SG-PR-33-19 Resolution of Safety & Health Issue

Symmetrical Group

Policies and Procedures

OHS&E\SAFETY PROCEDURES

Purpose

This procedure is intended as a guide to help with the settlement of issues arising from occupational safety and health matters.

For additional information, refer to the following:

Occupational Safety & Health Act 1984.
Occupational Safety and Health Regulations 1996.
Worksafe W.A. Guidance Note - Resolution of Safety and Health Issues in the Workplace.

Overview

The process starts when an employee discovers a safety or health issue and reports it to the team leader. The team leader will endeavour to resolve the issue.

If he/she is successful, at this or any subsequent stage, the employee returns to normal duties.

If the team leader is not successful, he/she involves the safety and health representative. The team leader then attempts to resolve the issue with the help of the safety and health representative and the employee.

If the team leader is still not successful in resolving the issue, he/she involves his/her manager, and specialist personnel (if required) to help resolve the issue.

If the manager is not successful, he/she reports the issue to Worksafe W.A.

An inspector from Worksafe W.A. visits the workplace to investigate the situation and issue a ruling.

The manager and team leader comply with the ruling. If this does not resolve the issue, it is therefore not considered to be a safety and health issue.

description

The Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984 provides a framework for the prevention of occupational injury and disease. A key objective of the Act is to foster and promote consultation between employers and employees, in the creation and maintenance of safe and healthy work environments.

The consultative mechanisms established in the Act (safety and health representatives and safety and health committees) provide the means by which issues on disputes related to occupational safety and health may be minimised. This is done by consultation and cooperation between employer and employee representatives, in actively addressing safety or health issues as they arise.

The Act includes mechanisms for the parties in the workplace to deal with safety and health issues that previously may have led to disputation. These mechanisms are contained in Part III - General Provisions (relating to occupational safety and health), in the following sections:

Section 24: Resolution of issues at the workplace.
Section 25: Inspector may be notified where issues are unresolved.
Section 26: Refusal by employees to work in the certain cases.
Section 27: Assignments of other work.
Section 28: Entitlements to continue.
Section 28A: Offences - refusal to work.
Your safety and health representative or your team leader should be consulted if clarification of these sections is required.

The Act encourages employers and employees to resolve safety and health issues in a spirit of cooperation.

Under Resolution of Issues at the workplace (section 24(1)) employers and employees must attempt to resolve safety and health issues through agreed or prescribed procedures. The agreed CSBP procedure for the resolution of issues is described in section 2, section 4 and Figure 1.

procedure

When an employee discovers a safety and health issue, the procedure is as follows:

Employee reports the circumstances to the team leader.
Team Leader tries to resolve the issue.

If the team leader is successful, the employee returns to normal duties.
If the team leader is not successful, he/she informs:

the safety and health representative of the issue,
the manager,
safety and health representatives from other sections,
the department safety and health committee.

If the issue is resolved, the employee returns to normal duties.

The Manager acts to resolve the issue:

If the issue is not resolved, the Manager:

continues trying to resolve the issue with help from specialist staff or consultants, if required.

If the issue is resolved, the employee returns to normal duties.
If the issue is not resolved, the manager informs Worksafe W.A.

Worksafe Inspector visits the site, investigates the situation and issues a ruling, which can result in:

a prohibition notice,
an improvement notice,
no action being required.

Manager and Team Leader comply with the Worksafe Inspector’s ruling.

If the issue is resolved, the employee returns to normal duties.
If the issue is not resolved, it is therefore not considered a Safety and Health issue.

Reference material

records keeping table

RECORD IDENIFICATION		STORAGE	STORAGE	INDEXING	RETENTION	AUTHORISED	DISPOSAL
Form No	Document Title	MEDIA	LOCATION	METHOD	PERIOD	DISPOSER	METHOD
	Prohibition Notice	Paper	OSH	Date & Area	7 years	OSH	Shred
	Improvement Notice	Paper	OSH	Date & Area	7 years	OSH	Shred

response to abnormal conditions

CONDITION	CAUSE	RESPONSE
Discovery of a Safety and/or Health issue.	Previously unidentified substandard practice or condition.	Ensure work related to the issue is stopped until the matter is resolved.
Issue arises and team leader is not available.	Employee wishing to report issue.	Employee reports issue to safety and health representative and/or manager.
Issue arises and manager (or deputy) is not available.	Employee/team leader wishing to report issue to manager.	Employee/Team Leader reports issue to OSH Department.
Worksafe WA inspector not available for ruling.	Worksafe WA Inspector delayed or not immediately available.	Manager/Team Leader ensures no work, related to the issue, is performed where there is a risk of injury or harm resulting from undertaking that work.

Date published: 25/07/2013

Document ID:	416
Last reviewed:	12/03/2009
Revision No:	10
Approved by:	..

* -25/07/2013 12:27:06 PM