Have you ever wondered what the workplace will look like in 20 years from now? With the increased use of digital technology, automation and artificial intelligence in workplaces combined with the ever growing number of entrepreneurs and freelance networks – Australia’s landscape is rapidly changing.

In one of the most interesting studies to come from SafeWork Australia who have partnered with CSIRO’s Data61 to release their “Workplace Safety Futures” report that explores the impact of emerging trends on work health and safety and workers compensation.

The report uncovers six key “Megatrends” that are reshaping our working environment. From the impact of the major advances in technology with extended reach of automated systems and robotics to technology enabled worldwide growth of peer-to-peer platforms like Uber and Airtasker which is causing a fundamental shift in what they call the ‘gig economy’.

Other “Megatrends” include Australia’s ageing workforce, Australian’s are staying in the workforce longer. The rising issue of workplace stress and mental health issues, the shift from manual labour jobs to sedentary jobs and those jobs often blur the boundaries between home and work life.

With these emerging changes becomes challenges for our WHS and workers compensation systems to be relevant and allow scope for these “Megatrends” that will continue to evolve over the years to come.

The report was designed to enable stakeholders and decision makers to begin thinking about the plausible futures before they eventuate and make wiser planning and strategic decisions.

The coming 20 years will bring significant changes that are likely to have disruptive impacts on the Australian working environment. Anticipating these impacts and preparing for a range of plausible futures is an important step in ensuring the long-term effectiveness of Australian WHS and workers’ compensation systems.

The report concludes by identifying several questions that require further exploration, notably how emerging technologies can improve WHS and workers compensation by leveraging the use of robots or automation to complete dangerous tasks. Could technology be used to reduce the rate of injuries and workers compensation claims?

Who is Data61?

Data61 is CSIRO’s data innovation group formed in 2016 from the integration of CSIRO’s Digital Productivity flagship and the National ICT Australia Ltd (NICTA). They combine global applied R&D data from a network pf partners in government, industry and academia which they call the D61+ Network. Through this network they use the groups capabilities to help Australia create new technology-based industries that can reach a global scale.

Read the Report

Over the coming weeks we look forward to exploring the “Megatrends” contained within this report and hope to provide insight to where WHS and workers compensation is heading for the next 20 years.

If you’d like to download a copy of the report via CSIRO Data61

One of the most controversial and dangerous pieces of equipment commonly found in warehouses and factory units across Australia is a forklift. From registration requirements which differ state by state to the rigorous WHS requirements by WHS legislation across the country and that’s for good reason.

Forklifts are known for serious injuries and deaths of workers every year caused by misuse or lack of safety prevention.

Safe work procedures ensure everyone who uses your forklift understands how to do so safely and correctly.

Your procedures should cover:

• the hazard management process like traffic management site plans
• managing unsafe forklifts
• training schedules and licence requirements
• incident reporting and investigation procedures

Whilst this list is not exhaustive i.e. there are many other risk management processes you can implement, these are the most common procedures that you need to implement if you are operating a forklift on your worksite.

Traffic Management Plans

A traffic management plan, in short, is a set of rules that define the safest way to move vehicles around a worksite. It should contain the practical guidelines for all vehicles and be site-specific.

When developing a traffic management plan you must consult with your forklift operators and warehouse managers to ensure that all possible circumstances are covered and that the plan contains practical and workable controls.

Incident Reporting

Developing an incident reporting procedure means that you will be able to collate information about any incidents that occur and why they occurred. You can then use that information to improve training schedules or current procedures to prevent similar incidents from happening again. You may also review your Safe Work Method Statement as it may need to be updated considering any incidents that have occurred.

Near misses should also be recorded and followed up. Reporting near misses can give you the chance of preventing a severe accident, so treat them seriously.

Unsafe Forklifts

Managing how your workers treat unsafe forklifts is critical to preventing injuries. You need to develop a procedure for your workers to follow if they find an unsafe forklift. The procedure should include inspecting and assessing the forklift, identifying faults, wear and damage, isolating and tagging the forklift and reporting to the appropriate person.

