Benefits of Implementing an Online Safety Management System

In today’s dynamic business landscape, ensuring workplace safety has become more critical than ever. The global pandemic has highlighted the importance of having health and safety processes in place. An online safety management system offers a comprehensive solution for organisations looking to enhance their safety procedures while improving efficiency and compliance.

Transforming Safety Management For Modern Businesses

Implementing an effective safety management system is no longer just about meeting compliance requirements – it’s about creating a safer working environment that promotes productivity and protects your most valuable asset: your employees. Safety Champion Software’s online safety management system provides a systematic approach to managing safety, streamlining processes, and ensuring organisational needs are met efficiently.

Key Advantages of Digital Safety Solutions

Enhanced Accessibility and Communication 

An online safety management system revolutionises how businesses handle safety-related issues. With mobile device accessibility, employees can access safety procedures and report safety concerns from anywhere. This immediate access helps in quick decision-making and ensures safety risks are addressed promptly.

Streamlined Safety Processes 

Traditional safety management often involves tedious steps and paper-based processes. By implementing an online system, organisations can automate document renewals, inspection reports, and safety audits. This automation reduces the time spent on administrative tasks while ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.

Improved Risk Management 

Effective safety management requires a proactive approach to identifying and mitigating risks. Digital safety systems enable better risk assessment and incident management through:

  • Real-time reporting of safety issues
  • Systematic tracking of corrective actions
  • Comprehensive data collection for risk analysis
  • Efficient implementation of control measures

Compliance and Regulatory Adherence 

Staying compliant with local regulations and occupational health standards is crucial for any business. An online safety management system helps maintain compliance by:

  • Automatically tracking compliance requirements
  • Sending notifications for upcoming renewals
  • Maintaining updated safety procedures
  • Generating comprehensive compliance reports

Enhanced Safety Awareness and Training 

Building a strong safety culture requires consistent safety awareness and training. Digital platforms make it easier to:

  • Deliver and track safety training programs
  • Share safety updates and procedures
  • Monitor employee engagement with safety initiatives
  • Facilitate continuous improvement in safety processes

Cost-Effective Solution 

While implementing an online safety management system requires an initial investment, the long-term benefits far outweigh the costs. Organisations can expect:

  • Reduced incident-related expenses
  • Lower insurance premiums
  • Minimised productivity losses
  • Decreased administrative costs

Data-Driven Decision-Making 

Modern safety management systems provide valuable insights through data analytics, enabling:

  • Identification of safety trends
  • Proactive risk management
  • Measurement of safety program effectiveness
  • Strategic planning for safety initiatives

Positive Impact on Brand Image 

Demonstrating commitment to employee safety through modern safety management solutions enhances your company’s reputation. This commitment shows stakeholders that your business prioritises creating a safe working environment and takes workplace conditions seriously.

The Path to Successful Implementation

Successfully implementing an online safety management system requires careful planning and consideration of your organisational needs. Safety Champion Software provides comprehensive support throughout the implementation process, ensuring a smooth transition from traditional methods to digital safety management.

Conclusion

An online safety management system is no longer a luxury but a necessity for businesses running smoothly in today’s environment. The benefits extend beyond just managing safety – they encompass improved efficiency, reduced costs, enhanced compliance, and better risk management. By choosing to implement a digital safety solution, organisations demonstrate their commitment to workplace safety while positioning themselves for sustainable growth and success.

The investment in an online safety management system pays dividends through improved safety processes, reduced incidents, and increased productivity. Contact Safety Champion Software to find out more.

Key Features to Look For in Online Safety Systems

In today’s digital landscape, online safety has become paramount as our daily lives increasingly revolve around the internet. As a leading provider of an online safety management system, Safety Champion Software understands that protecting yourself in the online world requires security measures and awareness.

Essential Security Features

A simple way to protect yourself online is by implementing these simple safety features:

Multi-Factor Authentication

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) stands as your first line of defence against unauthorised access. When choosing safety systems for your online accounts, ensure they offer this crucial feature. Never rely on using the same password across multiple accounts – this is like using the same key for every lock you own.

Data Protection

Look for systems that back up your data regularly and implement privacy-enhancing settings. Your personal information, including your home address and phone number, should be encrypted and protected from potential cyber-attacks. Remember, a single cyber attack can compromise your sensitive information and lead to identity theft.

Comprehensive Monitoring

Quality safety systems should monitor various aspects of your online experiences. This includes securing your online banking and online payments, protecting against online scams and scam emails, monitoring social media and other online platforms, and detecting fake profiles and attempts to trick people.

User-Friendly Features

Cross-Platform Compatibility

The best safety systems work across multiple devices and operating systems. Whether you’re using computers, mobile devices, or other devices, your protection should remain consistent. This includes compatibility with various web browsers and apps.

Smart Alerts

Advanced systems should provide immediate alerts when you’re accessing unsafe online content or connecting to unsecured public wi-fi networks. They should also warn you about potential fake news and information and detect suspicious login details that could compromise your security.

Protection For Young Users

With young children being online, protecting their safety is more important than ever.

Content Filtering

For families, online content filtering is essential. Systems should protect young people from inappropriate content and online bullying. Modern safety solutions must include features to monitor who they meet online and help manage their overall digital footprint.

Educational Resources

Quality systems should provide comprehensive guidance on creating strong passwords and managing email accounts. They should also offer instructions on protecting personal data, identifying fake profiles, and knowing when to hit the delete key on suspicious content.

Additional Security Measures

If you have particularly high-security information that needs to be protected, consider stronger security.

Comprehensive Protection

Your chosen system should seamlessly integrate with anti-virus software and security software while providing tools for managing your digital footprint. It should offer complete protection across all sites you visit, ensuring a secure browsing experience.

Support Resources

Comprehensive safety systems should provide continuous access to technical support and educational resources. When needed, they should facilitate contact with a school counsellor or safety expert while maintaining regular updates about emerging threats.

Best Practices For Implementation

Remember that even the best safety systems require user vigilance. Staying aware of your online activities is crucial, and this includes regularly updating your password and monitoring your accounts for suspicious activity. Users must be careful when sharing information across websites and keep their families informed about online safety practices.

Contact Safety Champion Software

As unwary internet users face increasing threats in our connected world, choosing the right online safety system becomes crucial. Look for solutions that offer comprehensive protection while remaining user-friendly and adaptable to your needs. Remember, staying safe online is an ongoing process that requires both robust systems and informed users.

By implementing these features and following proper safety protocols, you can better protect yourself and your loved ones during your long period of internet use. Contact Safety Champion Software today to learn more about our online safety management system.

The Importance of Effective Management of OHS Records

In today’s workplace, the management of OHS records plays a crucial role in maintaining a safe and compliant work environment. Proper record-keeping not only ensures legal compliance but also contributes to improved health and safety performance. Let’s explore why effective OHS records management is essential for your business and how you can implement best practices.

Understanding OHS Records Management

Health and safety records management involves the systematic creation, storage, and maintenance of documents related to workplace health and safety. These records include risk assessments, incident reports, safety data sheets, and training records. By properly managing these documents, businesses can track their safety performance, identify potential hazards, and make informed decisions to enhance their overall safety policies.

Key Components of OHS Records

To ensure comprehensive coverage of your workplace health and safety obligations, your OHS records should include:

  • Risk assessments and identified hazards
  • Incident reports and investigation outcomes
  • Safe work method statements and procedures
  • Health monitoring records
  • Safety training documentation
  • Equipment inspection and maintenance logs

Benefits of Effective OHS Records Management

Implementing a strong system for managing OHS records offers numerous benefits:

Improved Safety Performance

By maintaining detailed records, you can track trends, identify recurring safety issues, and implement targeted interventions to reduce workplace injuries.

Legal Compliance

Proper record-keeping ensures you meet your obligations under work health and safety legislation, helping you avoid penalties and manage claims effectively.

Enhanced Risk Management

Comprehensive records allow you to identify and assess risks more accurately, leading to better-informed safety policies and procedures.

Streamlined Audits

Well-organised records simplify the audit process, making it easier to demonstrate compliance and identify areas for improvement.

Data Security and Privacy Protection

Digital OHS record management systems, like Safety Champion, offer secure storage that complies with privacy and data protection laws. This is crucial for protecting Personal Identifiable Information (PII) and Personal Health Information (PHI).

Efficient Information Retrieval

Digital systems allow for quick and easy record searching, which is invaluable during investigations or legal proceedings. This efficiency contrasts sharply with the time-consuming process of manually searching through physical documents in storage.

Best Practices For OHS Records Management

To optimise your OHS records management, consider the following strategies:

  1. Implement a Secure Digital System: Utilise software solutions like Safety Champion to create, store, and manage your safety records electronically. This approach enhances accessibility, security, and ease of updating while ensuring compliance with privacy laws. Safety Champion’s ISO 27001 certification guarantees top-tier information security management.
  2. Establish Clear Procedures: Develop and document processes for creating, reviewing, and updating OHS records. Ensure all employees are aware of these procedures and can easily follow them.
  3. Regular Review and Maintenance: Conduct periodic audits of your records to ensure they remain up-to-date and relevant. This practice helps you identify gaps in your documentation and address them promptly.
  4. Train Your Team: Provide comprehensive training to employees and safety representatives on the importance of accurate record keeping and how to maintain proper documentation.
  5. Ensure Secure Accessibility: While maintaining security, make sure relevant records are easily accessible to authorised personnel. This accessibility is crucial for quick reference during incidents or inspections, without compromising on data protection.
  6. Identify and Adhere to Retention Requirements: Understand and implement the specific retention periods for different types of records. Some documents need to be kept for 7 years, others for 30, and some for a person’s lifetime. Safety Champion’s platform can help you manage these varying retention periods effectively.
  7. Facilitate Mobile Access: Utilise platforms that offer mobile accessibility. Safety Champion’s native iOS and Android apps allow users to access their records from anywhere, ensuring that critical information is always at your team’s fingertips.

By implementing these best practices with a specialised solution like Safety Champion, you can effectively manage your OHS records, enhance your overall safety performance, and ensure compliance with privacy regulations.

Get in Touch With Safety Champion Today

Efficient management of occupational health and safety records is fundamental to a strong workplace safety program. By adopting these best practices and leveraging Safety Champion’s secure, ISO 27001-certified platform, your organisation can achieve compliance, enhance safety performance, and foster a culture of ongoing improvement in occupational health and safety.

Remember, effective OHS records management goes beyond mere compliance; it’s about fostering a safer environment for everyone while protecting sensitive information. Make a commitment to a thorough, secure system today to bolster your safety efforts and achieve superior results for both your business and your workforce.

Take the Next Step in OHS Records Management

Are you ready to revolutionise your approach to OHS records management? Safety Champion is here to help. Say goodbye to the hassle of rifling through warehouse archives and hello to efficient, secure digital record-keeping.  Our platform not only ensures the privacy and security of sensitive information but also offers features like customisable retention periods and mobile accessibility. It allows you to focus on what really matters – keeping your workplace safe while ensuring the privacy and security of sensitive information.

Experience firsthand how Safety Champion can revolutionise your OHS records management – book a demo today and see why businesses of all sizes are simplifying their safety programs with our software.

Enhancing Workplace Safety With Advanced OHS Software

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, ensuring workplace safety has become more critical than ever. Advanced OHS software, like Safety Champion, offers a comprehensive solution to elevate safety practices and streamline compliance management. Let’s explore how this technology is revolutionising occupational health and safety in the modern workplace.

The Power of Advanced OHS Software in Risk Management

Safety Champion’s advanced OHS software is a game-changer for risk management in occupational health and safety. By leveraging cutting-edge technology, these safety solutions provide real-time monitoring of workplace risks, enabling businesses to proactively address potential hazards before they escalate into workplace incidents.

Streamlining Safety Compliance

One of the key factors in maintaining a safe working environment is ensuring compliance with international safety regulations and legislative requirements. Safety Champion’s advanced OHS software simplifies this process by:

  • Automating compliance management
  • Conducting regular audits
  • Tracking employee training
  • Managing safety data sheets

This comprehensive approach not only ensures compliance but also significantly reduces the risk of non-compliance penalties.

Revolutionising Safety Practices With Data-Driven Insights

Safety Champion’s modern safety software goes beyond mere compliance, offering valuable insights to continuously improve safety performance. By analysing safety data, businesses can:

  • Identify trends in workplace incidents
  • Optimise safety protocols
  • Make strategic decisions to enhance operational efficiency

These data-driven insights are crucial for developing effective safety policies and fostering a culture of continuous improvement in workplace health and safety.

Integrating With Existing Systems

Safety Champion’s advanced OHS software is designed to seamlessly integrate with existing systems, ensuring a smooth transition and minimal disruption to business operations. This integration allows for:

  • Improved compliance management
  • Enhanced task management
  • Streamlined incident reporting

By connecting various aspects of safety management, businesses can create a more cohesive and efficient safety ecosystem.

Empowering Employees through Technology

One of the most significant benefits of Safety Champion’s advanced OHS software is its ability to engage employees in the safety process. Through features like:

  • Online inductions
  • Interactive dashboards
  • Mobile accessibility

Employees become active participants in maintaining a safer workplace. This engagement is crucial for creating a strong safety culture and ensuring that safety practices are consistently followed across the organisation.

Training Tracking and Skill Development

Effective employee training is a cornerstone of workplace safety. Safety Champion’s advanced OHS software provides robust tools for:

  • Managing training programs
  • Tracking certifications
  • Identifying skill gaps

This comprehensive approach to training management ensures that all employees are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to maintain a safe working environment.

The Future of Workplace Health and Safety

As we look to the future, advanced OHS software will play an increasingly vital role in shaping safety standards and practices. By leveraging technologies like AI and machine learning, these solutions will provide even more sophisticated tools for:

  • Predicting potential hazards
  • Automating risk assessments
  • Optimising safety performance

Businesses that adopt advanced safety solutions like Safety Champion will be well-positioned to create safer, more productive workplaces while staying ahead of evolving regulatory requirements.

Take Action For a Safer Workplace

Don’t wait to enhance your workplace safety practices. Contact Safety Champion today to learn how our advanced OHS software can revolutionise your approach to occupational health and safety. Our team of experts is ready to guide you through implementing a comprehensive safety solution tailored to your business needs.

Discover how Safety Champion can transform your OHS records management. Schedule a demo today and find out why businesses of all sizes are streamlining their safety programs with our powerful software.

Safety in Retail: Insights and Learnings from the Industry

The retail industry is a dynamic and fast-paced environment that presents unique challenges when it comes to maintaining safety for workers. From handling heavy merchandise to managing customer interactions, Safety in retail faces different risks and hazards.  

In a recent conversation with Dennis Bastas, Head of HR at Coco Republic, we discussed key industry insights alongside reports from Safe Work Australia, comparing them with real-world challenges businesses often encounter in the retail sector. This blog offers a deeper dive into those key insights and learnings from the industry to help you navigate the complex landscape of workplace safety in retail. 

Understanding the Risks: What Retail Workers Face 

Retail workers are exposed to a wide range of hazards that can result in both physical and psychological injuries. According to recent injury claims, the most common injuries in retail include: 

  • Back Injuries (26%): Often caused by lifting or handling heavy items, repetitive work, awkward postures, slips, trips, and falls. 
  • Shoulder Injuries (15%): Frequently result from similar activities, such as lifting and repetitive movements in awkward positions. 
  • Hand and Finger Injuries (9%): Include lacerations, amputations, and fractures, typically from handling sharp objects or machinery. 
  • Psychological Injuries (8%): Stemming from work-related stress, violence, bullying, and high work pressure, these injuries are less visible but equally damaging. 

 

Work-Related Violence: A significant concern in the retail sector is work-related violence, which includes any incident where a worker is abused, threatened, or assaulted in circumstances related to their job. This violence can lead to both physical harm and psychological trauma, creating a ripple effect that impacts not just the individual worker, but also their families, the business, and the community at large. 

Shared Responsibility: Ensuring safety in retail is a shared responsibility. Everyone in the workplace, from frontline employees to management, has a role in safeguarding both physical and psychological health. This includes taking proactive steps to minimise risks and creating a culture where safety is a priority. 

Consequences of Neglecting Safety: Failing to manage these risks can lead to severe consequences, including injury, long-term health issues, and even economic losses for businesses due to reduced productivity and increased compensation claims. It’s crucial to recognise that all health and safety risks must be managed with the same level of seriousness. 

Challenges in the Retail Industry 

Retail environments are inherently challenging due to their customer-facing nature and the physical demands placed on workers. Some of the key challenges include: 

  • High Employee Turnover 
  • Varied Risk Factor
  • Customer Interactions
  • Limited Resources 

However, there is more to consider than common industry challenges. For Dennis and Coco Republic Challenges take on a different meaning. 

What specific challenges related to employee safety have you observed in your retail operations? 

One of the major challenges in retail safety is that it’s often treated as a “tick and flick” exercise. Safety becomes secondary to meeting sales targets, which undermines efforts to create a secure workplace. To address this, safety must be viewed as integral to daily operations, not an afterthought. 

A crucial part of shifting this mindset is ensuring employees understand the ‘why’ behind safety measures. When workers recognise how these processes protect them and benefit the business, engagement increases. Leadership also plays a vital role by consistently treating safety with the same importance as sales performance. Without regular emphasis on safety, it won’t become embedded in the culture. 

Simplifying safety procedures is another key aspect, as overly complex systems often discourage compliance. Collaboration across departments, including supply chain and merchandising, is essential to creating a cohesive safety strategy. By aligning all teams with safety priorities, companies can foster a workplace where safety is part of the culture. 

Dennis Bastas

Head of HR / Coco Republic

Safety shouldn’t be an afterthought. When leaders prioritise it and teams collaborate, it becomes part of a company’s DNA.

 

How do customer interactions influence the safety protocols you have in place? 

Customer interactions significantly impact the safety protocols implemented in retail environments. While keeping employees safe is a priority, ensuring customer safety is equally critical. Every customer should feel confident that they are in a safe environment when shopping, interacting with staff, or exploring displays. 

Safety protocols are designed to protect both employees and customers. For example, product displays and floor layouts not only consider aesthetics but also customer flow, accessibility, and potential hazards. Regular risk assessments help identify issues, like tripping hazards or blocked emergency exits, ensuring a proactive approach to safety. 

Handling customer behavior during high-traffic periods, such as holiday sales, presents additional challenges. Teams are trained in internal safety procedures and how to guide customers through safety protocols, such as maintaining clear walkways or managing emergencies. 

Safety considerations also extend to product handling and in-store demonstrations. Collaboration with merchandising and logistics ensures that products are displayed and delivered in ways that prevent injuries. Additionally, teams are trained in first aid and emergency procedures to assist customers in case of incidents, building trust and responsibility. 

Dennis Bastas

Head of HR / Coco Republic

Our goal is to embed safety into every customer interaction, ensuring that everyone feels protected and supported at all times.

Actions Taken to Address These Challenges 

To combat these challenges, many retailers are implementing targeted strategies aimed at reducing risks and enhancing safety: 

  • Enhanced Training Programs
  • Ergonomic Improvements 
  • Incident Reporting Systems 
  • Psychological Support 

 It is also important to consider the specific challenges a business can face to develop tailored and accurate strategies. We asked Dennis: 

Which specific actions has your company taken to improve safety for your retail employees? 

Several targeted actions have been implemented to improve both physical safety and psychological well-being for the team. One of the most impactful changes has been adopting the Safety Champion software, which has streamlined incident and hazard reporting across all locations. The integration of safety checklists has simplified processes, making safety an effortless part of daily operations rather than an additional burden. 

In logistics, addressing manual handling risks was crucial, particularly in pallet wrapping. Introducing a pallet wrapping machine has significantly reduced physical hazards, improving safety and morale in the logistics team. Beyond physical safety, psychological well-being is also a priority. A culture where employees feel safe voicing concerns, ideas, and issues has been fostered through regular engagement surveys and one-on-one check-ins. 

Looking ahead, the focus for the next 12 months is on enhancing the safety training and compliance framework. This involves a more engaging training program that ensures team members not only understand safety protocols but also feel confident in applying them. Compliance monitoring will be strengthened to ensure consistency across all locations, reinforcing the safety-first culture. 

Dennis Bastas

Head of HR / Coco Republic

By streamlining safety processes and encouraging open dialogue, we’re building a culture where safety is second nature.

From a software perspective, we are proud that our Incident Reporting Module supports businesses by allowing every workforce member to report incidents in real time, notifying all relevant stakeholders instantly via email, push, or SMS. This automated response system removes the need for manual follow-ups, enabling the safety manager to focus on supporting their people or managing the incident as it unfolds. 

What measures have you implemented to address both physical and psychological hazards in your stores? 

A range of safety measures focusing on key metrics, training, and culture have been implemented to address both physical and psychological hazards in the showrooms. The Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR) is closely monitored to track the frequency of injuries that result in employees needing time off work. This, along with tracking monthly incidents and hazard reports through Safety Champion software, allows the company to proactively identify and address risks before they cause harm. 

Psychological safety is also prioritised, with regular employee surveys measuring engagement scores related to safety. High engagement scores indicate that employees trust safety processes and feel confident, raising concerns about both physical and mental health risks. Training is equally critical, and completion rates are monitored to ensure that all employees are equipped to maintain a safe environment. 

Together, these measures provide a comprehensive approach to maintaining a safe and supportive workplace. 

Dennis Bastas

Head of HR / Coco Republic

By monitoring key metrics and fostering a culture of engagement, we ensure that safety remains a top priority across our showrooms.

 

Looking Ahead: Long-Term Safety Goals in Retail 

Creating a safer retail environment is an ongoing effort that requires a commitment to continuous improvement. For many businesses, long-term goals may include: 

  • Building a Safety Culture 
  • Leveraging Technology 
  • Regular Audits and Assessments 
  • Collaboration and Sharing Best Practices 

To Coco republic, as a leader in their category, long-term goals have been refined to enhance safety across all departments. 

What are your company’s long-term goals? 

Coco Republic’s long-term safety goals focus on creating a fully integrated safety culture across all business operations. Expanding the use of the Safety Champion software is a priority, with the aim to increase user engagement. The company is focused on ensuring that employees confidently and proactively use the tool to report risks before incidents occur. By analysing gathered data, Coco Republic intends to refine safety strategies, identifying trends and areas for improvement. 

A key goal is to enhance safety training initiatives. Moving beyond compliance, the company plans to develop a more comprehensive training framework that covers both physical and psychological safety. This approach ensures that training remains relevant and practical, embedded across all levels of the organisation. 

Additionally, the company aims to strengthen communication about safety expectations and progress throughout the entire business. This includes embedding safety into everyday conversations, from team meetings to one-on-one check-ins. Keeping safety top of mind will help make it a core aspect of the company’s culture. 

Collaboration across departments will also be deepened, aligning safety processes with the work of teams like logistics and merchandise. By working together, Coco Republic will build a cohesive safety strategy that supports both physical and psychological well-being. 

Dennis Bastas

Head of HR / Coco Republic

Our goal is to integrate safety into every part of the business, making it an essential aspect of our culture and daily operations.

More insights tailored to your business 

Safety in retail is a complex and multifaceted challenge that requires a proactive approach from everyone involved. By understanding the risks, taking targeted actions, and setting clear long-term goals, any business in the retail industry can create safer workplaces that protect both employees and customers. 

As part of the Safe Work Month, we have partnered with Coco Republic to host and discuss more about Safety in Retail. Attendees will gain key insights from a panel discussion featuring Dennis Bastas, Head of HR at Coco Republic, and Craig Salter, Founder of Safety Champion Software.  

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to stay informed about the latest trends, challenges, and solutions in workplace health and safety within the retail sector. Whether you want to enhance your WHS strategies, stay compliant with new regulations, or simply connect with peers, this event offers it all. 

 

Did you enjoy the article? We would like to collaborate with you and your business. Get in touch with us. 

Comparing OHS Software Packages: Features and Benefits

In today’s fast-paced business environment, ensuring workplace safety and compliance with occupational health and safety (OHS) regulations is more critical than ever. As organisations strive to achieve operational excellence and sustainable growth, many are turning to digital safety management programs to streamline their safety processes and enhance overall safety performance.

In this blog post, we’ll compare various OHS software packages, exploring their features and benefits to help you make an informed decision for your organisation.

The Evolution of Safety Management Systems

Traditionally, safety management relied heavily on paper-based systems, manual spreadsheets, and fragmented tools. However, the digital revolution has transformed safety management processes, introducing comprehensive safety software solutions that offer a wide range of features designed to simplify and improve safety practices.

Key Features of Modern OHS Software

  1. Risk Management and Assessment: Modern OHS software packages typically include robust risk management tools. These enable users to conduct thorough risk assessments, identify potential hazards, and implement effective control measures. By digitalising the risk register, organisations can easily track and manage risks across various departments and locations.
  2. Incident Management and Reporting: Efficient incident management is crucial for maintaining a safe workplace. OHS software often includes modules for reporting incidents, near-misses, and hazards. These digital tools allow employees to report incidents quickly using mobile devices, enabling management teams to track incident progress and take prompt corrective actions.
  3. Contractor Management: Many organisations work with contractors, making contractor management an essential aspect of overall safety management. OHS software can help streamline contractor onboarding, ensure compliance with safety protocols, and manage contractor-related safety documents.
  4. Document Management: Centralising safety-related information is a key benefit of OHS software. These platforms often include document management features, allowing organisations to store, organise, and easily access safety data sheets, safety procedures, and other critical safety documents.
  5. Employee Training and Competency Management: Ensuring employees are properly trained is vital for maintaining a safe work environment. Many OHS software packages include tools for managing employee training records, scheduling refresher courses, and tracking competencies.
  6. Workflow Management Tools: Automated workflows can significantly improve efficiency in safety management processes. OHS software often includes customisable workflow management tools that help streamline processes such as incident investigations, corrective actions, and safety inspections.
  7. Mobile devices in the workplace: With the increasing use of mobile devices in the workplace, many OHS software solutions offer mobile apps that allow users to access safety information, report incidents, and conduct inspections on the go.
  8. Reporting and Analytics: Comprehensive reporting tools are essential for tracking safety performance and identifying areas for improvement. OHS software typically includes features for generating safety reports, analysing trends, and creating dashboards for easy visualisation of key safety metrics.

Benefits of Implementing OHS Software

There are many benefits to implementing a safety management system in the workplace:

1. Enhanced Compliance

By centralising safety data and automating various safety processes, OHS software helps organisations ensure compliance with safety regulations and standards. This can significantly reduce the risk of non-compliance penalties and improve overall safety performance.

2. Improved Efficiency

Replacing paper forms with digital data capture and automated workflows can dramatically streamline safety processes. This leads to significant time savings and allows safety professionals to focus on more strategic initiatives rather than administrative tasks.

3. Better Decision Making

With access to real-time safety data and analytics, management teams can make more informed decisions about safety initiatives and resource allocation. This data-driven approach can lead to more effective risk management and injury prevention strategies.

4. Increased Employee Engagement

User-friendly OHS software can encourage greater employee participation in safety activities. By making it easier to report hazards, incidents, and near-misses, organisations can foster a culture of safety and proactive risk management.

5. Cost Savings

While implementing OHS software requires an initial financial commitment, the long-term benefits often result in significant cost savings. By reducing workplace injuries, improving efficiency, and minimising the risk of regulatory fines, organisations can see a substantial return on investment.

Choosing the Right OHS Software

When comparing OHS software packages, consider the following factors:

  1. Scalability: Ensure the software can grow with your organisation and adapt to changing needs.
  2. Integration: Look for solutions that can integrate with your existing systems, such as HR or operations management platforms.
  3. Customisation: Choose software that allows you to tailor features and workflows to your specific safety management processes.
  4. User-Friendliness: Opt for intuitive interfaces that require minimal training, encouraging widespread adoption across your organisation.
  5. Support and Training: Consider the level of support and training offered by the software provider to ensure successful implementation and ongoing use.

Contact Safety Champion Today

Ready to revolutionise your safety management processes? Safety Champion Software offers a cutting-edge, user-friendly solution designed to meet the diverse needs of modern organisations. Our comprehensive platform includes all the key features discussed in this article, from risk management and incident reporting to document management and mobile accessibility.

Don’t let outdated safety management tools hold your organisation back. Contact Safety Champion Software today to schedule a personalised demo and discover how our innovative OHS software can help you achieve new heights in workplace safety and operational excellence.

Compliance and Reporting With OHS Software Integration

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, ensuring workplace safety and compliance with occupational health and safety (OHS) regulations is more critical than ever. As organisations strive to create secure workplaces and promote employee well-being, the integration of OHS software has emerged as a game-changer. Let’s explore how OHS software integration transforms compliance and reporting practices, ultimately leading to improved safety performance and overall business success.

The Evolution of Safety Management Systems

Traditionally, many organisations relied on a paper-based approach to manage their OHS programs. This often involved manually handling documents, spreadsheets, and physical safety templates. While these methods served their purpose, they were prone to human error, data inaccuracies, and inefficiencies in managing health and safety risks.

The advent of digital OHS management systems has revolutionised how businesses approach workplace safety. These comprehensive safety solutions offer a holistic approach to managing OHS policies, procedures, and compliance needs. By leveraging advanced tools and technologies, organisations can now streamline their safety activities, from risk assessments to incident reporting and management.

Key Components of an Integrated OHS Software Solution

A solid safety management system forms the foundation of any effective OHS software solution. By integrating various components, these systems provide a comprehensive framework for managing workplace safety.

1. Risk Management and Assessment

One of the primary functions of OHS management software is to facilitate effective risk management. The software enables safety professionals to:

  • Identify and assess potential hazards
  • Conduct thorough risk assessments
  • Implement appropriate control measures
  • Monitor and review the effectiveness of safety practices

By centralising this information, organisations can proactively manage risks and reduce workplace injuries.

