New WHS Enforcement Policy Released in QLD
Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) Queensland released a new Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Policy in December 2018.
Here is what you need to know:
1. WHSQ will identify priority safety risks. Types of risks identified may include hazardous tasks such as ‘Working from Height’, by way of example.
2. Inspectors at WHSQ will have greater focus on these ‘priority safety risks’ when conducting safety visits.
3. The policy amplifies the importance of ensuring that duty holders of a PCBU not only comply with legislation but also ‘Approved Codes of Practice’, which can be found on the WHSQ website.
4. Duty holders of a PCBU can expect increased WHS sanctions under the new policy such as Infringement (Enforcement & Improvement) Notices, licence suspensions (where relevant) and prosecution where there has been systematic management failure to implement safe systems of work.
The key is to have a ‘sustainable systematic management system’ in place that enables duty holders of a PCBU to exercise effective ‘due diligence’. This involves proactive consultation with the workforce such that there is a close understanding of the risk involved within the operation of a business and that safety risks may be identified and proactively managed so as to either eliminate a risk or control a risk to an acceptable level.
If you would like Human Outsource to look at your safety management systems to see if they are up to scratch, give us a call on 1300 723 911 anytime.