Part 2 OHS management systems

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OHS Reference Guide Australian Meat Industry

Part 2 OHS management systems 2.1 Occupational health and safety management systems Introduction “Every organisation will find that it has elements of an OHSMS in place. What is less common in the linking of these elements into a coordinated overall system to improve the OHS performance.” AS/NZS 4804: Occupational health & safety management systems - General guidelines on principles, systems and supporting techniques, 2001, p 8. To ensure that important occupational health and safety issues are not overlooked, employers need to adopt a systematic approach to managing health and safety. The starting point in establishing a management system that is effective in solving health and safety problems is for health and safety to be an integral part of the management function. No matter how systems are developed, to be effective, there are some general elements that are required. The following material is generally based on AS/NZS 4804: Occupational health & safety management systems - General guidelines on principles, systems and supporting techniques. In AS/NZS 4804 there are five elements of an OHS management system (OHSMS): • management commitment and policy • planning • implementation • measurement and evaluation • review and improvement.

For additional information on key features on OHS management systems, refer to the MLA OHSMS Benchmarking Process document (on this disc)

Management commitment and policy Management commitment is essential for the success of a health and safety management program. In practical terms this means that top management within the organisation: • Determines the current status of OHS management within the organisation • Commits sufficient resources, both financial and human, to maintain or improve the OHS

program • Determines responsibilities, authorities, and most importantly systems of accountability • Coordinates planning and follow through • Assesses performance and makes changes where/if necessary

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• Demonstrates own commitment to health and safety through own actions and the consistent application of policies and procedures.

Understanding the current status of OHS management within the organisation, and acting to improve is an on-going management responsibility. Information for the review/analysis can be gathered by interviews, checklists, inspections, audits, records reviews, or comparisons with similar organisations (ie benchmarking – refer to MLA OHSMS Benchmarking Process document). Data can also be sourced from accident, incident and first-aid records, workers compensation data, or other data that the organisation holds eg, absenteeism, sick leave or industrial disputation. Policy A visible statement of management commitment is a health and safety policy statement that is endorsed by both management and workers and distributed throughout the organisation. The policy should: • express a commitment to occupational health and safety management • recognise the requirement for legislative compliance with the applicable State or Territory,

including the duty of care • adopt a preventative approach • outline the responsibilities and accountabilities of all managers and workers (see below) • outline the consultative mechanisms within the organisation • outline the organisation’s duty of care to all workers including labour hire, contractors • and sub contractors, volunteers and visitors • recognise the hazard management approach ie, hazard identification, risk assessment • and control. Supporting policies and procedures should outline clearly the practicalities of task requirements linked with safe operating procedures. Accountability and responsibility It is important that there are clearly defined occupational health and safety roles and responsibilities. The following outlines a comprehensive set of roles and responsibilities for consideration both when implementing your occupational health and safety management system and for inclusion in your health and safety policy. Top management Top management has the overall responsibility to provide a healthy and safe workplace for workers and to ensure that adequate resources are provided to meet the organisation’s health and safety objectives and implementation strategies (refer to earlier section). Managers Managers have a responsibility in their areas of control to ensure that: • they carry out their roles and responsibilities as detailed in the relevant health and safety

policies and procedures • they effectively implement relevant health and safety policies and procedures

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• all risks to health and safety are identified, assessed and effectively controlled in consultation with workers and their representatives

• the effectiveness of risk control measures are regularly monitored and deviations from standards are rectified

• supervisors and workers have adequate knowledge and skills to carry out their health and safety responsibilities

• workers and their representatives are consulted on any proposals for, or changes to, the workplace, work practices, policies or procedures which may affect the health and safety of workers.

Supervisors Supervisors or workers with supervisory responsibilities have a responsibility to ensure: • they carry out their roles and responsibilities as detailed in the relevant health and safety

policies and procedures • relevant health and safety policies and procedures are implemented in their areas of control • all risk control measures in their areas of responsibility are implemented, regularly monitored

and maintained • the workers under their control are provided with the necessary information, instruction and

training to effectively and safely carry out their jobs. Workers Workers have a responsibility to: • take care to protect their own health and safety and to avoid adversely affecting the health

and safety of any other worker. • report any incident or hazard at work to their manager or supervisor • carry out their roles and responsibilities as detailed in the relevant health and safety policies

and procedures • obey any reasonable instruction aimed at protecting their health and safety while at work • use any equipment provided to protect their health and safety while at work • assist in the identification of hazards, the assessment of risks and the implementation of risk

control measures • consider and provide feedback on any matter which may affect their health and safety.

