Safety, Health and Wellbeing
WATC is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment, promoting employee wellbeing and complying with the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984, Worker’s Compensation and Injury Management Act 1981 and other relevant legislation.
Occupational Safety, Health and Injury Management
Through a culture of continuous improvement in occupational safety, health and wellbeing, which is supported organisation-wide from the Board through to individuals, WATC aims to achieve and maintain a zero lost time injury rate, and maximise employee wellbeing. An initiative for 2018/19 saw a shift in focus from physical occupational safety and health (OSH) to employee wellbeing. Our commitment to OSH, injury management and employee wellbeing is demonstrated by:
Occupational Safety and Health Committee
OSH is the responsibility of everyone working at WATC. This includes contractors, visitors and employees who are provided relevant OSH information during their inductions. Annual OSH compliance training is provided to all employees, which covers all aspects of employer and employee responsibilities and includes an assessment component. OSH training requirements are reviewed on an annual basis, with additional training provided as required. Furthermore, there are a number of ways that people can contribute to OSH at WATC, including becoming a senior first aid officer, mental health first aid officer, nominating to be a Safety Representative and participating in the OSH Committee.
Safety Representatives are employees who have nominated to represent employees and carry out specific functions relating to workplace safety and health, such as conducting monthly workplace safety inspections and promoting safe working practices. This year saw our Safety Representatives complete their two-year term. Calls for nominations were held which saw two incumbents and one new person being appointed. Safety Representatives are provided with appropriate training to help them understand and undertake their duties. Safety Representatives are also a contact point for people who have concerns about workplace safety, as they are able to raise and discuss safety and wellbeing issues on behalf of others at OSH Committee meetings.
The OSH Committee is responsible for facilitating consultation and cooperation in the workplace, maintaining the currency of all OSH and injury management documentation, and considering and making recommendations about issues that may affect the safety, health and wellbeing of people working at WATC. The OSH Committee met twice during 2018/19 and comprises three employee Safety Representatives, a wellness coordinator, a first aid coordinator, at least two management representatives and at least one executive member, currently WATC Chief Operating Officer, Ross Moulton. Having representation from across the organisation and management hierarchy facilitates the efficient initiation, development and implementation of measures designed to ensure the OSH of people at WATC. In fulfilling its responsibilities, the OSH Committee reports to the Chief Executive Officer on WATC’s safety and health policies, management system, performance measures, injury management policy and OSH training requirements on an annual basis. Likewise, OSH Committee members report OSH matters and concerns back to their work areas. OSH matters and initiatives are also communicated to staff via email, the intranet and during monthly all employee meetings.
Occupational Safety and Health Management System
WATC has an OSH management system (OSHMS) that is comprehensive, consultative and allows for continuous improvement in working towards a safe workplace. Our OSHMS is an established framework that ensures OSH documentation is readily available and OSH roles, responsibilities, processes, procedures, compliance requirements and indicator measurements are clearly defined. The key principles of the OSHMS are: OSH commitment and policy, OSH planning, OSH implementation, OSH measurement and evaluation, and OSH management review. A review of the OSHMS is conducted every two years to identify areas for correction and improvement in safety and health management practices. Our OSHMS was audited during 2016/17 using the criteria set out in Australian Standard AS/NZS 4801:2001 Occupational health and safety management systems. The assessment recommended two minor improvements that were resolved during 2017/18.