ANNUAL REPORT 2011-12

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ANNUAL REPORT 2011-12

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e Work AustraliaANNUAL REPORT 2011-12

Creative Commons

With the exception of the Safe Work Australia logo and all other images, this report is licensed by Safe Work Australia under a Creative Commons 3.0 Australia Licence.

To view a copy of this licence, visit

http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/3.0/au/deed.en

In essence, you are free to copy, communicate and adapt the work, as long as you attribute the work to Safe Work Australia and abide by the other licensing terms.

The report should be attributed as the Safe Work Australia Annual Report 2011-12.

Enquires regarding the licence and any use of this publication are welcome at:

Copyright Officer Safe Work Australia GPO Box 641 Canberra ACT 2601

Email: [email protected] ISSN 1838-059X

Published by Safe Work Australia Contact Officer: Linda Prattley Postal Address

GPO Box 641 Canberra ACT 2601 Officer Address

220 Northbourne Avenue Braddon ACT 2612 Phone: 02 6121 5317

Email: [email protected]

www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/AboutSafeWorkAustralia/

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Printing: New Millennium Print

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Safe Work AustraliaINTRODUCTION

220 Northbourne Avenue, Braddon ACT 2612 GPO Box 641, Canberra ACT 2601 [email protected] www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au

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Guide to the Report

This report provides information on the activities, achievements and performance of Safe Work Australia for the 2011–12 financial year.

Part 1 - Overview

Part 1 provides information about Safe Work Australia as well as its key achievements and events. In this part the Chief Executive Officer, Rex Hoy gives his review of the year.

Part 2 - Performance report

Part 2 reports on the performance of Safe Work Australia during 2011–12 against its Portfolio Budget Statements and Strategic and Operational Plans.

Part 3 - Corporate governance

Part 3 introduces Safe Work Australia Members and details Safe Work Australia’s management and accountability processes including internal governance arrangements.

Part 4 - Our organisation

Part 4 provides Safe Work Australia’s organisational structure and profiles of the Executive Management Team. This part also includes information on Safe Work Australia’s people, financial and work health and safety management.

Part 5 - Financial performance

Part 5 contains the audited financial statements for 2011–12.

Part 6 - Appendices

The Appendices contain information about: the establishment of Safe Work Australia; advertising and market research; Safe Work Australia’s commitment to the National Disability Strategy and ecologically sustainable development principles; 2011–12 publications and Safe Work Australia’s functions.

Part 7 - References and indexes

References and indexes include a list of abbreviations and acronyms, glossary of terms and compliance and alphabetical index.

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Part 1: Overview 4

Chief Executive Officer’s review 6

Part 2: Performance report 10

Planning and reporting framework 10

Progress against key performance indicators 12

Strategic outcome 1 13

Part 3: Management and accountability 41

Government and parliament 41

Decision making framework 41

Safe Work Australia 42

Corporate governance framework 50

Part 4: Our organisation 57

Executive profiles 58

Our staff 59

Financial management 66

Safe Work Australia Resource Statement 2011-2012 68

Part 5: Financial performance 71

Table of contents 71

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Part 6: Appendices 113

APPENDIX A: Establishment of Safe Work Australia 113

APPENDIX B: Functions of Safe Work Australia 115

APPENDIX C: Publication list 116

APPENDIX D: List of model codes and guidance material 120

APPENDIX E: Advertising and market research 122

APPENDIX F: National disability strategy 122

APPENDIX G: Ecologically sustainable development

and environmental performance 123

Part 7: References and indexes 125

Acronyms and abbreviations 125

Glossary of terms 126

Compliance index 128

Alphabetical index 132

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Safe Work Australia is a statutory agency established on 1 November 2009 under the Safe Work Australia Act 2008 (the Safe Work Australia Act) with primary responsibility to develop national policy relating to work health and safety and workers’ compensation.

Safe Work Australia leads and coordinates national efforts to prevent workplace death, injury and disease.

The establishment of Safe Work Australia was provided for in the Intergovernmental Agreement for Regulatory and Operational Reform in Occupational Health and Safety (the IGA) and agreed by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) on 3 July 2008.

Further information about Safe Work Australia’s establishment is in Appendix A.

Safe Work Australia is responsible for coordinating and developing national policy and strategies, developing model work health and safety (WHS) laws, undertaking research and collecting, analysing and reporting data. Safe Work Australia works collaboratively with the community, work health and safety authorities, industry groups and unions to achieve the national vision of Australian workplaces free from death, injury and disease.

The agency is jointly funded by the Commonwealth and state and territory governments.

This funding arrangement promotes collaboration with jurisdictions on policy

development, implementation, compliance, enforcement and communication activities.

Our Members work with staff to deliver the objectives of the Safe Work Australia Strategic Plan 2010-13 and Safe Work Australia Operational Plan 2011-12. These Members include an independent Chair, nine Members representing the Commonwealth and each State and Territory, two Members representing the interests of workers, two representing the interests of employers and the Chief Executive Officer of Safe Work Australia.

Overview

Part 1

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Safe Work AustraliaOVERVIEW

The agency’s functions are set out in the Safe Work Australia Act. Since the establishment of Safe Work Australia, a central function has been to progress the development of model WHS laws. Other functions include:

development of the Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy 2012–22

conducting and publishing research and collecting, analysing and publishing data or other information relating to work health and safety and workers’ compensation to inform the development or evaluation of policies

developing proposals relating to improving workers’ compensation arrangements particularly for businesses with workers in more than one jurisdiction, and

developing and promoting national strategies to raise awareness of work health and safety and workers’ compensation.

A full list of Safe Work Australia’s functions is provided in Appendix B.

Safe Work Australia is subject to the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 (FMA Act).

Safe Work Australia’s Chief Executive Officer is responsible for managing the administration of Safe Work Australia and assisting it to perform its functions.

