Heads of Work Safety Authorities [HWSA] Scaffolding Audit - Part 2
The purpose of this campaign is to increase the level of scaffold compliance within the construction industry through a coordinated national compliance campaign focusing on compliance with AS 1576 – Scaffolding (including data collection and analysis); and to provide a baseline on the current level to which scaffolding is being erected and maintained in compliance with AS 1576, and if not, why not.
The campaign will be an inspector-delivered operational compliance campaign. It is anticipated that at least 800 site inspections will be undertaken in total and data recorded on a site visit checklist sheet.
The first phase of the campaign was conducted in 2009/10 and focused on compliance.
The second phase was conducted in late 2010 to determine the level of continued compliance with AS 1576.
Heads of Work Safety Authorities [HWSA] Forklift Audit
The ACT is taking part in a national campaign to assess and improve forklift safety in the grocery wholesale/retail and fruit and vegetable wholesale /retail industries.
The campaign, took place in September / October 2010, and was conducted by the Heads of Workplace Safety Authorities (HWSA), which is the joint national body of Australia’s OHS authorities, including WorkSafe ACT.
Forklift trucks present a well-known hazard in many work environments, involving a high risk of severe work-related injury or fatality to operators, those working around forklifts, and others in the workplace.
The national campaign will specifically look at the safety of forklift truck operations. In particular, the campaign aims to highlight the importance of systematically identifying hazards in workplaces and implementing sustainable control measures to eliminate or minimise incidents of harm. The campaign will begin with a series of industry forums to explain the campaign and highlight the relevant issues. The forums will be followed by a compliance campaign at targeted sites including workplace audits.
Media Release
DFO Workers Compensation Inspection Campaign
Inspectors from WorkSafe ACT visited stores at Canberra’s DFO retail centre as part of an inspection campaign targeting employer compliance with responsibilities under the Workers Compensation Act 1951.
WorkSafe ACT workers’ compensation inspectors conducted the campaign over two weeks in September 2010.
During the campaign, inspectors focused on four key areas of compliance under the Act:
Inspectors visited each of the 123 businesses in the DFO retail centre.
Construction Industry - Safety Management Systems
This campaign will target medium to large construction companies within the ACT.
While Safety Management Systems are not a specific requirement under the Work Safety Act 2008, they are commonly regarded as one of the best ways for employers to ensure that they are complying with health and safety laws in a structured way, particularly in a high risk industry such as construction.
The campaign will examine safety management systems in place in medium to large construction companies and will identify aspects for more detailed onsite audits or inspections on a case-by-case basis.
Companies without a Safety Management System will be asked to identify how they go about meeting their health and safety obligations.
Online Guidance
Construction Industry - Formwork
This campaign will focus on compliance in the ACT's construction industry with the soon to be released code of practice in respect of formwork.
The campaign will commence in the final quarter of 2010/11.
Hospitality Industry - Take-Away Food Outlets
This campaign will focus on take away food outlets in the ACT's major shopping centres. WorkSafe ACT will assess the level of compliance with health and safety laws by each business inspected. In some cases, inspectors will provide guidance to the businesses concerned. In others, areas for prompt improvement will be identified. Should the inspectors identify serious health and safety issues, where necessary, they will take steps to enforce the legislation.
The campaign will highlight to the businesses inspected the importance of systematically identifying hazards and implementing sustainable control measures to eliminate or minimise risk of harm.
WorkSafe ACT will work with industry representative bodies and the shopping centres concerned througout the duration of the campaign.
Publication - Managing Health and Safety in Food Retail
Online Advice - CafeSafe
ACT Code of Practice for Preventing and Responding to Bullying at Work
WorkCover NSW Publication - A Guide for Young Workers in Hospitality
Hospitality Industry - Restaurants
Further details will be provided shortly regarding this campaign.
Work Health and Safety in ACT Brothels
WorkSafe ACT's ongoing inspection of the health and safety aspects of ACT brothels will continue throughout 2011.
Focus on Housing Construction
WorkSafe ACT has advised that its inspectors will be focusing on the local housing construction sector in 2010/11.
While all safety matters will be under consideration, inspectors will focus on five specific areas:
The campaign will commence in 2011.
Guidance Notes: Fall Prevention, Amenities, Site Housekeeping, Site Security [Fencing], Construction Induction cards
Management of asbestos in non-residential premises
A targeted inspection campaign commencing in the first half of 2011 will focus on compliance with the requirement for non-residential premises to have:
The inspection campaign will also examine business' compliance with their workers' compensation obligations.