occupational health and safety in boards - WorkSafe Victoria
occupational health and safety in boards - WorkSafe Victoria
occupational health and safety in boards - WorkSafe Victoria
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OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH<br />
AND SAFETY IN BOARDS<br />
July 2006
CONTENTS<br />
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1<br />
Good <strong>health</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>safety</strong> means good bus<strong>in</strong>ess . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2<br />
Roles <strong>and</strong> responsibilities of <strong>boards</strong> <strong>and</strong> their<br />
members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3<br />
Checklist/Action Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6<br />
Further support <strong>and</strong> advice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8<br />
This publication is protected by copyright. <strong>WorkSafe</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong><br />
encourages the free transfer, copy<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> pr<strong>in</strong>t<strong>in</strong>g of this<br />
publication if such activities support the purposes <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>tent<br />
for which the publication was developed.
INTRODUCTION<br />
This booklet aims to show the advantages of leadership <strong>and</strong><br />
commitment to <strong>occupational</strong> <strong>health</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>safety</strong> be<strong>in</strong>g driven from<br />
the top level of the organisation <strong>and</strong> provide guidance on how it<br />
can be done successfully.<br />
Good <strong>health</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>safety</strong> means good bus<strong>in</strong>ess. Recent corporate<br />
practice places <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g emphasis on corporate social<br />
responsibility which has a positive impact on overall bus<strong>in</strong>ess<br />
performance, lead<strong>in</strong>g to social benefits such as public, <strong>in</strong>vestor<br />
<strong>and</strong> stakeholder trust.<br />
<strong>WorkSafe</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> is seek<strong>in</strong>g to promote <strong>occupational</strong> <strong>health</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> <strong>safety</strong> as a key issue <strong>in</strong> every <strong>Victoria</strong>n boardroom.<br />
WORKSAFE VICTORIA / OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY IN BOARDS 1
GOOD HEALTH AND<br />
SAFETY MEANS<br />
GOOD BUSINESS<br />
There are two reasons for board members, company directors, officers <strong>and</strong><br />
executives to take a leadership role <strong>in</strong> relation to their organisations’ <strong>occupational</strong><br />
<strong>health</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>safety</strong> (OHS).<br />
The first is legal. The Occupational Health <strong>and</strong> Safety Act 2004 (the Act) has<br />
<strong>in</strong>creased the focus on officers tak<strong>in</strong>g a lead role <strong>in</strong> <strong>health</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>safety</strong> <strong>in</strong> their<br />
organisations with new provisions to cover officer liability. If a company<br />
contravenes a legal provision of the Act <strong>and</strong> the contravention is attributable<br />
to an officer’s failure to take reasonable care, that officer is guilty of an offence.<br />
There may be f<strong>in</strong>ancial, legal <strong>and</strong>/or reputational consequences to bear 1 .<br />
The second is that good <strong>occupational</strong> <strong>health</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>safety</strong> is good bus<strong>in</strong>ess.<br />
Successful organisations have <strong>in</strong>tegrated the concepts of ‘Corporate Social<br />
Responsibility’ or the Triple Bottom L<strong>in</strong>e for their bus<strong>in</strong>esses. This covers<br />
economic, social (which <strong>in</strong>cludes OHS), ethical <strong>and</strong> environmental concerns as<br />
well as future susta<strong>in</strong>ability. These organisations see good <strong>health</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>safety</strong><br />
performance creates a competitive advantage.<br />
Effective management of <strong>health</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>safety</strong> risks has helped to:<br />
• reduce the potential for people gett<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>jured, ill or killed at work;<br />
