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Assessment Task 1
The candidate will demonstrate the skills and knowledge required to consult on and analyse workplace needs to:
Using the scenario information supplied, you will conduct an initial review of the workplace. You will then participate in a management meeting (a role-play), in which you will propose the design of an appropriate WHSMS and consult with management. During the meeting, you will present a draft WHS policy for consultation.
Note: Some relevant information may be gathered from the simulated workplace information provided below; some information may be gathered through the process of consultation.
1. Note that during the presentation and consultation session, you will need to:
2. Incorporate necessary changes into your WHS policy draft and design of WHSMS based on consultation.
3. Submit all documents to your assessor as per the specifications below. Ensure you keep a copy of all work submitted for your records.
You must:
Your assessor will be looking for:
Pitstop is a privately owned company that until recently operated one independent service station in Melbourne’s north. Jim Murphy, who is the owner, chairman and CEO, has run the company for the past five years. He has operated service stations for most of the last 25 years and relies on his hands-on approach to monitor and instruct staff on what to do.
In the past eight months, Pitstop has raised sufficient finance to buy out the Independent Service Station (ISS) chain of nine stores across Victoria, NSW and Queensland and rebrand them all as Pitstop. Jim plans to continue the expansion until the optimum target of 30 service stations is secured for the Victoria, NSW and Queensland market.
Pitstop service stations trade 24 hours a day. They typically include a vehicle access forecourt with at least six pump stations, a retail shop, a food bar, Store Manager’s office and stockroom. They sell fuel, oil, gas, supermarket goods, hot pies (heated from frozen on the premises) and cold drinks.
Including the retained staff from the ISS buyout stores, Pitstop has a workforce of approximately 60 employees. The employees come from a wide range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds. A significant proportion has poor English literacy, including poor reading comprehension. Most employees, but not all, have a high-school level of education.
All stores have computerised point-of-sale terminals that are linked to the company’s enterprise resource planning and accounting systems. The flagship store has an attached office space that accommodates the directors and senior management staff.
Pitstop service stations are currently located in:
You have been employed by Pitstop as the General Manager – Retail. You have been asked to design and develop a WHS management system (WHSMS) to manage WHS for Pitstop as one of your initial tasks.
In the employment interview, Jim explained that:
Pitstop has just gone through a tremendous transformation, from a single hands-on operation to a multi-store enterprise with plans to triple in size in the next five years. The board of directors has made me acutely aware that we can’t manage the present and future operations the way I have in the past. We want you to design and develop a WHSMS, as far as is practicable, to ensure a workplace that is safe and without risks to the health of our employees, customers, suppliers and visitors to the sites. You may need to create or rewrite organisational policies as well as devise training schemes, implement changes and develop reports.
I don’t want to pressure you, but it is imperative that this WHSMS be in place in four months' time when we meet with all key stakeholders of Pitstop.
When I managed the single store, we never had the injuries and time off work that we are having at the moment. I was always very careful to tell my staff how to work safely and made sure any potential hazards were dealt with before they caused injury. But I can’t be in ten places at once. We need a system that can be effectively implemented and monitored without me having to be there.
Absenteeism has gone up and I believe that it is caused by low staff morale connected to work health and safety. I believe that work should be a happy place because a happy workplace is a productive one. Also, it tends to cultivate long-term employees.
After the interview, Jim introduced you to key investor and board member Alan Harvey, who explained that he leaves Jim to worry about the company operations while he concentrates on strategic planning. Alan said:
With our expansion plans we have to be very concerned about our brand image. We can’t afford to have it tarnished by bad press concerning the way we care for our sites. We handle a lot of hazardous substances in our service stations, and the board takes the legal responsibilities we have as company directors in regard to WHS very seriously.
In developing the WHSMS, make sure you consult with and include the board.
Alan asked you about the way you intend to go about setting up the WHSMS for Pitstop and whether you will be needing any help in achieving the task by the due date.
Your response was that you had been involved the rollout of a similar program with Australian Petroleum. You had used WHS consultants in areas where the company management required additional expertise. You also used the National Safety Council of Australia (NSCA) to train the managers about WHS responsibilities and obligations. You think NSCA may also be useful for training the Pitstop Store Managers on WHS compliance, as would St John’s Ambulance in certifying all managers with first aid competency.
Alan noted that, in the interest of efficiency, it would be a good idea to integrate existing management systems with the new WHSMS. This may involve adapting policies from other management systems at Pitstop or those legacy policies retained from the ISS buyout stores.
Alan went on to say:
This is a critical area for our short-term and long-term future. We don’t want to set a budget, but would rather you come back to us with recommendations on the resources required to do the WHSMS right.
Pitstop aims to be the first-choice provider of fuel and snacks for Australian motorists.
Pitstop is committed to providing employees and customers with a healthy and safe
The following activities are carried out at Pitstop.
Employees
Stocktake inventory items on forecourt, shop and reserve.
Store Managers
Performance Review and Development Program (PRDP).
One of the first tasks that the directors have asked you to perform is to review the existing WHS situation at Pitstop. Pitstop’s most senior Store Manager, Amanda Kaisig, has compiled an incident summary report. You have also conducted store visits to observe conditions, and conducted a review of recordkeeping systems.
Incident type |
Number |
Who affected? |
Work days lost |
Fuel spill |
33 |
3 customers with fuel on clothes 10-litre fuel spill into drains |
0 |
Fire in rubbish bin |
2 |
Staff with smoke inhalation |
0.5 |
Slip on wet shop floor |
3 |
2 employees 1 customer |
6 |
Falling stock in reserve |
6 |
6 employees |
2 |
Trip |
2 |
1 customer (cracks in concrete of forecourt) 1 employee (cluttered reserve corridor) |
0 |
Burns (ovens) |
42 |
Employees |
23 |
Fatigued legs |
2 |
2 employees |
2 |
Eye and breathing difficulties related to fumes from oven cleaner |
3 |
1 employee |
1 |
Your visit to the stores identified the following points.