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2011–2012 has been a busy and exciting period for Safe Work Australia. Working together with the Commonwealth, state and territory governments, industry and unions we have played a major role in improving work health and safety standards across Australia. For the first time in Australia’s history over 60 percent of Australia’s workforce now has the same work health and safety protections.

On 1 January 2012 the new work health and safety (WHS) laws commenced in the Commonwealth, New South Wales (NSW), Queensland, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and the Northern Territory (NT). The WHS laws will commence in Tasmania on 1 January 2013 and are currently in front of the South Australian (SA) Legislative Council for consideration.

Victoria and Western Australia (WA) have delayed implementation to assess the impacts of the model WHS laws.

We have also delivered on our priorities of contributing to national mine safety reform through the development of model WHS Regulations for mining and establishing a national framework for granting exemptions under the model WHS Regulations to ensure a nationally consistent approach. An evaluation plan for the harmonisation of work health and

Chief Executive Officer’s Review

Safe Work Australia has taken the lead in assisting volunteers and volunteer organisations to better understand the new WHS laws. We have developed the Volunteer Assistance Program—a practical and easy to use resource kit including a website and direct email and telephone help lines for volunteers to speak with experts on their rights and obligations under the new WHS laws. Work has also begun on a resource kit for small business.

I am pleased to say our work on the new WHS laws and supporting model Codes of Practice and guidance material has been recognised at both national and international levels.

This year marks the end of the National OHS Strategy 2002–2012. We have been working hard to progress a realistic and achievable strategy for work health and safety in Australia over the next decade.

The Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy 2012–2022 (Australian Strategy) was developed following workshops, expert consultation and public comment and provides a nationally consistent framework to approaching work health and safety. The Australian Strategy will be launched in late 2012.

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Safe Work AustraliaOVERVIEW

We have also been working closely with the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, the Hon Bill Shorten MP, on raising awareness of work related fatalities. All work related fatalities reported to Safe Work Australia from jurisdictions or in the media are provided to the Minister as briefings within three days of the incident. This ‘real time’ reporting gives the Minister a better picture of the number of work related fatalities in Australia on an almost daily basis. It is sobering to see these fatality briefings and the number of Australians killed at work as the months pass by.

The past year has seen Safe Work Australia become more involved in promoting accountability in work health and safety across Australia. We have been working with other government agencies to improve reporting of work health and safety information and performance in company annual reports. We have commissioned research into reporting options for all Australia incorporated organisations and this will continue to be a priority in 2012–13.

Our community engagement activities have helped to raise awareness of work health and safety issues and increase participation in Safe Work Australia Week and the annual Safe Work Australia Awards.

In 2011 Safe Work Australia Week saw over 500 workplace leaders from around Australia become Safety Ambassadors.

This is a great example of how work health and safety has become a key community issue for large and small workplaces.

The inaugural Safety Ambassador of the Year Award was established as part of Safe Work Australia Week to recognise the efforts and leadership of our Safety Ambassadors to promote safe work practices and help colleagues return home from work safely every day. I was honoured to be on the judging panel and able to look through the 46 impressive entries for the award. Ms Janine Coleman from Macarthur Disability Services was announced as the winner in December 2011 and said her involvement in Safe Work Australia Week had a very positive impact in her workplace on both colleagues and clients.

Minister Shorten hosted the 7th annual Safe Work Australia Awards in Canberra.

It was an outstanding night with the winners of Commonwealth, state and territory safety awards coming together to be finalists in the national awards.

The Minister acknowledged the finalists’

dedication, passion and commitment to work health and safety and was overwhelmed by the ingenuity of some finalists to ensure their workers and colleagues were safe at work.

Safe Work Australia has continued its ongoing international activities through organisations like the United Nations Sub-Committee of Experts on the Globally Harmonised System, International

Organisation for Standardisation Nanotechnology Technical Committee, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Working Party for Manufactured Nanomaterials, World Health Organisation (WHO) and International Labour Organisation.

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Safe Work Australia strengthened its involvement with the WHO Network for Collaborating Centres in Occupational Health by becoming one of the leaders of a priority area for the network’s 2012–17 Global Master Plan. Safe Work Australia will help facilitate knowledge networks in high risk sectors like mining, agriculture and construction.

In September 2011 I travelled with two staff to the XIX World Congress on Safety and Health at Work in Istanbul, Turkey.

Safe Work Australia hosted a symposium highlighting the development of the model WHS Act. I was joined by several Safe Work Australia Members including John Watson (NSW) and Michael Borowick (ACTU). Safe Work Australia was also represented at the 30th International Congress for Occupational Health in Cancun, Mexico.

This year we looked at how we do our work and achieve ongoing success. We reviewed our strategic direction to better reflect our current operating environment and revised our Strategic and Operational Plans. Next year we will comprehensively review these documents and develop innovative approaches to delivering our priority work and continuously improving Safe Work Australia’s business processes.

In the next 12 months Safe Work Australia will continue to oversee the implementation of the model WHS laws and respond to and resolve issues as they arise. We will continue to develop Codes of Practice and guidance material through consultative processes and begin evaluating the model WHS laws.

Safety initiatives like the Volunteer Assistance Program will continue to be developed for sectors like small business.

We will be working more with industry, unions and local government to raise awareness of safety issues in agriculture, construction and road transport and improve safety outcomes for workers, bystanders and equipment operators in these industries.

I would like to thank the staff of Safe Work Australia for their professionalism and diligence throughout the year and Safe Work Australia Members for their support through the implementation of the new WHS laws. I look forward to building on our achievements in 2012–13 and leading our activities as we continue to strive for safe and healthy workplaces for all Australians.

Rex Hoy

Chief Executive Officer Safe Work Australia

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Safe Work AustraliaPERFORMANCE REPORT

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Safe Work Australia works towards:

achieving significant and sustained reductions in the incidence of death, injury and disease in the workplace

achieving nationally harmonised work health and safety laws, and

improving outcomes for injured workers and their employers through clearly understood and sustainable workers’ compensation arrangements.