Planning The first step in having a functioning OHS management system is the planning process. Planning is required to develop and establish a system, maintain the system and continuously improve the system. The initial planning should include OHS objectives, strategies and action plans/activities to be used to achieve the objectives. Strategies should suit the organisation and hence be site specific. The planning activity may range from a simple process of internal review and a planning exercise to a detailed strategic planning exercise following an external audit. The elements of a plan may

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be developed over a specified period suitable to the available resources of the company. However the planning process should have a logical sequence. Planning should consider factors likely to affect the achievement of OHS objectives, including the internal environment and culture of the organisation and external factors, such as the OHS laws, industry standards and codes of practice. The companies overall approach to the evaluation of OHS performance and the way the system is to be continuously improved should be determined. The steps, detailed below, can be used whether the planning process is simple or complex. They are: • Review the current occupational health and safety status including the ‘management system’

(or lack of one) • Determine the overall objectives for managing OHS. For example

o ensure health and safety of employees, contractors and visitors o comply with legislation

• Link the organisational objectives to the OHS objectives • Determine the specific objectives for the OHSMS. For example

o reduction of the level of risk o prevention of injury and illness o effectively managing incidents that do occur o returning injured or ill employees to meaningful work

• Detail strategies (programs) and activities to achieve the specific objectives. The programs should include

o hazard management o incident management o emergency preparedness o injury management

• Set targets (key performance indicators) for each of the strategies / programs • Identify responsibilities • Set timeframes. To plan effectively information about the company, the industry, and the legislation is required. This includes: • Applicable legislation, codes of practice and industry standards (refer to the relevant

legislative bodies in the preface, or Parts 3 and 4 for some more detailed requirements) • Any state or territory OHSMS models that link health and safety to incentive or discount

schemes with workers compensation insurance • Information on OHS specific to the industry – refer to information on this DVD for the meat

industry • Risk management information and methods for managing risks • Method of measuring OHS performance • Objective status of the health and safety in the company. What exists, what requires revision,

what are the gaps.

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The planning process should result in a comprehensive documented plan detailing the programs and activities required to achieve the overall and specific objectives, the performance targets required, the responsibilities and timeframes.

Implementation Implementation covers a wide range of issues including: • allocation of resources • integrating of OHS into other management systems that may operate within the organisation

including planning, design/purchasing/maintenance • coordination of all parts of the OHS system • designation of responsibilities to activate/implement the OHS plan, programs and procedures

to achieve the policy objectives (also refer to general responsibilities in previous section) • systems to ensure accountability • consultation (as below - including issues relating to training and workplace diversity) • training and competency levels • support action that must be taken (including communication, reporting and documentation) • records and information management (including the recording of hazard identification, risk

assessment and control) • hazard management (refer to Part 3 of this Guide) • contingency preparedness and response (emergency or disaster plans or critical incident

recovery plans). Unless all these administration activities are in place the system will not function optimally. These requirements are necessary for the implementation, the ongoing maintenance and the evaluation of the programs, procedures and outcomes. Implementation strategies The implementation strategies and activities required will depend on the status of OHS in the company and the management system that is put in place. The strategies should ensure that the system focuses on prevention particularly the implementation of the process to identify hazards, assess the risks and implement controls. Consultative mechanisms have to be put in place, initial training requirements have to be identified, developed and conducted, and the system documentation developed. It is very important the initial implementation activities be realistic and within the capabilities of the company. The system can be added to in stages. This is preferable to overloading everyone initially as this will generate negative attitudes to the process. Consultation Consultation involves employers sharing information and exchanging views with representatives of any bodies that must be consulted with, with the genuine opportunity for them to contribute effectively to any decision-making process to eliminate or control risks to health and safety. Consultation between employers and workers is a fundamental element to a positive approach to health, safety and welfare and the workplace. Through consultation, managers and supervisors

