DIMA Annual Report 1999-2000
Reports on performance of Client Service Charter, financial performance and support (continued)
Occupational Health and Safety
The Department's management and employee responsibilities under the Occupational Health and Safety (Commonwealth Employment) Act 1991 (OH&S Act) are contained in the Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) Policy and Agreement. The Policy and Agreement was accepted by relevant staff associations and formally endorsed on 12 November 1998 and is due for review by November 2000.
The Department currently has a number of agreed policies in place. These include:
- communicable diseases
- first aid
- eyesight testing for screen-based equipment
- pesticide spraying
- return to work, and
- guidelines for avoidance and resolution of disability claims during office refurbishments.
OH&S committees
The Department has OH&S committees in Central Office and most state and territory offices. The peak committee, the National Committee on Occupational Health and Safety, met twice during the year.
Health and safety representatives
Health and safety representatives (HSRs) have been generally maintained for each designated work group. However, organisational restructuring and turnover of HSRs made it difficult to maintain complete coverage. Discussions were initiated with both HSRs and the CPSU to address this problem. The HSRs assisted in a trial of the new workplace hazard inspection procedures. The HSR network met on a regular basis and provided a consultative mechanism in addition to the OH&S committees established under the OH&S Act. Issues addressed by the network meetings included precautionary guidelines for using mobile phones. State HSRs have been active in their workplaces.
Health, safety and welfare at work of employees
Measures taken during the year to ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of employees and contractors included the continued promotion of health and safety through providing advice, workstation assessments and training.
Consultants Ernst and Young provided a report based on an assessment of occupational health and safety risks in compliance, investigations, document examiners and airport activities. They also reported on the current state relating to the management of these risks, and made recommendations for improvement. The report also benchmarked the Department's overall performance against SafetyMAP (which is the standard for measuring OH&S performance adopted by ComCare). A strategic plan is now being developed aimed at ensuring that the Department reaches SafetyMAP initial level achievement within 12 months. The attainment of this level will enable the Department to become self-auditing instead of relying upon external audit by Comcare under the planned investigation program.
An influenza vaccination program was conducted in the Department's Central Office and regional offices with a view to reducing staff absenteeism during the winter months.
A further test conducted in April on the Telstra and Optus communications installations at the Department's Belconnen offices confirmed that the level of electro-magnetic emissions remained well below the agreed safety standard.
Incidents
There were 11 incidents reported to Comcare under Section 68 of the OH&S Act. Of these, three involved serious personal injury and the remainder were dangerous occurrences. From 1 January 1999, the notifiable period of incapacity was extended from five to 30 days.
Investigations
Comcare started one investigation under Section 41 of the OH&S Act during 1999-2000. It was a targeted reactive investigation of the Department's regional office in Perth, in the week beginning 19 June 2000. The investigation was designed to test compliance with the revised notification and reporting regulations that came into effect on 1 January 1999. The report and recommendations will not be available until after 30 June 2000.