You check with the Records Clerk, who is responsible for keeping all of Pitstop’s records. You discover:
ISS aims to provide a flexible and family-friendly workplace that reasonably accommodates external commitments and carer responsibilities.
As a flexible and family-friendly business, ISS recognises that its staff members have responsibilities and commitments extending beyond the working environment. ISS is aware that these responsibilities and commitments can have a significant impact on employment opportunities, and ISS is committed to providing an accessible, supportive and flexible environment for all staff.
In responding to requests for arrangements relating to work/life balance, management will need to consider work requirements and the current and potential needs of others in responding, keeping in mind that ISS seeks:
Promotion and support of the balance of work and personal needs for staff will position ISS as an employer of choice, initiate a high level of commitment from staff to the work and ideals of ISS, and provide high levels of job satisfaction and a strong collaborative and collegiate culture, while at the same time reducing stress and turnover.
Staff will be provided with a positive work climate where supervisors strive to meet expectations in accommodating life and personal responsibilities.
As an employer, ISS has a duty under WHS legislation to provide a safe working environment and to protect the health of all employees from any illness and injury arising from the workplace. Areas other than those designated will be smoke-free to eliminate the hazards of environmental tobacco smoke.
A designated area will be available where smokers will be able to smoke during scheduled work breaks, as long as this does not cause harm or discomfort to other employees in the workplace. Employees may not, at any time, smoke inside buildings or premises or any enclosed workplaces. The designated areas will be away from flammable or other dangerous activities.
A breach of this policy will be dealt with in the same manner as a breach of any WHS policy, and standard disciplinary procedures will apply.
ISS recognises that sexual harassment is a serious issue and is committed to providing a workplace free from sexual harassment.
What is sexual harassment?
Sexual harassment is any deliberate verbal or physical conduct that is unwelcome and uninvited, embarrassing, demeaning, offensive or compromising. It can be experienced anywhere in the workforce, and by both men and women.
It has nothing to do with mutual attraction or genuine affection between people. Such friendships, whether sexual or not, are a private concern. It should not be confused with genuine compliments or behaving with common courtesy.
Sexual harassment may include such actions as:
Behaviour is against the law if it makes you feel:
ISS considers sexual harassment an unacceptable form of behaviour which will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
ISS undertakes to educate all employees on the issue of sexual harassment to avoid its incidence and to inform employees of procedures to deal with the problem, should it occur.
ISS recognises the value of its employees and is committed to promoting and maintaining the health and wellbeing of every member of its workforce. Alcohol and other drugs can influence an employee’s ability to maintain safe work practices and can endanger themselves and others. All employees, contractors and sub-contractors have a responsibility to present for work and remain at work not influenced by alcohol and other drugs.
ISS is committed to providing a working environment that is free from bullying. Working relationships and standards of behaviour between employees are important workplace issues. The ISS code of conduct sets out principles for behaviour required in the workplace, namely that:
ISS considers that bullying in the workplace is inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour, and those employees found to have either committed or condoned such behaviour in the workplace may be subject to disciplinary action.
A bully is a person who uses strength or power to coerce others by fear. To bully is to oppress or persecute, physically or morally by (threat of) superior force. Bullying is physical or psychological behaviour or conduct where strength (including strength in personality) and/or a position of power is misused by a person in a position of authority or by a person who perceives that they are in a position of power or authority. While bullying is normally associated with unequal power relationships, peer-to-peer bullying is not uncommon and is an equally unacceptable behaviour at ISS.
A variety of behaviours and acts may constitute bullying which, over time, create a negative workplace environment. These may include:
Bullying may be perpetrated by an individual who may be a work colleague, a supervisor or any person who is part of the work environment.
To support ISS’s commitment to providing a high-performance and satisfying work environment. To describe ISS’s Performance Review and Development Program (PRDP).
This policy applies to all employees of ISS.
Each Store Manager at ISS should provide support and guidance to their employees. To this end, Store Managers should discuss performance and development. The PRDP has the following aims:
To facilitate the PRDP, all Store Managers will be trained in the principles and practice of PRDP to ensure effective implementation of the PRDP process.
Together, each employee and their supervisor will develop a performance plan and a professional development plan. Both will then negotiate how these plans will be implemented. PRDP should be repeated over a twelve-month cycle.
PRDP will be implemented in accordance with the principles of fairness and equity, and in accordance with relevant legislation and various ISS policies.
Managers are responsible for ensuring that PRDP is implemented for all employees for whom they are designated supervisors.
To support ISS’s commitment to induction of all new employees. To describe ISS’s induction process.
This policy applies to all employees of ISS.
Each employee should be systematically introduced to their job roles and should be provided with the information they require to succeed and develop. Inductions should:
The induction process has two components
Managers are responsible for ensuring that the induction process is implemented for all employees for whom they are designated supervisors.
All fire exits should be kept clear of obstacles.
Keep access corridors to emergency exits clear.
In the case of a fire:
Fuel spills can happen when filling tanks.
When notified of a fuel spill:
Clear soaked mats and place them in the discard bin.
All staff should be made aware of this policy and procedure within several months of commencing work at ISS.
New staff should be made aware of any hazards that exist within the workplace, and the way ISS manages the potential risk from that hazard.
It is expected that each staff member will report and act upon potential workplace hazards.
Process for identification of new hazard:
Car engines – By law you must switch off your engine before and during refuelling.
Refuelling petrol vehicles – Take care; static discharge from clothing may ignite vapours.
Mobile phones – Dropping a mobile phone can cause sparks, which may ignite vapours. Using a mobile phone while refuelling can cause a lapse in concentration.