2. Incident Reporting and Management

Integrated OHS software simplifies the process of incident reporting and management. It allows for:

  • Quick and easy submission of incident reports
  • Automated notifications to relevant stakeholders
  • Efficient tracking of corrective actions
  • Analysis of incident data to identify trends and areas for improvement

This streamlined approach ensures that organisations can respond promptly to workplace incidents and take necessary steps to prevent future occurrences.

3. Compliance Management

Staying compliant with ever-changing safety regulations can be challenging. OHS software helps organisations:

  • Keep track of regulatory requirements and changes
  • Manage and update OHS policies and procedures
  • Conduct regular compliance audits
  • Generate comprehensive compliance reports

By automating these processes, businesses can ensure continuous improvement in their safety practices and maintain a strong culture of compliance.

4. Training and Certification Management

Effective occupational health and safety programs require ongoing training and education. OHS software facilitates:

  • Scheduling and tracking of safety training sessions
  • Management of employee certifications and qualifications
  • Automated reminders for refresher courses and recertifications
  • Reporting on training completion rates and effectiveness

This ensures that all employees receive the necessary safety training to perform their jobs safely and effectively.

5. Document Control and Management

Centralising safety-related documents is crucial for maintaining an efficient OHS system. Integrated software solutions offer:

  • Secure storage and easy retrieval of safety documents
  • Version control and document revision tracking
  • Automated distribution of updated policies and procedures
  • Integration with existing systems for seamless information flow

This centralised approach eliminates the need for multiple spreadsheets and ensures that all stakeholders have access to the most up-to-date safety information.

The Benefits of OHS Software Integration

Enhanced Compliance and Reporting

By integrating OHS software into their operations, organisations can significantly improve their compliance efforts. The software ensures that all safety activities are properly documented, tracked, and reported. This not only helps in meeting regulatory requirements but also provides valuable insights for continuous improvement.

Improved Data Accuracy and Analysis

Unlike manual processes, OHS software minimises the risk of human error in data entry and management. It provides real-time data and analytics, allowing safety professionals to make informed decisions based on accurate and up-to-date information. This data-driven approach leads to more effective safety strategies and better resource allocation.

Increased Operational Efficiency

Automating routine tasks and streamlining processes through OHS software integration leads to significant time savings and increased operational efficiency. Safety professionals can focus on more strategic activities, such as developing proactive safety measures and fostering a culture of safety within the organisation.

Better Risk Management

With comprehensive risk assessment tools and real-time monitoring capabilities, OHS software enables organisations to identify and mitigate potential hazards more effectively. This proactive approach to risk management helps in reducing workplace injuries and creating a safer work environment.

Enhanced Employee Engagement

Many OHS software solutions offer user-friendly interfaces and mobile accessibility, making it easier for employees to participate in safety activities. Features like online inductions, easy incident reporting, and access to safety information empower employees to take an active role in maintaining workplace safety.

Tailoring OHS Software to Your Organisation’s Unique Requirements

While off-the-shelf OHS software solutions offer numerous benefits, it’s essential to choose a system that aligns with your organisation’s specific needs. Consider factors such as:

  • The size and nature of your business
  • Industry-specific safety regulations and common hazards
  • Integration capabilities with existing management systems
  • Scalability to accommodate future growth and changing compliance needs

By selecting flexible and customisable OHS management software, you can ensure that it meets your organisation’s unique requirements and supports your safety objectives effectively.

Contact Safety Champion Today

Take control of your workplace safety today with Safety Champion. Our comprehensive OHS management software streamlines compliance, simplifies reporting and empowers your team to create a safer work environment. Don’t let outdated systems put your employees at risk.

Sign up for a free demo and see how Safety Champion can transform your safety practices. Contact us to start your journey towards a safer, more efficient workplace. Your employees’ well-being is too important to wait – choose Safety Champion and make safety your competitive advantage.

Best Practices For Maintaining OHS Records in Compliance

At Safety Champion Software, we understand that managing occupational health and safety (OHS) records is crucial for small businesses in Australia. Proper storage and management of these records not only ensure compliance with safety legislation but also contribute to a safer workplace. Let’s explore why secure storage of OHS records is essential and how you can implement effective record-keeping practices in your small business.

The Importance of Secure OHS Record Storage

The importance of secure OHS record storage in ensuring a safe and compliant workplace cannot be overstated. Records relating to workplace health, including risk assessments and incident reports, are crucial for maintaining transparency and accountability.

Health and safety representatives play a vital role in monitoring these records to identify potential hazards and enforce WHS record-keeping requirements. Proper management and secure storage of these documents not only support regulatory compliance but also contribute to the overall well-being of employees by facilitating effective health and safety interventions.

Legal Compliance

Secure storage of records relating to workplace health and safety is not just good practice; it’s a legal requirement under Australian regulations such as the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act). Failure to maintain records and comply with WHS record-keeping requirements can result in significant penalties for your business.

Risk Management

Properly stored OHS records provide valuable insights into your workplace’s safety performance. They help identify hazards, assess the effectiveness of control measures to control risks and inform future safety policies, ultimately reducing the risk of incidents and injuries.

Efficient Incident Response

In the event of a workplace incident, having quick access to relevant OHS records can be crucial. These records can provide vital information for emergency responders and help streamline any subsequent investigations.

Key OHS Records to Secure

Small businesses should focus on securely storing the following types of records:

Implementing Secure Storage Practices

Implementing secure storage practices involves utilising advanced encryption and access control measures to protect sensitive workplace health records from unauthorised access and breaches. Regular audits and updates to storage protocols ensure compliance with WHS record-keeping requirements and enhance the overall security of organisational data.

Digital v. Physical Storage

While traditional paper-based systems can work for some businesses, electronic records offer several advantages:

  • Easy accessibility and searchability
  • Enhanced security features for sensitive information
  • Reduced physical storage space requirements
  • Improved backup and disaster recovery capabilities

Cloud-Based Solutions

Cloud-based OHS management systems, like Safety Champion Software, provide a secure way to store your safety records. These solutions offer:

Access Control

Implement strict access controls to ensure that only authorised personnel can view, edit, or delete OHS records. This helps maintain the integrity of safety information and protects workers’ personal information.

Regular Backups

Whether you’re using digital or physical storage, regular backups are essential. For digital systems, automated backups should be scheduled frequently. Physical records should be duplicated and stored in a separate, secure storage area.

Retention Periods For OHS Records

Different types of OHS records have varying minimum retention periods under Australian legislation. Here are some general guidelines:

  • Incident reports: At least 5 years from the date of the incident
  • Health monitoring records: At least 30 years
  • Training records: Duration of employment plus 7 years
  • Risk assessments: Until they are superseded or the relevant activity ceases

Always consult the specific regulations applicable to your industry for precise retention requirements. For further advice, you may refer to resources such as the Public Record Office Victoria or relevant disposal authorities for your state.

Investing in Secure OHS Record Storage

By implementing secure storage practices for your OHS records, you’re not just ticking a compliance box. You’re investing in the safety and well-being of your workers, protecting your business from potential legal issues, and building a strong foundation for a positive safety culture.

Our team is here to assist you in determining the best record-keeping practices for your business. We can help you set up systems to maintain records of all safety-related activities, from handling hazardous chemicals to conducting risk assessments.

Choose Safety Champion Software to simplify your OHS record management and take your small business’s safety practices to the next level. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you securely manage your OHS records and create a safer workplace for all.

Secure Storage of OHS Records

At Safety Champion Software, we understand that managing occupational health and safety (OHS) records is crucial for small businesses in Australia. Proper storage and management of these records not only ensure compliance with safety legislation but also contribute to a safer workplace. Let’s explore why secure storage of OHS records is essential and how you can implement effective record-keeping practices in your small business.

The Importance of Secure OHS Record Storage

The importance of secure OHS record storage in ensuring a safe and compliant workplace cannot be overstated. Records relating to workplace health, including risk assessments and incident reports, are crucial for maintaining transparency and accountability.

Health and safety representatives play a vital role in monitoring these records to identify potential hazards and enforce WHS record-keeping requirements. Proper management and secure storage of these documents not only support regulatory compliance but also contribute to the overall well-being of employees by facilitating effective health and safety interventions.

Legal Compliance

Secure storage of records relating to workplace health and safety is not just good practice; it’s a legal requirement under Australian regulations such as the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act). Failure to maintain records and comply with WHS record-keeping requirements can result in significant penalties for your business.

Risk Management

Properly stored OHS records provide valuable insights into your workplace’s safety performance. They help identify hazards, assess the effectiveness of control measures to control risks and inform future safety policies, ultimately reducing the risk of incidents and injuries.

Efficient Incident Response

In the event of a workplace incident, having quick access to relevant OHS records can be crucial. These records can provide vital information for emergency responders and help streamline any subsequent investigations.

Key OHS Records to Secure

Small businesses should focus on securely storing the following types of records:

Implementing Secure Storage Practices

Implementing secure storage practices involves utilising advanced encryption and access control measures to protect sensitive workplace health records from unauthorised access and breaches. Regular audits and updates to storage protocols ensure compliance with WHS record-keeping requirements and enhance the overall security of organisational data.

Digital v. Physical Storage

While traditional paper-based systems can work for some businesses, electronic records offer several advantages:

  • Easy accessibility and searchability
  • Enhanced security features for sensitive information
  • Reduced physical storage space requirements
  • Improved backup and disaster recovery capabilities

Cloud-Based Solutions

Cloud-based OHS management systems, like Safety Champion Software, provide a secure way to store your safety records. These solutions offer:

Access Control

Implement strict access controls to ensure that only authorised personnel can view, edit, or delete OHS records. This helps maintain the integrity of safety information and protects workers’ personal information.

Regular Backups

Whether you’re using digital or physical storage, regular backups are essential. For digital systems, automated backups should be scheduled frequently. Physical records should be duplicated and stored in a separate, secure storage area.

Retention Periods For OHS Records

Different types of OHS records have varying minimum retention periods under Australian legislation. Here are some general guidelines:

  • Incident reports: At least 5 years from the date of the incident
  • Health monitoring records: At least 30 years
  • Training records: Duration of employment plus 7 years
  • Risk assessments: Until they are superseded or the relevant activity ceases

Always consult the specific regulations applicable to your industry for precise retention requirements. For further advice, you may refer to resources such as the Public Record Office Victoria or relevant disposal authorities for your state.

Investing in Secure OHS Record Storage

By implementing secure storage practices for your OHS records, you’re not just ticking a compliance box. You’re investing in the safety and well-being of your workers, protecting your business from potential legal issues, and building a strong foundation for a positive safety culture.

Our team is here to assist you in determining the best record-keeping practices for your business. We can help you set up systems to maintain records of all safety-related activities, from handling hazardous chemicals to conducting risk assessments.

Choose Safety Champion Software to simplify your OHS record management and take your small business’s safety practices to the next level. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you securely manage your OHS records and create a safer workplace for all.

How to Implement OHS Management Systems Successfully

As workplace safety regulations evolve, implementing Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) management systems is imperative for organisations to ensure their employees’ health, safety, and well-being. Implementing OHS safety management systems can streamline processes, mitigate risks, and foster a culture of safety excellence for Safety Champion Software users.

Use the Right OHS Safety Management Tools

Implementing OHS management systems requires a strategic approach, strong leadership commitment, and the right tools and resources. Safety Champion Software offers a comprehensive solution and tools for organisations seeking to streamline their OHS management system processes, enhance compliance, and promote a culture of safety excellence.  The following practical insights and best practices may help organisations successfully implement OHS safety management systems using the software designed by our Australian company, Safety Champion Software.

Understanding OHS Regulatory Requirements

To implement an OHS safety management system effectively, understand relevant OHS regulations and standards applicable to your industry and jurisdiction. Collaborate with legal and OHS compliance experts to ensure your company’s safety management system aligns with the regulatory requirements for occupational health. Use Safety Champion Software’s user-friendly compliance OHS management features to track regulatory changes, manage documentation, and ensure ongoing compliance.

Occupational Safety Leadership Commitment and Engagement

Engaging top management in the safety management system implementation process fosters leadership commitment to workplace safety. By communicating the importance of using OHS management systems, you help to protect employees, reduce incidents, and enhance your organisation’s reputation. Use Safety Champion Software’s reporting and analytics tools to demonstrate the ROI of safety initiatives and secure management buy-in.

Establish Clear OHS Objectives and Goals

Define specific objectives and measurable goals for implementing the OHS management system for workplace health. For improvement, ensure alignment with organisational priorities like reducing injury rates, improving safety culture, or gaining certification. Use Safety Champion Software’s goal-setting and tracking features to monitor the progress of your occupational safety management and measure success against predefined safety benchmarks.

Involve Employees in the Safety Management System Process

Engage employees at all levels in implementing your OHS management system to foster ownership and participation. Provide comprehensive training on risk management, workplace safety policies and procedures, and Safety Champion Software. Engaging employees in the safety management system process will empower workers to contribute actively to occupational health and safety initiatives. Also, encourage feedback, suggestions, and participation in safety committees or workplace safety inspections to promote a collaborative safety culture.

OHS Management System, Risk Assessment and Hazard Identification

As part of your occupational health and safety management system, conduct regular and thorough risk assessments and hazard identification exercises to identify potential workplace hazards and assess associated risks. Also:

  • Use Safety Champion Software’s risk management tools to document hazards, assess risk levels, and implement controls to mitigate risks effectively.
  • Review and update risk assessments to address changes in processes, equipment, or work environment.

Effective Workplace Communication Channels

Establish clear communication channels for your OHS management system for reporting incidents, near misses, and safety risks and concerns. Use Safety Champion Software’s incident reporting and communication features to streamline reporting processes and ensure timely resolution of safety issues. Encourage open dialogue and transparent communication to help promote a safety-conscious work environment.

For improvement and monitoring, consider these key elements:

  • Implement an OHS management system for ongoing improvement by regularly reviewing and updating your OHS safety management systems based on feedback, performance data, and lessons learned.
  • Use Safety Champion Software’s performance monitoring and audit tools to track key safety metrics, identify trends, and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
  • Foster a culture of learning and innovation by recognising and rewarding safety achievements and encouraging participation in your safety management system and improvement initiatives.

OHS Safety Management System Software

By following best practices, such as understanding regulatory requirements, your organisation can effectively implement your OHS safety management system and achieve safety goals.  Safety Champion Software can ensure that your legal obligations are being managed. By engaging employees, setting clear objectives, and fostering continuous improvement, your safety management system software allows you to focus on the operational functions that matter.

Contact us here at Safety Champion for advice and guidance on all occupational health and safety management system applications.

Key Components of Effective OHS Management Systems

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) management systems protect employees’ health, safety, and well-being. However, understanding the key components of an effective safety management system is essential for promoting a safety culture and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. Safety Champion Software can support your organisation in effectively implementing the components of its OHS software.

OHS Leadership Commitment and Accountability

Effective OHS management systems begin with a strong leadership commitment to workplace safety. Leaders should establish clear policies, objectives, and expectations regarding safety performance and risk assessment. Safety Champion Software enables leaders to demonstrate commitment by tracking safety metrics, conducting audits, and ensuring accountability for safety performance.

Risk Assessment and Hazard Identification

Comprehensive risk assessments and hazard identification processes are essential for identifying and mitigating workplace hazards. Safety Champion Software provides tools for documenting hazards, assessing risks, and effectively implementing controls to minimise risks. Using the tools available in Safety Champion Software, you can conduct regular reviews and updates to risk assessments to ensure ongoing risk management and continuous improvement.

Employee Involvement in Safety Software and OHS Training

By engaging employees in the OHS safety management system process, you can foster a culture of ownership and participation in your company’s or organisation’s workplace. A key component of Safety Champion Software is how it encourages employee involvement through incident reporting, safety committees, and training programs. Safety Champion Software’s comprehensive training on safety procedures and hazard recognition can empower employees to contribute to a safer work environment.

Incident Reporting and Investigation:

Prompt and thorough incident investigation and the quick reporting of near misses and hazards are essential for preventing accident recurrence and improving safety performance. Safety Champion’s OHS safety management system software streamlines incident reporting and investigation processes, ensuring timely resolution of safety issues.

The root cause analysis tools in Safety Champion’s software can help identify the underlying causes of accidents and incidents, and it can implement corrective actions to prevent future occurrences.

OHS Management System Communication & Awareness

Effective communication channels are vital for disseminating occupational health and safety information, raising awareness, and promoting a safety-conscious culture. Safety management systems should facilitate communication through alerts, notifications, and bulletins, informing employees about safety initiatives and updates.

At Safety Champion, you can be assured that our software does this and everything else required of a health and safety management tool. Regular safety meetings, toolbox talks, and campaigns reinforce management and employee safety awareness and engagement.

Safety Management System Compliance and Documentation

Compliance with regulatory requirements is a cornerstone of effective OHS safety management systems. Safety Champion Software simplifies compliance management by centralising documentation, tracking regulatory changes, and ensuring timely updates to policies and procedures. The software’s audit trails and reporting features help demonstrate compliance to regulatory authorities and stakeholders.

OHS Improvement and Performance Monitoring

OHS management systems should be dynamic and adaptable, focusing on continual improvement. The following two areas are critical and can be achieved using Safety Champion software:

  • Safety Champion Software supports continuous improvement through performance monitoring, data analysis, and feedback mechanisms.
  • Regular reviews, audits, and performance evaluations help identify areas for improvement and drive ongoing enhancements to the safety management system.

A Robust OHS Management System is a Must

A robust and effective OHS management system requires a comprehensive approach encompassing leadership commitment and risk management processes. Other crucial elements include employee involvement, incident reporting, safety communication, and continuous improvement.  A workplace should also have a health and safety program, senior management involvement in the OHS management system, and health and safety legislation compliance.

Call Safety Champion Software to Find out More

Safety Champion provides safety management software that is a robust platform for organisations in Australia to implement these key components effectively. It allows you to manage safety risks, promote workplace health and safety excellence and ensure the health and well-being of employees in the workplace. By leveraging Safety Champion Software’s features and capabilities, organisations can enhance their OHS management systems and achieve sustainable improvements in safety performance.

Contact us here at Safety Champion for advice and guidance on all occupational health and safety management system applications.

The Effectiveness of Your OHS Program

In today’s workplace, the safety and well-being of employees are paramount. Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) programs are designed to create a safe working environment by identifying and mitigating risks. This page aims to provide insights on evaluating the effectiveness of your OHS program using advanced software solutions like Safety Champion Software.

Understanding OHS Programs

An effective OHS program encompasses comprehensive policies, procedures, and training aimed at ensuring workplace safety. These programs are essential for compliance with legal standards and for fostering a culture of safety within an organisation. Integrating software into these programs can significantly enhance their efficiency and effectiveness by automating many of the processes involved.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for OHS Programs

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are crucial in assessing the effectiveness of an OHS program. Some common KPIs include incident rates, near-miss reporting, compliance rates, and employee participation. Tracking these KPIs helps an organisation understand how well its OHS program is performing and where improvements can be made. OHS management software can streamline the tracking and analysis of these KPIs, providing valuable insights at a glance.

Evaluating OHS Program Effectiveness

Evaluating the effectiveness of an OHS program involves several methods:

  • Audits and Inspections: Regular checks ensure compliance with safety standards and identify potential areas for improvement.
  • Surveys and Feedback: Gathering employee input on the program’s effectiveness helps identify strengths and weaknesses.
  • Incident and Near-Miss Analysis: Analysing incidents helps in understanding patterns and preventing future occurrences.

OHS software plays a vital role in facilitating these evaluations by providing tools for efficient data collection and analysis.

The Role of Technology in OHS Evaluation

OHS management software offers a range of features that support the evaluation of OHS programs, including incident reporting, compliance management, risk assessment, and training tracking. The benefits of using such software are manifold:

  • Improved Data Accuracy: Automated data collection reduces errors.
  • Enhanced Reporting: Software provides comprehensive reports for better decision-making.
  • Real-Time Monitoring: Alerts and real-time data help in immediate response to issues.

Case Studies: Successful OHS Program Evaluations

  • Company A: Reduced incident rates by leveraging OHS software for detailed incident tracking.
  • Company B: Improved compliance through regular audits and feedback collection facilitated by software tools.
  • Company C: Achieved comprehensive risk management by integrating advanced OHS software features.

Best Practices for Continuous Improvement

Continuous improvement is vital for maintaining an effective OHS program. Best practices include regularly updating policies, ongoing employee training, and utilising software for real-time insights. These practices ensure that the OHS program evolves with changing workplace dynamics and remains effective.

Enhancing OHS Program Effectiveness through Technology

Evaluating the effectiveness of your OHS program is crucial for ensuring workplace safety and compliance. By leveraging OHS management software, organisations can enhance their evaluation processes, gain valuable insights, and continuously improve their safety programs. Contact Safety Champion Software today to learn how our solutions can help you achieve these goals.

Developing an Effective OHS Program for Workplace Safety

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) programs are critical for ensuring the safety and well-being of employees in any workplace. An effective OHS program not only complies with legal requirements but also fosters a proactive safety culture that can prevent accidents and improve overall productivity. This article aims to provide a comprehensive guide to developing an effective OHS program to enhance workplace safety.

Understanding the Fundamentals of OHS Programs

An OHS program is a systematic approach to managing health and safety risks in the workplace. Key components of an effective OHS program include:

  • Policies and Procedures: These provide the framework for all safety-related activities and ensure consistency in safety practices.
  • Training and Education: Continuous education and training are vital to keep employees informed about safety protocols and best practices.
  • Risk Assessment and Management: Identifying and mitigating risks before they result in incidents is crucial for maintaining a safe work environment.

A proactive safety culture is essential for the success of an OHS program. It involves everyone in the organisation, from top management to frontline workers, taking responsibility for safety.

Steps to Develop an Effective OHS Program

Developing an effective OHS program involves a structured approach that encompasses several key steps. By following these steps, organisations can create a comprehensive and proactive safety culture.

1. Conduct a Comprehensive Risk Assessment

The first step in developing an effective OHS program is to conduct a comprehensive risk assessment. This involves:

  • Identifying Workplace Hazards: Understanding potential hazards in the workplace is the foundation of risk management.
  • Evaluating the Risks Associated With These Hazards: Assessing the likelihood and impact of identified hazards helps prioritise them.
  • Prioritising Risks Based on Their Potential Impact: Focusing on high-priority risks ensures that the most significant threats are addressed first.

Utilising tools such as risk management software can streamline the risk assessment process, making it more efficient and accurate.

2. Establish Clear Policies and Procedures

Developing clear policies and procedures is essential for managing and mitigating identified risks. This includes:

  • Developing Policies That Address Identified Risks: Policies should be specific, actionable, and aligned with legal and regulatory requirements.
  • Creating Detailed Procedures for Managing and Mitigating Risks: Procedures should provide step-by-step guidance on how to handle various safety scenarios.
  • Ensuring Policies Comply with Legal and Regulatory Requirements: Compliance with local and international safety standards is crucial for legal protection and maintaining a safe workplace.

3. Implementing Training and Education Programs

Continuous training and education are vital components of an effective OHS program. This includes:

  • Importance of Continuous Training and Education: Regular training ensures that employees are always aware of the latest safety protocols and best practices.
  • Types of Training: Onboarding training for new hires, periodic refresher courses, and role-specific training tailored to different job functions.
  • Leveraging online training management software for Effective Training Delivery: Online training platforms provide flexibility and accessibility, making it easier to deliver consistent training across the organisation.

4. Utilise Technology and Software Solutions

Technology plays a crucial role in enhancing the effectiveness of OHS programs. OHS management software offers several features and benefits:

  • Incident Reporting and Tracking: Automated incident reporting systems improve accuracy and response times.
  • Compliance Management: Ensures that all safety practices are in line with regulatory requirements.
  • Risk Assessment and Management: Advanced tools for identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks.

Examples of useful software solutions include OHS software and health and safety software, which provide comprehensive tools for managing safety programs.

Monitoring and Evaluating the OHS Program

Regular monitoring and evaluation are essential for maintaining the effectiveness of an OHS program. Methods for monitoring OHS programs include:

  • Internal Audits: Regular audits help ensure that safety practices are being followed correctly.
  • Safety Inspections: Inspections identify potential hazards and ensure that safety measures are in place.
  • Employee Feedback and Surveys: Gathering input from employees provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of the OHS program.

Utilising data analytics software can help track performance indicators and identify areas for improvement.

Continuous Improvement and Updating the Program

Continuous improvement is key to maintaining an effective OHS program. This involves:

  • Regularly Reviewing and Updating Policies and Procedures: Keeping safety policies up-to-date ensures that they remain relevant and effective.
  • Incorporating New Technologies and Methodologies: Staying abreast of the latest safety technologies and best practices.
  • Encouraging Employee Involvement in the Improvement Process: Involving employees in safety initiatives fosters a culture of continuous improvement and accountability.

Case Studies: Successful OHS Programs

  • Example 1: A company’s success with OHS management software. Implementing comprehensive OHS software led to a significant reduction in workplace incidents and improved compliance with safety regulations.
  • Example 2: Implementation of comprehensive risk management in a manufacturing plant. By conducting regular risk assessments and updating safety procedures, the company saw a marked improvement in workplace safety.
  • Example 3: Enhancing workplace safety through continuous training and feedback. Regular training sessions and open communication channels helped create a proactive safety culture.

Enhancing OHS Program Effectiveness through Technology

Developing an effective OHS program is crucial for ensuring workplace safety and compliance. By leveraging OHS management software, organisations can enhance their evaluation processes, gain valuable insights, and continuously improve their safety programs. Start developing or improving your OHS program today for a safer workplace environment.

OHS Management Systems for Small Businesses

At Safety Champion Software, we understand the unique challenges small businesses face in Australia regarding occupational health and safety (OHS). Juggling daily operations, managing finances, and ensuring a safe work environment can feel overwhelming. That’s why we’re dedicated to providing a user-friendly, effective safety management system specifically designed for small businesses like yours.

Safety Systems: Crucial for Small Businesses

A formal occupational health and safety management system is not only necessary for large corporations.  The reality is that small businesses are statistically more likely to experience workplace incidents.  This can lead to severe consequences, including:

  • Employee injuries and illnesses:

These not only cause physical and emotional distress for your workers but can also result in lost productivity, increased workers’ compensation costs, and potential legal ramifications.

  • Fines and penalties:

Failure to comply with OHS regulations in Australia can lead to hefty fines for your business.

  • Reputational damage:

A workplace incident can damage your company’s reputation, making attracting and retaining talent harder and potentially impacting customer trust.

Implementing a well-structured OHS management system can significantly reduce these risks.  It demonstrates your commitment to employee safety, promotes a culture of risk awareness, and helps you comply with health and safety legislation such as Australian OHS laws like the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act).

Building a Simplified OHS System for Your Small Business

Creating a robust OHS safety management system doesn’t have to be complex or time-consuming for small businesses.  Here are some critical steps to get you started:

  • Identify Hazards:

The first step is to identify potential hazards present in your workplace. This could include physical hazards (e.g., working with machinery, electrical hazards), chemical hazards (e.g., exposure to cleaning products), biological hazards (e.g., working in environments with potential for exposure to viruses or bacteria), or ergonomic hazards (e.g., repetitive tasks that can lead to musculoskeletal disorders).

  • Assess Risks:

Once you’ve identified occupational health hazards, assess the level of risk associated with each one. Consider the likelihood of an incident occurring and the potential severity of the consequences.

  • Implement Controls:

Develop and implement control measures to mitigate these risks. The hierarchy of controls outlined in the WHS Act provides a framework for prioritising control measures. Elimination of the hazard is always the most effective, followed by substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment (PPE).

  • Consultation and Training:

Consult with your employees on your safety management system and safety matters and provide them with appropriate training on identified hazards, safe work procedures, and emergency response protocols.

  • Monitoring and Review:

Monitor your safety management system regularly to ensure its effectiveness. Conduct workplace inspections, review incident data, and update procedures as needed.

Simplify OHS Management for Small Businesses

Safety Champion Software empowers small businesses to build and maintain effective workplace safety management systems.  Our user-friendly software streamlines many of the tasks involved in OHS compliance, freeing up your valuable time to focus on running your business. Here are some ways Safety Champion Software can help:

Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment

Our safety management system software guides you through identifying hazards in your workplace and assessing the associated risks. This helps you prioritise your efforts and implement effective control measures. Learn More.

Incident Management

Easily record, track, and investigate workplace incidents. Identify trends, implement corrective actions to prevent future incidents, and ensure proper reporting to regulatory authorities if required. Learn More.

Training Management

Manage your employee training programs with ease. Schedule and track training completion, identify knowledge gaps, and ensure your workforce is up-to-date on relevant OHS procedures. Learn More.

Safety Data Sheets (SDS) Management

Store and manage Safety Data Sheets for all hazardous materials used in your workplace. Ensure easy access to critical information during emergencies and facilitate compliance with hazardous materials regulations. Learn More.

Customisable Templates and Forms

We offer a library of pre-made templates and forms that can be easily customised to your safety management system and workplace needs.

Affordable and Scalable Solution

We understand that small businesses’ budgets are tight. Safety Champion Software offers flexible pricing management system models that fit your needs and scale as your business grows.

Investing in a Safer Future for Your Small Business

By implementing a user-friendly OHS management system with the help of Safety Champion Software, you can create a safer and healthier work environment for your employees.  This reduces the risk of workplace incidents and associated costs and demonstrates your commitment to employee well-being, boosting morale and fostering a safety culture.

Choose Safety Champion for a Safe Workplace

Our team at Safety Champion Software is committed to helping you create a safer and healthier work environment for you and your employees.  We offer a free trial of our software so you can explore features and functionality before you commit.  Our knowledgeable support team is also happy to answer any questions and help you choose the right modules for your business.

Getting Started with Safety Champion Software

Executing a comprehensive OHS software solution is an investment in your employees’ well-being and your business’s success. You can streamline your safety obligations and OHS processes by choosing the correct modules from Safety Champion Software. This will improve compliance and create a safety culture, prioritising your legal requirements and workforce’s health and safety. To book a demo or find out more, contact us here.

