Defence Occupational Health and Safety Strategy 2007-1 - Comcare

FOUNDATIONOBJECTIVESSTRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 1:Strategic Objectives 1 and 2 are called Foundation Objectives as it has been decided that:> The OHSMS (Strategic Objective 1) is the underlying basis for all > To enable commanders and managers to be effective in their planning,implementation activity at the corporate level. While establishing minimum leadership and decision-making they must have access to timely andstandards and common outcomes, it will allow practices to be tailoredaccurate information. Provision of an enterprise-based managementto Service and Groups specifi c requirements. The development of ainformation system (Strategic Objective 2) to support decision-makers issystematic OHS capability, which is integrated with related Defencetherefore the second foundation objective.management frameworks and based on a risk management approach,provides a foundation on which to improve our OHS performance.Further develop and implement theelements of the Defence-wide OHSMSThe ability of Defence to sustain improvementsin OHS performance is dependent on developingan effective OHSMS, and supportive culture.External research reveals that best practiceorganisations adopt a consistent, systematicapproach to managing OHS, focusing onoccupational health promotion and hazardelimination as the underlying purpose of OHSsystems. Further, it indicates that a positiveOHS culture (the acceptance of OHS as a coreorganisational value in the minds of leaders, staffand contractors) is required in support of a robustOHS management system if enduring performanceimprovement is to be achieved.The Defence OHSMS purpose is to create asustainable capability through a comprehensiveand integrated architecture where the Services andGroups can manage the risks arising from Defenceactivities. It must also enable risks to be managedeffectively across organisational boundaries.The Key Strategies for Objective 1 are:>>The Defence OHSMS will have principlesbasedpolicies and implementation plans thatare adaptable to the needs of the Servicesand Groups -so that their individual OHSmanagement system can be confi gured tosupport integration with the Defence OHSMS.Gaps between current practice andOHSMS requirements will be identifi ed andimplementation plans developed for eachService and Group, and Defence as a whole.> The mechanisms to drive cultural change,including the role of education and training,communications, recognition and reward,will be determined and appropriate actionsincorporated into implementation plans.9