Planning and reporting framework

2011–12 Portfolio Budget Statements

The Portfolio Budget Statements state the outcome Safe Work Australia is to achieve.

Strategic Plan 2010–13

The Strategic Plan outlines five strategies Safe Work Australia will use to achieve its outcome.

Operational Plan 2011–12

The Operational Plan supports the Strategic Plan and details the operational activities to be undertaken.

Business plans

Detailed business plans help Safe Work Australia achieve activities set out in the Operational Plan.

Performance agreements

Performance agreements align individual’s work to the business plans and help staff understand how their work assists Safe Work Australia achieve its outcome.

Performance Report

Part 2

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Portfolio budget statements

Safe Work Australia’s 2011–12 Portfolio Budget Statements (PBS) outline a single program structure that is reflected by the outcome statement:

“safer and more productive Australian workplaces through harmonising national occupational health and safety and workers’ compensation arrangements”.

Performance against this outcome is measured by five strategies and three key performance indicators also outlined in the PBS.

The five strategies are:

the community regards work health and safety as a key community issue to be addressed

Australia has harmonised work health and safety laws, guidance material and enforcement policies that provide a uniform, equitable and high level of protection to all workers

national work health and safety and workers’ compensation policy is developed, informed by knowledge, understanding and prioritisation of emerging and existing issues

work health and safety is improved through understanding what influences and changes cultures in Australian workplaces

opportunities for greater harmonisation in workers’ compensation arrangements are identified and assessed for:

• employers with workers in more than one jurisdiction, and

• the Commonwealth, states and territories through an improved understanding of the workers’ compensation operational environment.

The three key performance indicators measure Safe Work Australia’s progress in achieving its outcome.

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Progress against key performance indicators

PORTFOLIO BUDGET STATEMENT KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATOR

2011-12 ESTIMATE ACTUAL PERFORMANCE

Model legislation is developed in accordance with COAG timelines

COAG agreed timelines are met

Model WHS Regulations apart from the mining component approved for implementation on 1 January 2012. COAG timeframes extended for completion of mining regulations

Level of satisfaction of the Chair of Safe Work Australia with how the services of the agency are directed at achieving the outcomes of its Strategic and Operational Plans

Very good or above Very good to excellent in all areas

Level of satisfaction of the Members of Safe Work Australia with how the services of the agency are directed at achieving the outcomes of its Strategic and Operational Plans

80 percent of Members agree the services of the agency are appropriately directed at achieving the outcomes

Over 90 percent of Members agreed

Level of satisfaction

For the third consecutive year Safe Work Australia has met all its key performance indicators.

For the second consecutive year Safe Work Australia Member’s satisfaction of the agency’s overall performance was more than 90 percent. In 2011-12 the satisfaction rating from Members of the agency’s performance was 91.5 percent.

Strategic and operational plans

The five strategies outlined in the PBS are reflected in Safe Work Australia’s Strategic Plan 2010–2013 and Operational Plan 2011–2012. In developing these plans Safe Work Australia undertook a review of its strategic direction to ensure the activities undertaken support these strategies. The strategic plan was refreshed in 2011-12. The launch of the Australian Strategy will facilitate the redevelopment of the strategic plan in early 2013 to reflect the Australian Strategy’s vision, goals and outcomes.

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Safe Work Australia’s strategic plan covers a period of three years. The strategic plan sets out the five strategies as outcomes Safe Work Australia will achieve in those three years.

Each outcome has a number of strategies to be used to complete this work.

The operational plan covers a period of one year and is reviewed annually. It reflects the strategies set out in the strategic plan and sets out the activities Safe Work Australia will undertake to achieve its outcomes in that year. Both plans require approval by the Select Council on Workplace Relations (SCWR).

The strategies and activities set out in the Operational Plan 2011–2012 have been used to report on Safe Work Australia’s performance during 2011–12.

Strategic outcome 1: Work health and safety is regarded as a key community issue

STRATEGIES

1.1 Stakeholder engagement through a range of mechanisms to elevate the importance of work health and safety

1.2 Deliver a consistent national message on the importance of work health and safety

1.3 Develop and widely disseminate national publications on key strategic objectives and work health and safety and workers’ compensation matters The attitudes of the Australian community toward work health and safety are a key contributor in bringing about positive change. Motivating the public to take action to improve work health and safety is crucial to ensuring it is regarded as a key community issue.

Key achievements to meet this outcome were:

National Safe Work Australia Week

the 7th annual Safe Work Australia Awards

communication on the model WHS laws

public consultation periods

improving organisational level work health and safety reporting, and

the publication of research and statistical reports.

Public consultation occurred on several key Safe Work Australia documents:

second stage draft model WHS Codes of Practice

third stage draft model WHS Codes of Practice

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draft model WHS Regulations and Codes of Practice for Mining, and

draft Australian Strategy.

The bi-yearly Safe Work Australian newsletter and promotional activities also kept the community informed of work health and safety activities.

National Safe Work Australia Week

National Safe Work Australia Week was held from 23 to 29 October 2011. The week provided an opportunity for all Australians to promote and raise awareness of health and safety in their workplace. The theme for 2011 was ‘Putting safety in the spotlight’.

Workers and organisations across Australia supported the Week by hosting safety activities in their workplace. The Safety Ambassador Program had the highest registration since the Program commenced in 2008 with more than 500 registrations.

Across Australia in October safety weeks and/or months were hosted by state and territory regulatory authorities.

More information on Safe Work Australia Week is on page 17.

Safe Work Australia Awards

The 7th annual Safe Work Australia Awards were held on 26 April 2012. The Awards recognised the outstanding contributions made by governments, organisations and individuals to work health and safety. Award winners and highly commended recipients were announced at the gala awards ceremony and dinner attended by 300 guests.