Smoking – By law, you and your passengers are required to extinguish your cigarettes.
Children – ONLY adults (15 years or older) are permitted to fill fuel tanks.
Motorcycles – Always dismount your motorcycle prior to and during refuelling.
Autogas (LPG) – If you detect an LPG leak, press the emergency stop button and advise staff immediately.
Caravans and food vans – By law, you are required to extinguish all pilot lights.
Filling containers – Fill only properly labelled containers which have been stamped to say they are approved to carry flammable liquids.
Safe fuel handling – Please be careful when handling or storing fuel for any purpose.
Amanda Kaisig
Amanda is very concerned about the number of incidents since Pitstop’s buyout of ISS. Safety performance, because of poor and antiquated recordkeeping practices, was very difficult to evaluate; however she was able to compile the following summary report.
We advertise our responsibility to the environment.
That was part of the buyout, when all stores were fitted with the new LG MP-9485S 34L Silver Colour Solar DOM (10amp) ovens and a pie warmer so that all the stores could sell Jim’s favourite multiple sale product – pies. We have not had any issues here, but the new stores had no training on the new oven. Managers were just given an instruction book that was translated from Japanese. The staff members need to be very careful when using the oven cleaner as well. It can give off some very caustic fumes.
Amanda is concerned that, since the Pitstop buyout of ISS, the system that worked on a small scale is inadequate to deal systematically with the present size of operations.
Jim was always keen to show new employees the dangers that were specific to this job and the ways he wanted the risks managed and actioned. I don’t think the new buyout stores concentrate on the induction phase with new employees. They tend to introduce the new staff to the potential hazards as they arise in the work activities. I know Jim looks at the WorkSafe Victoria website, but I have never accessed it. I know Jim keeps a copy of the WHS Act and Regulations in his files because I have seen them there. Jim never questions the money I spend to keep the personal safety equipment in full stock, but I know they have been on a restricted budget in the buyout stores. As for training, well, Jim did it all. He trained me, but I know that with all the increased activity, he has not had the time to train the other managers as he would have liked. He authorised resources for my St John’s first aid course and actually gave me time off work to do it. I know that only a few of the buyout managers have this qualification.
Jim was always very attentive to WHS issues in this store, but I’m not so confident about the buyout stores. They were not trading very well before Pitstop took them over and I don’t think WHS was a key focus of those stores. It hardly comes up in store meetings and agendas proposed by the managers of the buyout stores. As you can see, Jim did not have a lot of documented policy and procedures but he was very conscious of the importance of WHS for the staff.
Despite issues with buyout stores’ safety, because of time pressures, we have tended to adopt their policy and procedures until we can fully develop Pitstop’s own.
Pat Lee
Pat Lee has met with 40 workers and managers from the former ISS stores. He has compiled a list of their concerns.
Assessment Task 2
The candidate will demonstrate the skills and knowledge required to plan and to implement a WHS management system.
Using the scenario information supplied, and the WHS policy and management system design you developed for Assessment Task 1, you will carry out a number of planning and implementation activities, and role-play consultation with stakeholders. To complete the assessment task requirements, you will develop and submit a portfolio of planning and implementation documentation for a pilot program at the Pitstop Pty Ltd Wollongong service station.
Note: Ensure you anticipate possible issues and objections and use communication skills to build consensus and support for system.
Note: Ensure you anticipate possible issues and objections and use communication skills to build consensus and support for system.
You must:
Your assessor will be looking for:
In order to ensure that the WHSMS and its accompanying documentation will meet the needs and expectations of all Pitstop employees across Victoria, NSW and Queensland, you are piloting your WHSMS implementation in the Wollongong, NSW service station. Pitstop Wollongong is the service station with the most WHS incidents to-date, with a representative workforce of relatively new employees and with only a few long-serving staff.
You have met with the CEO of Pitstop and all relevant Pitstop stakeholders to consult on the general design of the WHS management system. You have now been authorised to plan and implement the system.
There are several key tasks to perform, including:
Crucially for senior management, you will need to carry out planning and implementation in close consultation with stakeholders to ensure buy-in across the organisation.
Senior management sees the implementation of the WHSMS as a great opportunity to build a self-sustaining and reinforcing culture of safety that systematically reduces risk across the expanding business.
As CEO Jim Murphy states, however, ‘…the rapid expansion of our business, and replication of management structures and systems, will mean that the effect of any successes or failures will be amplified – we may only get one chance to get this implementation right.’ The key objectives for the WHSMS implementation are to:
Employee |
Comments |
Store Manager |
1 year managerial experience. Not sure how WHSMS could integrate with existing systems. No idea how to use the pie oven; otherwise familiar with all store procedures. Adequate knowledge of all safety procedures but unsure of risk assessment process. Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. 2 years training experience. No first aid training. Good knowledge of WHS legal framework. Good written and verbal communication skills. Can write reports. |
Shift Manager 1 |
18 months experience – 6 months as shift manager. No formal training experience; provides informal training to new staff. No first aid training. No understanding of performance measures. No previous managerial experience. Can use the pie oven. Adequate knowledge of safety and emergency procedures. Limited knowledge of WHS legal framework – originally from UK. Excellent verbal communication but poor written communication skills. |
Shift Manager 2 |
5 years experience. Competent in all aspects of working in a petrol station. Can use pie oven. Adequate knowledge of safety and emergency procedures. No knowledge of WHS legal requirements. Good written and verbal communication skills. |
Cashier 1 |
2 years experience. Competent in all aspects of working in a petrol station. Some experience with other pie ovens. Adequate knowledge of safety and emergency procedures. Adequate knowledge of WHS legal requirements. Good written and verbal communication skills. |
Cashier 2 |
18 months experience. Can use all in-store equipment safely, but unsure of outdoor safety procedures. Adequate knowledge of emergency procedures. Can use pie oven. No knowledge of WHS legal requirements. Poor written and verbal communication skills. |
Cashier 3 |
12 months experience. Competent in all aspects of working in a petrol station. No idea how to use the pie oven. No knowledge of safety procedures, but adequate knowledge of emergency procedures. No knowledge of WHS legal requirements. Good verbal communication but poor written communication skills. |
Cashier 4 |
6 months experience. Not yet competent in all aspects of working in a petrol station. No idea how to use the pie oven. Adequate knowledge of safety and emergency procedures. No knowledge of WHS legal requirements. Good written and verbal communication skills. |
Cashier 6 |
3 months experience. Not yet competent in all aspects of working in a petrol station. Can use pie oven. No knowledge of safety or emergency procedures. No knowledge of WHS legal requirements. Good verbal communication but poor written communication skills. |
Assessment Task 3
The candidate will demonstrate the skills and knowledge required to measure, evaluate, review and improve WHS performance.
