World Day for Safety and Health at Work and Worker’s Memorial Day
Posted on April 26th, 2019 by WLF
Sunday 28 April is 2019 World Day for Safety and Health at Work and Workers’ Memorial Day.
Safe Work Australia is encouraging everyone to take time out to focus on the importance of Work Health and Safety (WHS) for World Day; and also to honour those who have died from a work related injury or illness.
WHS is an important issue for everyone in the workplace to be aware of, from the new employee right through to the CEO and the Board. It’s a term we hear a lot in the workplace but do you really know your obligations? And just as importantly, do you know the risks and how to manage them?
WHS is about much more than managing risks and compliance. A positive safety culture can be a great strength for a business. Organisations with a good safety culture typically have effective communication channels between management and staff, well-designed policies and processes, and good staff training frameworks. These can be leveraged to enhance other aspects of the business, including process improvement, identifying strategic opportunities and strengthening the organisation’s ethical culture.
Who is responsible for WHS?
Under the Work Health and Safety Act 2012, there are clear obligations for a ‘person conducting a business or undertaking’ (PCBU) to conduct due diligence and risk assessment processes to identify and manage key risks associated with work health and safety (WHS).
‘Officers’ including directors and senior managers also have due diligence obligations about these matters.
What’s in scope?
All businesses have WHS risks, whether your business operates in heavy industry or office administration. WHS risks may exist in relation to work practices, occupational licensing requirements, workplace bullying/harassment, client/customer aggression, equipment, work-related travel, fatigue management, and a host of other issues. There is a plethora of codes of practice and other standards with which workplaces must comply.
Your employees are in the workplace for a large percentage of their week and year. You need to be sure you, and your organisation, are doing everything possible to ensure your employees go home safely to their families and friends after each work day.
How can I ensure my firm is meeting our obligations (and more)?
WLF’s Audit, Assurance & Advisory Group is experienced in facilitating and reviewing WHS risk assessments, auditing WHS frameworks, and identifying strategic opportunities associated with organisational WHS practices. We work for a wide range of private, public and not-for-profit clients.
Our focus is on more than ‘ticking the boxes’ and meeting compliance obligations. We truly believe that every employee has a right to come home safely from work, every day. If you would like to discuss how we can help you with your organisation’s WHS frameworks, please contact Alicia Leis, Partner, or Maryellen Salter, Director, on 6223 6155