There were 37 finalists in four categories.

More information on the Awards is on page 19.

Stakeholder engagement

The Chair, the Chief Executive Officer and senior staff presented at several conferences, forums and seminars during 2011–12 to raise awareness of the development and implementation of the model WHS laws and the development of the Australian Strategy.

This included the:

Safety Institute of Australia Construction Forum in July 2011

National Safety Council of Australia’s National Awards of Excellence and the Sydney Safety Show in October 2011

National High Risk OHS Summit in February 2012

Melbourne Safety Show—Safety in Action in April 2012

Australasian Reporting Awards in June 2012, and

a range of presentations to various volunteer groups including the Australian

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Safe Work Australia sponsored a number of key awards and conferences during 2011-12.

This included the:

National Safety Awards of Excellence ‘Best Communication of a Safety Message’ Award

Australasian Reporting Awards ‘Special Award for Occupational Health and Safety’

Comcare National Conference 2011

Australasian Safety Conference 2011

Sowing the Seeds of Farmer Health Conference 2012

Annual Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists Conference, and

Annual Human Factors and Ergonomics Society of Australia Conference.

These events give Safe Work Australia an opportunity to engage with industry, business and individuals to better communicate the impact of the new WHS laws and the importance of work health and safety. Awareness raising and liaison with stakeholders across Australia is crucial to work health and safety being regarded as a key

community issue.

Implementation of model WHS laws

Safe Work Australia developed interpretative guidance to help ensure an agreed and consistent approach is taken to interpreting key concepts and provisions in the new model WHS laws. This guidance has included:

interpretative guidelines on the meaning of ‘person conducting a business or

undertaking’, health and safety duties of ‘officers’, what ‘reasonably practicable’ means in the work health and safety context and application of the anti-discrimination provisions

a worker representation and participation guide

guidance for entry permit holders, and

miscellaneous fact sheets and guidance material.

Improving organisational work health and safety reporting

Current work health and safety legislation already requires businesses to collect and maintain information on a range of health and safety matters as well as notifying the relevant health and safety authority when a range of incidents occur. However with the exception of the Commonwealth and Victorian Government entities, organisations have no mandatory reporting requirements of work health and safety information in their annual reports. This means stakeholders are not informed about hazards and controls, the focus and effectiveness of risk management processes and the high consequence injury and illness outcomes that can occur in some organisations. It can lead to

individuals being unable to make informed assessments of the financial or non-financial impact of poor work health and safety performance.

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During 2011-12 Safe Work Australia began work to improve this. Research was commissioned for options on improving work health and safety reporting for all Australian incorporated organisations and work has commenced on developing indicators to assist organisations with voluntary reporting. Safe Work Australia is also an active member on Business Reporting Leaders’ Forum (BRLF), Australia’s roundtable group examining integrated reporting to feed into the International Integrated Reporting Committee’s work towards universal integrated reporting for all organisations.

Publication of reports

Safe Work Australia produced 76 publications during 2011–12. A list of these publications is in Appendix C.

Several research publications were produced on workplace hazards, hazard surveillance and workplace culture and organisational behaviour. These reports focused on the causes and consequences of occupational skin disease including occupational contact dermatitis, chemical exposure, nanoparticles from printer emissions in the workplace, the health effects of laser printer emissions and workers’ motivations, attitudes, perceptions and skills.

A report on the economic costs of work-related injury and illness to the Australian economy was published in March 2012. The report estimates the total economic cost of work-related injury and illness for the 2008–09 financial year is estimated to be

$60.6 billion.

A series of monthly and annual statistical reports on work-related injuries, illnesses and fatalities was also published. Publishing this data raises awareness of Australia’s performance in work health and safety and encourages preventative action from all parties.

In addition to the monthly and annual statistical reports the Comparison of Workers’

Compensation Arrangements in Australia and New Zealand was extensively revised and reformatted. The Comparison of Workers’ Compensation Arrangements in Australia aims to provide all stakeholders with information to assist them in understanding workers’

compensation arrangements in Australia and New Zealand.

Outlook for 2012–13

Safe Work Australia will promote work health and safety as a key community issue in 2012–13 by:

communicating the implementation of the model WHS laws including the model WHS Regulations for mining

developing nationally consistent guidance material design and content and coordinating the development of more detailed industry-specific guidance

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Safe Work Australia

FEA TURE ST OR Y

organising and promoting national Safe Work Australia Week and the annual Safe Work Australia Awards

participating in events and activities promoting work health and safety including sponsorship of key events

promoting improved organisational level work health and safety, reporting including consultation with stakeholders during 2012–13. A discussion paper about this initiative is expected to be released in early 2013, and

developing and disseminating work health and safety and workers’ compensation data, statistical analysis, comparative and research reports including producing a series of reports on the common causes of work-related deaths using eight years of data from the Traumatic Injury Fatalities database.

National Safe Work Australia Week 2011

The 7th national Safe Work Australia Week was held from 23 to 29 October 2011 to encourage all working Australians to think about health and safety issues in their workplace.

The theme for 2011 was ‘Putting safety in the spotlight’. Safe Work Australia facilitated participation through the Safety Ambassador program, Take 10@10 and by encouraging state and territory participation in the week.

Safe Work Australia employees enjoy participating in the Wellness Walk as part of the national Safe Work Australia Week activities.

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e Work Australia

FEA TURE ST OR Y

National Safe Work Australia Week 2011 (continued) Safety Ambassadors

Safety Ambassadors help promote work health and safety in their workplace and organise activities to support Safe Work Australia Week. A total of 529 workplace leaders from large and small corporations, governments, schools and not-for-profit organisations around Australia became Safety Ambassadors during 2011.