Choosing the Right Occupational Health and Safety Modules

At Safety Champion Software, we understand that every workplace has unique occupational health and safety (OHS) needs. A construction site faces vastly different risks than a law firm. That’s why we offer a wide range of OHS software modules designed and customised to your industry and operations.

However, with many available options, you might wonder which modules suit your business.  To help you navigate the selection process and ensure you’re investing in the features that will impact your OHS program, see below:

Understanding Your OHS Module Needs

The first step is for the health and safety representative or the organisation’s health and safety committee to conduct a needs assessment. This involves diving deeply into all OHS practices in your workplace to identify potential risks and understand your legal requirements. Here are some key areas to consider:

  • Health and Safety Industry Regulations

Research the specific OHS regulations that apply to your industry and working environment. Different industries have varying safety protocols and reporting obligations.

  • OHS Hazards in the Workplace

Identify the potential occupational health and safety hazards present in your workplace. These could include physical hazards (e.g., working at heights, pollutants, and hazardous materials), biological hazards (e.g., viruses and bacteria), psychological hazards (bullying or harassment in the workplace), or ergonomic hazards (e.g., repetitive strain injuries).

  • Existing Occupational Health Practices

Evaluate your existing OHS program. Are there areas where technology can streamline processes or improve record-keeping?

  • Employee Training Needs

Assess your workforce’s training needs. Do they require basic safety and occupational health awareness training or specialised training for specific tasks or equipment?

Match Your OHS Modules to Your Needs

Once you clearly understand your occupational health needs, you can start exploring the OHS software modules offered by Safety Champion Software. Here’s a breakdown of some of our most popular modules and how they can benefit your business:

  • Incident Management

This module tracks, records, and investigates workplace incidents, facilitating a streamlined safety and occupational health reporting process. It helps identify trends and assists in implementing corrective actions to prevent future incidents. Learn More.

  • Risk Management

This module helps your health and safety committee or health and safety representatives to identify and assess potential risks in your workplace proactively. It allows you to develop and implement control measures to mitigate these risks, ensuring a safer work environment. Learn More.

  • Hazard Reporting

Empower your employees to report safety and occupational health hazards and near misses easily. This will foster a culture of safety awareness and allow your staff and health and safety committee or representative to address potential issues before they escalate into incidents. Learn More.

  • Safety Data Sheets (SDS) Management

You can store and manage Safety Data Sheets for all hazardous materials used in your workplace with this Safety Champion module. It ensures easy access to critical information during emergencies and facilitates regulatory compliance. Learn More.

  • Workplace Health Inspections and Audits

This module helps you schedule, conduct, and document workplace health and safety inspections and audits. It ensures consistent adherence to safety standards and helps health and safety committees identify areas for improvement. Learn More.

  • Health and Safety System Training Management

Simplify the management of employee training programs. Track training completion, identify knowledge gaps, and ensure workers are trained on relevant workplace health and safety procedures. Learn More.

  • Workplace Health Corrective Action Management

Streamlining, assigning, tracking, and verifying corrective actions for identified safety issues is essential. This module ensures timely hazard resolution and promotes a culture of continuous improvement in the workplace. Learn More.

  • Track Work Permits For Risky Occupations and Tasks

This module allows you to manage the issuance of permits for work activities that pose a higher risk of injury to workers. It ensures proper authorisation, adherence to health and safety laws, and safe work practices. Learn More.

Choosing the Right Work Health Combination

The ideal combination of Safety Champion occupational health and safety modules and management system will depend on your needs.  Here are some factors to consider when making your selection:

Company Size:

Smaller businesses may benefit from a core set of safety management system modules, such as Incident Management and Hazard Reporting. Larger companies with more complex operations may require a broader range of safety management system features that comply with safety legislation.

Industry Regulations:

Ensure the modules you choose address your industry’s specific worker training and safety management system compliance requirements.

Budget:

Set a realistic budget for your OHS software investment. Safety Champion Software offers flexible pricing models to accommodate the legislative obligations and safety requirements of businesses of all sizes.

Scalability:

Consider the future growth of your business and choose modules that can scale with your needs.

Getting Started with Safety Champion Software

Our team at Safety Champion Software is committed to helping you create a safer and healthier work environment for your employees.  We offer a free trial of our software, allowing you to explore features and functionality before you commit.  Our knowledgeable support team is also happy to answer any questions and help you choose the suitable modules for your business.

Implementing a comprehensive OHS software solution is an investment in your employees’ well-being and your business’s success. By choosing the correct modules from Safety Champion Software, you can streamline your OHS processes, improve compliance, and create a safety culture that prioritises your workforce’s health and safety. To book a demo or find out more, contact us here.

Client Spotlight – April 2024

Euro Auctions

Plant Machinery Auctions UK & Worldwide | Euro Auctions
Euro Auctions conducts unreserved auctions of industrial plants, construction equipment, and agricultural machinery globally. Today, they conduct around 60 major auctions annually in seven countries over four continents. Euro Auctions is the trusted market leader in Europe, holding more sales and selling more lots per sale than any other auction house. Ensuring their employees’ safety is a top priority for Euro Auctions, and we look forward to assisting them in meeting their safety goals.

 

Bangarra Dance Theatre

PARTNERS — ARROW Collective

Bangarra Dance Theatre’s mission is to create inspiring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander experiences that promote awareness and understanding of our cultures. Each of their dancers is a professionally trained, dynamic artist with a proud Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander background, and together, they represent the best of Australian talent. With the help of us here at Safety Champion, our software supports them in providing the safest workplace possible.

 

TADWA

Technology for Ageing & Disability WA (TADWA)

TADWA stands for Technology for Ageing & Disability WA, and its purpose is to help older people, people with disabilities, and their carers do what is important to them. As a registered NDIS Provider, its Occupational Therapists are experts in assessing for entry into the NDIS. With the support of Safety Champion Software, they can ensure their team is supported and protected by a safe workplace so they are left to focus on delivering the essential services they do.

Transform Your Safety Management with Our Cutting-Edge Software

In the quest for a safer workplace, the right software isn’t just a tool; it’s a game-changer. That’s why we’re thrilled to spotlight Safety Champion software—tailored to revolutionise how your organisation masters safety.
Crafted by seasoned safety professionals, Safety Champion is more than just software. It’s a partner in safety, equipped with an intuitive, user-friendly interface crafted for Safety Managers and business owners across diverse industries. Whether you’re a safety pro or a multitasking entrepreneur, you’ll find managing workplace safety as easy as a gentle breeze.

Key Modules That Empower Your Safety Protocols:

  • Incident Management: Shift from chaos to control with simplified reporting, streamlined investigations, and immediate email alerts to stakeholders.
  • Hazard and Action Reporting: Monitor hazards and ensure actions lead to improvements, backed by automated reminders that see you through to completion.
  • Inspections and Audits: Craft, schedule, and execute inspections with tailor-made checklists to ensure everything ticks like clockwork.
  • Safety Plan Management: Assign and monitor recurring safety tasks with an interactive dashboard that makes monitoring easy.
  • Reporting: Get the full picture of your safety landscape with up-to-the-minute, comprehensive, and easy-to-digest reporting.
  • Human Resources Management: Bring all your workers’ details, training records, and performance data into one secure, central location.
  • Risk Management: Analyse hazards, handle risk assessments with finesse, and gather actionable data to confidently denounce risks.
  • Document Management: Stay ahead of the curve with customisable safety manuals, a library of templates, and effortless management of crucial policies.
By welcoming our software into your operations, you’ll wave goodbye to fragmented systems and ignite a powerful synergy between technology and safety. The outcome? A leap in efficiency, minimised risks, and, most importantly, establishing a sanctuary of safety for your team.

Discover A Safer Tomorrow, Today

Are you poised to experience the future of safety management? Click the flame of curiosity below to book a personal demo with our software and meet your new arsenal in safeguarding your workforce.
Are you ready to discover the future of safety management? Click the button below to schedule a personal demo and explore how Safety Champion can safeguard your workplace.

CLICK HERE TO BOOK A DEMO

Whether you’re taking the first or the next step towards fortifying your safety strategy, we’re here to help. If you have any questions or need more information about our software, email me at jacob.davine@safetychampion.com.au.

Championing our Partners – Women in Safety and Business

The Power and Potential of Women in Safety and Business

On the day (month) that turns the spotlight on the remarkable contributions of women across the globe, we channel our focus towards a niche yet pivotal domain — the safety industry.

Expertise, empathy, and empowerment create a unique ecosystem where women are leading the charge with innovation and compassion. This article seeks to celebrate our partners and amplify the voices of these trailblazers. Their stories are testaments to resilience, and their insights are a source of inspiration for both womankind and the world at large.

The Conscience of the Workforce

George Howe and Ashlee Russell from Howe & Russell portray women as the “conscience of the workforce,” revered multitaskers who apply practicality with grace and confidence. Their approach to safety management transcends gender stigmas, reflecting adaptability and enjoyment in the clients they serve. George and Ash speak fondly of their ability to shift seamlessly across diverse industries, reforming the notion that safety is a one-size-fits-all sector.

Empowering Other Women

Their commitment doesn’t end with their clients. George and Ashlee firmly believe in lifting, encouraging, and referring other women within their industry. Networking and sharing tools are not just about business development; it’s about acknowledging the thirst for knowledge and a passion for change and identifying the unmistakable grit and resilience that form the foundation of women’s role in safety.

A Journey Rooted in Partnership

Their business partnership was battle-tested during the unprecedented times of the COVID-19 pandemic. Managing a sizable hospital staff, they demonstrated their ability to seamlessly deliver essential services in trying times. The leap to entrepreneurship came naturally, respecting each other’s uniqueness, valuing laughter, and developing a client network that feels like family.

Unacceptable Standards and Stirring Hope

Amy Ashton, from Ashton Safety Health Environment, shares more sobering insights about the gender-specific hurdles she and others in her role have faced. From inappropriate advances to undermining competence, these roadblocks are remnants of an outdated mindset. Yet, Amy draws strength from these experiences to foster change. Her commitment to creating a supportive culture within the company showcases the resolve and empowerment that can inspire women and men to elevate industry standards.

Advocating for Equity

Amy hopes that addressing unacceptable behaviour head-on will inspire others to voice their experience and advocate equitably for the skills and expertise women bring to the industry. Her call is for initiatives going beyond lip service to actions that construct environments of equality and respect.

Fostering Inclusivity Through Holistic Approaches

Kate Quinlan at Complete HSEQ Solutions speaks on women-owned safety businesses’ unique value— holistic, far-sighted approaches to safety challenges. By promoting inclusive environments and emphasizing collaborative efforts, women contribute significant advancements to health and safety landscapes historically marked by singular perspectives.

Kate goes further than words, coaching, mentoring and championing women in the safety industry. Saying, “By sharing my experiences, insights, and knowledge, I can help them develop the necessary skills and competencies to succeed.”

“Additionally, I am committed to advancing gender equality within my workplace. I take a proactive approach to diversity within my business and ensure that our hiring practices are inclusive and equitable.”

Celebrating Women as Safety Innovators

As we showcase the narratives of George, Ash, Amy, and Katie, we’re not just recounting success stories. We are vouching for a philosophy that recognizes the indispensable role women assume in challenging, enhancing, and humanizing the industry of safety.

This International Women’s Day, we don’t just celebrate the ascent of women in safety; we reaffirm our commitment to their invaluable perspectives, to the culture of mentorship and camaraderie they nurture, and to the continued effort to make this industry a beacon of diversity, equity, and unwavering courage.

Your dedication elevates our industry, and for that, we thank you.

Empowering Women: A Catalyst for Change

Recruiting, Retaining, and Developing Female Talent
Creating a welcoming path for female professionals is analogous to planting seeds; the care and resources given in the initial stages dictate the strength of growth.
The roars for change have echoed, saying it’s time to not just make space for women but to offer hands in lifting them up. This year’s International Women’s Day holds an unmatched urgency as we strive to empower women across the globe. The focus? It’s on more than just creating opportunities; it’s about ensuring those opportunities lead to notable advancements, equity, and a platform where their voices can truly be heard.
Real change begins at the roots of workplace culture. Companies committed to diversity need recruitment strategies that are not just non-discriminatory but actively inclusive.
“We have always been focused on diversity across our business – be this gender, ethnicity, or age. I am a strong believer that variations in backgrounds, opinions and experiences drives innovation, and allows businesses like Safety Champion to punch well above our weight. Over our entire journey, we’ve typically seen an equal male/female split in both workforce and management positions. This is not novel or accidental. It has been intentional.”
Craig Salter, General Manager – Safety Champion Software
Equitable hiring, however, is just the beginning. Retaining female talent necessitates a nurturing environment. Mentorship, tailored development programs, and networks that support career advancement are the nutrients that any budding professional needs. Providing parents, mothers, and fathers alike with parental leave policies and flexible work arrangements ensures work-life harmony and leads to satisfied and loyal team members.
Supporting Women and Girls in Leadership and Decision-Making
Leadership should know no gender, yet women continue to be underrepresented at the highest levels of management. It’s more than a glass ceiling we’re striving to shatter; it’s a pattern of exclusion that’s up for renovation.
For a variety of reasons, women often have a harder time envisioning themselves as leaders. Active efforts to show them not only their potential but the guidance to achieve it are essential. Providing women with mentors can help them see past the barriers and show them that their voice carries weight. Additionally, special leadership development programmes not only enhance skills but also provide visibility and recognition.
Encouraging a Path to STEM
STEM fields, like Safety and Software development, have previously been challenging for women to enter. This starts at an early age, with girls dissuaded from subjects deemed ‘too difficult’ or ‘not for them’. Encouragement, exposure, and role models can reverse these misconceptions. By promoting STEM education and careers to girls, we pave the way for the next generation of female innovators.
We’re proud to say that at Safety Champion, 41% of our team are women (above the 31% industry standard), with 50:50 representation in leadership positions. We understand the importance of diversity in perspectives and ideas, which is why we actively encourage and support women to pursue careers in traditionally male-dominated fields.
Forging Women’s Economic Empowerment
Economic empowerment for women is not only a matter of justice but a driver for global development and stability. Pay disparities based on gender are obstacles to economic empowerment. Ensuring women receive equal pay for equal work is fundamental. This International Women’s Day, it’s crucial to push collective action to close the pay gap, lifting individual women and society as a whole.
At Safety Champion, we pride ourselves on paying equal wages for equal work. However, for us, support for women’s empowerment goes beyond just pay equality. Our culturally embedded People Programs make work and economic participation easier for everyone – including women. Programs like, WFH, Hybrid and remote working policies; Flexible Hours; Profit Sharing; Healthy Lifestyle Allowance; Active Mentorship, the list goes on.
The movement for women’s empowerment is a multifaceted, global mission. Cultural, economic, and social nuances shape the challenges faced and the solutions required. In this interconnected world, sharing successful strategies and supporting initiatives that promote women’s economic inclusion is vital for collective progress.
The advancements on this International Women’s Day lay the groundwork for the year ahead, one where we implement and grow these strategies. Empowerment is not a one-size-fits-all equation, and diversity of approach is as important as diversity of the workforce. It’s not a matter of if but when the fruits of our labour will be seen – in a world where every day is International Women’s Day.

How Safety Champion Software Enhances Workplace Safety Compliance in WHS and OHS

In the ever-evolving realm of business, prioritising Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) is non-negotiable. Compliance with occupational health and safety (OHS) standards is not merely a legal obligation but a fundamental aspect of nurturing a secure and productive work environment. Safety Champion, a leading WHS and OHS software, spearheads the transformation in how organisations approach safety compliance. In this blog, we will delve into how Safety Champion software augments workplace safety compliance, making it an indispensable tool for businesses committed to the well-being of their workforce.
Centralised Compliance Management:
Safety Champion provides a centralised platform for managing workplace safety compliance. From risk assessments and incident reporting to safety audits and document management, the software consolidates all compliance aspects in one accessible location. This centralised approach ensures that businesses can efficiently track, monitor, and address compliance requirements without the complexity of navigating multiple systems.
Real-time Incident Reporting and Analysis:
A standout feature of Safety Champion is its real-time incident reporting and analysis capabilities. Employees can easily report incidents, hazards, or near misses through the intuitive interface, enabling quick and accurate documentation. The software then analyses this data in real-time, allowing organisations to promptly identify trends, patterns, and potential risks. This proactive approach empowers businesses to take corrective actions swiftly, preventing the recurrence of incidents and promoting a safer workplace.
Customisable Compliance Checklists and Inspections:
Recognising the diversity in every industry and organisation, Safety Champion offers customisable checklists and inspection tools. Businesses can tailor these tools to match their specific requirements, ensuring that safety inspections align with industry standards and regulatory frameworks. This adaptability streamlines the compliance process and fosters a culture of continuous improvement in safety practices.
Automated Compliance Reminders:
Staying on top of compliance deadlines and requirements can be a challenging task. Safety Champion simplifies this process by offering automated compliance reminders. Organisations can set up alerts for critical compliance deadlines, training requirements, and other essential tasks. This proactive feature ensures that businesses never miss a compliance deadline, reducing the risk of penalties and enhancing overall safety performance.
Robust Training and Certification Management:
Employee training is a cornerstone of effective workplace safety compliance. Safety Champion’s training management module ensures compliance by keeping your team’s training and licenses current. Avoid the risk of relying on workers for license maintenance or spending time searching through personnel folders. Our module stores and attaches training details, eliminating the need for filing and preventing record loss. It provides a clear matrix of completed training, allowing quick identification of skills. The filter and search functions streamline the process, letting you focus on your core responsibilities without wasting time.
Safety Champion’s WHS / OHS software is a testament to the commitment to workplace safety and compliance. By offering a centralised platform, real-time incident reporting, customisable checklists, automated reminders, and robust training management, the software empowers organisations to elevate their safety standards. As businesses navigate the complexities of regulatory landscapes, Safety Champion emerges as a trusted ally in creating a secure, compliant, and thriving work environment.

Sales & Business Development Consultant

About Us

We are a rapidly growing tech business that provides an intuitive SaaS-based product to our customers to help them manage their health and safety obligations with ease. We currently support a host of Australian and international businesses across the retail, logistics, trades, manufacturing, and food and beverage industries.

We believe that embedding strong and sustainable safety practices does not need to be hard … in fact, it can be easy!

This is the driving principle behind Safety Champion and our mission is to make safety easier and more accessible to all people. Along with our sister company, Action OHS Consulting (www.actionohs.com.au), we seek to make a valuable contribution to the management of workplace health and safety in Australia.

At Safety Champion we are committed to actively fostering a diverse, open, and inclusive workplace. We are a B Corp certified (companies verified by B Lab to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability).

About the role…

Due to an exciting period of growth in our business, we are seeking an experienced Sales & BD Consultant to join our Melbourne team. Working in a small and dynamic team, you will be actively involved in helping our customers identify our software as a solution for their workplace health and safety management. Having a professional and energetic approach to your work, you will use your sales knowledge and experience to guide our clients through the sales cycle. We are lucky to have a great marketing team behind us who support our efforts through generating a steady stream of inbound leads, however to be truly successful in this role you will need to:

  • Utilise some of our great tools and custom written outreach guides to generate your own leads
  • Participate in the various trade shows and events across the country we attend and host throughout the year
  • Foster and grow relationships with some of the great people and business’ who refer business to us
  • Bring any of the amazing initiatives, networks, strategies or activities that have worked for you in previous roles! We love new ideas and are always open to supporting them!

To support you to be successful you will be mentored and coached by an experienced Sales and Marketing Manager who’s been in your shoes with our company, whilst also working closely with our people in Marketing, Customer Success and the Partner Program, as well as qualified Workplace Health and Safety professionals.

Salary will be structured as a base plus commission (no hurdles!). This position has growth and career potential!

About you…

  • You have a minimum of 2 years’ experience in a B2B consultative, solution-based industry.
  • You’ll be a walk up start on the communication front – with excellent communication skills (including comfort with developing new relationships) and the ability to engage with a broad range of potential customers/clients from tradies to CEO’s!
  • You like managing inbound leads but the thrill of generating your own gets you out of bed in the morning. You’re a hunter and hustler, always looking for new ways to generate new wins!
  • You can show us plenty of initiative, demonstrated by your ability to work autonomously and achieve KPI’s and objectives.
  • You’re an efficient operator, managing time well and keeping meticulous records in our CRM – Zoho.

Applicants with the following will be highly regarded:

  • Experience in software sales and/or health and safety related products and services.
  • The ability to demonstrate your success in previous similar roles

On that, besides the “work”…why us?

We aim to provide a comprehensive range of benefits to help you have a positive and fulfilling work experience. These include:

  • Our explicit consideration to both Sustainability and our Environmental Impact. We’re a Certified B Corp – you can read more about that here, so yes, we’re more than just a “recycling bin” here, and another there!
  • We hold monthly All Staff Meetings, along with an Annual All Team Conference. You get to hear and see from the Executive Team how we are performing. We strongly believe that your knowledge of our strategy and objectives, paired with both our financial and operational health, helps you to actively contribute to where we want to be in 12-months, and the next 5-years.
  • Our Profit Share Program means we share our “financial” success. You work hard to make us a success, so we want you to share in the “good times”. In addition to you taking some of the $$$, we also get you to annually nominate a charity of your choice, which we will then support and advocate for both internally and externally. Last year the count was 24 charities!
  • Along with life-work balance being one of our 6-values; we have established the following Wellbeing Initiatives: (i) cover the cost of your annual flu jab, (ii) provide you annual with a wellbeing allowance to use to any activity you like – as long as it benefits your physical or mental wellbeing, (iii) aim to increase the activity of our “social club”, (iv) have “healthy snacks” for those working out of Cubitt Street, and (v) promote hybrid work strategies.
  • We’ve established Tailored Onboarding and Buddy Programs. We want to ensure all “newbies” feel welcome and supported.
  • To building a Learning Culture – we provide you with two (2) Professional Development Days annually, plus we have a Professional Development Budget.
  • Sure, Public Holiday Swaphas become mainstream, however, this bullet point lets you know that it’s something we support. We want to support your beliefs, either culturally and socially.
  • We have a number of internal programs that we would love to walk you through such as our We Care Program. This offers employees who are going through a rough-time, the stability to stay balanced on their proverbial feet.

We take real pride in fostering a positive and supportive environment, that we hope will allow you to grow both personally and professionally.

How to Apply

If you have what it takes to be Sales & Business Development Consultant, we’d love to hear from you. Please submit your resume and a cover letter via this link to Megan Drysdale, Head of People. In your cover letter, specify your preference for flexibility (full-time or part-time) and your salary expectations.

The interview process will include a brief telephone screening chat, recording a demo video, face to face catch ups and a sales based technical assessment to show us what makes you our preferred candidate.

Action OHS Consulting and Safety Champion Software are values-driven, equal opportunity employers. We encourage applications from individuals of culturally diverse backgrounds, linguistically diverse people, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, members of the LGBTIQA+ communities, and people with disabilities.

Join us in our mission to create safer workplaces and make a difference in the lives of workers across Australia.

Safety Champion Software Attains ISO 27001:2022 Certification for Robust Information Security Management

We are thrilled to announce that Safety Champion Software has been awarded the prestigious ISO 27001:2022 certification, reinforcing our commitment to ensuring the highest standards of information security.
Why ISO 27001:2022 Matters for Safety Champion Software
ISO 27001:2022 is a globally recognised standard for information security management systems, and achieving this certification is a testament to our unwavering dedication to safeguarding the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information.
Strengthening Information Security Practices
Our journey towards ISO 27001:2022 certification involved a comprehensive review and enhancement of our information security practices. This includes everything from data handling and storage to access controls and encryption, ensuring that our customers’ sensitive information is protected at the highest level.
What This Means for Our Customers
For our valued customers and partners, ISO 27001:2022 certification provides assurance that Safety Champion Software takes information security seriously. Your data is handled with the utmost care, and our commitment to maintaining the highest standards of security aligns with the trust you place in our software.
A Collaborative Effort
Achieving ISO 27001:2022 certification was a collaborative effort involving every member of the Safety Champion Software team. We are grateful to our dedicated community for their commitment to excellence, which made this achievement possible.
Our Ongoing Commitment
ISO 27001:2022 certification is not the end; it’s a milestone in our ongoing commitment to information security. We will continue to invest in technology, training, and processes to stay ahead of emerging threats and ensure that our customers have the most secure safety management software available.
Join Us in Celebrating
We invite our customers, partners, and supporters to join us in celebrating this significant achievement. Thank you for your trust. We look forward to continuing to provide reliable and effective safety management solutions to help organisations achieve and maintain a safe working environment.

Safety Champion Software Awarded ISO 9001:2015 Certification for Exceptional Quality Management

We are thrilled to announce that Safety Champion Software has been awarded the prestigious ISO 9001:2015 certification, a testament to our unwavering commitment to quality management and continuous improvement.
What is ISO 9001:2015?
ISO 9001:2015 is an internationally recognised standard that sets the criteria for a quality management system. This certification demonstrates our dedication to delivering high-quality safety management software and services while consistently meeting and exceeding customer expectations.
Our Journey to Certification
We received ISO 9001:2015 certification results from the entire Safety Champion Software team’s hard work, dedication, and passion. We embarked on this journey with a clear focus on enhancing our processes, ensuring customer satisfaction, and continually improving our products and services.
What This Means for Our Customers
Our commitment to quality management directly benefits our customers, partners and users. ISO 9001:2015 certification assures that Safety Champion Software operates at the highest industry standards, delivering reliable and effective safety management solutions to help organisations achieve and maintain a safe working environment.
Thank You to Our Team and Customers
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our dedicated team, whose commitment and hard work made this achievement possible. We also want to thank our loyal customers for their trust and partnership.
Looking Ahead
This certification is not the end but a new beginning. Safety Champion Software remains dedicated to continuous improvement and innovation and provides cutting-edge safety management solutions for organisations worldwide.
Stay tuned for more updates as we raise the bar in safety management software!

Safety Champion Meet-up: Melbourne

Join us for a fantastic community meet-up in Melbourne!
The Safety Champion Melbourne Meet-up will take place at the Corner Hotel on Swan Street in Richmond, VIC, Australia Thursday, November 16, 6 – 8pm AEDT.
This in-person event is an ideal opportunity to connect with others who are equally passionate about safety. Come together with the Safety Champion community to share stories and indulge in delicious finger-food and drinks. It’s not just a meet-up; it’s a celebration of our shared values and a chance to be part of something bigger.
Click here to register for free today. 
We’re excited to meet you there!

 

Safety Champion Feature Update – November 2023

The Safety Champion feature update is a little less exciting than usual… but if you know us by now, that should get you excited!
We have been working harder than ever and whilst we can’t give too much away just now, we promise the next few feature updates will be jam packed!
Even still we have released a bunch of new things to Safety Champion since our last feature update. Some of the most notable are:
1. Asset and Equipment Module & Risk Module access at Worker Level
Workers can now be provided access to view asset and equipment registers and risk registers. This will give our current and prospective clients the capability to create even more access to information and shared visibility at a worker level.
2. Search and Filter Enhancements
With all the amazing data that’s coming in to Safety Champion we are always looking for ways we can make being able to search and filter as useful and easy as possible! Over the last few months we added a variety of new ways that different registers can be searched, sorted and filtered to do just that.
Safety Champion is continually evolving. If you would like to know more about our recent releases or what is on the horizon you can contact us to find out more, or jump in to a 14 Day Trial to experience it for yourself!

Client Spotlight – November 2023

We are always excited to work with companies that care about safety as much as we do.
Below are some client spotlights:

 

REFUELING SOLUTIONS

Refuelling Solutions is a nationwide provider of fuel delivery, equipment, management, logistics, information, and analysis. We serve thousands of Australian businesses across a variety of industries. In a dynamic move toward bolstering safety standards. Refuelling Solutions has partnered with Safety Champion Software to ensure their workplace is as safe as possible. The collaboration aims to ensure real-time incident data collection, swift reporting, and widespread information sharing both within and outside the company.
Refuelling Solutions’ National Operations Manager, Paul Hartin, highlighted the positive impact of the partnership on field personnel, stating, “Our people in the field are thrilled with this development. We are not only recording incidents with the app-based product but ‘near misses’ and ‘hazards’ as well. This means that we are getting proactive around safety and not just waiting for incidents to happen”.
Brent Herrick, National Sales and Business Systems Manager, shared insights into the implementation process “Getting the product configured to suit our needs took around a month, and from there, progress to installing it across the business was swift. We are now able to dissect incident data formally every month to produce safety recommendations that are relevant to what we are learning from the field”.
Brent also praised the team at Safety Champion’s responsiveness, hinting at exciting future developments in the pipeline. “Craig and the team have been great to work with and we are really looking forward to the ongoing development of their product”.

 

 

Master Pool Builders Association Australia - AB Phillips

The Master Pool Builders Association Australia, established in 1961, was founded by a dedicated group of pool and industry professionals. The primary goal of the Association was to elevate industry standards, and it continues to serve as the leading authority in the pool and spa industry to this day.
Chris Samartzis, CEO of The Master Pool Builders Association Australia, values the simplicity of Safety Champion. He emphasizes, “One of the big takeaways from Safety Champion, and something I implore the industry to embrace, is that prevention is key. It’s more important than dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s”. He goes on to highlight the significance of connecting with clients and industries directly, saying, “The way you connect with your clients and draw from their needs is something you should be very proud of”.

