Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S)

McKenzie Workplace Safety Program

Workplaces that do not maintain a safe and healthy working environment run the risk of reducing an organisation’s operational effectiveness. Unsafe work environments have an adverse effect on the profitability of the business.

Although it may be difficult to accurately measure the effects of poor safety policies and practices, the impacts on business can be far reaching, including poor morale, absenteeism, staff attrition, quality control and reduced levels of output.   Additionally, the reputation of the business could be undermined, particularly if they have a poor safety record.

Whilst the culture of the work place will differ from company to company, it is in the best interests of the organisation and the broader community for business to provide and maintain the best possible working conditions.

It is likely that maintaining safety standards will mean extra costs to the business; however this can be overridden by the improvements in efficiency, productivity and reputation.

Effective September 2001 – all employers are required to comply with legislation in the Occupational Health & Safety Act 2000 (and Regulations). All employers must ensure that all employees are provided with a safe and healthy work environment. Some of the requirements of the Act include;

Effective communications and consultation with employees,
Effective Policies and Procedures, Education and Training,
Effective injury management and rehabilitation programmes.

Cost of Accidents and Injuries

Up to 2,900 Australians die as a result of workplace accidents,
One in 12 Australian workers suffers a work related injury or illness each year,
Approximately 8.9 million working days are lost in Australian workplaces each year due to work related injuries and illness,
The average cost of a workers compensation claim is $11,750,
The total annual cost to the Australian community of work related injury and disease is estimated at up to $37 billion.

OH&S Compliance Criteria and/or Benchmarks

To assist organisations comply with the OH&S Act and its Regulations, the an employer must demonstrate the following benchmarks;

1. Management Responsibility,
2. Consultation and Communication,
3. Risk Management and process control,
4. Training, learning and skills development,
5. Records and records management,
6. Injury management.

Key OH&S Responsibilities

Occupational Health and Safety legislation differs between the states and territories, but there is a common intent to;

Establish and maintain safe places of work (including arrangements for safe access and egress),Provide and maintain systems of work that are safe and without risk to health,
Ensure the safety and health of employees, contractors and visitors, with relation to the use, handling, storage and transport of substances, and the installation/erection, commissioning, operation, and dismantling and disposal of plant, and
Provide adequate information, instruction, training and supervision to employees.

The onus on employers is great and the scope of OH&S management, even in small workplaces, can be very broad. Employers need effective techniques to ensure that all potential safety issues are addressed. Under Common Law, every employer has a duty to manage all foreseeable risks of injury in the workplace and provide;

· Reasonably competent staff,

· A sufficient number of workers to carry out their work safely,

· A reasonably safe place to work,

· Proper plant and equipment, and

· A reasonably safe system or method of work, and ensure this is adhered to.

The scope of OH&S includes aspects of physical working environment. This includes the actual office layout, (i.e. ergonomics, lighting, noise, temperature, ventilation and space). Additionally, the work environment includes privacy, smoking and sexual harassment.

Safety and Organisational Effectiveness

Occupational Health & Safety should not be seen in isolation from other management activities, but must be an integral part of the process of management. The benefit of effective risk management is to protect the workforce and;

Ensure legal compliance
Reduce costs associated with accidents and injuries,
Provide a framework for directing resources to the areas where they are most needed,
Schedule OH&S efforts so that the areas of greatest concern are dealt with as priorities,
Identify previously unknown hazards and risks or highlighting deficiencies in the work environment,
Control problems at source by assessing new work systems, equipment and substances prior to their introduction, and
Promote a positive safety culture by including all employees in the OH&S process.