Using the scenario information supplied in this task, and planning materials developed in Assessment Tasks 1 and 2, you will undertake a number of monitoring and evaluation tasks. You will consult with managers to gain input into and support for implementation of monitoring and evaluation activities to measure WHS performance against organisational outcomes and individual performance. You will then analyse and evaluate WHS performance data, present a draft report to senior management, and provide a final written report containing results of analysis and recommendations for improvement of the WHSMS.
Note: If you have not already developed or considered performance measures, performance management, and reporting and audit procedures, you will need to prepare or source draft procedures as the basis of consultation with managers.
You must:
Your assessor will be looking for:
It has been six months since the implementation of the WHS management system across all stores at Pitstop. The implementation has been carried out concurrently with the expansion of the business, which, over the course of two years, has grown from a single store to 30 stores. The number of employees has grown from 20 to 160 over the course of the implementation of the WHSMS.
Signs are that the rollout has been moderately successful in about half the stores. Initial feedback from store managers and employees has been positive; however the implementation seems to have lost momentum.
It is now time for a review of the WHSMS. You have been asked by senior management to provide a written report on the performance of the system. The report should contain analysis of the data, and recommendations for improvement based on your analysis.
The original objectives for the WHS management system appear below.
The CEO has asked you to prepare a 3–4 page report for directors on the performance of the WHS management system. The CEO has explained what the directors will require in your report.
The directors look forward to your report.
A strategic implementation plan for the organisation has been developed from the WHS management system objectives and appears below.
Key
IR Incidence Rate
LTIFR Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate
Objective |
Target |
Implementation |
Indicator/monitoring |
Person |
To minimise injuries |
IR=<4 |
Skills assessment of workers. Specific training on equipment and job roles. |
Number of reported injuries and near misses in 6-month period. Data from incident reports. |
Store Managers |
To reduce number of days of lost work |
LTIFR=<6 |
Skills assessment of workers. Specific training on equipment and job roles. |
Number of lost days in 6-month period. Data from incident reports. |
Store Managers |
To establish risk management process |
All employees aware of procedure. All managers have initiated one safety audit and implemented process. |
Documents developed and distributed in policies and procedures manual to all staff. |
Percentage of managers who have completed process over 6‑month period. Safety audits. Project management report. |
Store Managers |
To ensure managers implement WHS policy and WHSMS |
All managers have performed a skills audit and conducted or initiated appropriate training for employees. |
Training for managers on process. |
Percentage of managers who have performed a skills audit. Manager’s report. Percentage of employees who have completed training. Management reports/training records. |
WHS Manager |
|
To ensure employee buy-in across the organisation |
All employees have attended a WHS information session run by managers in 6 months. |
Managers to conduct monthly sessions with employees to explain WHS issues, consultative process, etc. |
Percentage of employees who have attended sessions. Management reports. Employee feedback survey on sessions. |
WHS Manager and Store Managers |
Using the approved data collection plan, the following data and information was collected for use in the six month evaluation of the WHS management system.
Incident type |
Number |
Description |
Work days lost |
Fuel spills |
38 |
Some customers and employees with spilled fuel on clothes. |
0 |
Fires |
3 |
3 small fires due to employee and customer cigarette butts, quickly extinguished by customers or staff; one day lost due to smoke inhalation by employee with asthma. |
1 |
Slipping on floors |
2 |
Employees slipping on wet floors while mopping. |
1 |
Falling stock |
10 |
Employees hit on head. |
10 |
Lifting injuries |
12 |
Employees injured while receiving and storing stock. |
5 |
Tripping |
8 |
Employees tripping on exposed pipes and wires. |
8 |
Burns |
60 |
Pie oven burns. |
15 |
Fatigue from standing |
10 |
Employees complaining of back and foot aches from standing and serving customers all shift. |
4 |
Breathing difficulties |
40 |
1 employee cleaning pumps with strong solvent. |
20 |
Eye irritation |
2 |
1 employee splashed fuel in eyes. |
1 |
Overall IR = 6
Overall LTIFR = 12
Using the approved data collection plan, the following information was collected from various sources for use in the evaluation.