 

 

WIT Protection Services – Whatever it Takes – Professional Security Personnel – Melbourne

WIT Protection Services is dedicated to going above and beyond for their clients, ensuring peace of mind by safeguarding assets, products, people, and public image with precision and professionalism. They’ve successfully overseen security operations at some of Australia’s most prestigious events and venues, including the Australian Open, Blundstone Arena, Etihad Stadium, The Avalon Airshow, AAMI Park, Caulfield, and Flemington Racecourses. With their expert team, extensive knowledge, and years of experience, they possess the security expertise needed to mitigate your risks and ensure the safety of all attendees at your event.
Robbie El-Hayek, Operations and Integrity Manager values how customisable our platform is saying “Once we began looking into Safety Champion, we discovered how much we we’re able to customise the product and make it what we need. It wasn’t something that was off the shelf and having a mobile app is absolutely key for our industry, little things like that matter and that’s what made the difference for us”.

 

T2 Tea Australia stands as a leading example in the world of tea, guided by a strong corporate ethos that focuses on reinventing and reimagining the traditional tea leaf. They draw inspiration from a rich tapestry of experiences, encountering diverse individuals and exploring remote corners of the world. Their satisfaction stems from the rejuvenation of time-honoured tea traditions, infusing them with a modern touch that caters to today’s tea connoisseurs. With every cup they brew, they seize the opportunity to elevate the enjoyment, accessibility, and innovative spirit of tea, providing a platform to connect, understand, and share their passion for an enhanced tea experience each day.
Jayde Nicholson, former Head of Safety and Wellbeing speaks highly of our partnership over the years saying “The relationship we have had with Safety Champion has been more of a partnership. We have a high level of business alignment but also trust with each other. It’s down to that relationship, it doesn’t feel transactional, it’s continuous and they have our best interests at heart”.

 

Darrell Lea is an Australian company that manufactures and distributes chocolate, liquorice and other confectionery using only the finest ingredients and most mouth-watering flavours. Ensuring Sustainability is a key driver for the company as they believe that sustainability matters for the people who make it, the people who grow it and naturally, for the planet.
They are not just a business; they are an evolving entity expanding at such a rapid pace that integrating robust safety systems has become imperative. When asked why they chose Safety Champion, Leticia Roberts said “Here at Darrell Lea, we’ve opted for Safety Champion for a host of reasons, the primary one being its sheer ease of use. We find its accessibility incredibly handy — it’s a tool that just about anyone can easily navigate. Plus, its versatility is a major perk. Whether we’re on our mobile devices or sitting at our computers, Safety Champion is there and ready to be used. Its web-based nature means we’re always connected, and always able to access what we need when it comes to safety management, no matter where we are. It’s convenience and reliability on the go, and that’s exactly what we were looking for”.

5 Essential Features of Safety Champion Software for Effective Safety Management

In today’s fast-paced business environment, ensuring workplace health and safety is paramount. As organisations strive to meet their legal obligations and protect their employees, the need for streamlined and efficient Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) or Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) management is higher than ever. Safety Champion Software, an all-in-one cloud-based solution, is here to help you meet these demands effectively. In this article, we’ll explore five essential features of Safety Champion Software that make it a vital tool for effective OHS/WHS management.
1. Centralised Health and Safety Management
Safety Champion Software brings all your OHS/WHS requirements and registers into one central location. This consolidation streamlines your safety management processes, ensuring that nothing falls through the cracks. Whether it’s incident reports, risk assessments, safety plans, or training records, you can access everything you need with a few clicks. This centralised approach promotes consistency and transparency, enabling you to have a comprehensive view of your organisation’s safety landscape.
2. Real-time Incident and Hazard Alerts
Timeliness is crucial in addressing workplace incidents and hazards. Safety Champion Software’s automatic notification system keeps you informed in real-time. When an incident report is submitted or a hazard is identified, relevant personnel receive instant alerts. This feature empowers you to respond swiftly, minimising the potential impact on your workforce and operations. With Safety Champion, you’re not just managing safety; you’re staying ahead of it.
3. Task Reminders and Workflows
Ensuring that safety tasks are completed on time is essential for OHS/WHS compliance. Safety Champion Software automates task reminders and workflows, ensuring that nothing gets overlooked. Whether it’s scheduling safety training, conducting equipment inspections, or updating safety policies, the system ensures that responsibilities are assigned, tracked, and completed efficiently. This feature takes the guesswork out of managing safety tasks, helping you stay organised and compliant.
4. Customisable Reporting and Analytics
Effective safety management relies on data-driven insights. Safety Champion Software offers customisable reporting and analytics tools that enable you to track key safety performance indicators. Whether you need to assess incident trends, identify areas for improvement, or prepare compliance reports for regulatory bodies, you can create tailored reports to meet your specific needs. These insights empower informed decision-making and continuous improvement in your safety practices.
5. User-friendly Mobile App
Safety management doesn’t stop at the office desk. Safety Champion Software comes with a user-friendly mobile app, allowing your team to access critical safety information and complete tasks on the go. Whether it’s reporting an incident from the field, conducting a safety inspection, or accessing safety documents, the mobile app ensures that safety is in your employees’ hands, no matter where they are. This accessibility enhances overall safety awareness and responsiveness.
In the modern workplace, efficient OHS/WHS management is essential for legal compliance, employee well-being, and business success. Safety Champion Software offers a comprehensive solution to streamline and enhance your safety management processes. Its centralised approach, real-time alerts, task automation, customisable reporting, and user-friendly mobile app make it an indispensable tool for organisations committed to workplace safety. With Safety Champion Software, you can proactively manage OHS/WHS and create a safer and healthier work environment for your employees.

Sales Development Representative

Calling all phone sales guns from any background!

 

Our single vision is that “We want to see a world in which no one is hurt at work, ever”. It can’t be clearer than that.

We live for our values in all that we do

#customeralert #bettertogether #goforgold #loveboldideas #valuelifework #startupmindset

Bring your passion for business development to this exciting role offering a great base salary and commission.

  • Are you looking for an opportunity to get your foot in the door in Saas Sales?
  • Seeking a culture that brings out the best in you?
  • Looking for a supportive culture to learn with, grow with and achieve with?
  • Join our values-based company. Melbourne team. Flexible working arrangements.

 

About Us

We are a rapidly growing tech business that provides an intuitive SaaS-based product to our customers to help them manage their health and safety obligations with ease. We currently support a host of Australian and international businesses across the retail, logistics, trades, manufacturing, and food and beverage industries.

We believe that embedding strong and sustainable safety practices does not need to be hard … in fact, it can be easy! This is the driving principle behind Safety Champion and our mission is to make safety easier and more accessible to all people. Along with our sister company, Action OHS Consulting (www.actionohs.com.au), we seek to make a valuable contribution to the management of workplace health and safety in Australia.

At Safety Champion we are committed to actively fostering a diverse, open, and inclusive workplace. We are a B Corp certified (companies verified by B Lab to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability).

 

About the Role

In line with our ‘start up mindset’ we have created a new position – Sales Development Representative, to support our growth strategy across both our businesses – Safety Champion Software and Action OHS Consulting.

Leveraging your sales or customer service experience and your drive for results you will support both the Safety Champion Software and Action OHS Consulting teams to focus on business development opportunities with a large focus on outbound sales calls (utilising our extensive database and your research skills) – attracting valued customers and increasing our annual recurring revenue as an integral part of the team.

Collaborating with our Sales & Marketing and Consulting teams you will maximise your excellent communication skills and subject matter expertise to support customers through our service and product pipelines.

With your proactive attitude, easy going communication style, attention to detail and your willingness to learn or sharpen your B2B sales processes, you will generate business opportunities for our consultants and sales teams’ and contribute to business development strategies and activities.

As a new role there is opportunity for you to create, streamline and improve the sales/BD processes to meet business and market needs. We want your bold ideas!

To support you to be successful you will be mentored and coached by an experienced Sales and Marketing Manager, whilst working closely with our people in Marketing, Customer Success and the Partner Program, as well as qualified Workplace Health and Safety professionals.

Salary will be structured as a base plus commission. This position has growth and career potential!

 

Your Experience

  • You’ll be a walk up start on the communication front – with excellent communication skills (including comfort with cold calling) and the ability to engage with a broad range of potential customers/clients
  • Sales and business development, in particular B2B sales, will get you out of bed in the morning!
  • You can show us plenty of initiative, demonstrated by your ability to work autonomously and achieve KPI’s and objectives

Applicants with the following will be highly regarded:

  • Experience in software sales and/or health and safety related products and services.
  • Experience using CRM software

 

How did we do?

Submit an application to Megan Drysdale, Head of People, at people@safetychampion.com.au with a resume and cover letter detailing how you meet the requirements for the role and your motivation to work with Safety Champion.

Recruitment for this role will commence immediately – commencing with a telephone chat with Megan, followed by meeting a few members of the Safety Champion team.

As a values-driven, equal opportunity employer, Safety Champion encourages applications from people from culturally diverse backgrounds, linguistically diverse people, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, members of the LGBTIQA+ communities and people with disabilities. Applications will only be accepted from candidates who have the appropriate approval to work in Australia.

Client Spotlight – August 2023

We are always excited to work with companies that care about safety as much as we do.
Below are some client spotlights:

Home - Woodward Foods Australia Pty Ltd

Woodward Foods stands as one of Australia’s largest meat wholesalers, boasting distribution centres in Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Swan Hill. The company is dedicated to upholding the highest quality standards throughout its entire network and ensuring the utmost safety for its staff.
Geoff Davis commends the system, stating, “I have found it to be user-friendly and remarkably easy to upload relevant policies and procedures specific to our work site. The support provided by Safety Champion has been excellent.” When asked about his overall experience with Safety Champion, he enthusiastically expressed, “It’s a great system for managing WH&S aspects of our business. Highly recommended for any company transitioning to an electronic system.”.

 

Platypus Environmental Services, established in 2008, specialises in river restoration to enhance platypus habitats. With over 150 years of combined industry experience, Platypus offers comprehensive services throughout the entire life cycle of natural resource and river restoration programs. The team at Platypus Environmental Services has experienced several notable benefits since adopting Safety Champion Software. When asked about the standout advantages, Rohanna Teiwsen mentioned, “We appreciate the ease of inputting incident reports, having clear dates and deadlines for tasks, and the ability to create custom inspections and forms. Moreover, the offline access for most modules has been incredibly useful.

 

Ball Australia - Sakata Ornamentals
Ball Australia offers daily national distribution of high-quality seed and vegetative lines for flowers, vegetables, herbs, cut flowers, and tissue culture. Established in 2001, Ball Australia’s wholesale nursery is situated 38km from Melbourne on a 40-acre site in Skye, Victoria.
Regarding the benefits experienced since implementing Safety Champion, Amy Akers commented, “The centralised task system has been heavily utilised and quickly adopted, particularly for resolving issues handled by our maintenance team. The convenience of accessing SDSs while walking around the site, instead of having to return to the office or chem shed, has been a time-saver. Additionally, we spend less time inputting information from paper forms.”
She continued, “Overall, our experience has been excellent. We managed to roll out Safety Champion to our staff much earlier than expected, and they find it easy to use, resulting in a lot of positive feedback. The integration of Safety Champion with Employment Hero has been an added bonus, eliminating the need to duplicate staff record updates.

 

Windlab achieves first ever environmental approval for a wind farm in Tanzania | RenewEconomy
Windlab is a renowned global renewable energy development company owned by Squadron Energy and Federation Asset Management. Its inception aimed at commercialising cutting-edge atmospheric modelling and wind energy assessment technology, developed by Australia’s premier scientific research institute, the CSIRO. Since adopting Safety Champion, Nicole Makin from the Windlab team expressed notable improvements. “Everything is consolidated in one place, making it incredibly user-friendly for the workers. The Safety Champion team has exhibited great patience during the implementation, resulting in an easy-to-use system for the workers.”

 

Barwon Coast Committee of Management Inc (Barwon Coast) is entrusted with the management of 19km of coastline along Victoria’s Bellarine Peninsula. This stretch includes the beaches and foreshores of Ocean Grove, Barwon Heads, 13th Beach, and Breamlea. Working in collaboration with Traditional Owners, Barwon Coast’s core mission is to safeguard and enhance the natural environment while providing opportunities for residents and visitors to relish these areas.
With safety being of paramount importance for the organisation, Tristian praises the “very simple but user-friendly dashboard,” which effortlessly allows overseeing the progress of their safety program across multiple sites.

Empowering NDIS / Disability Services with Safety Champion’s OHS Software: A Journey Towards Enhanced Safety and Compliance

In the ever-evolving landscape of NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) and Disability Services, ensuring the safety and well-being of both clients and staff is paramount. Organisations operating in this space face unique challenges in maintaining compliance with safety regulations while providing high-quality care and support. Safety Champion, a leading OHS software company, has emerged as a powerful ally, providing comprehensive solutions tailored to the specific needs of NDIS and Disability Services providers. Let’s explore how Safety Champion’s OHS software has helped transform the safety culture and operational efficiency of organisations in this critical sector.
Streamlined Incident Reporting and Management: Safety incidents can occur in any setting, but in NDIS / Disability Services, prompt and effective incident reporting is crucial. Safety Champion’s OHS software streamlines incident reporting, making it easy for staff to log incidents, near-misses, and hazards. This real-time reporting ensures that immediate action can be taken, leading to quicker resolutions and a safer environment for both clients and staff.
Compliance Made Easy: Meeting compliance requirements is a complex task in the NDIS / Disability Services sector. Safety Champion’s software simplifies this process by providing a user-friendly platform that helps organisations adhere to safety regulations and standards. The software includes built-in compliance checks, audit trails, and automated reminders, ensuring that necessary certifications and training are up to date, minimising the risk of non-compliance.
Training Module for Skill Development: Caring for individuals with disabilities demands a skilled and competent workforce. Safety Champion’s Training Module equips organisations with tools to manage and track staff training efficiently. The software stores training records, certificates, and licences in one central location, enabling easy access to essential training information. With the Filter and Search functions, supervisors can quickly identify staff with specific skills, ensuring the right people are assigned to the right tasks.
Real-time Visibility and Analytics: Safety Champion’s OHS software provides organisations in the NDIS / Disability Services space with real-time visibility into safety performance. Dashboards and analytics offer valuable insights, allowing managers to make data-driven decisions and identify trends or areas that require improvement. This proactive approach to safety management empowers organisations to continuously enhance their safety protocols and reduce risks.
Customisation for Diverse Needs: Each NDIS / Disability Services organisation is unique, with specific requirements and processes. Safety Champion’s OHS software is highly customisable, catering to the diverse needs of different organisations. The flexibility allows businesses to align the software with their existing workflows, ensuring seamless integration and ease of use.
In the mission to provide exceptional care to clients and maintain the highest safety standards, NDIS / Disability Services organisations require robust and tailored OHS solutions. Safety Champion’s OHS software has proven to be a transformative tool, empowering organisations to elevate their safety culture, meet compliance requirements, and optimise operational efficiency. By leveraging Safety Champion’s cutting-edge technology, NDIS / Disability Services organisations can focus on their core mission while knowing that their safety and regulatory needs are in capable hands.

The Benefits of Mobile Accessibility in Safety Champion Software

In today’s fast-paced and mobile-centric world, having the flexibility to access crucial occupational health and safety (OHS) information on the go is paramount. With Safety Champion software’s mobile accessibility feature, businesses can unlock a host of benefits that contribute to improved safety management and enhanced efficiency. In this blog post, we will explore the advantages of mobile accessibility in Safety Champion and how it empowers organisations to stay connected, informed, and proactive in their OHS efforts.
Real-time Incident Reporting and Response:
With Safety Champion’s mobile accessibility, reporting incidents becomes effortless. Employees can quickly capture and submit incident reports directly from their mobile devices, ensuring that critical information is documented in real time. This immediate reporting allows for prompt response and appropriate actions to be taken, mitigating risks and reducing potential harm.
On-the-Go Hazard Identification and Risk Assessments:
Mobile accessibility empowers workers to identify hazards and perform risk assessments conveniently and efficiently. Whether they are conducting site inspections, identifying potential risks, or evaluating hazards, Safety Champion’s mobile feature enables employees to capture and document information instantly. This capability ensures that hazard identification and risk assessment processes are seamlessly integrated into their daily activities, strengthening proactive safety measures.
Seamless Communication and Collaboration:
Mobile accessibility facilitates seamless communication and collaboration among team members and stakeholders. Safety Champion’s mobile app enables users to share safety-related updates, exchange information, and collaborate on safety initiatives in real time, irrespective of their location. This ensures that everyone remains connected and well-informed, promoting a culture of safety across the organisation.
Enhanced Training and Compliance:
Mobile accessibility in Safety Champion makes training and compliance activities more accessible and convenient. Employees can access training materials, complete e-learning modules, and stay up to date with safety procedures and regulations directly from their mobile devices. This ensures that compliance requirements are met, and employees have easy access to the resources they need to maintain a safe work environment.
Increased Efficiency and Productivity:
By providing mobile accessibility, Safety Champion enhances overall efficiency and productivity. Mobile access allows employees to access important safety documents, procedures, and checklists, enabling them to perform tasks efficiently and without delays. This streamlines safety management processes, reduces paperwork, and saves valuable time for both workers and safety managers.
Mobile accessibility in Safety Champion software offers numerous benefits for organisations striving to enhance their occupational health and safety practices. By enabling real-time incident reporting, on-the-go hazard identification, seamless communication, enhanced training, and increased efficiency, Safety Champion empowers businesses to prioritise safety, reduce risks, and create a culture of proactive safety management. Embracing mobile accessibility in Safety Champion is a step forward towards achieving a safer and more productive work environment.

Sales Consultant OHS Software

Our single vision is that “We want to see a world in which no one is hurt at work, ever”. It can’t be clearer than that.

We live for our values in all that we do

#customeralert #bettertogether #goforgold #loveboldideas #valuelifework #startupmindset

Bring your sales experience & your passion for tech-based solutions to this exciting role offering a great base salary and commission. We will provide full training and the support to see you succeed in the role!

• Seeking a culture that brings out the best in you?
• Are you passionate about tech-based safety solutions?
• Join our values-based company. Melbourne team. Flexible working arrangements.

About Us

We are a rapidly growing tech business that provides an intuitive SaaS-based product to our customers to help them manage their health and safety obligations with ease. We currently support a host of Australian and international businesses across the retail, logistics, trades, manufacturing, and food and beverage industries.

We believe that embedding strong and sustainable safety practices does not need to be hard … in fact, it can be easy! This is the driving principle behind Safety Champion and our mission is to make safety easier and more accessible to all people. Along with our sister company, Action OHS Consulting (www.actionohs.com.au), we seek to make a valuable contribution to the management of workplace health and safety in Australia.
At Safety Champion we are committed to actively fostering a diverse, open, and inclusive workplace. We are a B Corp certified (companies verified by B Lab to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability).

About the Role

Due to an exciting period of growth in our business, we are seeking a Sales Consultant to join our Melbourne team. Working in a small and dynamic team, you will be actively involved in helping our customers identify our software as a solution for their workplace health and safety management by managing leads through the sales process. Having a professional and energetic approach to your work, you will use your sales knowledge and experience to guide our clients through the sales cycle.

Your drive for results will support both the Safety Champion Software and Action OHS Consulting teams to focus on business development opportunities with a focus on inbound sales calls (utilising our extensive leads list) – attracting valued customers and increase our annual recurring revenue.
With your proactive attitude, easy going communication style, attention to detail and your willingness to learn B2B (business-to-business) sales processes, you will generate business opportunities for our consultants and sales teams’ and contribute to business development strategies and activities.
To support you to be successful you will be mentored and coached by an experienced Sales and Marketing Manager, whilst working closely with our people in Marketing, Customer Success and the Partner Program, as well as qualified Workplace Health and Safety professionals.
Salary will be structured as a base plus commission. This position has growth and career potential!

Your Experience

• In your 1-2 years of work experience you have been exposed to SaaS sales or you have a sales industry background and are eager to get your foot in the SaaS ‘door’!
• You’ll be a walk up start on the communication front – with excellent communication skills (including comfort with developing new relationships) and the ability to engage with a broad range of potential customers/clients
• Sales and business development, in particular B2B sales, will get you out of bed in the morning!
• You can show us plenty of initiative, demonstrated by your ability to work autonomously and achieve KPI’s and objectives
Applicants with the following will be highly regarded
• Experience in software sales and/or health and safety related products and services.
• Experience using CRM software
• Experience in the work health and safety sector

How did we do?

Submit an application to Megan Drysdale, Head of People at people@safetychampion.com.au, with a resume and cover letter detailing how you meet the requirements for the role and your motivation to work with Safety Champion.
Recruitment for this role will commence immediately – commencing with a telephone chat with Megan, followed by meeting a few members of the Safety Champion team.

As a values-driven, equal opportunity employer, Safety Champion encourages applications from people from culturally diverse backgrounds, linguistically diverse people, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, members of the LGBTIQA+ communities and people with disabilities. Applications will only be accepted from candidates who have the appropriate approval to work in Australia.

Optimising Safety Budgets: Strategic Investments for a Safer Workplace at the End of Financial Year

As the financial year comes to a close, Australian businesses find themselves at a critical juncture for reviewing budgets and making important decisions. One area that deserves careful consideration is workplace safety. In this blog post, we will explore the significance of the financial year-end for businesses and highlight the importance of making strategic investments in workplace safety initiatives.
Evaluating Safety Performance: Reflecting on Achievements and Identifying Areas for Improvement
As the year draws to an end, it’s crucial to reflect on safety performance and assess the effectiveness of current safety measures. There is so much value in reviewing safety performance metrics, incident reports, and near misses. By analysing this data, businesses can identify areas for improvement and take proactive steps towards a safer workplace. If you’re looking for a tool to track and measure improvements in key metrics for internal purposes and continuous improvement try our Impact Assessment.
Budgeting for Safety: Allocating Resources Wisely
Proper allocation of resources is key when it comes to workplace safety. Businesses should make informed decisions by identifying safety-related priorities, assessing equipment and training needs, and considering compliance requirements. By allocating budgets wisely, businesses can create a safer work environment and achieve long-term cost savings.
Investing in Employee Training: Enhancing Skills and Competencies
Investing in employee training and development programs plays a vital role in fostering a culture of safety. From online courses to certifications and workshops, small to medium-sized businesses can empower their workforce to be safety champions.
Upgrading Safety Technology: Leveraging Innovations for Enhanced Safety
Technology continues to revolutionise workplace safety. There are so many advantages of upgrading safety technology for small to medium-sized businesses in Australia. From safety management software like Safety Champion to IoT devices, these investments can streamline safety processes, provide real-time insights, and enhance overall safety performance.
Cultivating a Strong Safety Culture: Promoting Employee Engagement and Ownership
Building a robust safety culture requires active employee engagement and ownership. Explore strategies for fostering a culture where safety is everyone’s responsibility. Effective communication initiatives, recognition programs, and the establishment of safety committees can empower employees to actively contribute to a safer workplace.
Preparing for Regulatory Compliance: Meeting OHS/WHS Obligations
Regulatory compliance is a vital aspect of workplace safety. Conducting audits, reviewing policies and procedures, and addressing any non-compliance issues are essential steps in meeting OHS/WHS obligations.
Recognise the true cost of not investing in safety
There is a cost associated with an organisation’s opportunity to enhance their safety systems, controls, initiatives, and tools. Identify your weaknesses and evaluate their impact in terms of lost time, insurance premiums, resources for return-to-work (RTW), and other measures. Understanding these figures can provide a robust basis to support your budgeting recommendations for safety in the new financial year.
As the 2023 financial year draws to a close, Australian business owners and safety managers have a unique opportunity to enhance safety measures and make strategic investments. By evaluating safety performance, wisely allocating resources, investing in employee training, reinforcing safety technology, cultivating a strong safety culture, and ensuring compliance with regulations, businesses can establish a safer work environment and reap the long-term benefits of prioritising workplace safety. Use this year-end to initiate a safer and more prosperous tomorrow.

The benefits of using OHS safety software for incident management and reporting

In today’s fast-paced and ever-evolving work environment, it is crucial for companies to prioritize the safety and wellbeing of their employees. This includes implementing effective Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) management systems that can help identify, mitigate, and manage risks associated with workplace hazards. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is by using OHS safety software for incident management and reporting. In this blog, we will explore the benefits of using OHS safety software and how Safety Champion can help organizations streamline their safety management processes. 
Streamlined incident reporting and investigation process
One of the primary benefits of using OHS safety software is that it enables organisations to streamline their incident reporting and investigation process. With Safety Champion, employees can easily report incidents and near misses using a simple web-based form, which can be accessed from any device. This information is then automatically routed to the appropriate personnel for investigation, ensuring that incidents are addressed in a timely and effective manner. 
Improved data management and analysis 
Another significant advantage of using OHS safety software is that it enables organisations to collect and analyse data related to workplace incidents and hazards. Safety Champion provides users with a centralised database where they can store all incident reports, safety inspections, and other safety-related information. This data can then be used to identify patterns, trends, and areas of improvement, which can help organisations make more informed decisions about their safety management programs. 
Increased compliance with safety regulations 
Using OHS safety software can also help organisations comply with safety regulations and standards. Safety Champion is designed to meet the requirements of various safety standards, including ISO 45001 and AS/NZS 4801, ensuring that organisations can achieve and maintain compliance with these regulations. Additionally, Safety Champion provides users with a range of customisable templates and checklists to help them meet the specific requirements of their industry or regulatory body. 
Enhanced communication and collaboration 
Effective communication and collaboration are critical components of any safety management program. OHS safety software like Safety Champion enables employees, supervisors, and safety professionals to communicate and collaborate in real-time. This can help to ensure that everyone is on the same page regarding safety-related issues and that corrective actions are taken promptly. 
Improved safety culture 
Finally, using OHS safety software can help organisations foster a positive safety culture. By providing employees with an easy and convenient way to report incidents and hazards, organisations can demonstrate their commitment to safety and encourage employees to take an active role in promoting a safe work environment. Additionally, by analysing incident data and identifying areas for improvement, organisations can continuously refine their safety management program and make data-driven decisions that improve overall safety outcomes. 
In conclusion, OHS safety software like Safety Champion can provide organisations with a range of benefits related to incident management and reporting. By streamlining incident reporting and investigation processes, improving data management and analysis, increasing compliance with safety regulations, enhancing communication and collaboration, and fostering a positive safety culture, organisations can better protect their employees and ensure a safer work environment. 

Client Spotlight – May

We are always excited to work with companies that care about safety as much as we do.
Below are some client spotlights:
SEQ Ice Cream distributes Streets, Ben & Jerry’s, and Everest Ice Cream to central and southeast Queensland, as well as northern New South Wales, providing comprehensive route trade services and allowing customers to order ice cream in bulk. According to Charlene Banner, “Safety Champion is an incredibly efficient tool for storing WHS programs and sending reminder notifications when items expire. It’s also invaluable for gathering compliance certification information every year. I use it every day and it’s an essential part of my work”.
Grace has been providing information management solutions to support critical national interests, relocation of households, and project logistics in Australia for over a century. One Grace is a fully integrated system that can be customized to meet the unique needs of individuals, families, businesses, and communities across the country and around the world. Prior to using Safety Champion Software, the Grace team struggled to keep all necessary stakeholders informed and up to date on actions required for their already established and robust safety program. According to Dan Jones from Grace Group, “Safety Champion has made our workers safer by ensuring timely vehicle servicing and simplifying upcoming warehouse inspections and more.”
The Shire of Burke is a local government area located on the south coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria in North West Queensland, Australia. Established in 1885, it covers an area of 39,864 square kilometers and shares a border with the Northern Territory. Before adopting Safety Champion, David Gornalle, a WHS Contractor at Burke Shire Council, faced several challenges with their paper-based system. These included a lack of transparency, difficulty in accessing physical documents, and hazard and incident reports being lost, overlooked, or not acted on.
Since implementing Safety Champion, David has noticed significant improvements, stating that “the Safety Management System can now be accessed on everyone’s phones, and the information source is available to all users and workers. There has been more buy-in and participation from workers, and the software has been great for safety activity planning.”. David loves working with Safety Champion and believes it is a stand-alone system that meets all requirements for developing a robust Safety Management System.
According to Ian Docherty, the HSEQ Systems & Assurance Coordinator at TMS Group Australia, Safety Champion has been a game-changer for Total Metering Services. By streamlining compliance management and enhancing monitoring capabilities, Safety Champion has allowed TMS to easily identify and report safety observations and incidents. The Human Resources module has proven especially valuable for onboarding new staff, and although there are some areas for improvement, TMS’s experience with Safety Champion has been overwhelmingly positive. As Ian puts it, “Thanks to the team at Safety Champion for helping us make our workplace safer!”. TMS Group Australia is a trusted field service provider that specializes in onsite smart metering, solar, and energy storage solutions for both business and residential customers throughout six states and territories in Australia, including NSW, Queensland, Victoria, SA, Tasmania, and the ACT.
Westar Truck Centre, which is part of the Patterson Cheney group of automotive companies, has been operating out of Derrimut and Campbellfield for many years, providing services to Melbourne’s busy western and northern freight corridors. They offer Isuzu, Western Star, MAN, Dennis Eagle, and Iveco retail services and have over 50 years of experience in the Australian truck industry. However, before they rolled out Safety Champion Software, Westar Truck Centre faced several health and safety challenges, including finding and filling out various forms, chasing managers for signatures, and losing evidence of record-keeping. Since adopting Safety Champion, they have seen incredible benefits, including the convenience of a single system that does it all and significant time savings. Steve Seat, a representative from Westar Truck Centre, summed up his experience with Safety Champion by stating, “It’s a great system!”

Safety Champion Feature Update – May 2023

The start to 2023 has seen the Safety Champion team release a range of exciting new modules, features and enhancements.
Some of the most noteworthy include:
1. The Asset and Equipment Module
The Asset and Equipment Module will help track, audit and maintain assets and equipment across various asset groups, ranging from laptop’s to forklift’s and everything in between.
2. MFA (Multi Factor Authentication)
Safety Champion has always been dedicated to ensuring security and data protection is at the core of everything we do. The release of Multi Factor Authentication ensures that access at all levels of Safety Champion is secure as possible.
3. Export Centre
Safety Champion has always believed that our clients should be able to access and export their data. This has always been possible via exports from single registers. Now we have taken this belief to the next level by allowing periodic singular exports of all data at once. Some of the benefits of this include giving our clients the option to manually back up their own system or even export data to feed into analytics platforms outside our own system.
Safety Champion is continually evolving. If you would like to know more about our recent releases or what is on the horizon you can contact us to find out more, or jump in to a 14 Day Trial to experience it for yourself!

