2018-07-10 Services & Organisation Committee Agenda

SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                               10 JULY 2018


Major safety initiatives in the plan included:
   Formation of a single Safety Committee that established communication channels between
     work groups and the Executive Team;
   Establishment of all required safety documentation (policies, procedures and safe work
     method statements;
   Development of meaningful safety objectives and targets;
   Development of a WHS monitoring, measuring and reporting framework;
   Ensuring all staff were trained and aware of the role they played in WHS;
   A WH&S address by Shane Webcke to our staff (Shane is a Queensland WH&S
     ambassador and shares his personal story about the impact of a WH&S accident on his
     family); and
   Establishing a culture where working safely was encouraged.

2.   Audit Results

At the request of the Executive Team, a further external audit of Council’s WH&S system was
undertaken by Local Government Workcare in May 2018.

The audit findings confirmed that Noosa Council now has a fully functioning and compliant WHS
system and a culture that supports safety in the workplace.

A score of 74% was achieved with no non-compliances noted which places Council in the Bronze
Award category, only 1 point below silver. (Note: Bronze 70%-75%, Silver 75%-85% and Gold
85-100%).

The External Auditor specifically congratulated Noosa Council for:
   one of the largest improvements in WHS he has ever seen a Council achieve in 2 years;
   industry leading WH&S housekeeping practices; and
   the leadership demonstrated over the last 3 years to monitor, encourage and be involved
     with the “on the ground” improvements.

There is always room for improvement and the Auditor made nineteen (19) recommendations.
Many of these were easy fixes and have already been closed out. The Executive Team will
continue to monitor our progress in completing all outstanding actions.

Going forward the “Noosa Council Work Health and Safety System Plan April 2018 - February
2020” will continue to provide a structured approach to achieving our overall WH&S objectives.


Previous Council Consideration
Progress on the implementation of the WHS plan and risk management activities are reported
regularly to the Audit and Risk Committee.

Finance
The improvements to the WHS system and safety culture is reflected in the lost time injury
statistics where Noosa Council has reduced the number and duration of lost time injuries.
Noosa’s statistics are now below the industry average. Future worker’s compensation premiums
will reflect the improvements but there is a lag between improved WH&S results and the
reduction in premiums.




                                                                                Page 69 of 71