• avoid negative effects on turnover <strong>and</strong> profitability, such as lost time <strong>and</strong><br />
high workers’ compensation costs;<br />
• m<strong>in</strong>imise the likelihood of prosecution;<br />
• maximise productivity <strong>and</strong> wellbe<strong>in</strong>g of all employees by reduc<strong>in</strong>g downtime,<br />
labour turnover <strong>and</strong> absenteeism;<br />
• encourage better relationships with contractors; <strong>and</strong><br />
• improve the organisation’s reputation <strong>in</strong> the eyes of <strong>in</strong>vestors, customers,<br />
competitors, suppliers <strong>and</strong> the wider community.<br />
1<br />
See boxes 1 <strong>and</strong> 2 on the follow<strong>in</strong>g pages for a brief description of relevant provisions of the<br />
Occupational Health <strong>and</strong> Safety Act 2004, for board members, officers, etc.<br />
2 WORKSAFE VICTORIA / OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY IN BOARDS
GOOD HEALTH AND SAFETY MEANS GOOD BUSINESS<br />
BOX 1. THE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT 2004 –<br />
IMPLICATIONS FOR SENIOR OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS<br />
There are new provisions <strong>in</strong> the Act which are specific to officers of bodies corporate,<br />
partnerships <strong>and</strong> un<strong>in</strong>corporated bodies or associations. Officers are considered those at the<br />
most senior levels of organisations that are genu<strong>in</strong>ely <strong>in</strong> a position to <strong>in</strong>fluence the direction<br />
the organisation takes. The def<strong>in</strong>ition of an officer <strong>in</strong> the Corporations Act has been adopted<br />
for the purposes of the Act.<br />
An officer is:<br />
• a director or secretary of a corporation;<br />
• an office holder or a partner <strong>in</strong> a partnership, un<strong>in</strong>corporated body or an association;<br />
• a person who makes, or participates <strong>in</strong> mak<strong>in</strong>g, decisions that affect the whole, or a<br />
substantial part, of the bus<strong>in</strong>ess;<br />
• a person who has the capacity to significantly affect the corporation’s f<strong>in</strong>ancial st<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g;<br />
• a person <strong>in</strong> accordance with whose <strong>in</strong>structions or wishes the directors of the corporation<br />
are accustomed to act (unless the person is provid<strong>in</strong>g advice <strong>in</strong> a professional capacity);<br />
• a receiver, or receiver <strong>and</strong> manager, of the property of the corporation;<br />
• an adm<strong>in</strong>istrator of a corporation;<br />
• an adm<strong>in</strong>istrator of a deed of company arrangement executed by the corporation;<br />
• a liquidator of the corporation; or<br />
• a trustee or other person adm<strong>in</strong>ister<strong>in</strong>g a compromise or arrangement made between the<br />
corporation <strong>and</strong> someone else.<br />
The Act places the duty on an officer to take reasonable care to ensure that their organisation<br />
complies with the Act.<br />
Roles <strong>and</strong> responsibilities of <strong>boards</strong> <strong>and</strong> their members<br />
Research has demonstrated that good <strong>health</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>safety</strong> is material to good<br />
bus<strong>in</strong>ess performance. Poor OHS can lead to <strong>in</strong>juries <strong>and</strong> illnesses, result<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong><br />
absenteeism, dissatisfaction with work<strong>in</strong>g conditions, slowdown <strong>in</strong> production<br />
<strong>and</strong> loss of profits.<br />
Elim<strong>in</strong>at<strong>in</strong>g work hazards not only reduces <strong>in</strong>juries <strong>and</strong> illnesses, but also leads to<br />
improvements <strong>in</strong> productivity, profitability <strong>and</strong> competitiveness of a company.<br />
The follow<strong>in</strong>g roles <strong>and</strong> responsibilities provide examples for board members <strong>and</strong><br />
officers of how <strong>health</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>safety</strong> can be <strong>in</strong>cluded <strong>in</strong> an organisation’s corporate<br />
governance to ensure ongo<strong>in</strong>g <strong>health</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>safety</strong> success <strong>and</strong> compliance with<br />
the Act. Boards should monitor their own decisions <strong>and</strong> actions <strong>and</strong> those of their<br />
organisations on a regular basis 2 .<br />
2<br />