For the first time a Safe Work Australia Safety Ambassador of the Year was awarded. Forty- six entries were received. In December 2011 Ms Janice Coleman from Macarthur Disability Services in Campbelltown, NSW was

announced as the 2011 Safety Ambassador of the Year.

Ms Coleman received the award for her hard work, passion and enthusiasm for raising awareness of work health and safety not only during Safe Work Australia Week but all year.

Australia Week but all year. She said Macarthur Disability Services’ involvement in Safe Work Australia Week had a positive impact in their workplace and showed staff that safety should be a priority every day of the year.

Take10@10

Take 10@10 proved to be one of the most popular activities during the week with many organisations finding it an easy way to incorporate safety into their work day. Take 10@10 is a simple concept – you stop work for 10 minutes at 10.00am to talk about safety or undertake a safety activity. To encourage participation Safe Work Australia developed 10 Take10@10 activity cards. Each card contained a different health and safety activity that can be done in 10 minutes.

Celebrating Safe Work Australia Week around the country

All states and territories participated in national Safe Work Australia Week or held their own safe work week or month. The Australian Industry Group (Ai Group), the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) and the ACTU supported national Safe Work Australia Week by participating in a number of work health and safety activities and events.

Across Australia state or territory work health and safety awards were announced, work health and safety free community information sessions held, and safety shows, forums and symposiums hosted by work health and safety regulators.

Pictured left, Safety Ambassador of the Year Award winner, Janine Coleman from Macarthur Disability Services.

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Safe Work Australia

FEA TURE ST OR Y Safe Work Australia Awards

On 26 April 2012 the 7th annual Safe Work Australia Awards were held at Parliament House in Canberra. The Awards celebrated the achievements of business, governments and individuals from across Australia who made work health and safety improvements and contributions in their workplace.

The Awards were hosted for the first time by the Hon Bill Shorten MP, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. Thirty seven finalists were recognised for their dedication, passion and commitment to work health and safety. Each finalist was already a winner from their respective category in their state, territory or the Safety Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission (SRCC) Awards.

Minister Shorten commended finalists for their commitment and recognised how the finalists were a testament to how Australian workplaces can achieve the goal of all workers coming home safely every day.

Six winners and four highly commended recipients received awards at this year’s ceremony.

Safe Work Australia announced the winners of the 7th annual Safe Work Australia Awards in ‘The Australian’ newspaper on Friday 27 April 2012. Media releases were issued to national and regional media and tailored media releases were distributed to winners’

local areas and industries. The Safe Work Australia website and Facebook page were also used to announce award winners and showcase a promotional video about the awards ceremony. Safe Work Australia continues to seek promotional opportunities for award winners and encourages them to participate in other Safe Work Australia activities and events.

Safe Work Australia Chair, Tom Phillips praised the efforts of organisations and individuals who are dedicated to work health and safety at the 7th annual Safe Work Australia Awards.

The Hon Minister Bill Shorten MP with the winner of the best workplace health and safety management system – Private sector, Grocon Constructions.

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e Work Australia

FEA TURE ST OR Y

Winners of the 7th annual Safe Work Australia awards

Category Winner Highly

commended Best workplace health and safety

management system – Private sector

Grocon Constructors (VIC)

Decmil Australia (WA)

Best workplace health and safety management system – Public sector

ENERGEX (QLD) Public Transport Authority (WA) Best solution to an identified

workplace health and safety issue

The Australian Reinforcing Company (QLD)

Wellington Dam Alliance (WA) Best workplace health and safety

practice/s in a small business

The Hub Fruit Bowl (SA) Briar Maritime Services (TAS) Best individual contribution to

workplace health and safety – by an employee

Leading Seaman Natalie Irvine, Royal Australian Navy (SRCC)

N/A

Best individual contribution to workplace health and safety – by an OHS manager

Peter Rogers, Jeff Hort Engineering (NSW)

N/A

Category 3 winner: The Hub Fruit Bowl, South Australia (SA)

Best workplace health and safety practice/s in a small business

The Hub Fruit Bowl is a small fresh fruit and vegetable shop in the Hub Shopping Centre, Aberfoyle Park in SA.

The Hub Fruit Bowl is a family friendly business passionate about work health and safety. Following an expansion and refurbishment in 2008 the Hub Fruit Bowl developed a comprehensive safety management system which covers potential high-risk situations like spills, electrical hazards, hold ups and evacuations.

Owners John and Judy Peresano are the driving force behind the company’s success. They are not only passionate about ensuring their business, staff and customers are safe, they are also committed to setting safety examples their staff and other small businesses can follow. Mr and Mrs Peresano

pride themselves on equipping their predominantly young casual staff with health and safety knowledge and skills they can use throughout their careers. Their safety management system and commonsense approach to workplace safety is an example to others of what small businesses can achieve.

Judy Peresano, co-owner of the Hub Fruit Bowl accepts the award for best workplace health and safety practice/s in a small business. Judy highlighted the importance of training and mentoring young workers in work health and safety practices as they enter the workforce for the first time.

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Safe Work Australia

FEA TURE ST OR Y Category 4a winner: Leading Seaman Natalie Irvine,

Royal Australian Navy

Best individual contribution to workplace health and safety – by an employee Leading Seaman Natalie Irvine from the Royal Australian Navy won the award for the best individual contribution to workplace health and safety by an employee.

Leading Seaman Irvine was recognised for her personal commitment to work health and safety in difficult circumstances. She identified a number of discrepancies between two crucial documents governing radiation hazard procedures for aircraft operations.

This work then resulted in the documents being rewritten.

Ms Irvine showed tenacity and determination to overcome barriers of rank to improve safety of aircraft not only assigned to HMAS Parramatta but the wider fleet. Her commitment to ensuring these safety measures were implemented is an outstanding example of what can be achieved with persistence and passion.

Ms Irvine’s work also demonstrates a proactive approach to workplace safety does not have to come from the top—anyone at any level can take the lead on improving safety in their workplace.

