Safety Matters - Rail, Tram and Bus Union of NSW

Table 1: Effective and Ineffective Consultation
When consultation
occurs
Employer role
Employer skills
needed
Employee role
Effective
Early, before agenda and
decisions are made
Interested in and values
employees’ ideas
Interpersonal, facilitative,
listening
Pro-active, employees
encouraged to suggest ideas
Ineffective
After the agenda is set and
decisions are made
No recognition of the benefits of
consultation
No skills needed
Reactive, employees have no
role in improving OHS
Employee skills
Interaction style
Approach toward
each other
Process
Training provided in
communication skills and risk
assessment
Planned, genuine and
collaborative
Trust, mutual respect
Open and receptive to employee
participation
No training provided to enable
effective participation
Directionless, token or sporadic
Mistrust, lack of respect for
differing points of view
Invisible, barriers to employee
participation
Information Relevant information provided Limited access to information
Communication
Outcomes
When Consultation is Required
Opportunities for one-toone
communication with
employees, clear and ongoing
feedback
Outcomes result in
improvements to the systems
for managing safety
No direct communication with
employees, no feedback
There is no improvement in how
safety is managed
Consultation between the employer and their employees should occur whenever
an employee, OHS committee member, OHS representative, or manager is
aware of an issue that has implications for the health, safety or welfare of
employees. Section 15 of the Act requires that consultation must occur when:
• risks are assessed or reviewed
• measures are proposed to eliminate or control risks
• monitoring procedures are introduced or altered (including procedures for
health surveillance)
Safety Matters A Guide for Workplace OHS Representatives
SECTION TWO
RAIL
TRAM AND BUS
33
Monitoring OHS Programs and Procedures
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