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can become more aware of the hazards and OHS issues experienced by workers. Workers can also provide suggestions about how to solve health and safety problems. Consultation should take place between employers and workers, and/or their elected representatives, including health and safety representatives, Likewise workers should make the health and safety representative aware of health and safety problems identified. Health and safety committees may also be established to allow joint consultation between management and worker representatives. The main roles of OHS committees are to consider policy issues and try to find a solution to unresolved issues. It is necessary for employers to consult in the following situations: • when identifying hazards • assessing risks • deciding on measures to control risks • implementing controls • reviewing the effectiveness of controls • reviewing or developing policies • investigating incidents • changing work practices and procedures • introducing new substances to the workplace • planning of new work or work processes. Consultation with workers should take place in the initial stages of these processes, to take their experience and expertise into account. Employer and workers should develop agreed procedures for consultation. For consultation to be effective, workers and their representatives should have access to relevant information, including information on hazards in the workplace, work conditions, the work organisation, plant, equipment or materials used in the workplace, the relevant State or Territory OHS legislation, statistics etc. Enough time should be allowed for workers and their representatives to consider the implications of the information and to discuss it among themselves.

Measurement and evaluation The aim of measurement and evaluation is to establish whether the objectives of the OHSMS and its components are being met. Monitoring and evaluation applies to all aspects of OHS programs. Regular audits of the management system are advisable to determine whether the system is meeting its stated objectives. For the monitoring and evaluation process to be effective it requires OHS objectives to be established, performance measures developed, relevant information collected and results analysed. That is, what measures are to be used, how the information will be collected, when and how often it will be collected and who will do it.

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General monitoring and inspections The monitoring and evaluation process should be linked to on-going regular activities as well as to specific corrective actions being taken. It also requires all control measures implemented as part of the hazard management process, emergency preparedness procedures and incident investigations to be monitored for their effectiveness. General monitoring and inspections need to be scheduled and conducted. These may take the form of routine checks, inspections, tests, measurements and examinations. They include: • Routine checks in the work areas covering issues such as machine guarding, housekeeping,

storage etc • Observation of safe work procedures • Workplace inspections • Specific tests, examination and testing by competent persons. This may include:

o tests on lifting equipment, ventilation, noise levels, fire extinguishers etc o health surveillance of individuals e.g. hearing tests.

Timetables such as that outlined in 2.4.1 can be very helpful in monitoring that routine planned activities are being conducted. Logs such as that outlined in 2.4.2 can assist in monitoring that more newly identified or proactive activities are being completed in a timely way. Performance measures To evaluate the system, programs, procedures and practices measurement are required. The measures should be planned when developing the programs. The measurements used may be quantitative, qualitative, process or timeline based. They may involve short or long term requirements. The measurements should be applicable to the activity being evaluated. Quantitative measurements include lost time injury rate, number of lost time injuries, percentage of identified hazards that have been actioned, 100% of hazardous substances have a MSDS, number of accidents, number of injured employees requiring rehabilitation, return to work rate as a percentage of all claims, the number of employees trained etc. Qualitative, process and timeline measurements include: all employees are aware of the policy; all legislative requirements are identified; purchasing procedures ensure OHS requirements are considered; the training timetable is being met; the timetable for implementation of strategies / programs is being met; workplace inspections and fire drills are scheduled and conducted; accidents are investigated within specified timeframe, maintenance requests are acted on within a specified time and so on. Information on all the measurements being used has to be collected. This involves what information is collected, in what format it is collected and who does it. Performance summaries/matrixes, such as that outlined in Table 4 below, can be very helpful in monitoring the degree to which OHS activities are being completed.

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Table 4: Sample Performance Indicators These indicators should be able to be graphed so performance over the past few years can be easily compared.

Performance Criteria Performance Indicator/Measure Planned activities are completed: • OHS Training Plan • OHS Inspections • OHS Action Log • OHS Meetings eg OHSCC,

toolbox

No. and/or % of planned activities completed according to plans (refer to sample planned activities timetable/schedule, 2.4.1) • individually and collectively calculated

• pre project and for last 3 months of project

Reporting and investigation of near misses, incidents and accidents

• No. of: o near-miss/incident/accident reports (want to see

increased reporting initially) o accidents/incidents investigations (want to see

more investigations of incidents ct accidents) • No./type of changes made as result of

investigations Worker’s attitude to safety & perception of company’s attitude to safety

• Outcomes of Culture Survey • Feedback from OHS Representatives • No. of suggestions/safety reports from workers

Risk being managed • % of plant with completed Risk Control Summaries • Average Residual Risk Rating (initial, then annual

comparison) • No. of detailed Risk Assessments conducted • Also refer to WC indicators below

Less injury to workers (compare last 2 yrs)

• Costs of new claims – total and average – last 3 mths ct total and average of same period in last 2 years

• Workers Not on Full Duty (NOFD)

Regardless of the information collected or used, it must be reviewed and analysed to be effective. This will indicate whether the activity or strategy is meeting the standards or objectives set. Action must then be taken by those with the responsibilities for the work area, procedure, program or system.

