occupational health and safety in boards - WorkSafe Victoria

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GOOD HEALTH AND SAFETY MEANS GOOD BUSINESS 1. Leadership The board’s role in providing health and safety leadership should be stated formally and publicly in a way that demonstrates the leadership is committed to continuous improvement in health and safety. For example: • endorse an OHS policy in consultation with employees and communicate it to the workforce; • set health and safety objectives and targets for the organisation; • understand the organisation’s OHS performance and monitor it over time; • report on the organisation’s OHS performance publicly; • employ and/or engage sufficient numbers of suitably qualified and competent people to advise on and to implement OHS requirements. 2. Knowledge Members of the board should know what their OHS obligations are and about those relating to their organisation, and how they are managed. They should stay up-to-date on current issues and be alert to and prepared to act on emerging issues. • Understand legislative responsibilities, including relevant regulations. • Ensure everything done reinforces the messages in the company’s OHS policy. BOX 2. THE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT 2004 – FAILURE TO COMPLY Where an organisation has failed to comply with the Act or regulations, the Act provides that in some circumstances the failure can be attributed to an officer not taking reasonable care. If so, the officer could be guilty of an offence. This will be determined having regard to: • Did the measures, which might reasonably have been taken to avoid the incident, fall properly and reasonably within the duties, responsibilities and scope of the officer’s functions, including making arrangements for facilitating ongoing training and supervision and creating, monitoring and maintaining systems for identifying, assessing and controlling hazards and risks to health and safety? • Did the officer fail to take obvious steps to prevent the incident? • What was the degree of blameworthiness involved in the officer’s behaviour? • Has the officer had previous advice or warnings regarding matters leading to the incident or should the officer have reasonably known about the advice or warnings? • Did the officer knowingly compromise safety for personal gain or for commercial gain of the organisation without undue pressure from the organisation to do so? • Was the contravention attributable to an act or omission of another person? • What could reasonably be expected of the officer bearing in mind all the relevant circumstances including the officer’s role, knowledge and the nature and context of the relevant activity being conducted by the organisation? 4 WORKSAFE VICTORIA / OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY IN BOARDS
GOOD HEALTH AND SAFETY MEANS GOOD BUSINESS 3. Responsibility Appoint a board member and/or executive to champion health and safety. The chair/chief executive may take on the role, but at the very least appoint a member of senior management to lead health and safety functions and ensure they are dealt with. • Define, document and communicate to all levels in the organisation their specific health and safety responsibilities, authority to act and reporting requirements. • Hold managers accountable for their health and safety responsibilities. 4. Decision-making Ensure decision-making includes consideration of health and safety implications. This will assist in complying with legal obligations as well as avoiding the possibility of costly changes later. • Consider health and safety at the initial stages of decision-making for the introduction of new plant, design of new workplaces, relocation of premises and new or changed practices, processes and people. • Establish criteria for health and safety standards you expect of your suppliers, contractors and other service providers. 5. Consultation Ensure the organisation has procedures and mechanisms in place to consult with employees on OHS. • Ensure mechanisms are in place to increase ease and effectiveness of information sharing. • Comply with the legal requirement to consult with employees on OHS matters. 6. Oversee efficacy of OHS systems and programs Monitor the implementation and review of systems for improving OHS. There may be a number of systems and programs in place, including: • OHS induction and training programs for all employees, managers and contractors; • risk management system which includes hazard identification, risk assessment and control of associated risks; and • system for reporting and investigating hazards and incidents and taking followup action. WORKSAFE VICTORIA / OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY IN BOARDS 5
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occupational health and safety in boards - WorkSafe Victoria

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