In the dynamic landscape of therapy and support services for individuals with disabilities, ensuring a safe and healthy work environment is not just a priority but a cornerstone of success. The client, a leading provider in this field, embarked on a journey to enhance their work health and safety (WHS) practices, recognising the critical role it plays in their mission. To achieve this goal, the client partnered with Spring Safety Consultants, specialising in WHS improvement strategies. This case study delves into their collaborative efforts and the transformative outcomes achieved.
The Implementation
Spring Safety Consultants commenced the implementation phase by conducting a thorough work health and safety audit for the client. This audit served as a pivotal starting point, aiming to independently assess work activities, conditions, and behaviours against the Work Health and Safety Act 2020 (WA) and the Work Health and Safety (General) Regulations 2022 (WA). A special focus was placed on Psychosocial risks (Chapter 3, General Risk and Workplace Management, Division 11, regulations 55A – 55D). The objective of the audit was clear: to identify areas for improvement to ensure legislative compliance and continual management system improvement.
Following the audit, Spring Safety Consultants extended their comprehensive work with the client, aiming to provide training and support to their Company Board, CEO, and Executives with the ultimate goal of achieving improved WHS performance through a resilient culture, effective systems, and targeted governance and due diligence activities.
Spring Safety Consultants engaged with Hall & Willcox’s Mr Nicholas Beech, an experienced employment and WHS lawyer, to present key WHS concepts, definition of officers, examining the scope of due diligence duty, achieving compliance, penalties and prohibitions under the WHS Act.
In addition, Spring Safety Consultants conducted executive coaching sessions which fed the data into creating a bespoke Due Diligence Activities Matrix, which guides the client in their WHS responsibilities. These activities encompass crucial elements such as:
- acquiring and maintaining up-to-date knowledge on health and safety matters;
- understanding the nature of organisational operations and associated hazards and risks;
- ensuring the availability of appropriate resources and processes to eliminate or minimise risks;
- ensure the organisation has appropriate processes for receiving and considering information regarding incidents, hazards, and risks and responding in a timely way to that information;
- ensuring the organisation implements processes for complying with any duty or obligation under the WHS Act; and
- verifying the provision and use of the resources and processes within the organisation.
The Outcome
The outcome of this collaborative effort was profound. The Client gained valuable insights into their WHS approach, enabling them to implement actionable steps for continuous improvement for both the leadership team which in turn will flow onto benefits for therapists and their clients. Spring Safety Consultants’ expertise, led by Director Sophia Rossow and supported by a team of experienced professionals, Sonia Ceglinski a Senior Training Specialist; Vimela Noyan – HSEQ Consultant; Dorit Ozchakir – Graduate HSEQ Consultant; Cate Latimer HSEQT Administrator; and Asha Lague HSEQT Administrator, ensured the client received comprehensive support aligned with legislative requirements and best practices.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the client’s partnership with Spring Safety Consultants exemplifies a leadership approach to addressing work health and safety challenges. By leveraging expert guidance, the client enhanced their WHS performance and worked towards fostering a culture of safety and resilience where employees thrive and missions flourish.
By Dorit Ozchakir