Leading Seaman Natalie Irvine, Royal Australian Navy, winner of the best individual contribution to workplace health and safety – by an employee. Natalie accepted her award from the Hon Russell Wortley MLC.

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The cost of work-related injury and illness

Work-related injuries, illnesses and deaths impose costs on employers, workers and the community. A report on the economic costs of work-related injury and illness to the Australian economy was published in March 2012. This report estimates the cost of work-related injury and illness based on an updated methodology developed and applied in 2004 by the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (NOHSC).

The study included:

developing a framework for classifying costs in terms of the burden on each economic agent including employers, employees and the community, and the major sources of indirect costs

classifying incidents based on the severity of the incident from minor to total incapacity or death, and

estimating the number of incidents and the typical cost associated with an incident in each severity category.

The updated methodology provided more accurate estimates of the number of full incapacity cases and the extent of disease morbidity due to work-related causes.

The study combined information and workers’ compensation claims with data from the Australia Bureau of Statistics Work Related Injury Survey to produce an estimate of the total number of work-related injury and illness cases occurring within a 12 month period.

Using the 2008–09 financial year as a reference, the study estimated the total economic cost of work-related injury and illness to the Australian economy was

$60.6 billion, or 4.8 percent of Gross Domestic Product.

A summary of the report has been submitted to be published in the Asian-Pacific Newsletter on Occupational Health and Safety. The European Agency for Health and Safety at Work commended the study and is considering adopting the methodology.

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Safe Work Australia

FEA TURE ST OR Y

Strategic outcome 2: Work health and safety is improved through understanding what influences Australian workplace culture and then putting in place mechanisms to effect change

STRATEGIES

2.1 Identify champions of work health and safety, nurture and maintain effective relationships

2.2 Develop and maintain collaborative Australian and international partnerships on work health and safety

2.3 Undertake research to identify the factors that positively influence workplace culture and organisational behaviour

2.4 Coordinate, monitor and encourage innovative strategies to improve work health and safety outcomes

Key achievements were:

recruiting 529 Safety Ambassadors as part of national Safe Work Australia Week and awarding the first Safety Ambassador of the Year

participating in national and international activities and hosting international delegations

undertaking research on Australian workplace culture as it relates to work health and safety, and

the development of the Australian Strategy.

Safety Ambassadors

Safety Ambassadors have a passion for work health and safety and are dedicated to making their workplaces safe. The target for 2011 was to recruit 500 Safety Ambassadors to spread the safety message by setting safety examples in their workplace, promoting safety messages and organising activities to support Safe Work Australia Week. This was an ambitious target with only 50 Ambassadors recruited in 2010. This target was exceeded with 529 workplace leaders from large and small corporations, governments, schools and not-for-profit organisations around Australia signing up to become Safety Ambassadors. Each ambassador received a kit from Safe Work Australia containing information and tools to help them promote national Safe Work Australia Week in their workplace.

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The Safety Ambassador of the Year Award was a new initiative in 2011. It was an opportunity for registered Safety Ambassadors to showcase their hard work and their organisation’s involvement during Safe Work Australia Week. The winner of the award was Janine Coleman from Macarthur Disability Services. More information on why Ms Coleman received the award is on page 18.

International activities

Safe Work Australia has continued to be an active participant in the international work health and safety community and regularly delivers presentations at national and international conferences. Staff participated on a range of national and international committees in the area of hazardous chemicals and nanotechnology including the:

United Nations Sub-Committee of Experts on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals

International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Nanotechnology Technical Committee

International Life Science Institute Research Foundation’s NanoRelease Project, and

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Working Party for Manufactured Nanomaterials.

During 2011–12 Safe Work Australia hosted overseas delegations from China, Singapore and Russia. Delegates learnt about Safe Work Australia’s key role in undertaking and disseminating research, data analysis, promoting work health and safety and Australia’s work health and safety legislative framework.

More information on Safe Work Australia’s involvement in international activities is on page 26.

Research

Safe Work Australia has continued to implement a program of engagement, collaboration and research to increase the understanding of Australian workplace culture as it relates to work health and safety.

Collaboration has occurred with Australian universities and work health and safety regulators, industry partners and unions on research projects and programs, along with the sharing of ideas, research, evaluation and data. For example, Safe Work Australia sits on the Advisory Board of the Cochrane Occupational Health Review Group. In 2011–12 the agency was selected to be part of the Cochrane Systematic Review on “Occupational safety and health regulation and legislation enforcement tools for preventing

occupational diseases and injuries”.

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In 2011-12 Safe Work Australia has continued to:

commission work on motivations, attitudes, perceptions and skills and other behaviours relating to work health and safety. The first stage of this work was

conducted in collaboration with the Regulatory Institutions Network at the Australian National University (ANU). Three reports have been published

collaborate with the ANU in a successful Australian Research Council (ARC) bid for the second stage of the ‘Socio-psychological factors, compliance and safety outcomes at work’ project to be undertaken from 2012 to 2014. A pilot study for this work was completed during 2011–12, and

collaborate with Monash University to assess ‘work ability’. Work ability is about the interaction between an individual’s resources and their work and how this affects their values, attitudes, motivation and job satisfaction. A national representative survey of Australian workers was conducted.

Safe Work Australia also began working with the Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Welfare at the ANU on the Personality and Total Health (PATH) through Life project.

The PATH project is a longitudinal study on mental and physical health. Managed by the ANU the study has been running for 12 years out of a planned 20 years and follows three cohorts of people initially aged in their 20s, early 40s and early 60s. Safe Work Australia contributed to the fourth study.

