Occupational Health & Safety Policy

Purpose

This policy describes our organisation’s Occupational Health & Safety program. It demonstrates the organisation’s commitment to preventing work-related injuries and illnesses by providing and maintaining a healthy and safe workplace for all workers and visitors who may be affected by the conduct of the organisation’s business.

Applicability

All workers, volunteers, and visitors

Definitions

Terms used in this policy are defined as:

Organisation Statement

 The organisation’s governing body is accountable for the delivery of safe and quality care systems.

Policy Commitment

Gratis Recruitment is committed to preventing work-related injuries and illnesses by providing and maintaining a healthy and safe workplace for its workers and visitors.

To the extent reasonably practicable the organisation will identify hazards and risks associated with conducting its business and implement appropriate control measures to eliminate or minimise health and safety risks. As such the organisation will:

• identify, maintain and monitor compliance with relevant State and Territory Work Health and Safety Regulations and requirements
• provide appropriate resources (financial and human) for the effective implementation of the organisation’s work health and safety management system
• ensure workers are provided with induction, training, instruction and supervision to enable them to undertake their work safely
• ensure work health and safety information and instructions is communicated to all workers and visitors
• develop and maintain effective arrangements to ensure workers are consulted and represented in matters that may impact their health and safety while at work
• actively manage work-related health and safety risks through the systematic identification and evaluation of hazards and implementation of effective controls
• ensure reported hazards, risks, near misses, and incidents are investigated where appropriate and control measures implemented to prevent or reduce the likelihood of their recurrence
• ensure injured workers receive prompt and effective rehabilitation and that any workers compensation claims are managed in an equitable way consistent with legislative requirements
• develop and implement a process for verifying the effectiveness of the organisation’s work health and safety management system as part of continuous improvement.
• identify, communicate, explain and monitor responsibilities and accountabilities for  all relevant personnel and   ensure the continuous improvement in work health and safety performance by identifying and monitoring objectives, plans and performance measures, reviewing progress against them and rectifying deficiencies when identified.

Work health and safety information and instructions are communicated to workers and visitors using a range of methods including:

• induction and ongoing training specific to the role
• access to policies, procedures, work instructions, and relevant information functional responsibilities nominated in position descriptions
• direct dialogue between supervisors/managers and workers use of bulletin boards/newsletters and email and
• staff meetings and committees.

This policy is supported by the implementation of the related work health and safety policies, processes, and practices that describe the actions required to fulfill the policy.

Roles and Responsibilities

All workers are expected to co-operate in and contribute to creating a safe working environment and required to comply with work health and safety policies, processes and practices while on the organisation’s premises or involved in  any of its  operations

Executives are responsible for ensuring:

• there are adequate systems and processes in place to establish the organisation’s work health and safety management system, maintain effective communication and consultation, manage work-related injuries and illnesses and promote worker wellbeing
• processes for monitoring compliance with this policy are in place a return to work program is implemented
• that matters contained in this policy are endorsed and clearly communicated to all personnel within the organisation there is a process for reporting workplace health and safety matters to the Executive Team and Governing Body and
• the effectiveness of this policy is monitored and verified as part of continuous improvement activities.

Managers are responsible for:

• ensuring workers are aware of and understand the application of this policy
• promoting and reinforcing to workers the importance of participating in consultation on matters that may affect their health and safety and maintaining their wellbeing
• re-enforcing and monitoring compliance with this policy
• ensuring systems that enable workers to undertake their work safely are in place
• ensuring workers are provided with the necessary information, instruction, and training to undertake their work safely ensuring all reported health and safety incidents, near misses, hazards, and risks are investigated at a level that reflects the severity and consequence and
• ensuring workers are aware of the incident reporting processes.

Workers are responsible for:

• ensuring they are aware of and understand the application of this policy
• following all policies and procedures and cooperating with any reasonable instructions relating to work health and safety
• participating in consultation on matters that may affect their health and safety
• ensuring they are aware of the organisation’s incident and hazard reporting and management processes promptly informing and reporting to their manager if they believe this policy has been breached and
• seeking advice from a manager before undertaking an action or activity that may be contrary to the organisation’s policy.

Visitors are responsible for:

• taking reasonable care of their own health and safety
• taking reasonable care to ensure their acts or omissions do not adversely affect the health and safety of other persons and
• complying with policies, procedures, and any reasonable instruction given by the organisation.

References