Risk Management – Top 6 Work Health & Safety tips for your workplace

Have you ever stayed awake at night thinking about your business’s Work Health Safety standards? Workplace accidents are surely one of every business owner’s worst nightmares. Consider the long periods off work, increased workers compensation premiums and costly legal settlements.

These are just some of the headache-inducing matters that employers must deal with when a staff member sustains a workplace injury.

Occupational accidents present substantial disruptions to business activities. They can lead to reduced productivity and place work teams under additional strain as they take on their injured co-worker’s tasks.

However, you can reduce the risk of incidents occurring by implementing a few standard WHS procedures in your workplace operations.

Follow these simple tips to help safeguard your employees, minimise your exposure to litigation and, in the event of an injury, ensure a quick and favourable resolution of any arising claim!

1. Schedule regular Work Health Safety inspections

As an employer, you are obligated to provide a safe work environment for your employees, contractors, clients and visitors. A great first step in ensuring a safer workplace for everyone is to arrange an external WHS Auditor to conduct an inspection of your premises.

After their evaluation, you will have a better understanding of the hazards and risks at your worksite. Determine the level of danger associated with each hazard. Ask yourself whether these hazards can be removed.

If not, what are some measures you can adopt to better protect your staff. An example could be the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as hard hats and industrial boots for construction workers.

Additionally, Occupational Therapists can perform assessments of employees’ workstations to ensure that proper ergonomic practices are being adhered to.

Set reminders for future Work Health Safety inspections to be held at regular intervals.

2. Form an Occupational Health Safety Committee

A serious commitment to Work Health Safety involves the establishment of a dedicated committee that meets regularly to discuss OHS matters. At these meetings, members can offer their suggestions on the appropriate course of action to resolve any current issues.

A timeframe for completion must then be agreed upon by the members. Include a progress update at the next scheduled meeting.

Each workplace should ideally have an appointed Occupational Health Safety Officer who has completed First Aid training. They will be the go-to person for staff members wanting to report workplace hazards. Furthermore, they will be responsible for making sure the First Aid cabinet is fully stocked, and that correct WHS procedures are being followed by employees.

3. Prepare a WHS manual

A WHS manual is an excellent reference source for staff to consult for information relating to safe work practices. This comprehensive document should cover the whole range of WHS procedures. Correct lifting techniques and how to respond to a hazard could be some of the standard topics covered in the manual.

Store the manual in the shared company drive where it can be easily accessed by all employees. A written WHS manual is a wonderful learning resource that can form the foundation for your staff Work Health Safety training.

A comprehensive Work Health Safety manual would be incomplete without a section dedicated to psychosocial hazards including bullying and sexual harassment. Include a list of unacceptable types of behaviour that will not be tolerated in the standard workplace or at off-site, staff social events.

Team Leaders and Supervisors are expected to “lead by example” and behave in a professional manner at all times.

Berkley Insurance Australia’s Management Liability Insurance policy offers business owners additional peace of mind in WHS, or other employment matters involving them or a member of their leadership team.

4. Give your staff WHS training

Providing staff with proper OHS training not only reduces the risk of industrial accidents occurring, but it can also protect your business against legal action.

Plan a structured training program for your employees. This should incorporate all OHS topics including fire, emergency and First Aid instructions.

Employees who complete Work Health Safety training can identify hazards when they appear and respond accordingly. Taking preventative measures like ensuring there are adequate warning signs in danger spots, demonstrates that a reasonable effort has been made to prevent an injury from occurring.

Such a simple action from one of your employees could save your company thousands if ever faced by a lawsuit brought on by an injured party.

Berkley Insurance Australia’s Public and Product Liability Insurance provides superior cover to business owners against WHS litigation. Accidents can happen in the safest of workplaces, having Public and Product Liability Insurance gives you that extra security for when the unthinkable happens!

5. Documentation is everything

Implementing a thorough and consistent system for documenting and reporting workplace mishaps is an essential WorkCover requirement. However, it will also help you notice any alarming trends in the nature of the injuries being reported.

If there is an increasing number of similar type injuries, determine the contributing factors and take action accordingly. If the underlying cause is a lack of employee training, ensure this is arranged and document the details.

Print out a program listing all the modules of the WHS training administered. Include a section for employees to sign and date, acknowledging they have achieved competence in each learning area.

If an employee sustains a work injury and claims they did not receive adequate training, you’ll have this wonderful gem of signed evidence to pull from under your sleeve!

6. WHS – Keep covered with Berkley Insurance Australia

Keeping everybody safe at work requires a committed, yet simple approach. By implementing these suggestions in your workplace, you can substantially reduce your risk of accidents occurring.

At Berkley Insurance Australia, we’re devoted to protecting our insureds business’s interests.

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Amendments to WHS legislation- Statutory Liability

What is work health and safety? (Australian Government)