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Section 6 - Outcome 1 - 0-3pts

You are unlikely to have any processes in place for ensuring that your workplace is safe.

This score indicates that you need to take immediate action to ensure you maintain a safe workplace.

What you can do to improve:

Design and implement a process to carry out regular safety checks

You need to set up a system of regular safety inspections of your worksite. These inspections should be scheduled and there should be checks performed to make sure they occur as planned. Once you have established a routine, it is a good idea to have a regular rotation of people doing the inspection including managers, supervisors and workers.

Any issues you note as part of these inspections should be documented and actioned. Always inform workers that this has occurred as it will help keep them involved in safety and also demonstrate your commitment to keeping them safe.

These regular inspections do not take the place of your normal incident reporting procedure and you should continue to report incidents as normal.

Implement a preventative maintenance schedule

It is vital that all of your plant and equipment is safe and in good working order. Make sure that you record all of your plant and equipment (including hand tools) in a register. This register should form the basis of your regular preventative maintenance schedule. Make sure you check the schedule regularly to ensure that any faulty plant or equipment is in good working order.

You can get good information on the maintenance required by referring to manufacturer manuals or websites.

Design and implement a simple incident and accident reporting procedure

Put in place reporting procedures that make it easy for your workers to let you know whenever an incident occurs; and encourage them to do so. Make sure you train all of your workers and managers in these procedures.

Make sure that you investigate each incident that occurs and that you record the outcomes. Involve your workers in the investigations and let them know what the results of any investigations are. Ensure that all required corrective actions are recorded and that there is a clear accountability for closing out any actions. Follow up corrective actions to make sure they are done.

Implement an emergency plan for all types of emergencies – not just fire

Most organisations have a fire emergency and evacuation plan but there are other kinds of emergencies that can arise. Make sure you have plans in place for medical emergencies, bomb threats, chemical spills or other major events.

Consider:

  • the impact an emergency would have on the workplace and any nearby workplaces
  • how workers and visitors would safely exit the workplace
  • where to locate a safe emergency assembly point
  • how you would make sure that everyone has safely exited the workplace
  • what specific training is needed (e.g. fire warden, first aid, fire extinguishers etc.).

Once the plan is developed you will need to provide training and instruction to all of your workers to make sure they know what to do in the event of an emergency.

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