Appendix A – Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S)
The following information provides details of Customs responses to its legal obligations under section 74 of the Occupational Health and Safety (Commonwealth Employment) Act 1991 (OH&S Act).
Section 74(1)(C) Customs occupational health and safety policy
Customs introduced an OH&S Policy and OH&S Manual in June 2004 to reinforce OH&S risk management and the roles and responsibilities for all staff. Activities to implement the OH&S Policy and Manual included:
- awareness sessions offered to staff and managers in the Regions on the new policy framework and their new roles and responsibilities
- development of a brochure, Hazard Identification and Risk Management, distributed to all employees
- development and promotion of an OH&S online learning module
- all staff messages alerting staff to the new Policy with links to an Intranet site.
The National OH&S Committee endorsed a new OH&S National Plan and OH&S Agreement during the year. Regional OH&S Committees reviewed health and safety representative numbers in line with the introduction of a new volunteer allowance in the Certified Agreement. There were no changes to the committee structure or functions, or the selection of health and safety representatives.
Section 74(1)(D) Measures taken during the year to ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of employees and contractors of the department or authority
Customs undertook the following measures to ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees and contractors this year:
- introduced a new Organisational Health Project to improve organisational performance
- participated in a pilot early intervention program with Comcare to enhance Customs ability to provide timely assistance to employees who are injured or ill, or have the potential to become injured or ill. The outcomes from the pilot will be used to develop a new absence management policy
- developed several toolkits to assist managers and staff to better deal with people management issues and to minimise workplace stress. Topics developed included: Leading Teams; Managing Change and Managing Work-related Stress and Psychological Injury
- provided a six-monthly report on OH&S performance to the Executive and enhanced the report’s performance indicators and format. Key outcomes from the reports were also provided to all managers to help raise their awareness of OH&S performance and emerging issues
- developed and implemented an online OH&S incident reporting system. The system was launched in April 2005 and is designed to efficiently capture details of all OH&S incidents and to support effective monitoring, reporting and investigation of those incidents
- undertook an organisational risk assessment of first aid arrangements and reviewed Health and Safety Representative arrangements. A Volunteer Allowance was introduced in the 2004–2007 Certified Agreement to reward those employees appointed as Health and Safety Representatives
- implemented a range of strategies to promote health and wellbeing such as health seminars, health and fitness testing and flu vaccinations.
Section 74(1)(E) Notifications under section 68 of the OH&S Act
There were 13 notifications to Comcare of accidents or dangerous occurrences in 2004–05 under section 68 of the OH&S Act. Detailed investigations were undertaken into what occurred and why and appropriate changes were implemented to prevent recurrence.
Section 74(1)(F) Directions under section 45 of the OH&S Act
There were no directions or notifications that the workplace not be disturbed under section 45 of the OH&S Act.
Section 74(1)(F) Notifications under sections 29, 46 and 47 of the OH&S Act
There were no notifications made under these sections of the OH&S Act in 2004–05. No Provisional Improvement Notices were posted.