Source |
Information and data |
Employee data report from General Manager – Finance and Operations |
160 employees 20 stores 20 Store Managers |
Safety audits |
10 audits completed. Wide variance in approach to risk taken by various managers. For example, some managers have initiated the use of nozzle guards and automatic pump shut-off systems to reduce small and large spills. Other managers have chosen to post rules for customers in more visible locations. |
|
Project management reports |
13 managers have completed a skills audit in the 6-month period. |
Incident reports |
Incident reports are not always completed by managers. Risk of serious incidents not being considered in review; risk of serious incidents not being reported to relevant WorkCover authority. |
Managers' reports |
Managers report 250 weekly safety audits of premises Nearly 500 expected. The ability of designated staff to understand and follow written risk assessment processes is impeding progress. |
|
Training records |
80 employees trained in job role. |
Employee feedback survey |
Employees generally like the idea of training sessions, but feel sessions are often disorganised and incompetently run by inexperienced managers. Some stores have highly popular and informative sessions. Managers run regular sessions based on employee WHS concerns and WHS issues showing in management reports. These same stores have very few incidents. |
Feedback through HSRs and informal consultation |
Employees feel that there was a lot of initial managerial enthusiasm for the new WHSMS; however, recently not much attention has been paid to maintaining the system. Employees at some stores complaining about recent introduction of strong solvents; managers at those stores dismiss concerns. Also, at some stores, job roles and performance indicators set by managers don’t mention WHS. Employees feel that this send the message: WHS is not genuinely important to role at store. |
|
Industry reports and independent scientific studies; advice from WHS experts |
Barriers and engineering controls 50% more effective in reducing incidents than signage. Stable causal link between increased frequency and repetition of safety messages and reduced injury rates. Strong correlation shown between smoking rates at stores and fire incidence. Strong correlation shown between smoking rates at stores and willingness to promote a safe working environment. |
ISS aims to provide a flexible and family-friendly workplace that reasonably accommodates external commitments and carer responsibilities.
As a flexible and family-friendly business, ISS recognises that its staff members have responsibilities and commitments extending beyond the working environment. ISS is aware that these responsibilities and commitments can have a significant impact on employment opportunities, and ISS is committed to providing an accessible, supportive and flexible environment for all staff.
In responding to requests for arrangements relating to work/life balance, management will need to consider work requirements and the current and potential needs of others in responding, keeping in mind that ISS seeks:
Promotion and support of the balance of work and personal needs for staff will position ISS as an employer of choice, initiate a high level of commitment from staff to the work and ideals of ISS, and provide high levels of job satisfaction and a strong collaborative and collegiate culture, while at the same time reducing stress and turnover.
Staff will be provided with a positive work climate where supervisors strive to meet expectations in accommodating life and personal responsibilities.
As an employer, ISS has a duty under WHS legislation to provide a safe working environment and to protect the health of all employees from any illness and injury arising from the workplace. Areas other than those designated will be smoke-free to eliminate the hazards of environmental tobacco smoke.
A designated area will be available where smokers will be able to smoke during scheduled work breaks, as long as this does not cause harm or discomfort to other employees in the workplace. Employees may not, at any time, smoke inside buildings or premises or any enclosed workplaces. The designated areas will be away from flammable or other dangerous activities.
A breach of this policy will be dealt with in the same manner as a breach of any WHS policy, and standard disciplinary procedures will apply.
ISS recognises that sexual harassment is a serious issue and is committed to providing a workplace free from sexual harassment.
What is sexual harassment?
Sexual harassment is any deliberate verbal or physical conduct that is unwelcome and uninvited, embarrassing, demeaning, offensive or compromising. It can be experienced anywhere in the workforce, and by both men and women.
It has nothing to do with mutual attraction or genuine affection between people. Such friendships, whether sexual or not, are a private concern. It should not be confused with genuine compliments or behaving with common courtesy.
Sexual harassment may include such actions as:
Behaviour is against the law if it makes you feel:
ISS considers sexual harassment an unacceptable form of behaviour which will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
ISS undertakes to educate all employees on the issue of sexual harassment to avoid its incidence and to inform employees of procedures to deal with the problem, should it occur.
ISS recognises the value of its employees and is committed to promoting and maintaining the health and wellbeing of every member of its workforce. Alcohol and other drugs can influence an employee’s ability to maintain safe work practices and can endanger themselves and others. All employees, contractors and sub-contractors have a responsibility to present for work and remain at work not influenced by alcohol and other drugs.
ISS is committed to providing a working environment that is free from bullying. Working relationships and standards of behaviour between employees are important workplace issues. The ISS code of conduct sets out principles for behaviour required in the workplace, namely that:
ISS considers that bullying in the workplace is inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour, and those employees found to have either committed or condoned such behaviour in the workplace may be subject to disciplinary action.
A bully is a person who uses strength or power to coerce others by fear. To bully is to oppress or persecute, physically or morally by (threat of) superior force. Bullying is physical or psychological behaviour or conduct where strength (including strength in personality) and/or a position of power is misused by a person in a position of authority or by a person who perceives that they are in a position of power or authority. While bullying is normally associated with unequal power relationships, peer-to-peer bullying is not uncommon and is an equally unacceptable behaviour at ISS.
A variety of behaviours and acts may constitute bullying which, over time, create a negative workplace environment. These may include:
Bullying may be perpetrated by an individual who may be a work colleague, a supervisor or any person who is part of the work environment.
To support ISS’s commitment to providing a high-performance and satisfying work environment. To describe ISS’s Performance Review and Development Program (PRDP).
This policy applies to all employees of ISS.
Each Store Manager at ISS should provide support and guidance to their employees. To this end, Store Managers should discuss performance and development. The PRDP has the following aims:
To facilitate the PRDP, all Store Managers will be trained in the principles and practice of PRDP to ensure effective implementation of the PRDP process.
Together, each employee and their supervisor will develop a performance plan and a professional development plan. Both will then negotiate how these plans will be implemented. PRDP should be repeated over a twelve-month cycle.
PRDP will be implemented in accordance with the principles of fairness and equity, and in accordance with relevant legislation and various ISS policies.
Managers are responsible for ensuring that PRDP is implemented for all employees for whom they are designated supervisors.
To support ISS’s commitment to induction of all new employees. To describe ISS’s induction process.
This policy applies to all employees of ISS.
