Safety Matters - Rail, Tram and Bus Union of NSW

implementing the legislation can be difficult and often becomes reactive and ad
hoc. The ideal way to implement the Act is through a planned, systematic and
coordinated approach.
Many of the recommendations from the Report on the Inquiry into Workplace
Safety conducted by the Standing Committee on Law & Justice, were focused
on the need for a systematic approach to workplace health and safety. In
particular, that ‘the OHS Act be amended to impose a duty upon employers to
adopt a systematic approach to occupational health and safety. This systematic
approach could be as simple as the application of the six step approach to OHS
being promoted by WorkCover NSW in its community awareness campaign,
or it could be as complex as the application of an accredited OHS management
system.’
SECTION TWO
Safety Matters A Guide for Workplace OHS Representatives
Several reports have been written evaluating the effectiveness of OHSMS,
with the objective of increasing the understanding of the role and function of
OHSMS to encourage all Australian workplaces to adopt a more systematic
approach to the management of OHS.
WorkCover NSW has developed a Six Step Approach to serve as a guide
in developing OHS systems. The steps that should be included in the
occupational health and safety strategy are:
• Develop an OHS policy and related programs
• Set up a consultation mechanism with employees
• Establish a training strategy
• Establish a hazard identification and workplace assessment process
• Develop and implement risk control
• Promote, maintain and improve these strategies
These steps and their components are discussed in more detail in the
following sections.
Monitoring OHS Programs and Procedures
16
RAIL
TRAM AND BUS
U N
I O N