety issues
- participate in any WHS related problem solving process.
It is important that workers help shape decisions about WHS particularly when:
- identifying hazards and assessing risks
- making decisions about ways to eliminate or minimise those hazards or risks
- proposing business changes that may affect the health and safety of workers
- purchasing of new equipment or substances
- developing or changing job tasks or safety procedures.
All workers belong to a work group and are encouraged to raise any work health and safety concerns they may have with their manager and/or Health and Safety Representative. If the issue identified remains unresolved, it should be raised directly with the Office or State Manager.
Health and Safety Representatives (HSR)
HSRs are elected by members of a work group in order to represent the interests of that work group in matters relating to work health and safety. HSRs must undertake approved training to exercise their powers, and may:
- consult with workers on a regular basis
- inspect a work area as required
- participate in workplace accident and incident investigations as required
- participate in any change management discussions that may affect the health and safety of workers
- provide advice to managers on the welfare of workers in their work group.
HSRs cannot exercise their powers under the Act unless they are trained. HSRs are not liable for acts or omissions that are undertaken in good faith. HSRs are not entitled to personal or medical information about a worker without their consent unless that information is of a general form that does not identify workers specifically.
Health and Safety Committee
Health and Safety Committees provide the forum for the constructive discussion of measures to assure health and safety in the workplace. At vrsANA the Health and Safety Committee will meet quarterly and:
- facilitate co-operation between the PCBU and workers in the instigation, development and implementation of WHS policies and procedures
- assist in developing standards, rules and procedures relating to health and safety
- consult with workers regarding their WHS concerns
- consult with management regarding worker WHS concerns including change that may influence WHS more broadly
- ensure the conduct of regular workplace inspections.
Minutes of the latest Health and Safety Committee meeting will be made available for all workers to review.
TRAINING
The Health and Safety Committee will conduct a training needs analysis and arrange for appropriate WHS training to be undertaken by workers as required.
Where required, vrsANA workers are to demonstrate their competencies to perform required tasks safely. In tasks with a high potential for injury, a separate documented assessment of a person’s competency may be undertaken.
As a guide, competency assessments should be signed and dated by the assessor/assessee and contain the following elements:
- task or equipment description
- information on licenses held (or other relevant qualifications)
- a checklist containing the essential competencies that were demonstrated, and
- comments or confirmation that the competency was met.
vrsANA is committed to developing a suite of competencies to deal with all safety sensitive work tasks.