Review and improvement Reviewing and improving the management system is essential, and senior management should be involved in the review process. The continuing review of the system leads naturally to continual improvement of the occupational health and safety management system.

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A review of OHS management systems should be conducted at scheduled intervals. The review process may also occur after analyse of performance indicators (as above), an investigation into an incident or due to changed or new legislative requirements. Auditing is a structured approach to evaluating the OHSMS. There are many auditing processes including those developed by each state and territory legislative authority. A review and/or audit ay be conducted internally or externally. The review should consider the health and safety policy, the objectives and targets, the adequacy of resources, any results from audits, investigations, and any changed conditions that are impacting on the workplace. The information obtained should be evaluated. It should identify where targets and objectives are not being met. Recommendations should be generated to improve the system. Corrective actions and improvements to the system should then be implemented. This process is often referred to as ‘continuous improvement’. A sample of a Review Summary document is outlined in 2.4.3. It is a helpful way of summarising progress over the year as well as highlighting areas for improvement.

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2.2 The importance of a safety culture in the meat industry

Introduction There has been considerable focus on interventions that address engineering and ergonomic aspects of safety in the meat industry. However, it is increasingly recognised that behaviour, attitudes and beliefs - in short, culture – is a critical element of safety performance. ‘... a poor safety culture will encourage an atmosphere of non-compliance to safe operating practices. Violations are likely to be most common in organisations where the unspoken attitudes and beliefs mean that production and commercial goals are seen to outweigh those relating to safety.’ (Reason 1998, p 297) A recognition of the impact of safety culture (or the lack of it) on the meat industry, led to a study in two States (South Australia and Queensland) during 2000. The study identified a relationship between safety culture and costs, with a good safety culture being associated with lower injuries and claim costs. Investigations into major accidents have also found that a poor safety culture is a key contributor. For example, in January 2003, a passenger train derailed near Waterfall in NSW. The accident killed 7 people and injured 42 others. The subsequent investigation found that the State Rail Authority had: “profound weaknesses in the management of safety ... particular areas where deficiencies in safety management were the most significant …[were] • senior managers lacked awareness of contemporary safety management principles and

practice …; • risk management was conducted on a reactive rather than a proactive basis; … • systems for holding managers accountable for safety performance were lacking; • a “blame culture” made it difficult for staff to raise safety issues; and • drivers were induced to violate rules and procedures to meet on-time running requirements.” McInerney 2005 Waterfall Rail Accident Final Report, pp ix-x

How to build a culture of safety While safety at work is everyone's responsibility, the behaviour of management and the messages they send are crucial to building an effective safety culture. Some of the basic steps to take are: • Demonstrated leadership by management. If it is perceived that the managers consider OHS

important, then it will have a filter down effect. • Ensure employees are informed about OHS issues and are given regular feedback on

progress with health and safety matters

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• Use genuine consultative processes so employees consider they have ‘ownership’ of the program and their knowledge and skills are sought and used – if staff opinions are not taken into account they will not report or participate, and valuable information and insights are lost

• Employees must believe they are able to speak up about safety issues without fear of retribution from either management or their peers

• Employees must know and agree on the difference between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour and they must understand that unsafe behaviour will not be sanctioned

• Employees must be sure that if they report safety problems those problems will be acted upon. Ignoring a safety issue reported by an employee, no matter what the manager thinks about the issue, will lead to safety problems not being reported

• Build health and safety issues into all management processes, such as when designing, purchasing or making any business decision

• Ensure managers and supervisors have appropriate knowledge and skills, know what is happening in their area, have appropriate authority to act, are accessible/approachable and are held to account

• Foster a learning culture where workers are supported and trained and there is a focus on reflecting and innovating. This includes consideration of the various ways that workers understand and learn information (refer to workplace diversity section below).

