Elements and Performance Criteria
- Establish and maintain framework for the occupational health and safety (OHS) system in the area of responsibility
- OHS policies are developed that clearly express council's commitment to OHS and how relevant OHS legislation will be implemented, consistent with overall organisational policies.
- OHS responsibilities and duties that will allow implementation and integration of an OHS system are clearly defined, allocated and included in job descriptions and duty statements for all relevant positions.
- Financial and human resources for the operation of OHS system are identified, sought and/or provided in a timely and consistent manner.
- Information on OHS system and procedures for the area of responsibility is provided and explained in a form that is readily accessible to employees.
- Establish and maintain participative arrangements for the management of OHS
- Consultation processes are established and maintained with employees and their representatives in accordance with relevant legislation and council's overall process for consultation.
- Issues raised though participation and consultation are dealt with and resolved promptly and effectively in accordance with procedures for issue resolution.
- Information about the outcomes of participation and consultation is provided in a manner readily accessible to employees.
- Establish and maintain procedures for identifying hazards
- Existing and potential hazards within the area of responsibility are identified and identification is confirmed in accordance with legislation, codes of practice and trends identified from the OHS records system.
- A procedure for ongoing identification of hazards is developed and integrated within systems of work and procedures.
- Activities are appropriately monitored to ensure that this procedure is adopted effectively throughout areas of managerial responsibility.
- Hazard identification is addressed at the planning, design and evaluation stages of any change in the workplace to ensure that new hazards are not created.
- Establish and maintain procedures for assessing risks
- Risks presented by identified hazards are correctly assessed in accordance with legislation and codes of practice.
- A procedure for ongoing assessment of risks is developed and integrated within systems of work and procedures.
- Activities are monitored to ensure that this procedure is adopted effectively throughout the area of managerial responsibility.
- Risk assessment is addressed at the planning, design and evaluation stages of any change in the workplace to ensure that the risk from hazards is not increased.
- Establish and maintain procedures for controlling risks
- Measures to control assessed risks are developed and implemented in accordance with the hierarchy of control, relevant OHS legislation, codes of practice and trends identified from the OHS records system.
- When measures that control a risk at its source are not immediately practicable, interim solutions are implemented until a permanent control measure is developed.
- A procedure for the ongoing control of risks, based on the hierarchy of control, is developed and integrated within general systems of work and procedures.
- Activities are monitored to ensure that the risk control procedure is adopted effectively throughout the area of managerial responsibility.
- Risk control is addressed at the planning, design and evaluation stages of any change in the workplace to ensure that adequate risk control measures are included.
- Inadequacies in existing risk control measures are identified and resources enabling implementation of new measures are sought and/or provided according to appropriate workplace procedures.
- Establish and maintain organisational procedures for dealing with hazardous events
- Potential hazardous events are correctly identified.
- Procedures that would control the risks associated with hazardous events and meet any legislative requirements as a minimum, are developed in consultation with appropriate emergency services.
- Appropriate information and training are provided to employees to enable implementation of correct procedures in all relevant circumstances.
- Establish and maintain an OHS training program
- Establish and maintain a system for OHS records
- Evaluate the organisation's OHS system and related policies, procedures and programs
- Effectiveness of the OHS system and related policies, procedures and programs is assessed according to the organisation's aims with respect to OHS.
- Improvements to the OHS system are developed and implemented to ensure more effective achievement of the organisation's OHS aims.
- Compliance with OHS legislation and codes of practice is assessed to ensure that legal OHS standards are maintained as a minimum.