Outlook for 2012–13

Safe Work Australia will continue to ensure work health and safety is improved through understanding what influences Australian workplaces and then putting in place mechanisms to effect change through:

the Safety Ambassador campaign in 2012–13 as part of national Safe Work Australia Week

national and international activities with a focus on strategic collaboration opportunities in the Asia Pacific region

collaboration with the ANU on the second stage of the ‘Socio-psychological factors, compliance and safety outcomes at work’ project with interviews to be conducted with both businesses and regulators in Queensland and South Australia

collaboration with Monash University on the research to increase the understanding of factors which impact on workplace culture and organisational behaviour.

The findings of Monash University’s Australian workers and work ability survey are expected to be published, and

participation in the Cochrane Systematic Review.

Safe Work Australia will also finalise and implement a Research, Evaluation and Data Strategy as part of the Australian Strategy.

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e Work Australia

FEA TURE ST OR Y

International activities

In September 2011 Safe Work Australia’s Chief Executive Officer Rex Hoy and two staff members participated in the XIX World Congress on Safety and Health at Work in Istanbul, Turkey.

With around 5400 participants from more than 140 countries, the Congress is the premier international work health and safety conference. Safe Work Australia presented a two hour symposium on the harmonisation of work health and safety legislation in Australia. The symposium was moderated by Richard Johnstone and presentations were given by Rex Hoy, Toula Papadopoulos of ACCI, Alena Titterton of Norton Rose and Safe Work Australia Members Michael Borowick from the ACTU and John Watson from NSW WorkCover.

The Safe Work Australia delegation also travelled to Abu Dhabi where a Letter of Agreement was signed with the Abu Dhabi Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) Centre. The Letter of Agreement defines areas of cooperation between the two agencies. Since the agreement was finalised, Safe Work Australia has assisted the EHS Centre by reviewing documents on Abu Dhabi’s work health and safety regulatory framework and providing advice on work health and safety awareness activities and media management.

Other international activities included Dr Fleur Champion de Crespigny attending the 30th International Congress for Occupational Health in Cancun, Mexico in March 2012.

Dr Champion de Crespigny presented papers focussing on the research work of Safe Work Australia.

Dr Champion de Crespigny also attended the 9th Meeting of the Global Network of World Health Organisation Collaborating Centres for Occupational Health. Safe Work Australia is one of three Australian collaborating centres in this network. The meeting focussed on finalising the 2012–2017 Global Master Plan. Safe Work Australia is the leader for the High Risk Sector Priority Area of the Plan and has taken on the role as secretary for the Knowledge Network on Occupational Health in Mining.

Safe Work Australia Chief Executive Officer, Rex Hoy signing a Letter of Agreement with Majid Al Mansouri, Secretary General of the Abu Dhabi Environmental Agency and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Environmental Health and Safety Higher Committee.

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Safe Work Australia

FEA TURE ST OR Y International delegations

In November 2011 Safe Work Australia hosted a delegation from the Chinese State Administration of Work Safety. The visit was part of the second stage of a joint project between the Chinese National Institute for Occupational Health and Poison Control and the Monash Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety.

The aim of this project is to help improve occupational disease detection and occupational health and exposure surveillance and prevention in China.

In July 2011 and June 2012 Safe Work Australia hosted delegations from China including officials from the Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council of China.

A focus of the discussions was the development of the model WHS laws due to an upcoming review of China’s work health and safety legislation.

In June 2012 Safe Work Australia’s Chief Executive Officer, Rex Hoy and staff welcomed a travelling Chinese delegation from the Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council of China.

Dr Fleur Champion de Crespigny presenting research on combating occupational disease at the International Congress for Occupational Health in Cancun, Mexico.

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Strategic outcome 3: Australia has uniform work health and safety laws complemented by consistent compliance and enforcement policies which contribute to provide improved safety for all workers

STRATEGIES

3.1 Develop regulations, Codes of Practice, guidance material and compliance and enforcement policy.

3.2 Implement, monitor and evaluate the harmonised national work health and safety framework.

3.3 Identify and recommend areas for improvement related to uniformity, equity and the standard of safety provided.

Key achievements were the:

approval of model WHS Regulations and several Codes of Practice

commencement of model WHS laws

approval of an evaluation plan to evaluate the harmonisation of the work health and safety and the commencement of its implementation, and

revision of 23 assessment instruments.

Model WHS Regulations and Codes of Practice

Since its establishment Safe Work Australia’s main focus has been the development of model WHS laws. The model WHS laws consist of an integrated package of a model Work Health and Safety (WHS) Act, supported by model WHS Regulations, model Codes of Practice and a National Compliance and Enforcement Policy. The model WHS Act was endorsed by the Workplace Relations Ministers’ Council in December 2009.

The model WHS Regulations with the exception of the WHS Regulations for mining were agreed by Safe Work Australia on 29 July 2011. On 10 August 2011 the model WHS Regulations were agreed in principle by the majority of SCWR subject to approval of a Decision Regulation Impact Statement (RIS).

The Decision RIS which explains the overall costs and impacts of the model WHS Regulations and several Codes of Practice was assessed by the Office of Best Practice Regulation as meeting the COAG best practice regulation requirements on

9 September 2011.

The model WHS Regulations were subsequently approved by SCWR for implementation on 1 January 2012.

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COAG agreed to extend the timeframe for completion of the WHS Regulations for mining so extensive consultation could be undertaken with key stakeholders and a cost benefit analysis could be completed.

Commencement of model WHS laws

On 1 January 2012 a significant milestone for Safe Work Australia was reached with the commencement of harmonised WHS laws in NSW, Queensland, ACT, NT and Commonwealth. The WHS laws also passed the Tasmanian Parliament with a start date of 1 January 2013. A work health and safety bill giving effect to the model WHS laws is currently in front of the SA Legislative Council for consideration.

For the first time over 60 percent of Australia’s workforce have the same work health and safety protections, which is a significant achievement for workers and industry.

Victoria and WA have delayed implementation and have been assessing the impacts and benefits of the model WHS laws.