The commitment must be more than just words or employees cannot be expected to take safety seriously either. Resources such as financial, staffing and access to expert advice must be provided to back up the commitment to health and safety.

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2.3 Training

General All Australian State and Territory OHS legislation requires OHS training as a fundamental part of providing a safe place of work for workers. This includes such information, instruction, training and supervision as is necessary to enable the workers to perform their work in a manner that is safe and without risk to health. A comprehensive training needs analysis or survey is provided in 2.4.4 (below) and outlines a proforma to identify the needs of suggested target groups that may require training. Such target groups may include workers, managers and supervisors, engineers, new workers (induction) and training for specific tasks or hazardous work that workers may be required to undertake. Training objectives should be clear for any training program and the contents of the course should be well documented, with training methods utilised such that the training of those with special needs (such as inexperience, disability, ethnicity and literacy issues) are well covered. Training should be evaluated and reviewed too, in consultation with workers to ensure that the overall objectives of training programs have been achieved. All training should be documented, including a signed record that training took place. Numerous resources are available to support training and assessment in the meat Industry. Contacts for obtaining assistance are outlined in the Preface.

Safety induction Introducing new workers to the workplace is important for many reasons. It can enhance productivity and avoid later problems in the employment relationship. And it is particularly important in relationship to OHS as employers have a legislated duty of care to provide a healthy and safe workplace for workers. This duty may be breached by not informing and training workers in safety procedures and policies. This information and training should be given: • at the induction stage • at regular intervals to ensure information and skills are retained and appropriately applied • when new equipment or procedures are being introduced. Inexperienced and new workers face particular hazards associated with their new jobs and their work environment. Occupational health and safety legislation requires employers to provide adequate training and supervision for new workers. The employer should provide information about likely hazards, safe work procedures, the organisation’s health and safety policy and the consultative arrangements for health and safety.

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On-going training and supervision should support initial training. Managers or supervisors should assess whether the new worker has actually gained the required competencies. Supervision should include correcting any behaviour which has the potential to cause a risk to health and safety. Fellow workers have an important role in demonstrating safe work practices, assisting the new worker and encouraging them to ask questions and raise any issues about health and safety. A new worker also needs to be informed of the emergency procedures for the workplace and what to do if they are injured, including reporting requirements. It is important for management to focus on aspects related to safety for the sake of both new workers and other workers. New workers should receive appropriate training in OHS as part of their usual induction training. Health and safety induction and retraining should: • specify the objectives of training and the level of proficiency expected • outline the organisation’s occupational safety and health policies • highlight potential hazards existing in the workplace • make new workers aware of the appropriate handling and emergency procedures for various

chemicals used • emphasise facilities such as the location of safety showers and first aid stations • cover aspects such as care and use of protective equipment • provide instruction on provisions contained within State and Territory legislation. Safe working practices should be reinforced by periodic retraining as appropriate. MINTRAC has developed a generic induction manual which can be customised to suit individual workplaces, as well as Traineeship induction kit. Both of these products are aimed at increasing employee retention, but have OHS applications. Sample induction checklist It is ideal that the employer makes a checklist of issues to discuss with the worker. Using the checklist ensures that everything has been covered and that all new workers are given the same or similar advice. A sample checklist is provided in 2.4.5 below. This is a general induction, which demonstrates how you can include health and safety. You can use this as a guide and tailor it to suit your own workplace and workers, including particular language and literacy needs. The items covered in each section are relevant to all employers, but the amount of detail provided for each section of the induction program will vary depending on the size of your business. Remember to combine paperwork, introductions to key people and on-site training. Use a variety of methods to convey information, including written and verbal instructions, and practical demonstrations. Ask the new worker to show you that they understand the information and encourage them to ask questions. On completion of the induction process, both the employer

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representative and the worker should sign the induction checklist or record, and their training record updated accordingly. This is only the beginning of what should be a long-term investment in the training of your workforce. Close supervision should be provided until the worker has demonstrated competence. Information and training should be continued throughout their time with your company.