Safety Champion Feature Update – January 2023

The end of 2022 saw the Safety Champion team release a range of exciting new modules, features and enhancements.

Some of the most noteworthy include:

1. The Risk Management Module

The Risk Management Module supports businesses to document known hazards by facilitating the risk management process. Create various risk registers and manage visibility and responsibility with easy allocation features.

2. Noticeboard Module came to iOS & Android

All the great intranet-style features of the Noticeboard Module came to mobile. Even better, accessibility to resources and information went offline. Employees can now access things like mental health resources, operational documents and whatever they need, direct from mobile, regardless of coverage!

3. Custom forms and embedded video came to the Communication Module

The Communication Module has always been a favourite of our customers. We decided to make it even more useful by allowing our customers to send communication’s that can include video’s and even have questionnaires built in to them. Once sent, you can track receipt and completion, then all the history saves directly in to the recipients HR or Contractor profile!

4. Signature’s came to incident reporting and sign off

You spoke and we listened. Some of our clients wanted the option to gather a signature at the time of an incident report and/or the time of investigation sign off. We love getting feedback from our clients and felt this was a feature that could add value for everybody.

Safety Champion is continually evolving. If you would like to know more about our recent releases or what is on the horizon you can contact us to find out more, or jump in to a 14 Day Trial to experience it for yourself!

Client Spotlight

We are always excited to work with companies that care about safety as much as we do.

Below are some client spotlights:

 

 

 

Gema Group is divided into three business sectors; Sports & Leisure, National Events and Aviation Services where they create quality catering experiences fuelled by their passion for hospitality. The company saw a big gap in their reporting system and their ability to communicate safety messages to the whole team, leading them to engage us at Safety Champion Software.

Since implementing our software the team at Gema Group has found that more incidents and actions are being reported when they first occur allowing the business to be ahead of the curve from the beginning. “With the learnings that are being recorded in the app, we now have the ability to share safety findings across the business as soon as they happen. Making the safety culture across all of our business consistent and more prominent than it has been before.” Says Dylan Mark, Gema Group Associate. “Safety champion has been great for us. We now have a program that lets us create the safety culture that we want in our business.” Mark continues.

 

 

 

 

 

Kerfab is a family-owned one-stop shop for machinery attachments and service agricultural, industrial, civil, and waste handling industries throughout Australia and New Zealand. Chris O’Flaherty from Kerfab says “This software is so user friendly and easy to use. The Safety plan is my favourite module as I can place all maintenance plans in there as well as safety and compliance requirements.”. At Kerfab the team are committed to providing a safe workplace for their employees and we’re thrilled to support their safety plan with our software.

 

 

 

 

Elmore is a minerals processing company that contracts its services to Australian mining companies. Specialising in processing provides Elmore with a means of achieving steady, predictable profits while reducing the impact of project or macroeconomic risks. Elmore values safety and their people, leading them to engage Safety Champion software to further their commitment to maintaining a safe workplace. Jennifer Matulick, WHS superintendent at Elmore says “I find Safety Champion visually appealing, user friendly and their support service is efficient.”.

 

 

 

 

Davell Products have been manufacturing quality sheet metal products, in the same location at Kirrawee NSW since 1946. Today, decades later they are still producing Australian made quality products together with excellent service. “Since the implementation of Safety Champion our workplace has gotten much safer. This software helps us track tasks and actions and most importantly keeps our employees safe at work.” Says Mathias Ramos. We are fortunate to partner with such a fantastic company and love supporting them to keep their people safe at work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lubambe Copper Mine Limited owns and operates the Lubambe underground Copper Mine located in Chililabombwe District of the Copperbelt Province in Zambia. With the help of us here at Safety Champion, our software supports them provide the safest possible work environment for their team. Gavin Mwape from Lubambe Copper Mine says “The software is able to capture hazards, actions, and incidents on any device, at any time. We use the easy-overview dashboard to monitor the progress of our safety program in real-time, and on any device. apart from being time saving, it makes the implementation of the safety management system easier by planning it out, delegating tasks and setting automated email reminders.”.

 

Safety Tech Talk: Artificial Intelligence

The November 2022 Tech Talk was focused on how artificial intelligence (AI) and computer vision (CV) is revolutionising the safety industry. We welcomed Victor Zorin from Fifth Ocean Technologies who discussed how they use AI, namely, computer vision, in monitoring compliance with OH&S requirements.

The key takeaways were:

• Current OH&S practices largely rely on manual observation, recording and analysis of unsafe behaviors, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive.

• AI adoption is more accessible and affordable than ever with computer vision being used for automatic detection of safety protection zones and hazards, analysing adherence of people to safety gear requirements in these zones and emitting alerts when non-compliance is detected.

• AI-based computer vision is here and can help track and predict workplace accidents and thus prevent them from happening, e.g., there are reports that deployment of AI/CV managed to reduce forklift-pedestrian interaction by over 75% in one month.

• Detection, reporting and analysis of near misses could be one of the most effective and important functions that computer vision can assist with. Without this technology most near misses will continue going unnoticed and unreported.

• Reaction of AI system is faster than of any human, a situation can be analysed in real-time with alert generated within 1/4 second.

We’re always on the lookout for the latest tech trends that can help make our workplaces safer and we also want to meet, share and collaborate with our peers in the sector. With that in mind, we are thrilled to announce our next Safety Tech Talk on 15 March 2023 which will be exploring virtual reality and it’s future within the safety Industry. You can find our more information or register for the event directly through the AIHS here.

10 Reasons Why Risk Management Matters for All Employees

Many people in the workforce view risk management as something that only applies to safety professionals. However, risk management is a crucial element of any successful business, and all employees have a role to play in minimising workplace risks. Here are 10 reasons why risk management matters for all employees:

 

1. Risk management helps to create a safe work environment.

By identifying and assessing risks, employees can take steps to avoid or mitigate potential hazards before they result in injuries, illnesses, or property damage. Creating and following safe work procedures is one of the most effective ways to prevent accidents and incidents in the workplace.

Now, post pandemic, many employers are considering long term hybrid work models due to their benefits. To preserve the full benefits of the hybrid model, it’s important for organisations and individuals to make sure that the work from a home environment is as safe as working from the office or worksite. Click here for more information on managing risk when working from home.

 

2. Risk management can help to reduce workers’ compensation costs.

Workers’ compensation insurance rates are generally based on the number and severity of claims filed by a company’s employees. By reducing the number of workers’ compensation claims, a company can lower its insurance rates and save money on premiums. In addition, by preventing accidents and incidents, a company can avoid the cost of lost productivity due to injury or illness.

 

3. Risk management can improve employee morale and retention.

A safe work environment is typically a happy work environment. When employees feel like their safety is valued by their employer, they are more likely to be engaged with their work and less likely to look for new opportunities elsewhere.

 

4. Risk management can save lives.

No one wants to think about the worst-case scenario, but preparing for it through risk assessments and emergency planning could mean the difference between life and death in an emergency situation.

 

5. Risk management can prevent legal liability.

Companies can be held liable for failing to take reasonable steps to protect their employees from foreseeable risks. By taking steps to identify and assess risks, companies can minimise their exposure to potential lawsuits.

Safety Champion supports businesses to capture records of their risk management activities. The evidence collected within Safety Champion will supports business leaders to demonstrate due diligence should a future need arises. Click here for more information on due diligence. 

 

6. Risk management can reduce business interruption costs.

If a company experiences an accident or incident that results in loss of production, it will incur additional costs to make up for the lost time. By implementing risk-reduction measures, companies can avoid these costly disruptions.

 

7. Risk management can improve customer satisfaction.

Customers want to know that the products they buy are safe and that they won’t be put at risk by using them. By ensuring that products are safe and minimising the potential for accidents and incidents, companies can provide their customers with peace of mind

 

8. Risk management can improve business continuity planning.

No company is immune from disruptions, but those that have well-developed continuity plans are better prepared to weather them. By identifying risks ahead of time and taking steps to mitigate them, companies can ensure that their operations will not be adversely affected by unexpected events

 

The Safety Champion Risk Management Module supports businesses to document known hazards by facilitating the risk management process.

 

Documenting risks, hazards, current controls, and planned actions in this module allows an organisation to capture, clearly communicate, plan, and monitor risks and hazards, enabling compliance and consistency across your businesses.

 

Additionally, this process will guide businesses to explore, consult and agree on the risk controls measures that your business has in place, or intends to establish, to protect those who may be impacted by your operations – which may include employees, contractors or visitors.

 

9. Risk management can enhance your company’s reputation.

A company’s reputation is essential for attracting customers, partners, investors, and top talent. A commitment to safety and risk reduction demonstrates that a company is responsible and cares about more than just making money.

 

10. Risk management is required by law in some industries.

In some industries, such as healthcare and construction, companies are required by law to implement risk-management programs. Failure to do so could result in hefty fines or even jail time for company executives.

 

The Safety Champion Risk Management Module provides a clear way for your business and management to manage their legal obligations; whist more importantly, ensuring that foreseeable hazards remain front of mind and controlled.


Implementing an effective risk-management program benefits both employers and employees alike. By taking steps to identify hazards and mitigate risks, companies can create safer workplaces, save money on insurance premiums and workers’ compensation claims, boost morale and employee retention rates, and avoid legal liabilities.

 

To find out more about our Risk Management Module or to request pricing, please click here.

 

 

[image source: Image by mindandi on Freepik]

Client Spotlight

We are always excited to work with companies that care about safety as much as we do.

Below are some client spotlights:

  1. McPhails
    McPhails is an established family owned and run business, founded in 1969, selling a high-quality range of furniture products. They are based in Wangaratta, Victoria and deliver their products within Victoria but also to New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia. They are opening an 8,000m2 warehouse and have undertaken a review of their safety functions, to support their new warehouse and growing workforce. They approached Safety Champion to assist them to provide their employees with one convenient location to hold all their forms, checklists, policies, and procedures, and now the team can access Safety Champion no matter their location (showroom, warehouse, office or on the road). “Craig has been fantastic with the implementation of Safety Champion for us and we are so happy we chose them for our business.” Says the McPhails team.
  2. Patterson Cheney
    Patterson Cheney is a large family-owned automotive industry with multiple sites and brands spread across Melbourne. Their focus has always been on providing exceptional customer service and maintaining a safe and enjoyable workplace for their amazing employees. Working within an industry as broad as automotive it was important to find a software partner and system that assisted them with maintaining very high safety standards. Daniel Waixel – Human Resources Manager says “After an extensive search Safety Champion was the unanimous decision as it provided a solution that was very user friendly whilst having all the required features. Our safety motto is “we are serious about safety” and we are very excited and confident that Safety Champion has the same philosophy and we believe that this will ensure our people remain as safe as possible.”. 


  3. Council Spotlight
    Over the last quarter Safety Champion has welcomed several councils to the Safety Champion community, across four different jurisdictions. In no order, these include Fairfield City Council (NSW), Moira Shire Council (VIC), Shire Augusta Margaret River (WA) and Scenic Rim Council (QLD). Given the range of worked environments their workers can be exposed to, ranging from office-based work, through to management of local roads and footpaths, parks and playing fields, libraries, waste disposal and many community services – we feel privileged to continue to build our footprint in this sector, supporting local government to make safer workplaces and safety communities for us all. 




  4. Porter Davis
    Porter Davis has been building homes for over 22 years and operates Australia wide. They have been awarded the Australian Professional Major Builder of the Year, the highest measurement of excellence within the residential building industry. They provide designers and builders to create bespoke homes from end-to-end. Porter Davis is committed to providing a safe work place for their employees and we’re excited to support their safety plan with our software. 

  5. Lotus Doors
    Lotus Doors is a leading supplier of adaptable space solutions to the commercial built environment delivering full turn-key solutions to its customers including design, manufacturing, installation and servicing. Australian owned and made, with depots in all major capitals and an international office in Auckland, New Zealand, Lotus has become the number one supplier of adaptive space systems. They have been operating in Australia for over 50 years and all our products are designed, developed, produced and tested from a purpose built 7,000sqm facility in Dandenong South, Victoria. Ensuring their employees safety is a top priority for Lotus Doors and we look forward to assisting them to meet their safety goals.

 

 

Safety Champion Software Launches Employee Assistance Program

Safety Champion Software now offers an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), a tool companies can provide their workforce to support their broader mental health, resilience, and wellbeing programs. Unlike traditional EAP pricing structures that have a pay as you use model, the Safety Champion EAP has a flat cost per employee regardless of uptake, making it far more accessible to small businesses.

 

“Our mission is to make safety easier and accessible to all businesses. EAP Programs are widely adopted in larger organisations, to support workers navigate both work and non-work-related issues. However, due to variability in the investment, small businesses are most often priced out of this service. Via a headcount pricing-model this strategic partnership with Action OHS and Safety Champion, provides small businesses with a clear and visible pricing structure, allowing them to leverage the benefits of this employee benefit, which include increased productivity, reduced absenteeism, and improved employee engagement and empowerment to name a few. The adoption of an EAP service is one piece of the puzzle businesses can use to navigate mental health hazards in their workplace” says Safety Champion CEO Craig Salter.

 

The workforce is seeing rising stress levels, ranging from work related stressors to personal problems. Not only is an EAP a vital resource employees can turn to in times of need but it also plays a big role in safety. In 2021 alone, there were 120,355 serious work-related injury claims, resulting in over 100,000 days of lost productivity. Those injuries are caused by a variety of things, such as repetitive stress or accidents. Although you can’t prevent every accident from happening, an EAP can help ensure your employees are taking care of their physical and mental health, putting them in the best position to be safe and careful at work.

 

With an EAP, employees can access assistance from a psychologist in both a face-to-face setting or over the phone and skype. Counselling is available via appointments at a location and a time that is convenient for the individual. Employees can access free, professional and confidential support for a range of scenarios including but not limited to:

  • Anxiety and Depression
  • Family and relationship problems
  • Loss and grief
  • Conflict at work or home
  • Substance abuse issues
  • Career transition
  • Trauma

 

Confidentiality and privacy are always guaranteed and counselling services are 100% confidential for users, except in the rare case that significant risk is identified. Demographic data is gathered on service users for analysis of trends and usage rates to assist your organisation to adapt to the welfare needs of their employees. All information is aggregated in such a manner as no individual service user can be identified.

 

The EAP can be integrated into Safety Champion, allowing employees to access information and guidance material via our Noticeboard Module. Not using Safety Champion Software? No problems, we can still provide you access to this service.

 

With EAP starting at less than $2.50/day for businesses with less than 10 workers, if you would like to find out more, please Contact Us and a member of our team will be in touch with you in less than one business day.

 

If you want to find out more about the EAP, fill out your details below. 

EAP - Register your interest

EAP - Register your interest

T2 Case Study – How software can meaningfully improve your safety program

Introduction  

 

At the May WHS Show in Melbourne, together Craig Salter and Jayde Nicholson shared the stage in a Spotlight Session where they presented on the topic: How software can meaningfully improve your safety program. 

 

Craig (Founder of Safety Champion Software & CEO of Action OHS Consulting) and Jayde (Health and Safety Manager, T2 Tea) together explored the tangible benefits that T2 Tea (T2) have found as part of their Safety Champion software roll out – which commenced 2017. Their podium session which was attended by approximately 50 business owners and OHS Professionals examined how safety software can reduce administration and increase the visibility of “what is happening” within the workplace. 

 

Through the Spotlight Session, two (2) case studies were explored by Jayde. These included: 

  1. How software created efficiencies in T2’s health and safety program by reducing safety administration, thus allowing more time to be spent on understanding and improving safety across their retails, head office and distribution workplaces globally; and how software can support health and safety program agility, highlighted by the fast-rollout of initiatives such as their Mental Health Program. 

 

In conclusion, Craig provided an overview of four (4) considerations, from his experience with onboarding over 1,250 customers, that businesses looking to transition from paper-systems to a software-system should make: 

  1. Focus on your Objectives (what you want the software to support) over Workflows (how the software will achieve the objective) 
  1. Be clear on your functionality needs. Is offline access a must? Do you have a remote workforce? 
  1. Ensure that software will support Action over Administration. Be careful that you don’t move the administration from your safety program, to administering your software

 

Watch the full presentation below (20 Min)

You can also view the presentation slides here.

WHS Show Presentation

Flexible work and Psychological Safety

With more and more workers expecting to be able to access flexible working arrangements, employers are finding they may need to find more flexible options to attract and maintain employees.

Psychosocial hazards and risks

When considering flexible options, it’s important to understand the psychosocial risks that employees may face if they are working from a location other than their usual place of work.

Under work health and safety laws, psychosocial hazards and risks are treated the same as physical hazards and risks.

A psychological hazard is anything that may increase the risk of work-related stress, such as bullying, poor support or lack of role clarity. [Source: Safe Work Australia].

Impacts of flexible working

Workers who are already feeling stressed by their working situation, and poorly though out processes that do not consider their individual circumstances, may be doomed to problems right from the start.

With the proposed inclusion of psychosocial hazards into the Victorian OHS Regulations in 2022, returning to the workplace is a great opportunity to review how we manage psychological risk and to start the conversation with employees.

The NSW Centre for Work Health and Safety has recognised both the problem and the opportunity and have published a best practice guide for flexible and work-from-home arrangements based on research they conducted in to the impacts of flexible working.

In their own words:

“Flexible work is becoming more common and the demographic of the Australian workforce is shifting (e.g. ageing population, increase of women participation in management roles, increase of males undertaking caring roles, increased participation of workers with a disability, and global mobility reshaping the profile of organisations).

More businesses are providing flexible work arrangements leading to a pressing need for a new and more inclusive WHS framework. Workers are under a combined influence of individual psychological factors and the surrounding social environment on their wellbeing and ability to function.”

Other resources:

Safe Work Australia has developed a step-by-step process for preventing and managing psychological injury, intervening early and for taking action to prevent your workers becoming ill or sustaining a psychological injury.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Safety Champion Software Certified as a B Corp

On 17 February 2022 Safety Champion Software was awarded Certified B Corporation (B Corp) status.

View our B Corp Profile

From Craig Salter (Founder & General Manager Software):

“This has been an important 24-month journey for Safety Champion Software. It demonstrates our continued focus on being a purpose-led organisation, highlighting our continued reflection on how we as an organisation and the work we do, can positively impact both social and environmental outcomes”.

From Jake Davine (Sales and Marketing Manager):

“Our Vision is to see a world in which no one is hurt at work, ever. We wanted to make it visible to both our team and customers that not only do we operate ethically, but collectively we want our impact to be greater than the software we build and onboard. The B Corp process have provided us with a great roadmap”.

 

 

Safety Champion Software’s with an overall impact score was 94.4, with the median score for ordinary businesses who complete the assessment is currently 50.9.

To find out more about B Corp: https://bcorporation.com.au/

Managing risk when working from home

It’s no surprise that moving between an office, site, and home working location has its benefits for employees. Flexibility and increased autonomy can improve mental wellbeing, which helps to increase staff productivity and retention.

This type of hybrid work model started to become popular in recent years, with some employers embracing this new way of working, whilst others were more cautious. But once the pandemic hit, employers who had not supported the model, and those who simply rejected it, were forced to be more flexible.

A new way of working

Now, post pandemic, many employers are considering long term hybrid work models due to their benefits. To preserve the full benefits of the hybrid model, it’s important for organisations and individuals to make sure that the work from a home environment is as safe as working from the office or worksite.

When working on a site, in an office or in a public space, safety inspections and audits are part of the way we work. While sometimes they can be tedious, they always have a purpose. Few would disagree that it’s better to discover a safety risk as part of an inspection, rather than after an employee is injured.

So, does an employee’s private residence count as a workplace if they are conducting work there? The answer is yes! And if an employee is injured in their home whilst conducting work, it’s considered a workplace injury.

Because of this, organisations need to ensure they have systems in place to identify and assess hazards in a home work environment. They then need to implement risk controls and review them, the same as for any other hazard. To do this, organisations need to ensure their employees complete regular safety checks in their own home environment, just as they would complete a regular safety check in a traditional workplace.

Resources for employers

Business Victoria has created a helpful template to help you get started on the type of hazards that need to be considered and made safe: Working from home safety and wellbeing checklist | Business Victoria

It’s also important to set aside regular check in time with employees who are working from home. Managers or supervisors may not have regular face to face contact with these individuals which can make it much more difficult to know when something isn’t quite right and when to provide further support. So make it a date!

Lastly, if a home work environment is unsafe for operational or personal reasons, it’s important to provide another work location. No matter the source of the risk, if it effects the employee during their work hours, it is a workplace hazard.

Here are a few more resources to help you navigate the risks safely, so that everyone can have the flexibility that works for them post pandemic.

Managing risks | Safe Work Australia

Minimising the spread of COVID-19: Working from home – WorkSafe

Health and safety for working from home | WorkSafe.qld.gov.au

Read More

Build a safer workplace with data analytics

No matter what type of industry you are in, data quality should always be a priority. The ‘cleaner’ and more accurate the data, the better the reporting and analytics which in turn will provide accurate insights into safety trends in your organisation.

When it comes to data and analytics, there are some great and not-so-great ways to go about it.

Reduce the ‘human element’

Relying on paper records to support data analytics can be risky and time consuming. Paper-based solutions or spreadsheets can be tricky things to manage. Multiple users and relying on people to manually input information can result in errors and inconsistencies in the data set, and the subsequent reports.

There is also the time factor. Think hours spent rummaging through filing-cabinets, chasing up staff by phone or email to submit their reports… It sounds like a laborious process that could easily be avoided.

Thankfully, technology is here to help.

Cloud-based safety software like Safety Champion reduces the ‘human element’, and delivers a more efficient way to meet your legal obligations to monitor workplace risks by creating clear, real-time oversight across your whole safety program.

Enabling all your employees to interact with a simple-to-use online software system makes it easier for them (and we love happy workers!) to provide the information you need but it also increases that quality and quantity of data we are looking for – and a central location to find it all.

Good data = great outcomes

Once you have good data, Data Analytics Software can play a huge part in understanding trends and outliers. When data is visualised well, it helps to tell a story by highlighting the useful information in a form that’s easier to understand. Understanding this information is critical to ensuring you are spending your time, money and resources in the areas that will really help increase the safety of your people.

Powerful data and analytic tools will show you exactly where you stand on workplace health and safety. Safety Champion’s Data Analytics Module effectively visualises your data via customisable, interactive dashboards – identify user behaviour, understand how your workforce interacts with the system, and importantly, make informed data-driven decisions on visible trends.

Read more about our Data Analytics Module

Read More

October is National Safe Work Month

5 Tips for a productive National Safe Work Month – October 21

October is National Safe Work Month – a time for Australian workplaces to showcase and promote work health and safety.

The theme for National Safe Work Month this year is think safe. work safe. be safe.

October is not only a perfect time to celebrate and promote the importance of health and safety in the workplace, it is a time to focus on identifying risks by actively listening to workers about their experiences, and implementing work health and safety procedures that benefit all.

5 areas to consider

  1. Plan.
    Get the most out of Safe Work Month and actively talk to your teams and schedule. Safe Work Australia has some fantastic resources to help build excitement and get people talking about National Safe Work Month. Download Safe Work Australia’s National Safe Work Month Campaign Kit.

  2. Listen (…then talk).
    Identify ways that you can interact with key stakeholders. For workers, schedule a “Safety Month” event – morning teas and BBQ’s are always a hit, alternatively schedule in some time during an existing team meeting. Authentically ask: “What opportunities are there for us to improve your safety, or the safety of our customers” – then listen (and take notes). Don’t refute.
    For clients, reach out via a survey [online or at reception]. Have them provide a 5-star rating for: “How would you score us for safety, given our past interactions”; followed by an opportunity for them to provide comment/s.

  3. Do.
    Given the energy generated from your planning, Safe Work Month provides a great time to schedule safety activities:
    Review your Safety Manual (and documents). Does it reflect the work you do? Yes – *Tick*. No – You need to decide: (i) Do you update the document to reflect the work? Or (ii) Do you change the work to reflect the document? Or (iii) Can you take a little bit from column A and a little bit from column B.
    Safety Walk-through Inspection – is signage, line marking, lighting, walkways, and equipment in good condition? When you look actively, you will see things that you miss when you look passively.
    Gather a group and make a list of the “things” that could injure workers and/or customers. Once created – make a list the things you are doing to prevent the injuries. Is there more that you could, or should do?
    Schedule any annual training or communications – for example, re-inductions to workers and/or contractors.

  4. Upskill.
    Safe Work Australia and your state regulator (one of: WorkSafe, SafeWork, WorkCover) will have a calendar of events during Safe Work Month. ‘Look’ and ‘Book’ now.

  5. Look.
    Search for ways that you can make safety a part of your business as usual. Use Safety Champion Software  to schedule inspections, report and monitor workplace health and safety risks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don’t let COVID-19 mean you neglect the rest of your OHS program

As we continue to see a challenging period for business’ as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccination drives across the country will hopefully, in the coming months, see us emerging from lockdown and getting back to a relative kind of normal. From a workplace perspective, many organisations will be able to reset and re-establish their operations by working with the guidance provided by governments, peak industry bodies, and safety regulators.

 

To keep workers and customers safer against the pandemic and allowing businesses get back on track, the focus will certainly be on being proactive. Organisations have assessed known risk areas, implemented control methods, and both established and documented clear OHS policies and procedures. Importantly, they have identified ways to support safety-related information flowing through to workers, often realised via an increase in team meetings or the roll out of cloud-based solutions like Safety Champion Software.

 

However, in the chaos of the last year, and the first half of this year, with so many ever-changing COVID-19 related rules to follow, many of us may have inadvertently forgotten about our overall OHS safety program. Do you even remember the last time you reviewed any of your workplace OHS policies, or audited operational practices that weren’t COVID-19 related?

 

 

The pandemic certainly brought attention to the value of the OHS industry as a whole, and helped to show how important it is to have clear and concise protocols for employees to follow in a crisis. But now it is time to leverage the outstanding work we have all achieved in the health and safety space in our workplaces and move the focus to areas we may have been neglecting over the past year, with the COVID-19 response taking up more attention.

 

Don’t just limit your focus to what has fallen to the side as a result of COVID-19.

 

With a newfound confidence in the management of COVID-19, businesses are now encouraged to extend their lens to hazards and risks that may have been historically ignored. Pay attention to those hazards and risks that have previously been viewed as “too hard” to manage, or those hazards and risks that businesses have ignored as they were not sure what effective management could look like, or how change could be implemented.

 

Now is the time to seize the moment. Now is the time to consider the shortfalls in your OHS safety management system. It’s time to reassess your priorities and look under the hood.

 

Here are some considerations to bear in mind when assessing the health of your overall OHS safety program:

 

 

Go back to the beginning

Firstly, refer back to your pre-COVID-19 safety program documentation and think about what your priority areas were then. What has changed? What challenges or focus areas remain the same and which ones are now different?

 

As workplaces push on and operate in a new kind of normalcy – and with employees performing their roles in a variety of new ways and in a range of locations – what else besides COVID-19 do we need to focus upon to ensure our employees are safe from other workplace hazards and risks?

 

No doubt many areas of your program will have changed and need to be updated since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, you may also likely to be faced with similar safety challenges as you experienced pre-pandemic. Work through these carefully.

 

It’s important to plan to ensure your highest priority, or greatest consequence hazards, are addressed. Ensure your safety program remains relevant, and that it reflects your actually workplace activities. When your safety program reflects the work ‘as done’, it will do its job in supporting the safety function across your organisation, long past COVID-19.

 

 

Break it down into small projects

Consider breaking down your requirements into smaller projects or short-term pieces of work to make them more manageable. Could you make a business case for more resources, tools, funding and/or professional safety support to assist you in addressing certain areas of your safety program that have been neglected?

 

 

The onboarding of specialised OHS consulting staff for short-term project work, as opposed to hiring full-time staff in safety-focused roles, can be an affordable way to tackle your priority projects. They can help shine a light on the key areas of focus that will keep your workplace safe and healthy.

 

In addition cloud based health and safety solutions can create an easy way for you to manage these projects and create shared access and visibility, during times where we may not all be operating from the same locations, or have challenges travelling to some sites.

 

Pitch it to management the right way

Your management team will no doubt have recognised the importance of an effective health and safety program, and the implementation of OHS procedures throughout the pandemic. They most likely also would have realised the challenges that arise in maintaining visibility of health and safety, during periods of remote work and travel restrictions.

 

In many cases, the pandemic has been a catalyst for our understanding of why OHS safety programs are important to the overall functionality of your business. So leverage it for better safety practices at your work and more tools to make the process easier.

 

When you are seeking more resources or funding for your safety program, it’s likely management will want to see the value of the investment. This can be demonstrated by explaining how the work or resource ties into broader business goals, and by defining the return on investment.

 

When pitching for safety software, more resources or funding, consider different ways to frame your case. For example, does your business have a focus on returning productivity to pre-pandemic levels, or ascending to a higher level? Do you want to build employee morale after a challenging period of change? Or do you need to focus on improving systems and processes to support efficient ways of working?

 

All of these are opportunities for you to make a case for funding or resourcing pieces of your OHS program or obtaining software to support it. Support from your management is essential for these goals to be achieved in one way or another.

 

Keep your employees front of mind

While COVID-19 will remain an important focus in our workplaces for some time to come, this doesn’t mean we can be ignorant of other hazards and risks that may exist. Some aspects of how we approach our work have significantly changed. However, protecting the health and safety of colleagues will always be the focus.