Suggestions for a checklist/action plan are provided at the end of this publication.<br />
WORKSAFE VICTORIA / OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY IN BOARDS 3
GOOD HEALTH AND SAFETY MEANS GOOD BUSINESS<br />
1. Leadership<br />
The board’s role <strong>in</strong> provid<strong>in</strong>g <strong>health</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>safety</strong> leadership should be stated formally<br />
<strong>and</strong> publicly <strong>in</strong> a way that demonstrates the leadership is committed to cont<strong>in</strong>uous<br />
improvement <strong>in</strong> <strong>health</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>safety</strong>. For example:<br />
• endorse an OHS policy <strong>in</strong> consultation with employees <strong>and</strong> communicate it to<br />
the workforce;<br />
• set <strong>health</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>safety</strong> objectives <strong>and</strong> targets for the organisation;<br />
• underst<strong>and</strong> the organisation’s OHS performance <strong>and</strong> monitor it over time;<br />
• report on the organisation’s OHS performance publicly;<br />
• employ <strong>and</strong>/or engage sufficient numbers of suitably qualified <strong>and</strong> competent<br />
people to advise on <strong>and</strong> to implement OHS requirements.<br />
2. Knowledge<br />
Members of the board should know what their OHS obligations are <strong>and</strong> about<br />
those relat<strong>in</strong>g to their organisation, <strong>and</strong> how they are managed. They should stay<br />
up-to-date on current issues <strong>and</strong> be alert to <strong>and</strong> prepared to act on emerg<strong>in</strong>g<br />
issues.<br />
• Underst<strong>and</strong> legislative responsibilities, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g relevant regulations.<br />
• Ensure everyth<strong>in</strong>g done re<strong>in</strong>forces the messages <strong>in</strong> the company’s OHS policy.<br />
BOX 2. THE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT 2004 – FAILURE TO COMPLY<br />
Where an organisation has failed to comply with the Act or regulations, the Act provides that <strong>in</strong><br />
some circumstances the failure can be attributed to an officer not tak<strong>in</strong>g reasonable care. If so,<br />
the officer could be guilty of an offence. This will be determ<strong>in</strong>ed hav<strong>in</strong>g regard to:<br />
• Did the measures, which might reasonably have been taken to avoid the <strong>in</strong>cident, fall<br />
properly <strong>and</strong> reasonably with<strong>in</strong> the duties, responsibilities <strong>and</strong> scope of the officer’s<br />
functions, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g mak<strong>in</strong>g arrangements for facilitat<strong>in</strong>g ongo<strong>in</strong>g tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> supervision<br />
<strong>and</strong> creat<strong>in</strong>g, monitor<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g systems for identify<strong>in</strong>g, assess<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> controll<strong>in</strong>g<br />
hazards <strong>and</strong> risks to <strong>health</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>safety</strong>?<br />
• Did the officer fail to take obvious steps to prevent the <strong>in</strong>cident?<br />
• What was the degree of blameworth<strong>in</strong>ess <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> the officer’s behaviour?<br />
• Has the officer had previous advice or warn<strong>in</strong>gs regard<strong>in</strong>g matters lead<strong>in</strong>g to the <strong>in</strong>cident<br />
or should the officer have reasonably known about the advice or warn<strong>in</strong>gs?<br />
• Did the officer know<strong>in</strong>gly compromise <strong>safety</strong> for personal ga<strong>in</strong> or for commercial ga<strong>in</strong> of the<br />
organisation without undue pressure from the organisation to do so?<br />
• Was the contravention attributable to an act or omission of another person?<br />
• What could reasonably be expected of the officer bear<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> m<strong>in</strong>d all the relevant<br />
circumstances <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g the officer’s role, knowledge <strong>and</strong> the nature <strong>and</strong> context of the<br />
relevant activity be<strong>in</strong>g conducted by the organisation?<br />
4 WORKSAFE VICTORIA / OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY IN BOARDS
GOOD HEALTH AND SAFETY MEANS GOOD BUSINESS<br />
3. Responsibility<br />