Toolkit

We have developed a checklist which is easy to read and can be attached to your forklifts to ensure that they are in working order before the forklift is used. Our Forklift Pre-Start Safety Checklist was designed so you can implement your own procedures. You can create a process where this checklist is completed by each operator before they begin work. Ask them to sign this off and bring to your safety officer. If the process is done correctly, and every time, the risk of injury to your workers can be significantly reduced.

Reach out to us today to get your copy.

A WHS audit is a simple way to make sure your systems are working properly, an audit will find system deficiencies, areas for improvement and confirm that the system is being implemented in the correct way. Without auditing your systems you can only guess if things are working, or inevitably find out they are not following a serious injury to one of your workers.

When an audit process is outsourced to a third party to an external WHS auditor it provides an outsiders perspective, an honest truth on the performance of your systems and can provide guidance to fixing any areas that may not be working. An external audit when completed by an experienced WHS Auditor will identify any gaps in WHS compliance under the WHS Act. This ensures that you comply with your duty as an employer in Australia and avoid fines and penalties for the failure to meet those obligations.

The goals of a WHS audit is to ensure the continuous improvement of your Safety Management System, policies and procedures. It provides the due diligence required to assist in verifying that your systems have been implemented and are effective in protecting your workers.

Be Compliant

An employers duty is to have Safety Management Systems in place AND to ensure these systems are relevant. An employer must demonstrate they complete regular due diligence on their WHS systems and ensure they are up-to-date with industry standards and changes in your workplace environment.

Find Problems before they are a Problem

The key to an audit is to identify gaps in your system that may be or become a problem. By finding these issues early means you are able to make the required changes to avoid downtime and your workers being injured.

Boost Morale

By conducting a WHS audit you are showing employees that you care about their welfare and want them to be safe at work. This can act as a boost of morale, company culture and ultimately productivity.

Outsiders Perspective

An external audit provides that outsider perspective on your systems, reviewing and reporting objectively without any internal conflicts of interest. The auditor can also provide advice from their vast experience working across multiple worksites and range of industries.

Saves You Money

By conducting an audit, particularly if conducted by an external WHS auditor, can save you money in many ways. An audit will identify productivity improvements means you will can save time by implementing better systems, avoid fines and penalties for non-compliance, an external auditor will be efficient in their process too which means you will not need to use your valuable internal resources to complete the audit.

A WHS Audit will involve a particular process to ensure it is conducted thoroughly. An audit does not need to be a wholistic audit of your entire WHS systems, it can focus on a particular process or activity in your system.

Throughout an audit the following tasks that will be completed:

• Review and report upon alignment of current management systems to AS/NZS4801-2001.
  
• Review the application of current legislative requirements.
  
• Random review of completed documentation i.e: incident reports, testing and inspection registers and hazard reports etc.
  
• Conduct interviews and discussions with workers covering a cross section of tasks and responsibilities, to gauge the level of awareness of current systems.
  
• Conduct work area inspections of your sites to gauge the effectiveness of reported management
  systems. One on one interview will be conducted with workers “On the Job”.

And following a review the audit should uncover recommendations and corrective actions to control safety risks and provide a working document developed from the audit to monitor ongoing improvement of WHS performance.

By documenting the audits thoroughly this will assist your business in being able to demonstrate your due diligence.

At Marshall & Byrne we have developed a three step Discovery, Review and Report audit process that helps us successfully complete WHS audits for our clients.

DISCOVER

We learn about your workplace and your existing Work, Health & Safety Management Systems and verify the implementation and effectiveness of these systems within your business.

REVIEW

Following our learnings we conduct extensive research into the relevant industry codes and ascertain the current status of compliance with your statutory obligations. We consider the AS/NZS4801:2001 standard during this review.

REPORT

We compile a report with our findings and present that to you with details of any short falls in compliance, along with a scope of works (if required) to make the necessary improvements to ensure your statutory obligations are being met.

The goal of our health and safety audit is to assist you in the continuous improvement of safety in your workplace and ensure you are compliant with your WHS obligations.