B.7 Work Health and Safety

Work Health and Safety (WHS) is a priority for CMTEDD and it is managed in accordance with the statutory provisions of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (the Act) and supported by a range of whole of government work health and safety and return to work policies and initiatives. CMTEDD Corporate People and Capability team and the CMTEDD Safety Support team provided guidance and support to CMTEDD in implementing the requirements under the Act.

During the reporting period the CMTEDD was not issued (under Part 10 of the Act) with any improvement, prohibition or non-disturbance notices, nor did the Agency fail to comply with any enforceable undertakings under Part 11 or Part 2 (Divisions 2.2, 2.3 and 2.4) of the Act.

Health and Safety Structures and Consultation Arrangements

CMTEDD operates under a tiered Health and Safety Committee structure. Tier 2 Committees include Chief Minister’s and Treasury, Access Canberra, Economic Development and Shared Services which report to the CMTEDD Tier 1 Health and Safety Committee. Both Tier 1 and Tier 2 Committees met on a quarterly basis to provide a mechanism for consultation, coordination and communication between employees, represented unions and management. The Committees monitored the effectiveness of the safety management system, considered injury prevention initiatives and programs, and promoted the achievement of improved health and safety outcomes. The Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate, Safety Support Team attended Committee meetings to provide safety advice.

The Executive Management Group received quarterly Work Health and Safety updates and copies of the Health and Safety Committee meetings were uploaded to the staff intranet. There are 43 elected Health and Safety Representatives and one elected Deputy Health and Safety Representative for the directorate.

During the reporting period:

• work commenced on the development of the CMTEDD specific WHS Management System (WHSMS) that will align with the Whole of Government WHSMS Framework;
• all CMTEDD WHS risk registers have been completed, with the exception of Access Canberra for which consultation had commenced;
• the Riskman Accident and Incident Reporting Tool continued to be promoted to staff across CMTEDD; and
• a WHS Risk Register Management Procedure was developed.

Injury Prevention and Health and Wellbeing

CMTEDD implemented a range of injury prevention and health and wellbeing initiatives and continued to promote a culture where health, safety and wellbeing are a part of everyday business. Initiatives implemented included:

Safety Promotion initiatives:

• promotion of WorkSafe ACT’s Safety Month with a range of activities held during the month to help reduce the risk of accidents and incidents within the office; and
• development of Work, Health and Safety policies.

Health and Wellbeing initiatives:

• ‘Health and Wellbeing’ reimbursement initiative (not exceeding $100 per annum) to financially support employees to participate in health and wellbeing activities;
• representation on the whole of government Health and Wellbeing Network and Work Health and Safety Working group through CMTEDD Corporate People and Capability Branch representation;
• user pays fitness classes such as yoga and pilates;
• influenza vaccinations offered onsite to staff;
• mental health awareness promotion activities;
• healthy weight week held in February was promoted across the directorate including the delivery of a range of health promotion activities. For example,  cooking demonstrations by Nutrition Australia;
• representation on the whole of government health and wellbeing network; and
• staff participated in a 10,000 steps a day challenge during healthy weight week to improve health and wellbeing.

Health and Safety training initiatives:

• induction sessions that include work health and safety information;
• management of workplace psychological illness in the workplace program for supervisors;
• respect, equity and diversity training;
• representation on the whole of government Work Health and Safety Working Group through Corporate People and Capability Branch representation;
• Executive Refresher Work Health and Safety training; and
• First Aid Officer and Health and Safety Representative training.

Early intervention and injury management initiatives:

• ongoing provision of work station assessments;
• engagement of rehabilitation providers for both compensable and non-compensable injuries/illnesses to support employees to an early, safe and supported return to the workplace;
• provision and promotion of professional and confidential counselling services available to staff and their families through the Employee Assistance Program provided by Converge International;
• provision and promotion of the Employee Assistance Program Manager Assist Program; and
• NewAccess early intervention services information sessions were provided for staff.

Notifiable Incidents

There were 17 serious injury or illness and dangerous incidents that required notification to the regulator in accordance with Part 3 Section 38 of the Work Safety Act 2011.

Target 1 – reduce the incidence rate of claims resulting in one or more weeks off work by at least 30 per cent.

Notes:

1. Dates are based on those claims received by Comcare in each financial year.
2. Past years' claim numbers may differ from results published in previous annual reports due to maturation of claims data.
3. The report includes accepted claims which result in one or more weeks off work.
4. Data includes claims up to 30 June 2016.

Target 2: reduce the incidence rate of claims for musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) resulting in one or more weeks off work by at least 30 per cent.

Notes:

1. Dates are based on those claims received by Comcare in each financial year.
2. Past years' claim numbers may differ from results published in previous annual reports due to maturation of claims data.
3. The report includes accepted claims which result in one or more weeks off work.
4. Data includes claims up to 30 June 2016.

For further information contact:

Sue Hall
Executive Director
Corporate
+61 2 62070569
Sue.Hall@act.gov.au

Previous page Next page