Working with workplace diversity Workers also have various needs in relation to how information is best given to them. The workplace is made up of workers with various and diverse backgrounds. Language, literacy, disability and culture may impact on how workers will require health and safety information to be delivered. A number of strategies might be used in the workplace to assist in enhancing the way health and safety information and training is provided to workers. It is important not to stereotype or make assumptions about worker communications styles when providing health and safety information and/or training. Workers will provide the most relevant information on what is best for them. The following strategies offer some ideas that may be useful. • Ensure that you know the profile of your workplace and include the following appropriate

strategies in your health and safety training and management program: • provide supervisors, managers and other relevant workers with training to enhance their

understanding of how cultural factors, language, disability and English literacy issues can impact on the delivery of information

• never rely on, or expect, a worker to obtain assistance from their family, friends or colleagues to go through or explain information about workplace health and safety. In particular never use children as interpreters

• allow additional time to ensure you don’t have to rush through any information • provide English language and literacy training for workers who cannot communicate or read

well in English (eg, in some cases DETE has English language courses through its Workplace Education Service)

• ensure organisational budgets allocate funding annually to enable these strategies to be used when required

• ensure that all written and verbal communication is in plain English and avoid the use of jargon or technical language

• develop a mentor or buddy system • demonstrate or show workers what you want them to do together with verbal instructions • check that workers know what they have been told in induction and training, ask them to

show you what they have been taught, rather than tell you (as appropriate) • use safety symbols on signs (international signage - pictorial) and ensure that workers know

what they mean • have audiotapes produced of written information if an worker has difficulty reading or has a

visual impairment

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• use videos in training, wherever possible use subtitles • use interpreters where necessary eg, group training situations. NAATI/sign language

accredited interpreters can also be used to communicate in a language other than English or Deaf Sign

• language interpreting services are often available for telephone discussions as well as for face-to-face meetings.

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2.4 Relevant forms and resources

2.4.1 Sample OHS Planned Activities Timetable

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2.4.2 Sample OHS Action/Hazard Log

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2.4.3 Sample OHS/IM Management System Review Summary Annual Review of OHS/IM Performance

No System effectively assists to: (Performance Criteria)

Rating# Evidence## Areas for Improvement##

1. Ensure responsibilities allocated and understood

2. Decrease number and severity of injuries

3. Effectively identify hazards

4. Appropriately assess hazards

5. Effectively control risks

6. Consult staff

7. Ensure required documentation in place and maintained

# Rating: *** = Very Effective

** = Satisfactory

* = Requires Improvement

## Evidence and areas for improvement may include feedback from external audits and/or OHS consultants

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No Performance Measures/Issues to Consider

Consider for whole company and per area/dept 1. Staff fulfil responsibilities – OHS and IM

Staff use OHS/IM system appropriately Staff trained on responsibilities – including at induction/when promoted/when change jobs

2. Number of reported injuries All injuries are reported Number of claims Av cost of claims Injured workers effectively managed (review first aid and injury management)

3. Inspections occur as planned No of reported hazards Variety of reported hazards eg physical, behavioural, related to legislation/standards etc Hazards outlined in Risk Control Summaries (RCS) Contributing hazards are identified following injuries

4. Risk assessments (RA) are carried out where necessary RA, accident investigations and OHS Action/Hazard reports recommend appropriate controls

5. Injuries (as in 2 above) Priorities for improvement identified and acted upon OHS Business Plan completed as per plan RCS complete, up to date and stated controls implemented OHS Action/Hazard Log actions completed OHS Training completed as per plan Contractor safety

6. Meetings occur as planned Staff involved in inspections, RCS and RA Staff satisfaction with management of OHS

7. System and ‘active’ documents up-to-date and complete

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2.4.4 Sample Occupational Health and Safety Training Needs Analysis and Training Plan Introduction Training needs analysis or survey is a questionnaire that will help you to identify the OHS training needed or already conducted in your company. The answers provided will assist you to identify information or training needs and then plan training courses, which might be provided by training organisations or government agencies. Method - How to use the survey The first step is to determine your training needs. Discussed below are some ways in which you could use this survey, depending on the size, nature and management structure of your company. You could, for example: • provide copies of the survey to all the members of the OHS Committee, collate the

results, discuss the outcomes and begin to plan appropriate training. The survey can be conducted by one person or a subcommittee of the OHS committee;

• discuss the issue of OHS training at a management meeting or a training committee and provide copies for all individual managers to complete. Collate the results for the entire organisation and plan your training;

• ask elected Health and Safety Representatives to complete the survey, in consultation with members of their representative work groups. Remember to provide adequate time and resources in order to achieve this.

