Occupational Health and Safety Auditing at University of Queensland Presented by Gary Chaplin Execut

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Occupational Health and SafetyAuditing at
University of QueenslandPresented by Gary
ChaplinExecutive ManagerOccupational Health and
Safety

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Health and Safety Risk Management

• A range of systems can be used
• Confusion between health and safety risk
  management compared to global risk management
• Compliance with AS 4360

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University System

• Not based on a propriety system
• Comprises
• hazard identification
• Risk assessment
• Control method evaluation
• Implementation of new controls
• Regular evaluation

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OHS Self Insurance

• University of Queensland became a Self Insurer
  for Workers Compensation in April 2001.
• A criteria for license approval included
  undergoing an audit of the Universities OHS
  Management System
• U of Q was the first organisation in QLD to have
  this audit conducted

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Conduct of Audit

• The audit is carried out by a Government
  Regulator approved, external consultant
• The University is then audited against the
  Division of Workplace Health and Safety system,
  Tri-Safe
• Pass mark to gain or maintain Self Insurance
  license is 70

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Tri-Safe

• Tri-Safe is a 3 tiered auditing system that
  specifically focuses on employee, supervisor and
  management
• Audit is conducted as desktop by interviewing
  personnel with some physical inspection

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Tri-Safe (contd)

• Tri-Safe comprises 10 separate elements
• Health and Safety Policy communication
• Allocation of Responsibility/Accountability
• Suppliers, sub-contractors and purchasing
  controls
• Health and Safety communication
• Hazard Identification and control

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Tri-Safe (contd)

• Provision of information
• Training
• Workplace specific issues
• Reporting and Investigation
• Emergency planning

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Audit Process

• Employer representative accompanies the auditor
  but is not able to be involved in the
  interviewing process
• Formal de-brief is conducted on a daily basis
  with the auditor
• Although it is a systems based audit, some hazard
  identification inevitably occurs

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Results

• Individual audit reports provided to each of the
  individual Schools/Departments
• Individual scores not provided
• Problems with setting up an internal completion
  has been found to be counterproductive
  competition if departments separately funded

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Discussion

• Areas of most difficulty
• Allocation of responsibility/accountability
• Knowledge of roles in OHS
• Annual review
• Hazard identification and control
• System was found to be in place
• New system, no record of monitoring evaluation
  and adjustment

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Discussion (contd)

• Other difficult element
• Training
• Formalised program in place
• Staff aware of the program
• Needs to be built in to a training needs analysis
  for all staff

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Further discussion

• In OHS terms what is risk?????
• Risk
• Probability of an injury
• X
• Severity of harm a consequence of
  exposure to the hazard
• Does the audit process assist in assessing this
  risk?

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Summary

• Positives
• Audit process can be used as a positive for an
  organisation if it is conducted in the correct
  manner.
• Increased OHS awareness
• Consultative structures approved
• Change to risk management process

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Summary (contd)

• Negatives
• Philosophical sabotage during the audit
• Subjectiveness of the scoring system
• 70 required
• 53 minimum standard according to Tri-Safe
  publication.