 

Our employees are the lifeblood of our organisations and without them, there would be no business, no workplaces. So take the time now to review your whole OHS program, not just the policies and procedures relating to COVID-19. Consider integrating your COVID-19 measures into your OHS program as a whole if you haven’t done so already.

 

 

The key is to not lift the focus from your COVID-19 policies and procedures but to turn your attention to other just as important aspects of your program to ensure that whatever may arise in your workplace, you and your employees are ready to face it.

 

To experience how Safety Champion Software can support these process’ and incorporate your Covid-19 measures you can sign up to a 14 day trial today

The importance of tracking safety metrics

Do you measure the performance of the health and safety program in your workplace? When a company has a safety program in place but doesn’t know how effective it is, they’re putting their employees at risk. If you have no idea if your safety program is performing as it should, how do you know if it is being efficient or where improvements could be made?

 

The answer is to implement safety metrics.

 

Safety metrics are designed to help organisations like yours to measure how their safety programs are performing against predefined goals, and to identify potential gaps or areas for improvement within the health and safety program of your business.

 

They are a crucial resource to refer to when making any decision around health and safety in the workplace. So, if you haven’t, you really should be considering implementing safety Key Performance Indicators within your health and safety program today.

 

 

What is a safety KPI?

Key Performance Indicators, or KPIs, are metrics that are predefined targets to aim for. In turn, setting KPIs helps to measure the performance of an organisation, based on how far it exceeds or falls below these targets.

 

There are two main types of KPI indicators within the health and safety sphere, and helpfully they are from the same letter of the alphabet:

 

  1. Lagging indicators are focused on past statistics such as how many people were hurt or how severe their injuries were.

 

  1. Leading indicators look after the measurements of the actions taken to prevent incidents from happening in the first place, such as safety inspections and safety training sessions.

 

Using a combination of both of these indicators is the most effective way to measure the effectiveness of your safety program. The best thing is you don’t need to start from scratch. Safety Champion software can make this process easy.

 

Safety Champion software can, for example, allow you to track your established KPIs and alert you about actions that require attention and correction. Furthermore, it offers the capability to track the number of incidents that have been reported, closed, and that remain open.

 

Why do you need safety KPIs?

Tracking your safety KPIs works not only as a diagnostic tool to identify the safety problems within your organisation, but it can also be a driving force for future planning and improvements and ultimately for the success of your business. Visibility to KPIs and associated organisational metrics works to give you visibility of the overall health of your company in terms of safety. What’s not to like about that?

 

In addition, KPIs can readily assist your safety managers to better understand areas that are working and not working. This will ultimately steer your company’s safety program in the right direction and provide the framework to take immediate action to solve safety issues that may arise. When implemented correctly, your KPIs will do the heavy lifting so you don’t have to.

 

How do you decide on your safety KPIs?

There will be circumstances specific to your business that will determine what specific safety KPIs you implement. Factors such as your company’s business operations, goals and strategies, your current risk management activities, existing safety systems and workplace culture can all play a part in what you want to measure, and ultimately how well your health and safety program will perform.

 

When deciding on what your safety KPIs should be, it can be handy to ask yourself a set of questions:

 

  • Where does our organisation currently stand regarding its health and safety performance?
  • Where do we want to be tomorrow?
  • Who within our team receives safety KPI data and what do they do with it?
  • How are safety KPIs and the conclusions that are drawn from these communicated to others within our business?
  • What are our aspirations for driving change within the organisation?

 

Your business is special. What works for one company may not necessarily work for another. It is important to recognise that different industries have their unique set of safety priorities that they want to focus on, and this ultimately will determine the metrics they choose. What are your safety priorities?

 

 

Examples to get you started

If you’re unsure of how to get started on developing your own safety KPIs, here are some essential safety metrics all workplaces should consider implementing:

 

  • Incidents and Near Misses

 

Reviewing the number of near misses that have been reported offers a very good idea of where within your organisation the occurrence of incidents or injuries is most common, and consequently where there is a high probability of occurrence in the future if preventive actions are not taken.

 

Safety Champion’s powerful reporting allows you to identify the type of incidents that have been reported across your organisation, or from a specific area or department within your workplace. It also allows your employees to self-report incidents, which ensures your safety KPIs will become collaborative goals across your business.

 

  • Inspections and Audits Completed

 

Keep track of the number of safety audits and inspections your organisation undertakes in all areas of your operations. Take record of when you complete these, and who within your business operations meets your safety standards to keep track of any changes.

 

Safety Champion software can make this process easy, by giving you automated reminders to undertake your audits and inspections, whether you decide to do these on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis.

 

  • Corrective Actions

 

Having a high percentage of actions resulting from incidents might mean that you need to consider corrective and/or preventative measurements to prevent the incidents from happening again.

 

Gather the number and type of corrective actions taken from hazardous incidents whilst keeping an eye on the time frame it takes to complete the corrective actions associated, or indeed if they are being completed at all. This collation of data can also be easily achieved with Safety Champion Software.

 

  • Employee Training

 

Implement relevant health and safety training for all your employees, from full time to contractors, to effectively establish health and safety practices and reporting. Again, Safety Champion Software can assist you in keeping track of your employee training records and the implementation of a training schedule.

 

If all your employees are aware and understand your health and safety procedures and policies, you are well on your way to creating a positive safety culture and engaging your workforce with all things safety. You’ll be ensuring you remain compliant and be on your way to successfully measure against this KPI.

 

 

It cannot be stressed enough how important the tracking of safety KPI’s within your health and safety program can be to the overall effectiveness and performance of your business operations. If you proactively promote a safety culture within your organisation, you are taking an important step in encouraging your employees to participate actively in reporting safety metrics.

 

Moreover, by determining the key metrics and finding the right balance of those that would suit your unique business you will help senior management to get a clear picture of what steps need to be taken to protect their employees from risk and harm. Having a powerful reporting system in place such as that offered by Safety Champion Software, you will be well on your way to implementing and measuring your key performance metrics and ultimately keeping your employees safe – a key indicator of success.

 

 

To experience effective and powerful reporting of safety metrics, sign up to a 14-day trial of Safety Champion Software today. 

 

We’re launching our new Safety Tech Talks in partnership with AIHS

At Safety Champion, we are a bunch of safety people whose mission is to do safety better. We want to see the latest in safety tech out there in our workplaces, and to help push our partners to the next level.

 

We’re always on the lookout for the latest tech trends that can help make our workplaces safer. We also want to meet, share and collaborate with our peers in the sector, and to bring fresh ideas and energy to our profession.

 

This is why we are introducing Safety Tech Talks!

 

What are Safety Tech Talks?

Safety Champion has partnered with the Australian Institute of Health & Safety (AIHS) to deliver these new and exciting networking and safety technology exploration events for progressive, active safety professionals.

 

These events have been designed to offer you and your employees a much-needed opportunity to network with professional peers, and relevant safety technology providers face to face.

 

They are also a fantastic way to experience the latest, most innovative safety technologies first-hand.

 

This is a much-needed opportunity for safety people to get out there and explore the latest in tech products that will assist them to perform better in their roles, and keep people safer.

 

The tech to look out for

Safety Tech Talks wants to shine a light on the most progressive safety-related technologies. If you’re wanting to explore what the future will bring to our profession, these are the events for you.

 

We’re hugely proud to be bringing the latest in safety tech to our peers in the sector. We ourselves want to see this stuff and play with it, and we know that you do too.

 

Come along to see innovation and guest demonstrations of some of the most cutting-edge safety tech out there today, from well-known organisations such as Tesla, MonJon and Ancap Safety among many others.

 

We’ve arranged the tech that will be showcased to align with the following key safety themes:

  • Dust Monitoring
  • Manual Handling
  • Vehicle Safety
  • Working at Heights
  • Worker Monitoring

 

There’s sure to be something on offer for you and your organisation that might just make your workplace that much safer.

 

A chance to network

We know that there aren’t too many opportunities these days for people to get out there and network, so we’re pleased to bring you this great 2-hour event to do just that. It’s outside business hours, so you don’t have to worry about taking a day off work, you can connect, schmooze, and enjoy some food and drink on us.

 

And with event sizes of up to only 50 people, our intimate events ensure you can get up close and personal with the tech. You will be able to meet the suppliers, see the products and try them out. But most of all, to have some fun!

 

Register for our Safety Tech Talks at the AIHS event page here. We look forward to seeing you there.

Strategies to include all your employees in the workplace safety culture

When implementing safety policies and procedures in our workplaces, the focus is often on our permanent employees. But did you know that temporary and casual employees, and contractors, are more prone to health and safety risks?

 

Organisational issues such as economic or reward pressures, inadequate implementation of supervision, ambiguity in rules and procedures, improper training, and more complicated lines of management reporting often result in the staff that aren’t always front of mind slipping through the safety cracks and experiencing workplace incidents.

 

It’s a serious issue, but one that can be easily addressed. It’s about ensuring you dedicate the right attention to communicating your health and safety materials, coordinating the right training, supervision and induction to all staff who begin working at your business-whether they are there for a short or an extended period of time.

 

Communication is Key

An easy way to ensure you start as you mean to go on is to implement an arrival induction even before any temporary contractors or suppliers start tasks on your site.

 

It is important for both you and your onboarding staff members that the basics of safety and health requirements of the site, and expectations around what to do in case of an incident or risky situation are clear and understood by both parties. In this way, inductions and safety talks are key to ensure these colleagues know the safety rules and understand the main hazards of the jobs they are running.

 

 

This communication can be performed effectively using the forms in Safety Champion’s Communication Module. You can send out templates such as:

 

  • An arrival induction form including messages and videos for onboarding employees to learn and to be informed about your organisation’s health and safety protocols.

 

  • A pre-engagement email automatically generated for a new contractor that contains health and safety training modules. This will ensure the contractor has the company knowledge and follows and accepts the safety and health practices of the site or company who is hiring them.

 

 

Check your Invite List

Temporary workers, contractors and suppliers operating on your worksite should always be invited to relevant safety meetings in the same way that you invite your regular employees.

 

This is such a simple but also crucial opportunity to ensure that all staff, no matter what level of employment they have within your organisation, do not miss the chance to know what is going on concerning health and safety within your workplace. Safety meetings should be conducted as regularly as possible.

 

You can also use these meetings to ensure temporary staff are up to date with the latest health and safety procedures implemented, and they can also gain insight on or share from their own experience on opportunities for continuous improvement in your workplace.

 

Health and Safety KPIs

It is a great idea to include the health and safety metrics associated with your contracted resources, for example, the number of near misses or hazards reported, within your overall safety KPIs.

 

If the companies that employ your temporary workers, contractors and suppliers are aware that their safety metrics are overseen by your organisation’s management, it is more likely that they will take the health and safety of the staff contracted to your organisation more seriously.

 

This will also enable your temporary staff to feel more encouraged to report hazards or improvement opportunities within your workplace.

 

Regular Leadership Check-ins

A recurring performance review meeting with the leadership team of the contractor or supplier companies working on-site is essential to reinforce the safety message and expectations of the company.

 

Moreover, if the leadership positions within the contractors and suppliers are clear about safety expectations, it is more likely that the safety message is properly shared and communicated to the rest of their staff.

 

 

So, there you have it. If you implement simple strategies that can help employers get started, no matter their level or hours they are contracted to work, you’ll be on the road to ensuring the health and safety of everyone who helps make your business a success.

 

To help ensure your safety communication reaches all your employees, sign up for a trial of Safety Champion Software.

Essential health and safety tips for every Australian retailer

The retail industry is one of Australia’s biggest employers, but it’s also where Australia’s workers often get hurt. Did you know the most common injury for people working in retail is to their back? According to WorkSafe Victoria’s handy Injury Hotspots site, back injuries represent a significant 26% of injury claims. These back injuries can be caused by muscle strain from lifting and handling objects/equipment, slipping on floors or uneven surfaces, or tripping over objects.

 

Australians are out of lockdown and back shopping again. As the government eases coronavirus restrictions and more retail stores begin to reopen, business owners need to not only focus on getting back on their feet financially but also, crucially, they need to be across the prevention of workplace injuries such as those outlined above.

 

 

Due to the diverse nature of retail employee situations, ranging from part-time, full time to casual staff, it can be challenging to create the desired level of awareness on the health and safety risks across your workforce. Nevertheless, health and safety compliance is so important, and probably more so now than ever before.

 

So, while it is certainly a relief to see the retail sector recovering after 2020, in the rush to unlock those doors retail businesses cannot become complacent, especially where the health and safety of their employees is concerned. Whether you have just one or multiple stores under your umbrella, prioritising profit over the assessment of safety hazards to employees returning to work is a dangerous path to take.

 

Here are the key considerations every retailer should take into account to keep all their employees safe:

 

Support your store managers 

A store manager’s role is highly demanding. Whether it be ordering stock, implementing a new in-store campaign, or organising a surprise birthday cake for one of their weekend casuals, a store manager has to wear multiple hats to ensure your business runs smoothly.  As an essential bridge between your employees and head office, they are also your key to identify and help to address health and safety concerns that arise in your stores.

 

Often store managers lack safety knowledge so it is important to ensure they are trained well, as they will most likely be the ones training their staff. If they lead by example, they can be a source of inspiration for the employees and promote safety engagement improving overall performance across your stores.

 

Train your employees

Whether it’s being able to identify hazards in store that may cause injury, to having the knowledge to deal with a difficult customer, regular health and safety training for your employees is essential to maintain safety standards across your business. It doesn’t matter if your employees are working in the warehouse or are racking up sales in-store, every staff member needs to be aware of the common hazards and risks associated with their roles.

 

Due to the diverse nature of work in the retail sector, your employees should be trained to handle a variety of situations that they may encounter in different ways. By assessing, monitoring and evaluating your employee’s knowledge before and post-training, you will be able to see areas in your training where you can make improvements.

 

Try implementing different learning tools and methods to train employees, as you can customise these tools to how your employees learn best. Technology can be an effective and low-cost way to train your workforce, such as through live streaming video sessions. This also has the added benefit of allowing you to train your employees across multiple sites simultaneously.

 

Making safety training documents readily accessible to your workforce is also essential. This can also be achieved in cloud-based safety software like Safety Champion.

 

Protect your customers

Retailers should ensure that the stores are inspected often to identify hazards that can disrupt the safety of their customers. After all, what is your store without your customers? The focus today is around the proper COVID-19 related signage and check-in requirements, but these shouldn’t mean you stop completing your normal business as usual health and safety checks.

 

Regular fire extinguisher and smoke alarm checks, assessing uneven or slippery floors, and recording lighting levels and air quality are all ways to identify hazards early, and to protect your customers when they set foot into your store

 

Manage safety with ease in multiple stores

Do you have stores in multiple locations? Many business or franchise owners can find it difficult to maintain a level of consistency concerning policies and procedures across their stores. But with the right safety procedures and systems in place, retailers can keep everyone safe.

 

The success of any retail business depends upon unity of people, process and systems. Having robust safety management software can come in handy for maintaining the health and safety standards across multiple stores.

 

 

A centralised system such as that offered by Safety Champion can help safety leaders get an overall picture. They can monitor all in-store safety activities and analyse trends over time, identifying gaps or areas for improvement. Safety management software can also help to establish a unified standard for a business’s safety procedures across all its sites.

 

Your management can use this software to communicate with employees on the latest safety process updates. Additionally, safety documents for inductions, training, contracts, and policies can be created, edited and sent to those in your business wherever they may be working.
Sign up for Safety Champion today to receive your free trial of multisite safety management software.

Announcing our new partnership with Collective Safety

Safety Champion Software is proud to have partnered with Collective Safety – the newest offering for Australian workplaces looking to simplify safety management.

 

Collective Safety helps you access a pool of trusted experts in occupational health and safety, providing impartial safety, wellness and workers’ compensation support for clients who need project solutions from specialist consultants.

 

 

construction safety

 

 

Collective Safety is all about reducing the burden of safety on organisations, simplifying the process and making safety jargon-free. Their streamlined process ensures you will be connected to experts who can provide support quickly and easily.

 

We’re proud to support their mission because this means more people in more workplaces will get access to better, smarter solutions in safety, and ultimately keep our workplaces safe from harm. And that’s what we are all about at Safety Champion too.

 

“Smart and simple safety management software – like Safety Champion – really is an integral part of any effective safety program. We’re very pleased to be offering our fantastic software product to Collective Safety and their client base – and look forward to seeing stronger, more sustainable safety practices in more workplaces out there”.

Craig Salter, Founder

 

 

 

We are excited to have been selected to be part of a small pool of trusted partners of Collective Safety. We look forward to working with them to share our products and services with more businesses to help them stay safer than ever.

 

You can learn more about Collective Safety at their website here https://www.collectivesafety.com.au/about-us

Top health and safety tech trends in the manufacturing & industrial sector

The manufacturing and industrial sector is always on the lookout for new technologies.

 

Usually, technology is adopted because of its positive impacts on improved workplace productivity and efficiency, and resulting in increased return on investment. But it is important to note that the latest technology can also be of immense benefit to work health and safety practices established within our workplaces.

 

Whether implementing brand new technology or upgrading to the latest on the market, it’s not just about making an organisation look efficient and productive. It has to work too – especially when it comes to the health and safety of your people.

 

When implemented well, new technology can greatly improve a workplace’s ability to adhere to health and safety laws.

 

There are many ways in which the latest technology can be used for safety purposes. Safety monitoring, reporting, training, and communication can always be improved upon, and updating tired and traditional methods can be a good solution to drive improvements in overall safety.

 

So what’s happening in technology for health and safety in the manufacturing and industrial sector? Here are a few of the latest technologies that are trending right now:

 

 

Work health and safety training with augmented reality

No longer just in the movies, augmented and virtual reality equipment is becoming increasingly popular in health and safety training in various industries.

 

Virtual reality allows workers to be exposed to very high-risk situations in a completely safe environment. Rather than reading about a hazardous scenario in a manual, they can experience the situation virtually and effectively train for a real-life scenario.

 

 

Hi-tech safety wearables in manufacturing

Safety wearables such as smart goggles and smart vests are not only this season’s must-have looks, but they can also be used by employees for improved visibility within their workspaces.

 

Wearables help reduce risk and human error and improve response times in the event of an accident. These items can also produce timely and trackable data that you can use to help improve work conditions and worker accountability. For example, smart glasses, with specially embedded cameras, can record details of the wearer’s work to ensure they are performing their role safely.

 

 

Smart jackets and vests can quickly report to its wearer with environmental data such as air quality, airborne pollutants and noise levels. They can also measure heart and breathing rates, perspiration rate and orientation, and send vibrations to the wearer as a warning signal when safety thresholds are surpassed.

 

Who knew a piece of clothing could be so smart?

 

WHS software and mobile apps

Health and safety apps can help you stay connected with your team, irrespective of their location and whether they are on site or working remotely.

 

OHS mobile apps are also a quick and easy way to capture and report hazards in the workplace, and some even have the ability to report incidents offline too.

 

Because everyone from your workmate, Gary, to your dear old gran carries their phone with them everywhere these days, this is an easy way to implement a reporting process.

 

Safety Champion Software is one such example, and it can ensure you can report offline when you have restricted access to the internet. This is especially useful at times where critical events are occurring, or in areas of factories with limited coverage and where the internet cannot be accessed.

 

Using healthy and safety software has the added benefit of giving you real-time data to monitor ongoing process and can be used to drive improvement within your workplace health and safety procedures.

 

It also keeps a record of all your past data so that you can easily evaluate your safety performance over periods of time. So, it might just be time to say goodbye to that filing cabinet full of paper-based forms and replace it with a nice plant to brighten the office.

 

 

 

Benefits of looking to technology for better safety

Advancements in technology have always gone a long way in assisting the prevention of workplace injuries and fatalities. As tools and gadgetry like those mentioned above become ever more sophisticated, workplace safety will only become all the easier to manage.

 

To finish us off today, consider some of the key benefits of getting the right technology in place in your organisation;

  • When implemented well and in alignment with an organisation’s overall health & safety program, technology can help keep your employees happy, and most importantly, safe.
  • Your employees will feel a greater personal sense of safety knowing they have a high level of protection.
  • You can monitor and track your safety progress, and quickly find areas for improvement. The future of tech in this space will even be able to predict areas that need attention.
  • Technology brings greater productivity and efficiency by reducing administrative burden doing things the old way.
  • Great tech will allow you to continually improve and spend your time and energy on parts of your operations or business that need attention.

 

So why not sit down with your leadership team and think about how you can improve health and safety practices in manufacturing with the additional of a little tech bling. Not only could you see great improvements in performance, but your team will certainly appreciate the effort and resources you put in to help keep them safer while they work.

 

Start your 14-day trial with Safety Champion Software as a first step towards embracing tech in your safety practices.

Managing the health and safety of a virtual team

The reality for many businesses today is that they will have a portion, if not all, of their team working virtually. Whilst this was the case for a growing number of businesses pre-COVID-19, it has become considerably more globally widespread across many industries as a result of the pandemic.

 

If you’re considering keeping some or all of your team set up virtually as part of your post-pandemic operations, it is important to consider how you can manage and uphold strong occupational health & safety practices in the remote working environment. This way you will ensure your employees remain safe from harm.

 

Assessing the safety of remote workspaces

You may not be able to physically see your employees, but you are still responsible for their health and safety.

 

Don’t fall victim to the old ‘out of sight, out of mind’ adage; the health and safety of your team members working virtually must be protected in the same way as you would protect the employees you have working on-site.

 

Ask yourself:

  • Do they have a safe space to set up a workspace in their home?
  • Is their space free of electrical and other physical hazards?
  • What about risks to their mental health?
  • Do they have appropriate lighting and ventilation in their remote workspace?
  • Do they have access to bathroom and kitchen facilities?
  • Are their smoke alarms operational and are emergency exits known?
  • Is their computer software safe and secure?
  • What about their active management and knowledge of COVID safe practices?

 

The types of questions above are commonly asked when assessing whether an office space is fit for your employees to use. It is just as important to ask the same questions if your employees are now working from their beach house, or the breakfast bar at home while feeding the kids.

 

 

You should be considering their home workspace as an extension of your traditional workplace or office. Their space must be free from risks and hazards. If an employee of yours is injured or cannot do their role to the best of their ability within a remote working environment, you as an employer may be considered legally responsible.

 

So how can you keep your employees safe and stay on top of these potential risks and hazards when you cannot physically see them?

 

 

Greater visibility of virtual workers using a cloud-based safety solution

The answer is cloud-based safety management software. Accessible wherever your workplace may be, and wherever your employees are physically located, cloud-based software makes it easy for you to stay compliant with your Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) responsibilities

 

It also means you can keep all your workplace-specific safety communications in one secure location for your entire workforce to easily access.

 

No more rummaging in filing cabinets for a safety manual or loading paper into the photocopier to print out a safety checklist. All-important OHS information is readily accessible online for your entire workforce. Everyone is on the same page.

 

Cloud-based safety software enables you to collate entire safety data from all of your employees, even if they are working across multiple locations. Having all of your data in the one place allows for consistency in your messaging across your virtual and non-virtual teams.

 

 

Your employees can also easily report any safety-related issues they may experience in their remote workspace securely and confidentially whilst online.

 

Safety software can also help you to create and delegate important tasks to your employees. Tasks such as asking your employees to perform ergonomic workstation assessments, or to arrange for safety audits of their environment, are relevant examples.

 

Such functions can be easily set to repeat at regular intervals.

 

These regular reminders to complete OHS tasks will ensure that health and safety becomes a normal part of your employees remote working routine, alongside scheduling in that second cup of coffee for the morning.

 

 

The benefits of safety management software

Safety software greatly assists with ensuring your remote workforce has ready access to health and safety guidance and information. This tech tool helps you feel confident that important communications from head office are shared and seen, when and as needed.

 

As your employees continue to find their groove in their new remote ways of working, they will feel safe from harm knowing that their health and wellbeing is considered a priority by you, their employer, no matter where they may be working from today or tomorrow.

 

If you are keen to learn more please reach out to us today, or alternatively start a free trial here.

How safety management software can help you to manage COVID-19 risks in the workplace

From a work health and safety management perspective, COVID-19 is not so different from any other hazard in the workplace 

Many people find this surprising to hear 

However, when you consider that your duty – as a manager or leader in an organisation – is to provide a safe working environment for your workers, and to both know and managall hazards and risks to worker health and safety, it becomes more clear.  

COVID-19 is a hazard. This hazard may very well be present in your workplace at any given time. Therefore, you, as a duty holder, must ensure the hazard is effectively controlled and managed to prevent harm to your workers. 

 

 

How can you best manage this risk? 

There’s no doubt that COVID-19 has impacted our lives and the wider world around us in distressing and upsetting ways. Yet, from a purely work health and safety perspective, it can be approached in a similar way as other hazards and risks.  

That is, you must understand the hazard and then do everything you can to mitigate the risk of this impacting the health and safety of your workers 

Having said this, it is important to first reiterate that COVID-19 is a highly infectious and possibly fatal disease. Furthermore, it has the potential to not only affect the health of your workers but also their families, friends and the broader community.  

COVID-19 is, therefore, one hazard that must be very carefully and purposefully managed by all businesses and organisations.  

So how can you best manage this risk? Well, we recommend that you are proactive in your approach. At times like these, workers are looking for direct and clear advice from leadership. Plus, it is important that you provide workers with the right tools thelp them to fulfil what is asked of them. 

 

 

 

WHS management software for COVID-19 management 

With COVID-19, things move fast. The advice from government and regulatory bodies is constantly changing. So, it is important you have a tool that allows you the flexibility to adapt when things change.  

WHS or OHS management software helps in this regard. It is a central repository, where all of your safety related documents, records and activity is stored and managed. You can control who sees what and who can edit what. And you can control the messaging that goes out to your workers about the latest when it comes to COVID-19. 

Safety management software really is a great tool to have under your belt at this time – a time when active work health and safety is more important than ever. 

 

 

 

Four key aspects you must have in your OHS response to COVID-19  

Here’s four important aspects of managing the COVID-19 hazard from a work health and safety (WHS) perspective, and how our safety management software, Safety Champion, can assist you to manage the risk of your workers contracting COVID-19 in your workplace.  

 

 

Ensuring everyone is across the latest rules you have set in place 

Safety Champion’s Communication Module allows you to share important changes to policies or practices related to COVID-19 directly with your team. You can request that workers sign off that they have read and understood the information you share, giving you peace of mind that your team know the latest and most important information.  

 

Keeping track of when your workers are on site 

Our Site Attendance Module allows you to both track movement of people in and out of your workplaces or work sites, and provide them with the “site rules” they are to follow prior to entryRemind them that they shouldn’t enter the workplace if they are experiencing symptoms, and let them know what they should or shouldn’t do once they are on site. This allows your workers to learn how they play their part in your infection control measures, at the exact point when its most important. 

 

Engaging your workers to play their part  

Safety Champion’s Hazard Module gives your workers a way to instantly report hazards that may increase the risk of COVID-19 spreading. For example, a worker might see that utensils in the kitchen are being used by multiple people, without evidence of cleaning or sanitisation. Workers can use their phone, tablet or computer to report any hazards they see and take a photo then and there. This way you can swiftly manage the risk. 

 

Managing reported COVID-19 cases, quickly  

Safety Champion provides you with a way to track and manage COVID-19 cases. Our Incident Reporting and Investigation Module lets workers report any suspected or actual cases of COVID-19 instantly and from anywhere. An alert can be configured so that you can immediately begin to control the risk. Whether your team are working from their usual place of work or from home, it’s important that you are across the health of your team – especially when it comes to coronavirus. 

 

 

Start a 14-day obligation-free trial of Safety Champion today.

 

 

Evidence supporting your COVID safe response 

 

An important benefit of using health and safety software as a central tool in your workplace response to the COVID-19 virus, is that it keeps all your documents, records and evidence in order for you.   

 

This saves you the time and hassle of keeping these records using several tools, and compiling information togetheras and when needed.  

 

It can be especially tricky to keep strong records and evidence when your workers have, likely, changed how they work, where they work, how long they work for, etc. With all this movement and change, what you really need is an all-in-one tool – that your entire team can access from where ever, whenever – to manage not only COVID-19, but all of your legal duties when it comes to work health and safety. 

 

Your evidence, documents and records are stored by Safety Champion up in the cloud – ready for you when you need. 

 

What’s more, it is actually a duty of yours to keep such information in place. If the regulator ever came knocking to review your COVID safe plan or your OHS practices in general, it is of great benefit to you if you have these items in place. 

 

Trust us – Safety Champion will do wonders for you when it comes to keeping those all-important records and evidence of the measures you have in place to protect the people in your workplace.  

 

 

If you’re keen to learn more about how safety management software, Safety Champion Software, can assist you with the implementation of your COVID safe plan (and your WHS practices in full), reach out to us today! 

 

Tracking Your Impact

Every National Safe Work Month, our team gets together to think about ways we can contribute ‘above and beyond’ to the work health and safety sector. After all, this is our passion. This is what we love.  

 

We always start with a simple question:  

 

How can we help all workplaces push for excellence in health and safety?  

 

We start with this question because we know that work health and safety has, let’s just say, complicated reputation. It’s often perceived as complex and confusing. Business owners and leaders are often unsure about what to do to ensure compliance with legal duties.  

 

And for this reason, we strive to make great safety management easier and more accessible with our software, and supporting consulting services. This is in fact our mission, and it’s something we strive for every day. 

 

 

Last year’s big idea in safety management

 

During Safe Work Month last year, we launched Safety Champion LightThis is a brilliant 100% free safety software plan that allows organisations of all kinds to boost their safety practices.  

 

Our Safety Champion Light customers can access some of the most integral features and modules required for great safety management – all without a fee. With great modules like inspections, incident management, planning, and hazard management, our Safety Champion Light really does deliver above and beyond – and that’s exactly what we wanted. 

 

Since its launch, we’ve seen approaching 1,000 organisations sign up to this plan and start working towards better safety outcomes.  

