Tag: health and safety

Formwork Compliance Audits – Construction Industry Qld

WHSQ is conducting compliance audits in the formwork sector of the construction industry.


WHY?

Because formwork incidents involving the collapse or failure of formwork systems and components can have serious consequences. Several formwork incidents this year have highlighted the need for improvements in the safe construction and use of formwork systems.


WHAT DO THEY LOOK FOR?

Stage one will be a desktop audit focussing on formwork documentation.

Stage two will be an audit of the formwork structure and verifying the documented formwork systems. This will include the inspection of erected formwork systems and safe work practices.
The audits will assess compliance with the Formwork Code of Practice 2016.


WHO IS BEING TARGETED?

This is a state-wide campaign targeting employers whose business involves formwork construction activities, formwork designers and engineers, formwork contractors and principal contractors.


HOW DO YOU PREPARE?

During the audits inspectors will focus on:

  • documentation
  • inspection practices
  • modular proprietary formwork systems
  • bracing
  • defective material
  • erection and dismantling procedures
  • other trade workers
  • access and egress
  • stacked materials
  • lifting
  • training of workers.

You should review your work practices to ensure your workplace complies with the Formwork Code of Practice 2016.

Find out more at https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/construction/articles/formwork-industry-compliance-audits

Get Smart – Workplace Security and Safety

My guest blog post written for Luke the Locksmith’s blog…

Do you remember the opening credits of Get Smart, where Maxwell Smart (Agent 83) goes through all the door and the telephone box to get to the office?

I once experienced a similar feeling going to see a Jeweller to have my wedding ring designed and made. At the time I thought it was rather strange that he was hidden away in the depths of a shopping arcade with no shop frontage. When I finally got the entrance, a large steel door, I was required to call through the video intercom system to enter.

When I entered, I was in an empty white consultation room with nothing but a black table and four chairs. But I could see behind a thick transparent wall a workshop full of tools and equipment. No doubt extremely expensive tools and equipment required for precision work he performed. The Jeweller entered the consultation room from the workshop through yet another heavy steel door.

I guess it is pretty obvious why a Jeweller would have such extreme security…diamonds, rubies and gold!

While this security seemed a little confronting, we must remember, is that not everyone in the world is a law-abiding citizen. Some will go to great lengths to break and enter your premises to steal valuable goods and equipment. And that some, are barbaric enough to enter a workplace, take people hostage and cause serious harm (physically and mentally) to workers in order to get something valuable.

Under our harmonised health and safety laws, employers have a duty to provide and maintain a safe workplace for employees. This doesn’t just apply in Jewellers with lots of diamonds. An office with computers, a service-station with cash and a Bottle shop with liquor are all prime targets for the unscrupulous.

The Managing the work environment and facilities Code of Practice (Qld) requires employers to ensure they provide and maintain a safe work environment this includes security measures such as:

  • Amenity Facilities should provide privacy and security for men and women.
  • The entry and exit to and from the workplace must be safe.
  • Doors and gates should be fitted with safety devices if necessary.
  • Accessible and secure storage provided at the workplace for personal items belonging to workers
  • Managing the personal security risks associated with isolated work, for example:
    • a cleaner working by themselves at night in a city office building
    • all-night convenience store and service station attendants
    • sales representatives, including real estate agents
    • health and community workers working in isolation with members of the public.
  • Accommodation facilities should also be lockable, with safe entry and exit.

These are all duties of the business owner (person conducting the business or undertaking). For many business owners who lease commercial properties, the duty still sits with you. You may need to negotiate the installation of security measures with your landlord, but it is your risk and therefore your responsibility.

When advising clients on workplace security solutions in my local Brisbane area, I refer them to my local trusted Locksmith, Luke Gillings – aka Luke the Locksmith.

When it comes to managing the safety and security of your workers and workplaces, we never want to hear you say… “I missed it by that much”.

For a quick nostalgic trip or for those who may be too young, here is a YouTube link to the Get Smart Intro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kv3kcnI72Ec

Raising the WHS bar for boards

This is an article I wrote for the OHS Professional Magazine published on 25 November 2019.

As the newly elected chair of the Institute, I wanted to take the opportunity in my first article to welcome new members who are reading the magazine for their first time and to recognise and thank everyone who continues to support the Institute through their ongoing membership. I am very honoured to be given the opportunity by my peers to represent and lead you.

The theme for this edition of OHS Professional is Governance, which is slightly ironic for a new Chair writing their first piece. However, the significance of the increasingly complex and challenging governance and risk landscape is not lost on me. As an avid follower of enterprise governance, risk and compliance issues, I am mindful that Companies, Boards and Executives are feeling the impact of the Hayne and other Royal Commissions, Senate inquiries and inquests with increased regulatory action, investigation and personal exposure for directors.

While this is an area of interest of mine, I do encourage all OHS Professionals to ensure they are aware of the issues and challenges facing directors, executives and ‘officers’, so that you can effectively support or advise those you work with. In particular, with the strong focus being placed on non-financial risk after being recognised as a ‘critical governance issue’ by the APRA’s prudential inquiry into CBA and The Hayne Report.

In his final report, Commissioner Hayne observed that “the evidence before the Commission showed that too often, boards did not get the right information about emerging non-financial risks; did not do enough to seek further or better information where what they had was clearly deficient, and did not do enough with the information they had to oversee and challenge management’s approach to these risks”.

Even though the attention has been on the financial services sector, to many even the not for profit sector this has been a big wake up call. Directors are being urged to consider their risk management frameworks and satisfy themselves, on an ongoing basis, that their policies and processes are robust.

I am finding in my work, boards are starting to dedicate greater attention to assessing culture and governance, including more appropriate metrics (let’s hope we can finally move on from LTIFR). They are wanting to better articulate their risk appetite and increase their understanding of where the risk of harm is greatest. They are placing more focus on stakeholders with whom to engage and seeking independent, external support that may be required.

For OHS Professionals, I see this as an opportunity to engage in meaningful conversation with directors about the structures, frameworks and resourcing for health and safety within your (or client’s) organisations. The time to take a good look at what is in place, how it could be improved and to influence leaders with sound, evidence-based strategies to improve health and safety in the workplace and potentially the industry and broader community. I think it is important as individuals and collectively as a profession, we harness the opportunity to provide insightful information to our leaders and the officers of our organisations.

To that end, as the ‘gatekeepers’ for the Institute’s we have taken it time to reflect on our structures, risks and performance. Recognising we operate in a challenging environment and one that is changing constantly under the influence of governments and regulators and in the face of changing technologies. And when it comes to managing risks, in particular non-financial risks, we continue to ensure our Finance, Risk, Audit, Performance and Compliance Committee receives adequate non-financial risk information, including indicators of emerging risks, to support constructive debate and challenge.

More strategically and as an industry leader, we believe it is essential that we come to clear positions on emerging challenges so that we can prosecute these positions to those with influence without fear or intimidation. We recognise we must ‘walk the talk in an authentic manner” so far as risk management, not only internally but in the broader sphere of influence we have.

Most importantly, it is incumbent on the Board to establish and maintain on an ongoing basis, good methods of communication with members, corporate partners, industry groups and the broader community. To ensure we share our strategic direction, how our goals and objectives will be achieved and to provide mechanisms for feedback in terms of our progress and performance.