Each employee should be systematically introduced to their job roles and should be provided with the information they require to succeed and develop. Inductions should:
The induction process has two components
Managers are responsible for ensuring that the induction process is implemented for all employees for whom they are designated supervisors.
All fire exits should be kept clear of obstacles.
Keep access corridors to emergency exits clear.
In the case of a fire:
Fuel spills can happen when filling tanks.
When notified of a fuel spill:
All staff should be made aware of this policy and procedure within several months of commencing work at ISS.
New staff should be made aware of any hazards that exist within the workplace, and the way ISS manages the potential risk from that hazard.
It is expected that each staff member will report and act upon potential workplace hazards.
Process for identification of new hazard:
Car engines – By law you must switch off your engine before and during refuelling.
Refuelling petrol vehicles – Take care; static discharge from clothing may ignite vapours.
Mobile phones – Dropping a mobile phone can cause sparks, which may ignite vapours. Using a mobile phone while refuelling can cause a lapse in concentration.
Smoking – By law, you and your passengers are required to extinguish your cigarettes.
Children – ONLY adults (15 years or older) are permitted to fill fuel tanks.
Motorcycles – Always dismount your motorcycle prior to and during refuelling.
Autogas (LPG) – If you detect an LPG leak, press the emergency stop button and advise staff immediately.
Caravans and food vans – By law, you are required to extinguish all pilot lights.
Filling containers – Fill only properly labelled containers which have been stamped to say they are approved to carry flammable liquids.
Safe fuel handling – Please be careful when handling or storing fuel for any purpose.
StorPlus consists of three large Brisbane supermarket distribution warehouses that were recently purchased by Kim Li, an investor with interests in over 50 supermarkets throughout Queensland.
You have previously worked as a manager in Kim Li’s supermarket chain and served on the WHS committee that advised the General Manager on WHS matters. Kim Li was so impressed with your contribution on that committee that he has offered you the position of General Manager for the newly established warehouse division that he is keen to expand to ten warehouses throughout Queensland over the next five years.
The first task that Kim Li wants you to address is the design and development of a WHS management system (WHSMS) for managing WHS for StorPlus within the next three months, with an implementation taking place in the three months following. A successful design and implementation in six months' time will include:
StorPlus warehouses trade seven days a week from 5 am to 3 pm. They typically include a customer car park, delivery dock, dispatch dock, warehouse dry goods area, frozen goods area, five checkouts, and an office complex and staff room. They sell supermarket lines including dry food products, chemical cleaners, refrigerated foods, frozen foods, cigarettes, alcohol and packaging items.
Each warehouse employs approximately 30–40 people.
All warehouses have a computerised point-of-sale system that is networked so that emails and reports can be sent electronically from the main warehouse in Brisbane to the other two warehouses located on the Gold Coast and at Caboolture. The main warehouse has an attached office space that accommodates you and the head office administration staff.
The organisational chart looks like this (your role is in grey):
In the past month, you have been employed as the General Manager. As one of your initial tasks, you have been asked to design and develop a WHS management system (WHSMS) for managing WHS at StorPlus. In the employment interview, Kim explained the following.
StorPlus is a new area for our company. We have not been in warehousing before but we have plans to expand this division in the next five years. My board of directors has made me acutely aware that we can’t just copy our system from the supermarkets to the warehouse because of the unique and different WHS aspects encountered in warehousing. We want you to design and develop a WHSMS, as far as is practicable, to ensure a workplace that is safe and without risks to the health of our employees, customers, suppliers and visitors to the sites. I have witnessed first-hand the financial cost of not implementing a comprehensive WHSMS and I don’t want that repeated here. You may need to create or rewrite organisational policies as well as devise training schemes, implement changes, and develop reports that summarise WHS audit forms you will have created and implemented. I don’t want to pressure you, but it is imperative that this WHSMS be in place in three months' time when we meet with all key stakeholders of StorPlus.
I have looked at the absenteeism records of StorPlus and I think they are too high – in relation to our supermarket results, anyway. It seems that there are far too many injuries being reported for my liking, which may be the reason behind the absenteeism. I was always very careful to tell my supermarket managers and staff how to work safely, and made sure any potential hazards were dealt with before they caused injury. But I can’t be at both the supermarkets and the warehouse divisions all the time.
We need a system that can be effectively implemented and monitored for the warehouse division without me having to be there monitoring it all the time. With absenteeism increasing, I believe that it is causing a low staff morale. I believe that work should be a happy place because a happy workplace is a productive one. Also, a happy, injury-free workplace tends to cultivate long-term employees. All our staff are employed under the General Stores, Warehousing and Distribution Award – State 2002 and while we have had agreeable discussions with the union representatives, I expect them to be very protective of their members when they visit us and check out the way we look after and care for the workers.
You know how seriously we take compliance with WHS from the supermarket division, and the strict penalties we impose on managers or staff who breach the requirements.
After the interview, Kim introduced you to one of his directors, Mary Kappas, who explained that while Kim concentrates on operational issues, she concentrates on the business administration and development issues. Mary said:
With our expansion plans, we have to be very concerned about our brand at StorPlus. We can’t afford to have it tarnished by bad press concerning the way we care for our sites, and more particularly the responsibilities we have as company directors in regard to WHS. Also, there are actually government contracts that we cannot tender for because we cannot meet their requirements on WHS compliance.
Mary asked you about the way you intend to go about setting up the WHSMS for StorPlus and whether you will be needing any help in achieving the task by the due date. Your response was that you had been involved in the rollout of a similar program with the supermarket chain, who had used consultants from Correct Safety Pty Ltd in areas where the company management required additional WHS expertise. The supermarket chain also used the National Safety Council of Australia (NSCA) to train the managers in WHS responsibilities and obligations. You explained that you may follow the same approach, as you had a good working relationship with Correct Safety Pty Ltd consultants, who provide a health and safety consulting service across a wide range of industries, including supermarkets. You were keen to get their help in the scoping and planning phase in order to make sure all key aspects of the WHSMS were accounted for. NSCA may also be useful for training the managers on WHS compliance, as would Australian Red Cross in certifying all managers with first aid competency.