 

 

This year’s big idea in safety performance

 

This Safe Work Month, we’rproud to launch the Safety Champion Impact Assessment. This fantastic new tool is designed to help our customers reach further than ever towards great safety management and compliance.  

 

The Safety Champion Impact Assessment allows our customers to track and measure their impact in safety, and make improvements that matter, over time. 

 

 

From baseline data, we check back in and re-assess key metrics on a regular basis, allowing our customers can see how they are tracking across four key pillars of safety: 

 

  • Safety Compliance 

  • Leadership in Safety 

  • Control & Delivery 

  • Awareness & Engagement  

 

The Safety Champion Impact Assessment take our customers to the next level when it comes to safety. It truly bring safety into greater focus at all levels of the business by allowing businesses to report on and share meaningful findings and evidence of progress.  

 

 

A focus on safety during Safe Work Month 

 

We love this time of year at Safety Champion software. October in Australian workplaces is all about increasing awareness about great health and safety practices. This includes a focus on mental health in the workplace with #mentalhealthawarenessweek in the month of October as well.  

 

It’s a great time for any organisation to start the conversation around how safety practices can be boosted to support the safety and health of everyone. 

 

So why not take safety that step further than mere compliance this National Safe Work Month. Why not go for gold in safety excellence! 

 

With the Safety Champion Impact Assessment tool, you can bring safety into greater focus in your workplace, report and share the results, and make integral shifts throughout your business working towards fantastic, holistic safety management. 

 

Learn more about this tool today: safetychampion.com.au/impactassessment

3 WHS Management Considerations for the Current and Future COVID-19 World

The COVID-19 pandemic has developed an extraordinary set of circumstances revolving around work health and safety. The viral infection that has severely impacted the world has raised concerns among employees, employers, and worker representatives, especially for team members who are still required to work on-site or beyond the confines of their homes and those returning to work at the ease of quarantine measures. 

 

Organisations have begun to generate and circulate new protective measures for their staff, accompanied by a rise in demand for technologies that respond to the global crisis. These solutions include the incorporation of a WHS management system. 

 

A WHS management software is primarily designed to oversee the health and safety requirements of organisations regardless of size and industry. The platform covers tasks that include efficient incident management, risk and hazard identification and assessment, automatic alerts for license and equipment expiry, health and safety documentation and training as well as WHS report generation, among others. 

 

As we struggle to adapt to the new normal, the features of a WHS management software have a bigger role to play in a world inflicted by COVID-19. The World Health Organization recommends developing an action plan to prevent and mitigate COVID-19, which should be based on outcomes of risk evaluation and the company’s epidemiological landscape. 

 

Since much is anchored on risk assessment and the implementation of safeguarding measures, traditional WHS management methods won’t simply suffice as the pandemic persists and as industries cope with its eventual aftermath. 

 

Check out new factors that ought to be considered by establishments when it comes to overseeing WHS during and after the coronavirus. 

 

 

Alert relevant authorities on COVID-19 cases 

 

Should there be a confirmed or possible COVID-19 case at your workplace, you need to notify the local WHS authorities regarding the case, which must be confirmed and diagnosed by a medical practitioner. 

 

Your infected – or possibly infected employee – should receive immediate treatment as an in-patient in a hospital. Follow the health advice in this regard. Meanwhile, for members of your workforce who have potentially come into contact with your infected worker, testing must ensue. 

 

Local government authorities must also be able to address all concerns on advice and assistance on matters linked to the pandemic. Your organisation, on the other hand, must be 100% compliant with implemented requirements to avoid exposure to unsuitable risks on health and safety. 

 

For instance, daily health checks are recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as part of business response towards COVID-19. You can accomplish this with the assistance of a reliable WHS management system. 

 

You can program your WHS management software to directly deliver health checks to your staff, so they can complete their questionnaires swiftly and easily with their preferred device. Responses can be automatically collated and high-risk workers can be weeded out and sent to self-isolate or receive direct testing. They can also be subject to increased monitoring frequency. 

 

These capabilities of a work health and safety management system can help you identify positive cases within your workplace, which you will eventually report to local authorities. Additionally, it can help you keep tabs on high-risk individuals working in your company, so that you can anticipate the appropriate response that will ensure your staff’s safety and health. 

 

Implementing such technology can also be extremely helpful for future use, so it’s wise to browse EHS software solutions and compare features at this pressing moment. Once COVID-19 dies down, you can incorporate your WHS management software to your WHS procedures when it comes to addressing other viral health concerns within the workplace. Should there be another infection, you’re sure that your organisation is more equipped to handle the impending crisis.

 

 

Practice contact tracing if a staff member comes into contact with someone infected with COVID-19 

 

During this time of crisis, it’s time to take an active approach towards work safety. If one of the members of your staff has had close contact with an individual who tested positive for COVID-19, it is imperative to direct him or her to self-quarantine, so that the virus will not spread in your workplace. It is also mandatory to supply significant information to contain the infection. 

 

Meanwhile, team members who are not classified as close contacts do not have to undergo quarantine; however, they should be attentive to the signs and symptoms of COVID-19 by continuously monitoring their health conditions. Once again, you can use your work health and safety management system to assist in conducting health checks and determining high-risk individuals.

 

Always ensure you follow health advice from government and WHS regulatory offices.

 

Additionally, the structure of WHS management system that you are implementing in your organisation should adhere to recommended social distancing and hygiene procedures. 

 

For instance, you can rely on your WHS management software to automate monitoring and auditing of day-to-day sanitation and maintenance tasks, so that you can see whether hygienic measures are being strictly enforced. 

 

You can also rely on your WHS management system to determine whether these processes have been effective in containing the virus and slowing down the spread of infection. 

 

The new structure of the WHS management system in the market should also include COVID-19 related functionalities such as compliance modules, inspection checklists, and survey forms. We’ll explain more of these in the succeeding point. 

 

 

 

Subscribe to a WHS management system to harness workflows, files and templates

 

Most WHS management software comes with pre-inputted health and safety workflows your workplace can choose from. This is one of the reasons why managers are introducing WHS software to their businesses

 

As the pandemic persists, providers have keyed in and updated these workflows to meet the demands of the current crisis. These workflows are drafted from legal policies, compliance standards and other relevant aspects related to WHS during the time of coronavirus. 

 

Alternatively, if you want to implement specific aspects that are tailored to your business when it comes to combating COVID-19, you can also create your own using your WHS management system. Safety Champion is one such example of a configurable system to fit your needs.

 

Once your organisation picks a workflow and designates it to a workplace, the team members assigned to execute the WHS program will receive a notification prior to and on the day the task is scheduled to be accomplished. If the WHS assignment has not been ticked with the platform, alerts will continue until it is completed, which guarantees that all WHS-related work is finished. 

 

As for recurring tasks like sanitation, which is highly applicable to the current situation brought by the global pandemic, they will be automatically rescheduled upon completion. Rescheduling will adhere to assignment frequency, which will be determined by the organisation’s management. 

 

Upon task completion, your work and health safety management system can also house any uploaded proof that showcases the fulfilment of an assignment or an inspection, which is very helpful when local authorities check your establishment for compliance. You can also show this documentation for future health and safety regulator visits after the pandemic. 

 

Should there be a need to answer to demands from bigger clients or tender applications, this documentation can also be supplied by the structure of WHS management system. All these complex processes and cumbersome work can be simplified with the appropriate tools supplied by your WHS management platform. 

 

 

Adapting to the new normal with firm WHS measures and powerful technology 

 

Most WHS management software in the market have now come up with new solutions that respond to the COVID-19 crisis. Considering urgency, these capabilities can be deployed instantly and without extra costs for companies. 

 

Safety Champion is no exception as it assists customers in overseeing COVID-19 risks and effects by introducing free new functionalities, templates, workflows, configuration bundles, which are all built on World Health Organization guidelines and standards from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

 

We are currently offering solutions that help visualise, understand and address risks brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. Reach out to us today to discuss how we can support you with your safety management and COVID-19 risk management planning.

 

Why it’s time to take an active approach to work safety

Now, more than ever, there’s mounting pressure on organisations of all kinds to take an active approach to managing their health and safety duties. It is certainly no longer possible for any business to ‘wing it’ or to ‘do it later’ when it comes to the safety of their people.

 

The global pandemic we are now living with won’t allow it.

 

For us, in the occupational health and safety (OHS, or also known as WHS) sector, we’re pleased to see the increased effort and focus businesses are taking when it comes to the health, safety and wellbeing of their workforce.

 

This is the kind of attention that we think protecting people from harm whilst they are at work has always deserved. 

 

 

The safety manager’s burden

Yet for the office managers, team leaders, OHS officers, safety team, business owners or anyone else trying to manage safety, work safety management is not always the easiest of ventures to wrangle. Often the people tasked with the duties of health and safety in a business aren’t always equipped with the best of resources to help them in this task.

 

Often we leave the ‘person’ responsible for safety with little more than spreadsheets, paper forms, email trails, and phone calls left unanswered. They need to fight for support and resources from management, and must constantly chase staff members for their input.

 

It can sometimes feel as though they are the only one who cares. Not only this, it can even unfairly place the burden of safety (or, the burden of safety gone wrong) on their single set of shoulders. This should never be allowed to happen.

 

 

Safety is a collective effort

It’s important to remember (or to learn if you don’t know) that everyone is in some part responsible for workplace health and safety. It cannot simply land on the shoulders of one person.

 

Everyone must play their role in keeping a workplace safe – for everyone else’s benefit.

 

This is too often forgotten. Leaders and managers often know they need to do something about work safety, so they task it to someone. This is fair – an OHS or WHS Professional is an expert in this kind of work. But what leaders and managers often forget is that they play a part too.

 

Safety must be encouraged and supported by leadership. This way, everyone in the team understands the importance and they will be motivated to get involved. They will understand it’s a collective effort.

 

 

Leadership in safety

It is imperative that senior management, leaders, business owners and any other duty holder are actively supporting a safety management program.

 

In fact, it is legislated that duty holders know what is happening and are taking active steps towards improve workplace health and safety.

 

What does this look like in practice? Here’s a few tips;

 

  • Keep safety management on the agenda – regularly talk about safety in team meetings (with all teams), feed results back to them, talk about priority areas in safety, and make sure everyone knows what role they play.

  • Make sure that the people who keep your safety program ticking along have appropriate resources to help them – like safety management software which allows them to plan the program, delegate important tasks, communicate vital safety related information effectively with workers, capture data, see trends, report back, and most importantly, improve things over time to reduce risk of harm to workers.

  • Check in with your safety management team on a regular basis. Review the reports they produce, discuss their challenges, and address what they need to protect your people. Make the time to do this, and you will vastly see things improve, whilst also actively upholding your legal duties.

 

 

Why now is the time for action

To be honest with you, it’s always been the time for action in safety. Because the physical and mental health of the people in your charge deserve to stay safe whilst they work. This is a fact. Everyone has a right to stay safe from harm at work.

 

But now presents itself as a good reminder to us all. We have see that the spread of the COVID-19 disease has often occurred in workplaces, as people come together to get on with their day job. So, it’s incredibly important that we all do something about this.

 

This is imperative not just so we comply with the law, but so we support the broader community around us.

 

 

Take an active approach to safety today by signing up to a 14 day trial of Safety Champion

 

 

So, if you haven’t already, it’s well and truly time for you to play your part. Not later, not next year, not when you have budget. Now.

 

 

Take action in safety today. A couple of ideas;

 

  • Make a meeting with your safety team or the people who do their best to keep it on track. Discuss how your safety management program is going and come up with a plan for improvement

  • Consider whether OHS professionals are needed – reach out to a consulting firm like actionohs.com.au if you need further assistance

  • Modernise your systems by getting safety management software in that will help you build a sustainable safety program. This doesn’t have to cost money – try our 100% free plan

  • Look at your data – what’s been happening in the past? Where are the places you can improve? If you don’t have any data to speak of, this is problem. Get started on tracking and documenting what is happening. Again, safety software can help.

  • Talk to the wider team. As we said before, everyone has a part to play. And this can mean that the people in your team will have good ideas for what is needed to improve WHS at your work. Listen to them and take note.

  • Don’t make the error of thinking that you have to work in a physical workplace to think about safety. Your responsibilities to protect the health and safety of your people are there whether you are working in a ‘workplace’ together, or all online working from home, or spread all over the world. Plus, don’t forget that this is not just about physical risks – think about mental health as well.

The list could go on – but this is good start.

 

To end, we wanted to say that it’s almost impossible to find a silver lining with such a terrible global pandemic. But here’s one to consider. The pandemic has brought attention to the great importance of keeping everyone safe and free from harm – at work or anywhere. Now is the time to work together to actively keep each other safe.

 

 

A brief overview of Industrial Manslaughter

What is Industrial Manslaughter?

In very simple terms, industrial manslaughter is a criminal offence which applies to employers or other duty holders following a breach of health and safety duties, that results in a death in a workplace.

 

Where are Industrial Manslaughter laws in place in Australia?

Starting from July 1, the “Workplace Safety Legislation Amendment Bill 2019 – Workplace Manslaughter” will be passed into law in Victoria. There is similar legislation in place in Queensland and the ACT. It is expected that WA and the Northern Territory will fall in line also.

 

What are the penalties if convicted?

In Victoria, from July 1, the penalties for industrial manslaughter are significantly more serious than they were previously. If you are convicted under the industrial manslaughter legislation penalties may be imprisonment for up to 25 years (if a natural person), fines for an officer of a body corporate of up to $1.65 million, or fines for a body corporate of approximately $16.5 million.

 

 

Elements of the industrial manslaughter charge or conviction looks at:

  • whether there was negligent conduct;
  • whether there was a breach of a safety duty; and
  • whether the conduct and breach lead to the death of a person.

 

What can you do to avoid an industrial manslaughter offence?

We’re glad you asked! Well, in very simple and clear terms, the best way to avoid this kind of charge is to ensure you provide a safe workplace for all persons to which you have a duty to protect. That is, workers, contractors, freelancers, visitors, etc. Have an active and full safety management program, and ensure you can demonstrate the measures you have in place to keep everyone safe from harm.

 

If you choose not to get up to speed on what is happening in regard to workplace safety across your organisation, or to instigate steps to implement safety, then you increase your risk of being prosecuted for industrial manslaughter should someone be killed or seriously injured by the work you carry out.

Stephen Pehm, Senior OHS Consultant

 

Start with considering these key points;

  • Ensure all OHSMS policies and procedures, safe systems and programs of work are developed, implemented and reviewed
  • According to WorkSafe Victoria, if you are complying with the current laws, then you will be complying with this law
  • Adopt a proactive approach to safety
  • Educate senior leaders about the new laws
  • Most at risk will be Directors of companies who have a ‘hands on’ approach in the workplace
  • Review processes for serious incident notification (particularly those involving a fatality) to ensure:

 

  1. Employees dealing with the authorities are taking appropriate legal advice with respect to the broad obligations to provide information and answer questions (and penalties for non-compliance with those obligations), while considering
  2. Protection against self-incrimination (which will be a highly relevant consideration in the event of a workplace fatality)

 

That’s it in a very brief nutshell – but do see the below resources for more. Alternatively, reach out to us today to see how Safety Champion can play an integral role in your ability to provide a safe workplace for all and, importantly, avoid being implicated in industrial manslaughter.

 

Resources;

WorkSafe Victoria: Victoria’s new workplace manslaughter offences

AICD: States toughen WHS laws with new industrial manslaughter offences

Industrial manslaughter law – What you need to know

 

Innovation in the time of COVID-19

As many have said over the past few weeks, we are living in unprecedented times. Unprecedented not only for our team at Safety Champion and the tech sector at large, but indeed for all people around the globe in every single industry. COVID-19 presents challenges for all of us.

 

Indeed, COVID-19 means change. Change to process, people, parameters and procedures – both in the workplace and outside of it.

 

 

With change comes the need to be vigilant

It is important to recognise that where there is change, there is an increased risk and likelihood of human error and incidents.

 

This may be because things change at a rate that is too fast for us to effectively plan and manage the change. Or it may be that because things have changed in ways that we didn’t expect. Or it could even be that increased levels of stress related to the change can impact our ability to perform our roles in the way we used to.

 

Either way, a good approach is to recognise that with change there should be considered thought and planning put into how this change may impact all levels and elements of our business – even ones you don’t think are directly related.

 

 

Communication is key

Whilst high level planning and management is needed, this doesn’t mean much without effectively communicated the plan to your team.

 

Without strong communication in times of change and uncertainty, you will almost certainly see increased levels of anxiety, stress and concern in your team.

 

So, ensure that you are communicating what the changes are, what they mean to individuals and specific teams. This should be done often and consistently to reassure your team. It can be very important for people to know that their leadership team have ‘it’ all under control.

 

 

A time for innovation

But finally, some hope. As many may have read, it is in times like these, that great innovation occurs. Whilst it may be hard to see now, when we come out the other end, many businesses will flourish.

 

To be one of those businesses, we encourage everyone to use this time to reflect on current products, processes and ways of working – to improve and get better at it all.

 

Of course, we’d suggest you consider your workplace health and safety processes and tools. Are these under control? Are they performing as best they could? Is it time to consider a refresh, revamp, or a modernisation – perhaps to say, a safety software like Safety Champion?! 😉

 

Now is a forced time for us to get to those things that we have been meaning to get to, to tidy up those processes and documents, to kick off that big risky, but innovative, project that you think you and the team could pull off.

 

You don’t need luck. You have got this.

 

 

Don’t forget your people

As many of us scramble to respond to COVID-19, remember to consider both the safety and mental health risks associated with the decisions that are being made.

 

If you do have people working from home, our health and safety consultants have built an overview of things that you should consider. Rather than focusing solely on the workstation ergonomic setup, we have focused on what it means to be human and maintaining relationships when working from home.

Read this blog from our sister organisation, Action OHS Consulting

Our journey towards B Corp Certification

This week, we started our B Corp Certification Journey.

 

We sat down to complete the B Corp Impact Assessment tool to see how Safety Champion stacks up as a socially and environmentally responsible business. And, wow, what a process it was.

 

Not exactly easy or fast – the assessment really makes you see just how much we could all be doing in our workplaces to support the social and environmental health of business in general.

 

 

 

 

Now, you may be reading this wondering what a B Corp Certification is. If so, a brief description for you;

 

A B Corp Certification is a certification awarded to a business that meets and upholds the highest standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability.

 

In other words, it’s for-profit business that pledges to balance profit and purpose, measuring and improving its impact on its workers and customers, and the community and environment around it.

 

 

Businesses you know that are already B Corps

Some fantastic, purpose-driven businesses are Certified B Corporations. Kathmandu, KeepCup, CultureAmp – to name a few.

 

It’s great to see so many Australian-based businesses like us finding their way into the list as well – including a few of our very own Safety Champion customers like T2!

 

certified b corp companies

 

 

Our purpose-driven work in health and safety

Now for us, as a health and safety company, we were feeling pretty confident as we set out to complete the assessment. We already feel like we have really clear purpose and make a positive contribution towards the wellness of others.

 

After all, it’s why we work in this industry in the first place. It’s in our DNA to support the businesses we work with, and each other, to be healthier and safer at work.

 

Plus, ethics plays a big role in our work as consultants. As Professional Members of the Australian Institute of Health and Safety we are duty borne to hold ourselves and our practices against the requirements of the Code of Ethics.

 

This places obligations on us to practice and work in an objective manner; follow recognised OHS principles as specified in the relevant federal or state/territory legislation; and realise the lives, health and welfare of individuals may be dependent upon our judgement.

 

 

Yet, was it enough?

As it turns out, we had to demonstrate more. To become a B Corp Certified business, it isn’t quite enough to simply work in an industry that already has social purpose.

 

What were we doing that was over and above? And what were we doing to really encourage positive change for our team members, our customers and elsewhere… that is, beyond our core service offering.

 

The impact assessment asked us about things like;

  • results from our employee engagement surveys,
  • how we give back to the community around us,
  • what environmental targets we have in place – and how we track them,
  • how transparent we are with financial information,
  • our policies and procedures,
  • and more. Yes – it’s a lot.

 

Established initiatives but more to go…

Thankfully, we found we were well on our well and scoring points in many places beyond our work in health, safety and wellbeing.

Based on the efforts we’ve gone to over the past year or so to establish more meaning, purpose and drive in our business, we had already set in place many of initiatives that help demonstrate we are a business that cares about people, planet, and profit.

 

A few of the areas that put us in good stead for certification;

  • We offer a 20% discount for non-profits listed on the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission, so that they can utilise more of their funds on their purpose and cause

  • We developed a free safety software plan so that those in our community without the financial means can still access a fantastic tool to help keep their workers safer from harm at work

  • We regularly provide publicly available resources and advice to guide people towards success in safety – including monthly webinars, blogs, and guidance documents.

  • We’ve worked pretty hard establishing a clear mission, vision and values under which we work – along with supporting documents. We have documented Operational Manuals to provide clarity and transparency on our internal processes.

 

Whilst we haven’t yet submitted our formal application to become a B Corp yet, the results of the impact assessment let us know we’re in a good place to continue to this next step.*

 

Yes, we have some areas to work on to improve things here and there, but it wouldn’t be a strong certification without it.

 

*Correction Nov 2020: We’ve lodged our application!

 

Learn more about Certified B Corporations here: https://www.bcorporation.com.au/

Your duty of care when it comes to the safety of your contractors

Engaging contractors is an everyday part of business for many organisations. In some sectors – like retail, manufacturing, or construction for example – contractors can make up the larger portion of a workforce.

 

As such, it is important that people managers, HR teams or business owners are aware of their legal duties when it comes to contractors.

 

Who or what is a contractor?

At its simplest a contractor is a person who performs work under a service of contract for a set fee. The business engaging the contractor does not pay wages or superannuation or provide other benefits such as leave entitlements to the contractor.

 

Contractors will typically:

  • work at their own initiative to achieve a stated result as agreed with by the business that engages them.
  • be free to provide services to multiple clients.
  • have the option (often in agreement with the business that engages them) to delegate all, or some, tasks to another person – this is commonly referred to as sub-contracting.
  • be responsible for rectifying poor work at their own cost and effort.
  • provide their own tools and equipment to complete the agreed service.

 

In many respects, contractors retain a certain degree of independence from the business that engages them. Yet the extent to which this independence extends to workplace health and safety duties is worth a closer look.

 

If you need some help determining whether one of your workers is an employee or a contractor, take a look at the ATO Employee/Contractor Decision Tool for guidance.

 

 

Common misconceptions from businesses when it comes to contractors…

Many businesses misunderstand whether they have a duty of care towards the contractors they engage.

 

The health and safety legislation places a duty of care on businesses to provide a safe workplace for all workers and other persons in a workplace under its control. In addition, the legislation states that those “workers” extend past your employees. The legislation states that workers include anyone who carries out work for the business.

 

This means a worker can be an employee; a contractor or subcontractor, of the employee of a contractor or subcontractor; an employee of a labour hire company who works in the business; or an apprentice, trainee; work experience student; or a volunteer. It’s a long list!

 

At the same time the legislation clearly states that contractors have a duty of care towards their own employees and to everyone else at a workplace where they are working.

 

So, where and with whom does the buck stop?

 

The short answer to this question is – both. Both the business engaging the contractor, and the contractor itself have safety responsibilities. But how does this work in practice?

 

Take a 14-day trial to see how you can better manage contractors

 

 

How does this work in the real world?

 

Yes – it can be tricky to determine. Clear information about the scope of this responsibility can be hard to come by.

 

The business engaging the contractor is best to remember that it’s health and safety responsibility extends to contractors that they engage.

 

Irrespective of what practices the contractors have in place, the business engaging the contractor should keep in mind that it has a responsibility to maintain a safe and healthy working environment for everyone in your workplace, or impacted by your workplace operations. This is for everyone – your permanent staff, your freelancers, contractors, and even the people who come to visit.

 

Recent legal decisions confirm that contractors are responsible for understanding how to conduct their work safely, for which they have been engaged to undertake. This means that you don’t need to be an expert of their domain or stand next to them as they complete the job you have engaged them to do.

 

What practical measures can you take to ensure of a safe working environment for contractors?

 

As an employer it is expected that the following is done when engaging a contractor:

  • Clearly define the tasks a contractor is being engaged to undertake.
  • Determine if the contractor’s work is expert work over which the principal has little knowledge or control.
  • Identify how the contractor’s expertise will be confirmed e.g. evidence of licensing, accreditation.
  • Clearly assign responsibilities for expert work and risk management in contracts. Identify hazards associated with elements of the work controlled by the principal (employer) and implement risk controls for all persons including contractors.

 

When working with contractors it is useful to:

  • Induct them onto all worksites under the control of the business that has engaged them, and ensure they have access adequate first aid and emergency response equipment and procedures
  • Confirm that they have documented evidence that they are able to carry out their work safely
  • Request that they report all workplace related incidents and/or injuries as soon as practicable after they occur
  • Manage all contractors who breach safety rules (don’t instruct them how to work safely as this may result in exposure to increased risk).
  • Ensure that their insurance and licenses/qualifications remain current.

 

 

Using WHS software to help…

Safety software is a great way to help manage your duty of care when it comes to the safety of your contractors. You can use software to ensure that you have everything in place for a successful engagement with your contractors.

 

 

Safety Champion allows you to enter and manage all relevant details about your contractor in one central platform.

 

  1. Recurring safety tasks can be created and linked to the specific contractor. Examples of these may include (but not be limited to): internal audits, equipment checks (say tests tag) and Regular safety monitoring meetings.
  2. Contractors Insurances, Qualifications and Licenses can be managed using the Contractor and the Insurance Modules. Contractor details can be entered in the Contractor Module and their insurances and qualifications can be entered into the Insurance Module. Entries can then be linked for the Contractor to create recurring tasks specific for that Contractor.
  3. Contractor inductions can be managed.
  4. Contractor documentation and correspondence can be saved and monitored so you are ready when expiration dates are coming up.
  5. Contractor related reported incidents can be managed through the incident module – the Incident Module allows incidents to be reported and saved reports can be saved along with evidence relevant to that incident.
  6. Contractor Audits can be scheduled and completed on time.

 

Using Safety Champion effectively means that you can be assured that:

  • All information related to contractors engaged – like insurances and licenses – is up to date;
  • All incidents relating to contractor safely are being managed with real-time notification, and;
  • All correspondence relating to a contractor is in a centralised location.

 

Learn more about our features and modules today.

Managing Summer based hazards

Summer is here in the southern hemisphere! As such, organisations in which workers work outdoors or inside factories or sheds, should now be considering how they plan to manage the following when working outdoors this summer:

  • Heat Stress

  • Hydration

  • Ultra-Violet (UV) Radiation

 

 

What is Heat Stress?

Heat stress occurs when the body cannot sufficiently cool itself. Factors that contribute to heat stress in summer may include ambient temperature, humidity, air-movement, radiant heat, inappropriate clothing, and physical exertion.

 

Signs and symptoms of heat illness include feeling sick, nauseous, dizzy or weak. Workers who experience heat illness may also feel clumsy, collapse or experience convulsions. If symptoms occur, workers should immediately seek first-aid or medical assistance, rest in a cool and well-ventilated area, and drink cool fluids.

 

Workplace health and safety laws require the working environment, so far as is reasonably practicable, to be safe and without risks to health and safety. This includes illness from working in heat. Please note that whilst articulated in this article, heat stress can occur all year round in work environments where hot work takes place.

 

 

Ways to Prevent Heat Stress

Heat stress can be minimised through the consideration and if possible, implementation of several controls. These include:

 

  • Rescheduling tasks to ensure that tasks with a greater physical requirement are performed during the cooler parts of the day.

  • Identifying methods to rotate between hot jobs or arranging/skilling more workers to share the job.

  • Identifying, then procuring, mechanical aids (or plant) that may reduce physical exertion, or eliminate the requirement to work in the heat.

  • Wearing light and loose-fitting clothing (preferably cotton) that provides adequate sun protection. Outdoor workers should be provided with PPE against UV radiation, such as wide brim hat, loose fitting, long-sleeved collared shirt and long pants, sunglasses and sunscreen.

  • Providing fans or installing air conditioners or coolers to reduce air temperature and generate/increase air movement. Increased air movement will support evaporative cooling.

  • Installing shade cloth, blinds or similar to reduce the radiant heat from the sun.

  • Establishing defined rest and hydration breaks.

  • Providing workers with information, instruction and training on heat- illness and on first aid.

 

Don’t Forget about Simple Hydration!

Providing cool drinking water near the work site should limit symptoms of heat stress.

 

During hot weather, workers should be encouraged to drink a cup of water (about 200 mL) every 20 minutes. The need for water intake may also be determined by the worker by the colour of their urine.

 

 

Thought about safety software. Try our free plan!

 

 

 

Refresh your Memory on UV Radiation

UV Radiation is a known cause of cancer and can have several harmful effects on the skin.

 

Sun protection is required whenever the UV Index is 3 or higher, or when you are outside for long periods near highly reflective surfaces, e.g. snow or water.

 

The UV index describes the strength of the suns UV Radiation. The higher the number, the stronger the solar UV Radiation and the faster unprotected skin will be damaged.

 

If you work outside frequently, you should always use protective clothing including hats, sunglasses and sunscreen regardless of the UV Index. If you work outside occasionally, then you should use protection when the UV is 3 and above. A UV forecast for many locations is available from www.MyUV.com.au

 

A common misconception is that the temperature is directly related to the strength of the UV radiation. This is not the case. The takeaway? Don’t just wait for the hot day to protect your skin. The suns UV Radiation can still damage your skin in winter, autumn or spring.

 

For more on some of these topics, see our blogs on ways to avoid heat stress or about what kind of SPF rating you should be considering for your workers or even a little more info about hydration. Plus you might find our blog about Everything you need to know about Personal Protective Equipment a useful read.