Appo<strong>in</strong>t a board member <strong>and</strong>/or executive to champion <strong>health</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>safety</strong>. The<br />
chair/chief executive may take on the role, but at the very least appo<strong>in</strong>t a member<br />
of senior management to lead <strong>health</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>safety</strong> functions <strong>and</strong> ensure they are<br />
dealt with.<br />
• Def<strong>in</strong>e, document <strong>and</strong> communicate to all levels <strong>in</strong> the organisation their<br />
specific <strong>health</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>safety</strong> responsibilities, authority to act <strong>and</strong> report<strong>in</strong>g<br />
requirements.<br />
• Hold managers accountable for their <strong>health</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>safety</strong> responsibilities.<br />
4. Decision-mak<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Ensure decision-mak<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>cludes consideration of <strong>health</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>safety</strong> implications.<br />
This will assist <strong>in</strong> comply<strong>in</strong>g with legal obligations as well as avoid<strong>in</strong>g the<br />
possibility of costly changes later.<br />
• Consider <strong>health</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>safety</strong> at the <strong>in</strong>itial stages of decision-mak<strong>in</strong>g for the<br />
<strong>in</strong>troduction of new plant, design of new workplaces, relocation of premises<br />
<strong>and</strong> new or changed practices, processes <strong>and</strong> people.<br />
• Establish criteria for <strong>health</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>safety</strong> st<strong>and</strong>ards you expect of your suppliers,<br />
contractors <strong>and</strong> other service providers.<br />
5. Consultation<br />
Ensure the organisation has procedures <strong>and</strong> mechanisms <strong>in</strong> place to consult with<br />
employees on OHS.<br />
• Ensure mechanisms are <strong>in</strong> place to <strong>in</strong>crease ease <strong>and</strong> effectiveness of<br />
<strong>in</strong>formation shar<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
• Comply with the legal requirement to consult with employees on OHS matters.<br />
6. Oversee efficacy of OHS systems <strong>and</strong> programs<br />
Monitor the implementation <strong>and</strong> review of systems for improv<strong>in</strong>g OHS. There may<br />
be a number of systems <strong>and</strong> programs <strong>in</strong> place, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g:<br />
• OHS <strong>in</strong>duction <strong>and</strong> tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g programs for all employees, managers <strong>and</strong><br />
contractors;<br />
• risk management system which <strong>in</strong>cludes hazard identification, risk assessment<br />
<strong>and</strong> control of associated risks; <strong>and</strong><br />
• system for report<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>vestigat<strong>in</strong>g hazards <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>cidents <strong>and</strong> tak<strong>in</strong>g followup<br />
action.<br />
WORKSAFE VICTORIA / OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY IN BOARDS 5
CHECKLIST/ACTION PLAN<br />
This checklist/action plan is by no means exhaustive <strong>and</strong> may be adapted to suit the organisation’s operations.<br />
ITEM YES NO ACTION WHO WHEN (REVIEW)<br />
Leadership<br />
Is there a company OHS policy endorsed<br />
by the board?<br />
Is the policy effectively communicated?<br />
Does the board regularly communicate on<br />
OHS matters to employees <strong>and</strong> other<br />
stakeholders?<br />
Knowledge<br />
Do all officers <strong>and</strong> members of the board<br />
know their OHS legislative obligations <strong>and</strong><br />
duties?<br />
Are officers aware of their role when:<br />
• The risk management process has been<br />
completed <strong>and</strong> a request for resources<br />
is put forward?<br />
• An <strong>in</strong>cident occurs?<br />
• A notice has been issued by a <strong>health</strong> <strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>safety</strong> representative (HSR) or an<br />
<strong>in</strong>spector?<br />
• An <strong>in</strong>vestigation is be<strong>in</strong>g conducted?<br />
Responsibility<br />
Has a member of the board been given<br />
overall responsibility for or management<br />
of OHS?<br />