Mary went on to say:
This is a critical area for our short-term and long-term future. We don’t want to set a budget, but would rather you come back to us with recommendations on the resources required to do the WHSMS right.
Besides, getting the right employees for the warehouse positions is difficult, and we need to have everything going for us to secure the right person. This includes being a safe place to work and becoming an ‘employer of choice’ for key personnel.
The board of directors does not see the need to create health and safety committees, and to-date we have not included the unions, as they do not have a right of entry as authorised persons for the purpose of addressing WHS issues.
One of the first tasks that the partners directed you to perform was to research the existing WHS situation. Kim hands you an incident report taken from the staff records during the last eight months, and asks you to discuss the situation with StorPlus’s Administration Manager, John Tomlin, who helped compile this special report.
|
Incident report for past six months |
|||
Incident type |
Number |
Who affected |
Work days lost |
Dry-ice burns |
6 |
6 employees working in the frozen foods section |
2 |
Back injuries |
15 |
12 delivery, dispatch and inventory staff |
20 |
Falling stock |
3 |
3 customers |
0 |
Forklift injuries |
5 |
4 customers, 1 employee |
2 |
Sun-stroke |
1 |
1 employee |
3 |
Cuts |
8 |
8 employees |
4 |
Trips |
4 |
1 customer, 3 employees |
1 |
You meet with John, the Administration Manager, who works in the Brisbane warehouse. You ask about the number of days lost relating to back injuries, and John explains.
We have put on a lot of casual staff members in the past few months who are more mature-aged. It seems that they are not being told how to lift properly or they are taking on too much in the hope of impressing the bosses. It could have something to do with their age but warehousing is all about the physical movement of products so I guess we just have to budget for this.
In response to your questions about the existing Safety Management Systems, John explains:
The past management were not that focused on WHS. They were only interested in results, and that meant bottom line results. Profit was the focus of the previous management, so we don’t have that much in the way of a Safety Management System as such.
We don’t have a WHS induction of new employees. They are expected to learn that on the job. I have never been asked to review the Queensland Health and Safety website and, while I know that there is a copy of the Workplace Health and Safety Act and Regulations in the files, it was more about knowing the information that ensured that the directors did not get sued over WHS negligence.
Kim and the new directors have a more employee-focused attitude to the WHS obligations, which is great; but that is not what the warehouse staff members are familiar with. We were not trading very well before the new owners took us over and I don’t think WHS was a key focus. It hardly ever came up in staff meetings or agendas proposed by the managers. Since the buyout, we have continued to adopt the previous policy and procedures until new ones can be developed.
John explains the general setup of the warehouses in the following way.
Warehouse inventory is piled high. The forklifts are everywhere. Employees and managers need to be on their toes to watch out for forklifts, particularly when they are reversing. Sometimes the noise is so great that you can’t hear them. We employ a highly casualised workforce who can work from a minimum of 4 hours up to 30; so communication to the entire team is always difficult, and the high intensity of the productivity demands does contribute to employee stress levels, particularly when trying to meet timeline requirements: The 8 am and the 3 pm shipments out, and the morning deliveries received.
John gives you the policies they have.
This policy should be included in the owner/manager’s policy and procedures file in the owner/manager’s office. Important issues relating to WHS should be recorded in the daily diary kept in the manager’s office.
This policy aims to adhere to all relevant WHS legislation.
All staff should be made aware of this policy and procedure within several months of commencing work at StorPlus.
New staff should be made aware of any hazards that exist within the workplace and the way StorPlus manages the potential risk from that hazard.
It is expected that each staff member will report and act upon potential workplace hazards.
Process for identification of new hazard:
Staff members are to apply correct lifting procedures or, where possible, use equipment for lifting. The owner/manager will demonstrate the correct lifting procedure.
All fire exits should be kept clear of obstacles.
Keep access corridors to emergency exits clear.
In the case of a fire:
As part of your follow-up meeting with the directors, Kim and Mary, you ask about the responsibilities and accountabilities relating to WHS at StorPlus. Kim responds to your questions with the following answers.
One thing should be very clear ... the board of directors expects a zero-tolerance approach to WHS breaches. They don’t want to be sued personally for WHS failures, and besides they consider the loss in reputation, community goodwill and employee morale to be far greater than the cost of WHS ‘best practice’ compliance particularly in relation to the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld) (WHS Act).
While we as directors are ultimately responsible, we would like you to head up this area, and to create an organisational responsibility chart for WHS and to include it in the future job descriptions. We want WHS performance to be included in the warehouse manager’s overall assessment.
The accounts clerks can monitor the records required and the executive assistant can make sure all relevant information is communicated effectively, and collate the feedback for you.
In response to your question about developing WHS strategies based on the ‘hierarchy of control’, Mary says:
Yes, we do try and eliminate the risk altogether, but the reality is we can’t. Some risks come with the business we are in. The only way to eliminate them is to stop trading, and we are not about to do that. We do want to make sure staff members have the right protective equipment, but not all of the StorPlus staff members want to use them. They say it takes too long to do the job and time is money. Kim has been out to the warehouses as often as he can to check for hazards, but he is just so pressed for time.
You ask about the risk assessment process and Kim explains:
I do like to give my attention to the warehouse areas that I think are the highest risk, but I make that assessment from my own experience and judgement. I don’t get much feedback from the warehouse managers and I find I have to go out to them and make my own assessment.
