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Avoid Over Engineering Your WHSMS. Independent Schools Safety 2013. Philip Wolfenden. What is a Work Health and Safety Management System (WHSMS)?.
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Avoid Over Engineering Your WHSMS Independent Schools Safety 2013 Philip Wolfenden
What is a Work Health and Safety Management System (WHSMS)? • It is universally accepted that a WHSMS it is a set of plans, procedures and accompanying forms that systematically manage health and safety in the workplace. But what does that mean?? Avoid over engineering your WHSMS
Key objectives of a WHSMS • Develop consultation across all levels. • Identify workplace hazards, assessment and control of all risks. • Active involvement in health and safety matters by the PCBU and workers and their representatives. • Provision of information and training for workers at all levels so they can work safely. • Audit of the WHSMS, review and continual improvement. Sounds simple right? Avoid over engineering your WHSMS
What goes wrong? • Need for compliance vs lack of WHS understanding. • Inappropriate financial investment towards WHS. • Fear of penalties. • Too much too soon. • Having a WHSMS that does not suit the organisation. What does an over engineered WHSMS look like? Avoid over engineering your WHSMS
The over engineered WHSMS – What does it look like? • The WHS Policy is not embedded. • Objectives and Targets are not measurable or achievable. • The procedures are generic and no-one knows the expected outcomes. • Forms are too detailed and too many. • Workers do not embrace safety as ‘business-as-usual’. • So how do you develop aneffective WHSMS? Avoid over engineering your WHSMS
An effective WHSMS – how to get one • Understand what the organisation hopes to achieve in relation to WHS. • Ensure the WHS policy reflects the intent of the organisation. • The procedures and forms should be ‘fit-for-purpose’. • WHS related training should be appropriate for the audience, a variety of media and the specific outcomes planned and evaluated. • Evaluate, review and improve – continually. • Where do you start? Avoid over engineering your WHSMS
Who can help? • If you need assistance in establishing a WHSMS or would like to have your WHSMS reviewed for compliance then align yourself with a reputable service provider. • Where you have an in-house dedicated WHS resource, are they current in their qualifications and legislation or could they benefit from up-grading or refresher training? Avoid over engineering your WHSMS
Further Information Australia’s leading national provider of WHS consulting, auditing and training services. A not-for-profit with more than 85 years of safety industry experience. Represents more than 3,000 WHS professionals around the country. NSCA is an RTO that offers a wide variety of WHS training including Certificate IV and Diploma in WHS and Bridging courses from OHS to the new WHS qualifications.