Survey Procedure Your survey is likely to be more effective where managers, supervisors and employee representatives complete a separate checklist. The results can be compared for similarities and inconsistencies. If managers and employee representatives respond differently, this may indicate a communication problem requiring attention or the need to seek extra information. • Remember to thoroughly brief any person/group who will be using the survey on the following

issues: - the objectives or purpose of the survey; - the process required; - the intended outcomes and uses of the information.

• Consult with and ensure that all relevant employees and managers are informed of the purpose of the survey and the authority of the "surveyors" to collect the information.

• If answering as a group - determine the majority answer and then tick the appropriate response. Remember that most companies have more than one workgroup. Fill out the survey

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for each workgroup and then collate the results. Use the cover sheet on page 3 to identify each individual workgroup.

• When collating individual surveys or checking a group answer, at a committee meeting, the group should seek clarification and documented evidence before coming to a majority view.

• Remember that this survey is intended as a guide only. If the content does not suit a particular workplace a 'similar' checklist could be compiled using this survey as a 'model'.

If a health and safety representative completes the survey, in consultation with members of their representative work groups the following information will be needed as well as the survey results: Name of workgroup: ............................................................................................

Location: ............................................................................................

Completed by: ............................................................................................

Position: ............................................................................................

Contact Telephone Number: ............................................................................................

Fax Number: ............................................................................................

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Training Needs Survey Instructions: Go through each question and record the number of staff who has

received information or training on the particular subject.

After completing the survey, record the total findings for your organisation.

Consider the training topics and mark for each one, the priority it should have in your organisation.

1 Low priority (most have been trained - review in the long term) 2 Medium priority (majority trained - should be addressed in 6-12

months) 3 High priority (few have been trained - should be addressed in 3

months) Yes No Unsure Priority

Employees Induction process takes place prior to starting the job and includes

Company OHS Policy translated into appropriate language

Company induction provided in a manner and language appropriate to worker

Company Safety Rules

Set procedures to follow for resolving/reporting OHS issues

How to identify and report hazards

How to report incidents/injuries

OHS Responsibilities of employees

OHS Responsibilities of supervisors

OHS Responsibilities of H&S Representatives

Role of the OHS Committee

Employees Workplace Specific (see Policy and Procedures for multi-cultural focus) Major hazards of the work process, (including safe manual handling, use of hazardous substances, noise)

Introduction to plant, machinery, equipment, tools, substances and materials (including MSDS's) used.

Specific policies and procedures, including the use of PPE

Introduction to Workgroup H&S Representatives

Introduction to Workgroup First Aid provider

Fire and Emergency evacuation plans

Employees Transferred in from another job/location

Relevant job induction training

Health and Safety Representatives

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Yes No Unsure Priority

Attended a Health and Safety Representatives training course

Where deputies exist they have been trained

Managers, Supervisors and OHS Coordinators/Officers trained in

Roles and legal responsibilities of employers/managers.

How regulations, approved codes of practice and Australian Standards apply to the workplace.

How to conduct hazard inspections, audits, accident investigations.

Organisational health and safety policies.

How to develop hazard control programs.

How to inform, induct and supervise employees, including the development of Safe Operating Procedures.

The role, responsibilities and rights of employees.

The consultation process for managing OHS.

The role and function of health and safety representatives and committees, the consultation process.

The resolution of health and safety issues (including how to respond to default notices and an order to stop unsafe work).

The role of the inspectorate in enforcing legislation

The sources of OHS advice, information, training and support.

The effective rehabilitation of injured workers.

Knowledge of language and cultural factors and competencies to manage workers with limited English skills.

Health and Safety Committee trained in:

The Health and Safety Committee’s role and function in planning and developing OHS Programs.

Policy and procedure development.

Hazard management principles of hazard identification, risk assessment and control.

The use of OHS&W statistical information.

OHS promotion.

Committee decision making skills.

Include strategies to involve workers with cultural and liguistic diversity.

Contractors Where contractors are working on the employer’s site, information/training has been provided which may cover:

Legal requirements for the site

Site OHS&W rules

Workplace policies and procedures

Specific site hazards

First aid arrangements

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Yes No Unsure Priority

Fire and emergency plans

Training as required by contractors to meet specific legal requirements:

Use of power driven machinery

Fork lift trucks

First aiders

Further Training As required by legislation

Induction training with changing jobs/tasks

Training for work in confined spaces

Training for employees exposed to the risk of injury from the use of Plant

Training for employees exposed to the risk of injury from the use of Hazardous Substances

Training for prescribed occupations: • pressure equipment operation • Load shifting equipment

Legal updates

Occupational health and safety developments, which may impact on work.