National mine safety reform and work on the model WHS Regulations for mining progressed during the year. Safe Work Australia’s role has been to draft regulations for inclusion as a chapter in the model WHS Regulations. The draft regulations are based on policy developed by the National Mine Safety Framework (NMSF) Steering Group endorsed by mining ministers.

In July 2011 Safe Work Australia, together with the NMSF released draft model WHS Regulations, model Codes of Practice and an Issues Paper for public comment.

A Consultation RIS was released in October 2011. Safe Work Australia is continuing to work with the NMSF to finalise the regulations.

Throughout 2012 work has continued on developing additional model Codes of Practice and key guidance material in support of the model WHS laws. This work includes developing guides to assist stakeholders transition to the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals. A list of the model Codes of Practice and guidance developed in 2011–12 is at Appendix D.

Safe Work Australia is monitoring the implementation of the new WHS laws to quickly identify and resolve any issues. A national framework for granting exemptions under the model WHS Regulations was established to ensure a nationally consistent approach particularly for sensible and practical transitional arrangements.

A Volunteer Assistance Program has been implemented to assist volunteers and volunteer organisations understand their responsibilities under the model WHS laws.

More information on the assistance being provided is on page 32.

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Evaluation plan

In July 2012 Safe Work Australia Members approved an Evaluation Plan for Harmonisation of Work Health and Safety. This plan will guide the collection of data through to 2016 to report on the progress made and changes that have occurred in achieving a harmonised approach to work health and safety in Australia and enable reporting against the objectives of the IGA.

In 2011-2012 Safe Work Australia has worked with the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) to draw nationally representative samples of businesses to conduct surveys on aspects of the IGA objectives. Safe Work Australia has designed surveys on business’ activities to meet their work health and safety duties, their costs of compliance and the consistency of their regulatory experience following harmonisation. Safe Work Australia will begin the first rounds of surveys and interviews with businesses and workers in 2012-13. Safe Work Australia and the work health and safety regulators will work together to examine the ways in which harmonisation has resulted in efficiencies for governments.

In April 2012 COAG agreed the current WHS laws will be reviewed by the end of 2014.

The research undertaken as part of the evaluation will assist in this review.

Units of competency and licensing of high risk work

The model WHS Regulations established 29 classes of high risk work requiring a licence in Australia. Safe Work Australia mandates the assessment instruments that must be used to assess candidates against the prescribed Vocational Education and Training outcomes.

During 2011–12 Safe Work Australia revised 23 assessment instruments.

Safe Work Australia also commissioned the Construction and Property Services Industry Skills Council (CPSISC) to develop units of competency to support the introduction of the new licensing requirements for Asbestos Removalists. Four units of competency were developed and endorsed by the Australian Skills Quality Authority in late 2011 for use by registered training organisations across Australia.

Stevedoring

In 2011–12 Safe Work Australia Members agreed to review national guidance material – Working Safely on the Waterfront – and develop a model Code of Practice for stevedoring. Public comment will be sought on the national guidance material as part of the review and the outcomes will inform the development of a model Code of Practice for stevedoring.

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Australian Forum of Explosives Regulators

The Australian Forum of Explosives Regulators (AFER) is a government cooperative forum reporting to the Ministerial Council. AFER’s key function is to develop of nationally consistent explosives legislation regulation including harmonisation through Safe Work Australia. AFER also maintains the Australian Code for the Transport of Explosives by Road and Rail.

Through AFER Safe Work Australia continues to promote the development of nationally consistent explosives legislation and has been working collaboratively with NSW WorkCover on this issue.

Vibration

In September 2011 Safe Work Australia conducted a series of workshops in Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney with a broad range of stakeholders to gauge the extent of exposure to workplace vibration and the need for guidance materials.

Safe Work Australia also commissioned a review of the health effects of exposure to vibration and an assessment of the effectiveness of the current European regulatory regime for vibration.

Review of workplace exposure standards for airborne contaminants

Safe Work Australia began a review of the framework for the regulation of airborne contaminants in workplaces. The aim of the review is to provide a responsive and effective regulatory framework that improves the health and safety of workers, reflects best practice and is able to respond and adapt to changes in scientific and technical knowledge.

Outlook for 2012–13

In 2012–13 Safe Work Australia will:

continue to oversee the implementation of the model WHS laws to respond and resolve implementation issues as they arise

develop supporting Codes of Practice and guidance material in consultation with relevant stakeholders

continue monitoring implementation to ensure the model WHS laws operate as intended and that unintended consequences arising from the implementation of the new WHS laws are quickly identified and resolved

finalise and publish the units of competency and assessment instruments for all 29 classes of high risk work. A program of ongoing maintenance and continuous improvement of the licensing units of competency and assessment instruments will be implemented

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finalise the review of the stevedoring national guidance material. It is anticipated the draft model Code of Practice will be released for public comment towards the end of 2012, and

continue the development of guidance for vibration including vibration health monitoring.

Volunteer Assistance Program

Safe Work Australia is assisting volunteers and volunteer organisations to understand their responsibilities under the model WHS laws.

In January 2012 Minister Shorten convened a round table meeting with peak volunteer organisations to discuss the model WHS laws. A key outcome of this meeting was to establish a Volunteer Working Group to guide the development of an information package to assist volunteers and volunteer associations to understand their rights and obligations under the model WHS laws. The Volunteer Working Group included representatives from peak volunteer organisations, Safe Work Australia, the Fair Work Ombudsman, the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) and the Office of the Not for Profit Sector.

In February 2012 a resource kit was released including a dedicated website, helpline for volunteers and organisations who engage volunteers and direct email address for volunteer enquiries. The number of enquiries received through the helpline and web-based enquiry line has steadily decreased as organisations and volunteers have become more informed of how and when the WHS laws apply to them.

Safe Work Australia’s coordinated response ensures a nationally consistent level of support is provided to all volunteers throughout Australia covered by the new WHS laws.