NT WorkSafe Small Business Safety Program Overview
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Northern Territory Conference 2020
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NT WorkSafe Small Business Safety Program Overview
- 1. NT WorkSafe Small Business Safety Program
- 2. NT WorkSafe business units - overview Executive Regulatory Reform, Communications, Business Administration, Training. Inspectorate General Safety, Electrical Safety, Site Inspections, Investigations Permissioning and Advisory Unit Licensing, Registrations, Permits, Incident Notification and Complaints. Small Business Safety Program (SBSP) Rehabilitation and Compensation Return to Work, Mediation, Insurer and Rehabilitation approvals.
- 3. Small Business Safety Program (SBSP) • The SBSP was created in 2016. • Designed to assist small businesses to understand and comply with their work health and safety obligations. • Improve the health and safety capacity and capability of small businesses. • Assist businesses to develop and manage their own health and safety systems. • Safety Advisors are not WorkSafe Inspectors and have no enforcement or compliance powers. • The service is free and can be utilised repeatedly by individual businesses.
- 4. What we provide - examples Tailored advice specific to the business Examples of Safety Management Systems Templates for Risk Assessments, SWPs, Registers, Policies, Worker Inductions, Safety Action Plans etc. Explanation of WHS terminology and legal intent Reference to COP’s and guidance material Understanding WHS responsibilities – PCBU, Officers, Workers, Contractors etc. Provide practical examples ie; how to conduct a risk assessment or hazard identification exercise.
- 5. Client range • Small businesses • Sole Traders • School groups • Apprentice groups • Industry groups • Government Departments • Church organisations • Not for profit organisations
- 6. Service model Face to face (preferred) Meet on site – management and workers Discuss work activities and work environment View facilities, plant and equipment -Identify needs Conduct Toolbox talks or information sessions Deliver PowerPoint or video presentations Email or phone Utilise regional Inspector where appropriate Email documents, photos etc. to determine needs Detailed discussions about safety requirements
- 7. Our sources of information • HSWA Small Business Network Group Group telephone hook ups and annual face to face meeting • Safe Work Australia COP’s, Guidance material • Regulator websites interstate Safety alerts, bulletins, videos, guides • Internal knowledge Experience and knowledge from within NTWS • Regulator websites outside of Australia such as; HSE United Kingdom, WorkSafe BC
- 8. Safety Advisors vs Safety Consultants • The Small Business Safety Program is not a total work, health and safety solution. • Assistance and material provided is designed to be educational and capacity building to help clients understand how to create safety systems for their business. • For clients seeking total health and safety management packages, we recommend that they engage the services of a health and safety consultant.
- 9. Locations that we have visited • Alice Springs • Katherine • Tennant Creek • Uluru • Tiwi Islands • Nhulunbuy • Aileron • Various cattle stations
Editor's Notes
- Similar to other jurisdictions - Although different in name, the SBSP at NT WorkSafe is similar in function to ‘advice and assistance’ units at WHS regulatory branches in other jurisdictions around Australia. The NT SBSP is a member of the Heads of Workplace Safety (HWSA) Small Business Network.
- False perception NTWS – SBSP help to break down perception that NTWS is ‘reactive’ or ‘compliance and enforcement’ oriented. Safety = $$$ burden – Some small business operators consider health and safety as an additional ‘financial’ burden rather than viewing a safe workplace as a potential cost benefit such as: enhanced reputation, greater customer demand, loyalty of workers. Understanding WHS law – Duty holders are sometimes confused about how to meet WHS obligations at their specific place of work. Follow up – Safety Advisors conduct follow up’s after initial consultations and can be used multiple times.
- Tailored advice – Not ‘one size fits all’. We customise advice and strategies to ensure that our audience understands and can apply it effectively. Simplified WHS Management – Developed industry specific examples of the type of content that WHS Management System may require ie; “Pastoral Pack” Specific examples – how WHS responsibilities can be put into practice at a specific workplace based upon; work activities, nature of the workforce, type of plant/equipment, location of worksites, environment and other factors. Undertake practical exercises – Walk through a workshop to demonstrate a hazard id check or similar.
- SBSP available to all - We will assist anyone requests our services. “Opt-in” program – Usually we are invited to workplaces by PCBU’s seeking assistance. Small businesses and Sole traders – sometimes these smaller businesses have ‘evolved’ rather than developed in accordance with a grand plan. Whilst many of these small businesses know how to complete their work whilst minimising risk; they sometimes have no documentation to support, reference or demonstrate their safe systems of work. This often becomes an issue when tendering for contracts or when visited by WorkSafe Inspectors. Young Workers Program – The SBSP has taken on the role of delivering health and safety presentations to young people who are at the cusp of entering the workforce either as ‘school leavers’ or as students who may take part in ‘work experience’. Apprentices – SBSP works ‘hand in hand’ with Charles Darwin University to provide WHS presentations to apprentices attending the uni for block training. When presenting to electrical apprentices, the SBSP utilises assistance from an Inspector from the Electrical Compliance Unit at NTWS to assist with technical matters specific to electrical hazards or risks. Industry and Work groups, Gov’t Departments – We tailor topic specific presentations to provide a “Regulator perspective” to various industry groups.
- Face to face – is a preferred method of working with a business. Being able to view the workplace enables Safety Advisors to gain a greater understanding of WHS needs for that particular workplace. Fostering relationships – meeting with management and workers at their place of work helps develop effective working relationships between industry and the Regulator. Email/phone – sometimes necessary due to distance, travel time etc. particularly for remote workplaces such as cattle stations. Referral from Inspectorate – Where NTWS Inspectors determine that health safety at a workplace requires improvement but, enforcement measures are not warranted; SBSP will receive referrals from the Inspector. This is applicable to PCBU’s who demonstrate a willingness to improve health and safety at their workplace.
- Small Business Network – Being part of the HWSA Small Business Network provides us with a great opportunity to keep in touch with our interstate counterparts, to keep up with trends, strategies and campaigns being undertaking by other Regulators. Our counterparts readily share information and resources with us. SWA and other Regulator websites - are an excellent source of statistics, guidance material and resources that we can utilise to assist us to develop presentations and, to improve the health and safety outcomes of our clients.
- Mindful of private enterprise – SBSP Advisors are very mindful that our services do not affect the livelihood of Safety Consultants. We provide our clients with an understanding of how to manage their own health and safety. Larger businesses - We provide advice to larger businesses about duty holder obligations and how to provide a safe work environment however; we suggest that they consider employing the services of a Safety Consultant if, they have the capacity to do so and if, the nature of the business activities present a high risk environment for workers that warrants a complex WHS management system.
- Feasibility of travel– we attempt to visit workplaces in person where possible. Sometimes we wait until we have multiple requests from a particular region to justify travel costs to that area.
- The Small Business Safety Program is not a total health and safety solution and SBSA’s will not endorse the health and safety system at the business.