Introduction to new equipment, machinery, substances and materials and processes.

Having completed the survey and collated the results, the next task is to plan the appropriate training activity to meet the identified need.

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Action Planning Use the following form to assist you in the process of identifying training activities. timelines for implementation, the managers responsible for planning action and resources requirements. If you do not have a Training Manager, then your organisation needs to nominate a manager to be responsible for the implementation of this training plan.

Discuss the Action Plan at a management meeting or OHS Committee meeting before implementation.

Review and keep records of the plan on an annual basis, in order to meet legal requirements.

TRAINING ACTION PLANNER

DATE: / / TRAINING FOR (WORKGROUP):

Detail of training required Training for (numbers) By whom By when

Completion date Cost

Discussed by OHS Committee (date)

Responsible Officer (sign)

Review Date for Plan (date)

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Monitoring your Training Plan Monitoring OHS training means keeping track of who has been trained in what, so that future training activities can be identified.

Keeping records also satisfies the legal requirements prescribed in State and Territory OHS legislation.

Records can be kept for individuals or workgroups in the following ways:

INDIVIDUAL TRAINING RECORD

NAME:

POSITION:

DEPARTMENT:

Training Provider Date attended:

/ /

Course Name:

Training Provider: Date attended:

/ /

Course Name:

Training Provider: Date attended:

/ /

Course Name:

or a basic training plan and records can be kept in a training chart for a workgroup, eg:

Activity/description Responsibility

for training Fred Brown

Frank Nichols

Les Smith

Cleaning and housekeeping AW X X 26 June

Knife sharpening BB 20 June 20 June X

Material safety data sheets TN X X X

Lab testing procedure TN X X

Repair and maintenance BB/AW X X X

Forklift licence External X X

Confined space entry BB 14 April 14 April

First aid certificate External X

Work permits hot/cold BB X X

LEGEND: X = Course complete Date = Training date planned

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IMPORTANT POINTS

1. Plan a program to cover all the training needs in your workplace 2. Plan what you want to achieve and over what time 3. Plan what sort of training will be best, and so who should be responsible for implementation. 4. Plan how you will monitor and check on the effectiveness of the training 5. Plan for the language and literacy needs of your workforce and utilise interpreters, translated

information, multilingual signs or literacy training where appropriate

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2.4.5 Sample General Induction Checklist

Introduction

o Nature and structure of the business

o Roles of key people in the organisation

Employment Conditions

o Job description and responsibilities

o Work times and meal breaks

o Time recording procedures

o Leave entitlements

o Notification of sick leave or absences

o Out of hours enquiries and emergency procedures

Work Environment

o Dining facilities

o Wash and toilet facilities

o Locker and change rooms

o Phone calls and collecting messages

o Car parking and social club

Payroll

o Rates of pay and allowances

o Pay arrangements

o Taxation (including completing the required forms)

o Superannuation and any other deductions

o Union (membership) and award conditions

Health and Safety

o OHS policy and procedures

o Roles and responsibilities for health and safety

o Health & safety consultative and communication processes

o Incident reporting procedures

o Workers compensation claims process and rehabilitation

o Confirmation of Q-Fever vaccination

Other Issues

o Security procedures

o Quality management policy and procedures

o Environmental management policy and procedures

o Equal employment opportunity

o Sexual harassment

On the job induction

Orientation

o Work station – tools, machinery and equipment used for job

o Location of first aid facilities such as the first aid box/room

o Location of emergency exits and fire extinguishers

Meet Key People

o Health and safety representative

o First aid officer and fire warden

o Supervisor

o Co-workers

Health and Safety

o Information on hazards present in the workplace and controls

o Emergency procedures, including emergency exits and equipment

o Safe use and storage of personal protective equipment

o Safe use and storage of hazardous substances, including material safety data sheets

o On-the-job training in safe work procedures

Security o Building

o Personal and security of personal belongings

o Cash I have been fully briefed in the above issues. ________________________________________

(Worker to sign)

Date: ____/____/____ Induction supervised by:

________________________________________ (Employer Representative signature)

Date: ____/____/___

Documents

Part 2 OHS management systems