Do all managers have <strong>health</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>safety</strong> <strong>in</strong><br />
their performance measures?<br />
Are there competent people to advise<br />
on OHS?<br />
Decision-mak<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Do recruitment practices <strong>in</strong>clude <strong>health</strong> <strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>safety</strong> requirements?<br />
Do design <strong>and</strong> purchas<strong>in</strong>g procedures<br />
<strong>in</strong>clude <strong>health</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>safety</strong> requirements?<br />
Do board decisions take <strong>in</strong>to account <strong>health</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> <strong>safety</strong> requirements?<br />
Consultation<br />
Is there an open <strong>and</strong> transparent process<br />
for:<br />
• Employees to raise OHS issues?<br />
• employees to be consulted on changes<br />
to the workplace, practices, processes,<br />
etc that will affect OHS?<br />
Is it endorsed by the board?<br />
6 WORKSAFE VICTORIA / OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY IN BOARDS
CHECKLIST/ACTION PLAN<br />
ITEM YES NO ACTION WHO WHEN (REVIEW)<br />
OHS Committee<br />
Is an officer or a member of the board on<br />
the OHS Committee?<br />
Does the board receive regular reports<br />
<strong>and</strong> recommendations from the OHS<br />
Committee?<br />
OHS program<br />
Has an OHS program been developed?<br />
Does the program cover all <strong>health</strong> <strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>safety</strong> issues <strong>in</strong> the workplace?<br />
Is it endorsed by the board?<br />
Are regular reports on its progress reported<br />
to the board?<br />
Is it effectively communicated?<br />
Are different components regularly<br />
monitored <strong>and</strong> reviewed:<br />
• Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>duction program?<br />
• Risk management?<br />
• Report<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>vestigat<strong>in</strong>g?<br />
• Prevention activities?<br />
Report<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Is OHS <strong>in</strong>cluded <strong>in</strong> the corporate report?<br />
Does the report <strong>in</strong>clude lead <strong>and</strong> lag<br />
<strong>in</strong>dicators?<br />
Does it <strong>in</strong>clude future targets?<br />
WORKSAFE VICTORIA / OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY IN BOARDS 7
FURTHER SUPPORT<br />
AND ADVICE<br />
This <strong>in</strong>formation is based on the Occupational Health <strong>and</strong> Safety Act 2004 <strong>and</strong><br />
should not be considered a legal document or a substitute for the Act. This booklet<br />
should be read <strong>in</strong> conjunction with the Act.<br />
Further <strong>in</strong>formation can be obta<strong>in</strong>ed at www.worksafe.vic.gov.au <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g:<br />
• Summary of the Occupational Health <strong>and</strong> Safety Act 2004;<br />
• Information for Senior Officers of Organisations;<br />
• Information for Employers; <strong>and</strong><br />
• Information for Occupiers <strong>and</strong> Those Who Manage or Control Workplaces.<br />
8 WORKSAFE VICTORIA / OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY IN BOARDS
WORKSAFE VICTORIA<br />
Advisory Service<br />
222 Exhibition Street<br />
Melbourne 3000<br />
GPO Box 4306<br />
Melbourne, <strong>Victoria</strong> 3001<br />
Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 03 9641 1444<br />
Toll-free . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1800 136 089<br />
Email . . . . . <strong>in</strong>fo@workcover.vic.gov.au<br />
Head Office<br />
222 Exhibition Street<br />
Melbourne 3000<br />
Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 03 9641 1555<br />
Toll-free . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1800 136 089<br />
Publications. . . . . . . . . . 03 9641 1444<br />
Website . . . www.worksafe.vic.gov.au<br />
Local Offices<br />
Ballarat . . . . . . . . . . . . . 03 5338 4444<br />
Bendigo. . . . . . . . . . . . . 03 5443 8866<br />
D<strong>and</strong>enong . . . . . . . . . . 03 8792 9000<br />
Geelong. . . . . . . . . . . . . 03 5226 1200<br />
Melbourne<br />
(628 Bourke Street). . . . 03 9941 0558<br />
Mildura . . . . . . . . . . . . . 03 5021 4001<br />
Mulgrave . . . . . . . . . . . . 03 9565 9444<br />
Preston . . . . . . . . . . . . . 03 9485 4555<br />
Shepparton . . . . . . . . . . 03 5831 8260<br />
Traralgon . . . . . . . . . . . . 03 5174 8900<br />
Wangaratta . . . . . . . . . . 03 5721 8588<br />
Warrnambool. . . . . . . . . 03 5564 3200<br />
VWA1018/01/07.06