A meeting with all 60 workers of StorPlus is arranged as part of your initial review. Kim and Mary address the group about their particular areas of concern, but explain to the group that you are visiting them to discuss WHS issues. You speak to individual members of the group and take the following notes concerning some WHS issues.
Apart from ringing the directors and recording incidents in the store diary or notifying their manager, there was no formal documented and promoted method for raising health and safety issues.
Few health and safety issues have been raised by management for the past two years.
The workers are unsure if the issues raised by them actually make it to the directors. They are not sure that their managers are that interested in it.
Some of the workers have contacted their union representatives, who have given their members information about WHS issues.
No one-on-one training was given by technical experts on how to operate the new forklifts.
Workers have developed a system of reading the diary to inform themselves of any health and safety issues raised by their co-workers.
Sometimes workers have to do double shifts when staff members phone in sick, which has been increasing due to the low morale.
Your visit of the warehouse sites identifies the following issues.
You check with the accounts clerk who is responsible for keeping all of StorPlus’s records. You discover the following.
StorPlus aims to provide a flexible and family-friendly workplace that reasonably accommodates external commitments and carer responsibilities.
As a flexible and family-friendly business, StorPlus recognises that its employees have responsibilities and commitments extending beyond the working environment. StorPlus is aware that these responsibilities and commitments can have a significant impact on employment opportunities, and StorPlus is committed to providing an accessible, supportive and flexible environment for all staff.
In responding to requests for arrangements relating to work/life balance, the General Manager will need to consider work requirements and the current and potential needs of others in responding, keeping in mind that StorPlus seeks:
Promotion and support of the balance of work and personal needs for staff members will position StorPlus as an employer of choice, initiate a high level of commitment from staff members to the work and ideals of StorPlus, provide high levels of job satisfaction and a strong collaborative and collegiate culture while at the same time reducing stress and employee turnover.
Staff members will be provided with a positive work environment where supervisors strive to meet expectations in accommodating life and personal responsibilities.
As an employer, StorPlus has a duty under Work Health and Safety legislation to provide a safe working environment and to protect the health of all employees from any illness and injury arising from the workplace. Areas other than those designated will be smoke-free to eliminate the hazards of environmental tobacco smoke.
A designated area will be available where smokers will be able to smoke during scheduled work breaks, as long as this does not cause harm or discomfort to other employees in the workplace. Employees may not, at any time, smoke inside buildings or premises or any enclosed workplaces. The designated areas will be away from flammable or other dangerous activities.
A breach of this policy will be dealt with in the same manner as a breach of any Work Health and Safety policy, and standard disciplinary procedures will apply.
StorPlus recognises that sexual harassment is a serious issue and is committed to providing a workplace free from sexual harassment.
What is sexual harassment?
Sexual harassment is any deliberate verbal or physical conduct that is unwelcome and uninvited, embarrassing, demeaning, offensive or compromising. It can be experienced anywhere in the workforce and by both men and women.
It has nothing to do with mutual attraction or genuine affection between people. Such friendships, whether sexual or not, are a private concern. It should not be confused with genuine compliments or behaving with common courtesy.
Sexual harassment may include such actions as:
Behaviour is against the law if it makes you feel:
StorPlus considers sexual harassment an unacceptable form of behaviour, which will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
StorPlus undertakes to educate all employees on the issue of sexual harassment in order to avoid its incidence and to inform employees of procedures to deal with the problem should it occur.
StorPlus utilises security cameras for the purpose of deterring theft and for identifying perpetrators of theft. Security cameras are only installed in public areas adjacent to locations where there is a high concentration of valuable equipment.
Staff members are informed when security cameras are installed, and the operation of security cameras in an area is brought to public attention by prominent signs in the vicinity of the cameras.
Security cameras capture moving images with audio, or, in some instances, still images only. The images captured by security cameras are recorded and stored until such time as they are automatically overwritten by the recording equipment, in practice approximately every two weeks.
Access to security camera recordings is protected by password, and is held by the Warehouse Manager. Security camera recordings are not viewed unless a suspected theft has occurred. Security camera recordings are only viewed with the prior approval, and in the presence of, the Warehouse Manager.
StorPlus maintains a professional working environment. A reasonable standard of dress and appearance is expected of all employees.
Sales, warehouse, delivery and dispatch staff are expected to wear the StorPlus uniform and protective footwear.
Office and administrative staff are expected to ensure that appropriate professional standards are maintained at all times. Whenever staff members are on duty, business attire or attire appropriate to the activity is required.
Your cooperation in maintaining high standards of dress and appearance will be appreciated.
StorPlus is committed to providing a working environment that is free from bullying. Working relationships and standards of behaviour between employees are important workplace issues. The StorPlus code of conduct sets out principles for behaviour required in the workplace; namely that:
StorPlus considers that bullying in the workplace is inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour, and those employees found to have either committed or condoned such behaviour in the workplace may be subject to disciplinary action.
A bully is a person who uses strength or power to coerce others by fear. To bully is to oppress or persecute, physically or morally by (threat of) superior force. Bullying is physical or psychological behaviour or conduct where strength (including strength in personality) and/or a position of power is misused by a person in a position of authority or by a person who perceives that they are in a position of power or authority. While bullying is normally associated with unequal power relationships, peer-to-peer bullying is not uncommon and is an equally unacceptable behaviour at StorPlus.
A variety of behaviours and acts my constitute bullying which, over time, create a negative workplace environment. These may include:
Bullying may be perpetrated by an individual who may be a work colleague, a supervisor or any person who is part of the work environment.
StorPlus recognises the value of its employees and is committed to promoting and maintaining the health and wellbeing of every member of its workforce. Alcohol and other drugs can influence an employee’s ability to maintain safe work practices and can endanger themselves and others. All employees, contractors and sub-contractors have a responsibility to present for work and remain at work not influenced by alcohol and other drugs.
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