Work Health & Safety
QRMC’s widely experienced Work Health and Safety Consultants provide professional advice and services in the area of WHS management, and work in compliance with the standards AS/NZS 4801 Occupational health and safety management systems and AS/NZS ISO 45001 Occupational health and safety management systems, the harmonised Work Health and Safety legislation or the relevant safety legislation, audit tools, or codes of practice for your jurisdiction and industry.
As experienced work health and safety consultants, we develop and deliver services tailored specifically to your organisation’s needs, not “off the shelf” products, so that you can be confident that the objectives of your WHS project will be achieved.
Our WHS Services
WHS Auditing
QRMC’s WHS audits of systems or specific operations are intended to maximise the potential for improvement by incorporating formal gap analyses and recommendations. The findings in our audits are targeted for system improvement, recognising the related shortcomings or limitations that may exist within the WHS management system, not simply undertaking an exercise in the identification of unaddressed hazards.
WHS Management Systems
QRMC is highly experienced in the development, review and implementation of WHS Management Systems. We have developed complete systems, reviewed and updated systems, and developed components (specific procedures and/or forms) for clients in public and private sectors across several jurisdictions in Australia.
Self Insurance Auditing
QRMC’s staff of WHS auditors also includes auditors accredited by the Queensland Government to undertake self insurance audits. In all Australian States and Territories, organisations meeting specific criteria may apply to maintain a self insurance licence for workers’ compensation as an alternative to the state-based workers’ compensation premiums. QRMC provides a range of professional advice related to the management of these self insurance licences
Electrical Safety
QRMC’s experience with WHS audits also includes a range of electrical safety services. QRMC has auditors on staff accredited by the Queensland Government to undertake Electrical Safety Management System audits for prescribed entities under the Queensland Electrical Safety Act.
WHS Awareness and Training
QRMC undertakes the development and/or delivery of training for management and staff in relation to WHS obligations and responsibilities. It is important for Officers and workers in all organisations to both understand their WHS duties within the context of their role.
Ergonomic and workplace assessments
QRMC undertakes workstation ergonomic assessments and workplace inspections focussed on legislative compliance for workers’ health and safety, ergonomic issues, and the suitable design of new equipment or workplaces. QRMC’s ergonomic assessments focus closely on the needs and specific requirements of the individual worker(s) in using their workspace, in order to best manage existing medical conditions, or to prevent injury, pain or discomfort being caused.
WHS Risk Assessments
WHS risk assessments of infrastructure, projects or specific operations are also conducted by QRMC, referencing the international standard ISO 31000 Risk Management and utilising QRMC’s safety risk assessment methodology which has been developed in compliance with ISO 31000. Our WHS risk assessments generally deliver site or project safety risk registers, identifying risks and hazards/causations, existing controls, risk ratings, responsibilities, and recommended new controls/risk treatments.
Livestock Saleyard Safety
Livestock saleyards typically have a limited number of dedicated staff, with much ‘point-of-risk’ work undertaken by people not working directly for the saleyard owner, including agents, buyers, sellers, cooperatives, transporters and other contracting parties. Without appropriate infrastructure and safety management systems in place to manage and coordinate the activities of such contractors, the saleyard owner risks accidents and injuries potentially resulting in fines or prosecutions for safety breaches.
Plant and Equipment Safety
Organisations contracting to sell items of used plant as part of an insolvency or similar process are considered under most WHS laws to be “suppliers of plant”, and therefore have obligations to their buyers relating to the safety of the plant. QRMC conducts Plant Risk Assessments and Plant Sale Hazard Inspections, and produces reports identifying safety risks pertaining to the plant.
WHS Compliance Services
Since the development of model Work Health and Safety legislation by Safe Work Australia, QRMC has provided a range of clients with assistance relating to compliance with the harmonised Work Health and Safety legislation now implemented in most states and territories.
Our consultative approach
The QRMC consultant will ensure the full involvement of the client organisation’s representative through the following steps:
- Agreement that the client representative will be closely involved in each phase of the project and have input into the process and outcomes
- The client representative will be represented in all significant decisions regarding approach and findings relating to the project.
- The presentation of deliverables will be designed in a format which is mutually agreeable to the client representative.
- QRMC will ensure that sufficient technical and professional capacity is available to complete the project regardless of changes in staff or resources.
- The client representative will approve final deliverables prior to presentation.
Where the project has the potential to impact on work health and safety matters, QRMC will be mindful to ensure that the consultation process is carried out in accordance with the requirements of the harmonised Work Health and Safety legislation in respect to the consultation of ‘workers’ and relevant duty holders.
Getting Up To Date
Since the development of model Work Health and Safety legislation by Safe Work Australia, QRMC has provided a range of clients with assistance relating to compliance with the harmonised Work Health and Safety legislation now introduced in several states and territories. In some areas, the new legislation differed substantially from the previous Acts, and imposed increased obligations on ‘persons conducting a business or undertaking’ (PCBUs). QRMC can ensure organisations are compliant with the requirements of the harmonised legislation by providing any of the following range of services:
- Undertake a compliance review of your systems, to check that all current regulatory requirements have been met.
- Undertake a gap analysis against the requirements of the current legislation, covering existing systems and/or contractual obligations which may not have been updated.
- Review and revise WHSMS procedures and documentation to incorporate the current requirements.
- Develop and/or deliver training for ‘Officers’ of the organisation to ensure they are informed of, and familiar with, their significantly enhanced duties and responsibilities under the revised WHSMS.
- Develop and/or deliver staff awareness sessions so that all workers are aware of their WHS duties and responsibilities.
- Assist in implementing the revised work health and safety management system, and provide training for staff to embed the changes.
- Revise the corporate governance processes for Boards and executive management.
The most prevalent terminology is now Work Health and Safety
Why WHS not OHS?
For most of the recent history of safety regulation in Australia, the term Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) has held sway.
However, since the formal process of national harmonisation for safety legislation began in 2008 under the auspices of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG), the term has modulated to Work Health and Safety. The shift to this more inclusive terminology is about protecting all people who are involved in work and/or who make work happen, rather than focussing on the traditional employer-employee relationship.
The majority of jurisdictions across Australia have now adopted the model Work Health and Safety legislation developed by Safe Work Australia under the intergovernmental agreement set up by COAG in 2008.
Thus the most prevalent term is now Work Health and Safety (WHS) and this is reflected in QRMC’s work and marketing materials.
However, QRMC will use the terminology preferred by your organisation in the development of any documentation or reports commissioned by you.