Why keeping safety documentation up-to-date and accessible is a must

There are a number of benefits to keeping strong workplace safety documentation in place as a business. Not only does safety documentation ensure that you can demonstrate compliance with health and safety legislation, it can also save you and your team a great deal of time and frustration.

 

 

A key challenge facing business owners and managers

 

There is one main problem facing many organisations when it comes to safety documentation. It is challenging for businesses to keep track of documents as the business grows and evolves, or as staff change over time.

 

Documentation might be stored in different locations at different points in time. A variety of hard and soft copies of documentation might be in circulation at any one given time, current or older version. Regular reviews and updates of documents might fall off the radar. And communication of updated versions might fail to flow downstream to the staff that need the information the most.

 

All of this means that when it comes time to access or review such documentation, the business spends more time trying to figure out the state of things, and less actually working on improvements to documentation and systems for the sake of everyone’s health and safety! And no one wants that.

 

Should a serious incident or injury occur, you will be required to provide evidence to a safety regulator that you have effective health and safety workplace systems in place. At this point, your ability to supply documentation becomes very important. It can show that you comply with relevant safety legislation, and that you are actively doing what you can to make things safer for your people.

 

Needless to say, copies of documents, stored in a folder, in head office, on that dusty shelf, that no one ever really uses anymore, isn’t doing anyone any favours. This is especially true if you are working across multiple sites. If you have documentation, you need to make sure its current, accessible, and digestible.

 

 

Make documentation easy to access for your workers

 

So, we know that simply having documentation is not enough. People must first know it exists and be able to use it!

 

Regardless of the type and extent of health and safety documentation that you have available in your workplace, keeping it readily accessible to your workers is of paramount importance. If your workforce or any other interested party can’t access the documentation, no one wins.

 

On the other hand, if people can, and do, access relevant and current safety documentation this supports your legislative compliance. Additionally, easy access to documentation for workers, supervisors and managers will improve workplace efficiency.

 

When you roll out standardised and consistent training on the relevant workplace safety procedures, your ability to streamline and tighten your operations and output improves. So not only should you think about making the documentation accessible, but also think about how you communicate it. Training sessions, team meetings, or a quick stand up meeting at the beginning of every month.

 

Learn what’s included in our 100% free software plan

 

 

A best practice approach to WHS documentation management

 

Consistent with Australian and International Standards, best practice for managing safety documentation is with version control and periodic reviews. Documentation should be established with a revision period in mind (e.g. two or three times yearly) and should be marked with dates or version numbers for tracking purposes and ease of administration.

 

It’s important to remember that whilst periodic reviews should occur on a regular basis appropriate to your needs, they should also occur when major changes occur in your organisation. Such changes might be new business operations, unexpected periods of growth, shifts in staffing or job functions, or changes in management.

 

During such periods of change, safety considerations are commonly forgotten. But when big changes occur in your business, it is more than likely there will be flow on effects to your safety management system.

 

It’s at times like these that workplace health and safety should always be on the agenda. Current systems, processes, and documentation must be reviewed to ensure that safety stays on track and in accordance with your goals and legislative duties.

 

Finally, it is a good practice to ensure that safety documentation is stored in a safe and secure manner to prevent modification without organisational-level visibility. This speaks to the legislative duty that any business owner or person in charge must be aware of safety practices in their organisation.

 

 

Secure online storage for easy access and history of evidence

 

A secure, easy-to-use solution for better safety documentation management is utilising the Documents Module in Safety Champion Software. This module enables any organisation to easily upload, review and update their safety documentation. Plus it makes documentation super easy to access.

 

You can set up a revision period and keep version control, under control by saving new versions of documentation and archiving old versions. Email reminders will let you know when your documents are up for review. This is incredibly useful when it comes to health and safety legislative compliance.

 

Furthermore, this module allows different documentation types to be shared with specific groups in your organisation, or with everyone. You can ensure that safety documents are shared with users based on their level of seniority in the business, their job role or their function.

 

Plus, being a cloud-based software, your team can access these important documents from any location or work site, via any electronic device including a laptop, tablet or smart phone device. This means that when your team needs the information, they can get it. No need to slow down productivity, and no need to wait for HR to get back to their desk.

 

Read more about our Documents Module

 

But possibly one of the best features of Safety Champion – and one you won’t find in alternative software products on the market – is the fact that Safety Champion assigns safety tasks to a team or a group in your organisation and not to a person. This means, that if the person responsible for a safety tasks moves to another role or leaves the business, your safety tasks keep ticking along.

 

The system architecture keeps everything in place for you so that you never need to worry about safety tasks – like reviewing documentation – being forgotten again.

 

Get the OHS information you need any time, anywhere.

 

 

Total peace of mind with Safety Champion

 

Safety Champion’s Documents Module allows any business owner, people manager, team leader or human resources representative the peace of mind they are after.

 

Imagine being able to update that document, load it into the system, and feel confident knowing that your team, wherever they are – a suburb away on site, interstate, or even in another country – have most up-to-date and accurate safety information possible.

 

Safety Champion really is the easy and efficient way to manage safety documentation.

 

If you are keen to learn more, reach out to us and one of our customer experience team members will be in touch soon.

 

 

How to be a safety champion

The word champion can be one of the most powerful words in the modern era.

 

(No wonder we named our awesome and very powerful safety software after it!)

 

We hear it repeated often and, in many contexts – like sport, business and politics – and across many forms of media and advertising.

 

So popular is this word that the noun has become the verb – we ‘champion’ specific causes!

 

 

The Cambridge Dictionary defines a champion as “a person who enthusiastically supports, defends, or fights for a person, belief, right, or principle”.

 

 

But what does it take to be a champion? More specifically, what are the qualities of being a champion that us ‘Ordinary Joes’ can apply on an everyday basis to make workplaces safer?

 

There are many quotes which have been uttered by sports persons, businessmen and politicians about what it takes to be a champion.

 

Perhaps these can best be summarised by the ‘championship qualities’ defined by sports journalist, best-selling author and business coach Don Yaeger.

 

 

A champion in the eyes of business coach Don Yaegar

Don developed his list based on interactions with sports and business champions over 15 years as a sports journalist and business coach.

 

  • Having contagious enthusiasm

  • Always being prepared, even in ‘off-season’

  • Visualising victory

  • Using adversity as fuel

  • Acting and reacting with careful consideration

  • Knowing how to adjust their game plan, quickly, when the unexpected occurs

  • Being willing to take on whatever role is necessary for the team to win

 

Don calls a person a champion when they know what needs to be done, and when they do what needs to be done, no matter how seemingly beneath him or her it might be.

 

In essence, a safety champion ‘walks the walk’, knows the power of networking, is always prepared, and never gives up.

 

 

A champion for workplace safety

 

We often talk about safety champions when it comes to health and safety. It’s a common phrase. So common, it’s the theme of National Safe Work Month 2019.

 

And we all have a sense of who those people are. They are the ones that really go all out with OHS to make sure we are all safe at work.

 

Need a safety software? Try our 100% free plan

 

They are the ones chasing up the tasks, making sure we are all reporting what we need to, putting up the signs around the office, and generally showing their support for workplace safety so we all go home safe at the end of the day.

 

But how can you be a workplace health and safety champion? Well, from a consultant point of view, we’d suggest you adopt a few or all of these principles and bring them into your business as usual.

 

  • Apply quality principals ie having a prevention focus with a continuous improvement approach.
  • Be an exemplar in working safely – always being on ‘display’, even when no one is watching.
  • Show respect for others in calling out and responding appropriately to unsafe behaviours. Knowing why the behaviour is unsafe will make this easier.
  • Ensure you provide or have access to safety knowledge with regards to risk management which is evidence based. The safety conversation will be easier if evidence for the proposed course of action is presented.
  • Be a good communicator! Communication (a key part of consultation) forms a cornerstone of modern safety legislation. To communicate effectively takes considerable skill. Coming up with new and interesting ways to present the ‘same old’ message is challenging.
  • Always being enthusiastic in all matters relating to safety. Enthusiasm for safety is a major contributor to effective communication.
  • Be aware as to where safety fits in with the big picture without compromising vision and belief.
  • Believe in the importance of eliminating workplace harm while acknowledging that zero harm may be unrealistic (the ‘higher power’?) and being able to visualise what a safe workplace looks like.
  • Acknowledge that emergent conditions can quickly escalate risk and prepared for and able to respond to all eventualities.

 

4 simple points to follow

Ok, ok. Maybe that was all a little too much. But don’t despair! Generally, being a safety champion in the workplace can be as simple as being actively engaged in your safety program.

But we have four neat points that anyone – no matter their position in the workplace – can take on board for a great safety culture.

 

  1. Ensure that you and your team have all the tools and skills needed to work safely.

  2. Report unsafe work situations or workplace incidents even if you are not directly involved.

  3. Walk the ‘safety’ walk. Follow the rules just as you’d expect everyone else to.

  4. Participate actively in relevant discussion and action to improve safety at work.

Try sharing these ideas with your team. These can be gold when it comes to building a stronger safety culture at your work.

 

If everyone in the workplace strives to follow these four simple principles above, it will be far more likely that safety will improve. Plus, if bring in some professional safety consultants to guide your safety program and a WHS software tool like Safety Champion, you will be well on your way to keeping everyone at work safer and healthier.

 

Of course, an entire workplace of safety champions is even better than one! Go for gold on that and get everyone on board!

Launching the first 100% free safety software plan of its kind

*GO FREE plan is now known as Safety Champion Light.

 

Today, we are thrilled, excited, and maybe a little nervous too, to launch our big news. Safety Champion now has the first 100% free, comprehensive safety software product on the market.

 

Our GO FREE plan allows anyone, in any organisation, to access our platform to manage their health and safety management system free. We don’t ask for credit cards and this is not a free trial period that will end in a month. It’s free, forever.

 

 

A free safety solution to break through the barriers

In our line of work, we see many organisations – small and large – struggle getting the resources or finances together to manage safety well.

 

It’s not that the people in these organisations don’t want to keep the people in their team safe from harm. Quite the opposite.

 

It’s just that health and safety has a perception of being complex and just ‘too hard’. This often acts as a barrier that prevents organisations from better engagement with stronger safety practices. And we see this as a real shame.

 

So, with our free workplace safety software, any organisation wishing to boost their safety management practices can do so. Without concern over having the resources or the money to put behind it.

 

 

 

Go right ahead and sign up today

 

 

Choose to go free, to free yourself up some time

In fact, the system saves you time. No more messy spreadsheets. No more chasing people up to complete that incident form. No more paper-based filing. And no need for that catastrophe meeting you have when you realise safety has dropped off the radar completely!

 

Safety Champion’s GO FREE plan frees you up to get to other important things in your business.

 

Through the system, you will be able to;

 

  • seamlessly manage the essential components of your safety program.

  • report incidents, report hazards, and complete inspections on your phone or computer.

  • plan out recurring tasks, set notification emails, and assign tasks to your team.

 

safety champion free health and safety software for all organisations to access for free

The clean and clear interface of Safety Champion’s GO FREE version.

 

The first of its kind

Following on from other ‘greats’ in the SaaS (Software as a Service) industry – like Dropbox and MailChimp – we thought it was time to bring a free software product to the health and safety industry.

 

This free plan allows you access to more than one module – in fact many! – with more than one user. So you can manage all of the essential components of your full health and safety program in one system.

 

We think a free ohs software solution is just what the industry needs to get safety on the agenda in more workplaces, and improve uptake of strong safety practices.

 

Learn what’s included in our free plan

 

 

Be a Safety Champion this National Safe Work Month

We are incredibly proud to have launched this product – especially in Safe Work Month – when “Be a Safety Champion” is the tagline. Imagine our surprise when we learned about that tagline whilst preparing to launch this offer!

 

Now, everyone has the means to be a safety champion in their workplace.

 

What’s included then?

  • 4 awesome modules – incident, action, inspections, planning!

  • 2 unique user accounts

  • Access to our IOS and Android Apps

  • Templates to copy

  • Great guidance from our online tutorials

 

 

It’s pretty clear to see the benefits. So, sign up today!

How to safely manage hazardous chemicals in your workplace

Bad luck or bad planning?

It’s often easier to figure out what happened and why after a chemical incident has occurred. A couple of seemingly unrelated events combine to produce an explosion, a chemical spill and/or worse case an injury.

 

You think –

“If only the regular operator had not been sick that day”
“If only the waste oil drum had been emptied on Monday when it was scheduled”
“If only the new operator had used the correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)”

 

Then, this incident would not have happened.

 

But, can you fight bad luck with good planning? The simple answer is yes!

 

 

So, what does this look like?

I hear you say –

“I have a chemical register, current Safety Data Sheets (SDS), suitable PPE and have assigned a person to manage the chemicals at our workplace”.
“I have also provided training to employees”
“So what more can I do?” 

 

Yes, you have the right information, but have you applied it in an effective way?

 

 

Is your chemical management system active or redundant?

Assigning the administration of the chemical management system to an employee and knowing what chemical products you have is actually not quite enough. 

 

You also need visibility of the ingredients of those products. Along with the specific hazards associated with the use, handling, storage and transportation so that you can identify and assess the risks and how these can be effectively managed.

 

 

Too often, information on chemical hazards is known only to a few employees and SDS folders and registers are left sitting on a shelf, forgotten and gathering dust. Managing hazardous chemicals involves everyone in your business – No observers allowed!

Elaine McGuigan – OHS Consultant

 

 

So, you have a safety program in place but you must remember that this is not the same as making sure your employees understand and can adequately handle the risks associated with hazardous chemicals in your workplace.

 

Is it enough to make sure a few employees understand the risks of hazardous chemicals?

No, the risks must be understood and communicated to all employees in a way that they can understand. Train your employees thoroughly and tailor the training to their level of education, it may take extra time to present in this manner, but they will remember it.

 

What’s some quick advice for consideration?

Information and awareness of the dangers of hazardous chemicals is the key to good planning. 

For example –

  • Have you undertaken a hazard analysis and taken the time to write down the risks associated with the use, handling, storage and transportation of your chemicals?
  • Have you taken into account your entire operation, the equipment you use, the workers who interact with these and how they all interact with each other? 
  • Have you considered the worst incident that can happen and how likely is it to happen?

 

Go beyond listing the dangers of each individual chemical and look at the hazards and risks from a whole of business perspective. Consider your neighbours, the community, the environment, your emergency plan and how you manage the introduction of new chemicals into your workplace.

 

A good chemical management system makes it impossible to overlook the way these things are interrelated because it requires input from your entire operation.

 

 

Learn from your mistakes following an incident where no real harm has been done. Rather than ignoring it and getting on with the job, investigate the direct and indirect causes (i.e. the contributing factors) and implement corrective actions to prevent the same thing from happening again.

 

How does safety software allow you to manage chemicals better?

Resources to effectively manage safety programs – including hazardous chemical management – are often stretched to the maximum. This is where safety software such as Safety Champion can help. 

 

Safety Champion has a dedicated Chemical Management Module which can make a big difference. The Chemical Module can;

  • be used to track multiple hazardous chemicals, across multiple workplaces
  • provide employees with immediate access to up-to-date SDSs
  • be access from any desktop, tablet or smartphone – even through our safety app!

 

Yes, there is still work to do but in using a safety software to help manage your chemical management program it is active, and no longer redundant. It now belongs to the workplace and not an individual. Phew. It’s no longer gathering dust on some forgotten shelf. 

 

Is workaholism a real thing?

Have you ever called someone else or perhaps yourself a workaholic? Well despite it often talked about in a jovial manner, workaholism is actually a real thing. Sometimes considered by psychology and sociology academics as a behaviour-based addiction or compulsion, it is something that has been found to afflict pretty high portions of some populations, especially in western culture.
You might be surprised to hear that there’s even such a thing as Workaholics Anonymous for those who need help, akin to Alcoholics Anonymous or AA.
Workaholism occurs when someone is driven or motivated to work at an uncontrollable or overpowering level. But, it’s also a little more than this. Workaholics spend so much time, effort and energy on work that it starts to impact their relationships, family life, extra-curricular activities and even their health.
Some of the negative physical and psychological outcomes of workaholism are depression, burnout, poor health, life dissatisfaction, and relationship problems.

 

Given these pretty high stakes, it’s important for leaders and managers to know a little about what kind of workplace fosters workaholism. After all, it’s both a legal and moral responsibility for leaders to ensure that workers are safe and healthy in the workplace.

 

It’s no secret that our modern workplace culture is now set by technological advancements, continuous connectivity to the office, and increased pressure on organisations to remain competitive and efficient. But it’s these kinds of things that can urge us to feel like we must work harder and faster.
A 2014 report from The Australia Institute revealed that work-life balance has been declining in recent years, with the many feeling pressure to work longer hours to keep up. And, unsurprisingly, work-life imbalance has been found to be correlated with workaholism.
The great news is that we can change the nature of our workplace environments to avoid the likelihood of workaholism taking hold. Studies have found that a competitive workplace, a culture of overwork, performance comparisons between colleagues, and high job performance demands are all factors that may contribute to workaholism.
So, if you have any of these things bubbling away at your workplace and you think it might be negatively contributing to the health of your people, perhaps it may be time to rethink things.
And certainly supporting some healthy workplace initiatives coming up like ‘RUOK Day’ in September, ‘Ride to Work Day in October, or ‘Go Home on Time Day’ in November, will help cultivate the kind of culture that supports a fit work-life balance for your people.
Let’s make better, healthier and safer workplaces so that we can enjoy our time outside of work as well. Go team!

Read more about mental health and wellbeing at work:

5 things we do to keep our team happiness level on a high!

What on earth is psychological safety?

The Juggler Part 4: 8 things you can do today to get action on safety

As you know through our Juggler series so far, the Juggler really is the ‘safety champion’ of many small or medium sized enterprises. But just like any champion out there, sometimes the Juggler might get stuck, lose motivation or veer off track.

So, Jugglers, here’s a little blog to help you get you on the right path, or stay on track if you are already there. Our 8 sure-fire ways to get action on safety in your workplace – starting today!

Not sure what we mean by the Juggler? Check out this blog.

 

1. Understand your organisation.

What sort of people do you work with? Have they been active in safety before? And if not, how do you think they could be motivated to engage in safety. Think about what makes them and the organisation as a whole tick.

2. Access training and guidance resources.

There are many resources you can access to skill up in safety. As a start, try downloading our free Health and Safety 101 course. It will step you through a good way to approach safety – even if you don’t have any current processes in place at all. We even let you in on some of the best free resources out there in episode 3. For more formal training information – see our blog Part 3 – The Juggler

3. Consult your colleagues.

Work with your colleagues and managers to discover what the big risks areas have been in the past. Investigate all injuries that have happened in the past. Then you can start to understand why they happened, and act on preventing them from happening again.

4. Have a plan.

Engage your boss in this step and ensure they are supporting your plan with safety. When your leader is on board – and actively encouraging the same from the whole team – safety becomes that much easier. As a part of this, make a list and agree on all the things that your workplace does, to prevent people from getting hurt – so completion can be monitored, and activities identified as important are not forgotten. This may include maintenance, training, meetings, inspections, etc.

5. Keep everyone informed.

Ensure that all your colleagues understand they are responsible for workplace safety, not just you. Encourage them to manage safety in their area and set up formal and informal opportunities for workers to resolve issues. And importantly, keep everyone up to date on how ‘we’ – as a team improving safety together – are travelling.

6. Monitor your plan.

Check in on your safety plan on a regular basis to ensure that things are getting done. An online Safety Management System with an easy overview dashboard display will make things a heap easier. Try ours 😉

7. Report back to management.

Create simple reports that you can share with your leadership team so that they understand what is going on with safety. This is a great way to see where you can improve, and to put your case forward for getting access to resources that will help you fill any gaps and keep things even safer. Report in the incidents that have occurred, suggestions that have been provided by the “team” or reporting back on “the things that your workplace does, to prevent people from getting hurt” – see point 4 above. Importantly, report back on your plan.

8. Check in with a professional.

It’s certainly a good idea to check in with a safety professional every so often to ensure that you are on track, in compliance with the legislative requirements, and doing the best you can to keep people at your workplace safe.

 

That’s it in a nutshell. These eight things really will make managing safety, amongst the rest of your workload, a lot easier. Hope it helps!

 

 

_______

Check out the other blogs in “The Juggler” blog series:

Part 1 – Who is the Juggler

Part 2 – Show your support to the Juggler

Part 3 – Training the Juggler

 

We’re offline!

But it’s not what you think! This isn’t a system upgrade. Our software is still up and running 24/7, as usual. But we’re pleased to say, we are the kind of offline that some businesses out there really need when it comes to safety.

 

These days, it’s all about being online; bringing your business processes online, and staying online 24/7. It’s certainly true that more and more businesses come to us wanting to shift their safety processes online, so they can experience all the benefits that come with it. (And there are many, of course; access to your full safety system anywhere any time, capacity to share information, worldwide, instantaneously, etc., etc.)

 

But there are times when offline functionality is pretty important too. Times when your workforce may not have access to mobile data, or wifi. You know, those times when your phone doesn’t have a signal? This may be associated with work in remote locations, or just times where there is an unstable internet connection. Additionally, it may be times where the signal is just dead, and we are all sure to be familiar with some of those spots! In short, not having a signal, is more frequent than we realise (or would like to accept).

 

So, that’s why we ensured that the Safety Champion Mobile App works offline, not just online.

 

So, that’s why we ensured that the Safety Champion Mobile App works offline, not just online. We wanted to ensure that all Safety Champion users can report incidents or hazards, conduct inspections, find or “do” JSA’s or SWMS, and access procedures, manuals or Safety Data Sheet’s at the time they need, rather than being a servant to the signal. It works like this:

 

  • Offline functionality allows the user of the Safety Champion App to access and use all functions without a signal, a network or wifi connectivity.
  • The user can input data or information into the app – such as reporting a hazard (including taking a photo) – just as an online user can.
  • When the user comes back online, all the information and attachments are automatically uploaded into Safety Champion.

 

Pretty neat, hey? We think so. ;0)

 

So, whilst being online brings great things for your business (and ours), offline access is also important. So your workforce can have ready access to your safety program at all times.

 

We advocate hard for bringing your safety process online and doing this with Safety Champion. Why? Because we want everyone to be safer at work, and we know that improved systems deliver this. But we also understand that sometimes, it’s not all about online, online, online. We know that there will be times that you worker will not have a signal, or may not have easy access to mobile-data or wifi. Rather than saying “too bad”, we built Safety Champion to support these occasions.

 

Need offline functionality? Don’t worry, we’ve got you. The Safety Champion Mobile App is available from the Google Play Store, or through your Safety Champion consultant.

safety champion mobile app safety inspections incident reporting hazard reporting app Google Play for Android

Safety Champion a proud partner of Australian Government’s Digital Champions initiative

We’re pleased to announce our partnership with the Australian Government’s Department of Jobs and Small Business as a corporate partner for their new initiative.

 

Launched earlier this year, the Small Business Digital Champions initiative will assist 100 small businesses around the country to revolutionise their businesses using the power of technology.

 

“When small businesses are digitally engaged, they are 50 per cent more likely to be growing revenue, eight times more likely to be creating jobs, seven times more likely to be exporting, and 14 times more likely to be innovating new products or services 1.”

 

In collaboration with Deloitte, through guidance from a list of high-profile mentors (see mentors here), and alongside the support of tech corporate partners, like Safety Champion, the chosen Small Business Digital Champions will embark on a year-long digital transformation.

 

With tech solutions offered by in-kind supporters the businesses will be set to boost their productivity, reach, and effectiveness by adopting digital solutions, at various levels of their businesses.

 

The team at Safety Champion very much look forward to assisting these small businesses to embed our simple, smart technology within their business processes to make the digital management of safety the norm.

 

For more about the Australian Government’s Small Business Digital Champions Initiative go to, https://www.jobs.gov.au/corporate-partners

4 reasons why bringing safety online is smarter sooner rather than later.

So, you’re thinking about bringing your safety program online. Fantastic! Of course, we’re going to say that, being a cloud-based safety software business. But our safety consultant brains also say the same, regardless of which safety software you choose to bring on board.

 

Why? Because whether it’s Safety Champion Software or another, online safety software systems can keep your safety program humming. And as health and safety consultants, we see this. One of the most common issues we hear from the businesses that we work with, is requests for ways, that they can keep their safety program on track.

 

 

After identifying what good safety practices look like for a business, the challenge is often how does the business establish a way to ensure that the relevant people perform the assigned activities, when scheduled?

– Craig Salter

Action OHS Consulting Director & Safety Champion Founder

 

 

Seriously, your safety program can see real and lasting benefits from streamlining your safety procedures with a cloud-based safety system to keep everything scheduled, ticking along, and improving at the same time.

 

 

 

Here’s a 4 reasons why it’s good for your business to bring safety online sooner rather than later:

 

The sooner you start, the sooner you can capture your data.

We hear it all the time these days. Data-driven approaches, actionable insights, meaningful data analytics… these are all terms that float around our professional circles daily, regardless of your line of work. But seriously, data – more specifically, the data you collect in your own organisation, that aligns with your own challenges, your own needs – can really help you improve your safety program. Imagine if you could see trends in the types of incidents that were reported over the last 6 months at a simple click of a button. Or if you could see which department was lagging in terms of tasks completed over the last quarter, or you could see which task were generally harder to complete, so you could contextualise some training to assist.

These kinds of insights can be pivotal to ensure you are spending time, money and resources in the right areas – the areas that will really help increase the safety of your people.

The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll save money.

Let’s cut straight to the chase. Think about the number of hours you or your people spend trying to keep safety on track; reminding people to perform that safety task; following up on the paperwork for that reported incident or corrective action; chasing up the last time your workers completed that training, looking through the filing cabinet for the record of that certification; or, preparing reports for departments, regions or the organisation, etc., etc. Well, all that time means money. And all that time could be used for more important things like “doing safety” rather than “doing admin”.

Online safety software – when it’s done right – with save you a crazy amount of time as automated reminder emails are sent to the relevant stakeholders to remind them of upcoming task, whilst at the same time escalating notifications to management if tasks are not completed; all records are a click away and can be accessed in no time, ready for easy download; pre-programmed workflows allow real-time visibility of the status of your safety program to management, ensuring that your safety program is managed both now and in the future; or, reporting is always available, in real-time and most importantly accurate– nothing forgotten. Given our software generally offers a payback period of between 6 and 10 months, it’s clear that online safety software will save you time, concern, worry and importantly money.

 

Furthermore, as a manager, how do you monitor implementation, without creating unnecessary administration, or moving down a pathway of micro-management?’

– Craig Salter

Action OHS Consulting Director & Safety Champion Founder

 

 

The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll know what’s going on.

We don’t mean to scare people when we say this, but as a business owner or person in charge, you have a legal duty to provide a safe workplace for your people and anyone who visits your workplace. And when reviewing the legislation more closely, it’s clear that you must have current knowledge of the safety hazards in your workplace; and be able to demonstrate what you are actively doing to mitigating the risk associated with those hazards.

So, safety software doesn’t only make sure that things tick along, it gives business owners and managers clear, real-time oversight of the whole safety program, whenever, wherever. So, since it’s a legal requirement that you know what’s going on, should the Safety Regulator come knocking, a cloud-based safety software system is just the thing to give you a one-stop-shop to: direct, review and oversee your entire safety program.

The sooner you start, the sooner your people will thank you.

Trust us. They will thank you. They are sick and tired of trying to get people enthused about completing safety tasks, following the procedures, or keeping up with their owning training and documentation. They are also over how hard it is to let the right people know that there is a safety hazard that really needs to be addressed, and today. “Who do I tell? Where is the form again?”. “Why should I bother telling them, last time they did nothing”.

Thankfully, online safety software systems have been designed to make things easier, faster, communicate more broadly, and be more streamlined for everyone involved. It’s easier for the people behind your safety program, for you, and for the people that your safety program is there to protect – all workers and visitors! Safety Champion, for one, is a system we made specifically to simplify the process so that it will no longer be a chore to get involved in safety, it will be something that simply becomes ‘what you do’ – business as usual! Just imagine.

 

So, if after reading this, you want to get an online safety management software system up and running sooner rather than later, contact us. We’d love to take you through ours – we’re darn confident it’ll help.

A simple 5-step process to your safety management system…

We’re not going to beat around the bush. There’s the long-winded, jargon-clad explanation for how important safety management systems are, why you need them, the health and safety legislative requirements you have as a business owner, your moral obligations, etc, etc. And all that stuff is true. But there’s also a simpler and more straightforward way of looking at it. That is –

 

A safety management system is just an elegant name for what your business actually does to manage and mitigate safety risks to your people at work.

 

That’s it. Pretty clean and clear now right?

 

And we’d argue that it’s important to break it down into this simplistic way of looking it, and keeping this in mind as you build out and improve your safety management system.

 

Why? Because – without knowledge of what good can look like, safety just has a special way of becoming very complex and complicated within businesses as they try to do more and the more to address things – we see it time and time again. When actually, the reality is, that if you manage and mitigate the safety risks effectively, you’ve nailed it.

 

So, how do you manage and mitigate the safety risks effectively in a comprehensive and effective safety management system? Here’s a nice clear process:

 

1. COMMIT TO IT –

This is first on the list because, quite frankly, without the explicit commitment from management teams to any safety efforts, no matter how good the intention was, it never really quite works. So commit to it and, importantly, show your commitment to your people at every level and often.

 

2. PLAN IT –

Think about all the things you want to address when it comes to the health and safety of your people. Write it down. If you don’t know what you want to address – ask your team! Or start with common injuries and hazards for your industry – read this blog. Then when you’ve got a pretty robust and comprehensive list, prioritise the issues, putting the most hazardous first and determine how and when you will address these.

 

3. DO IT –

It can be tricky to ensure the implementation of your plan happens, and continues to happen – this is why you should write it down. It is likely that you’ll need to delegate tasks, provide deadlines, and make sure your people are trained, ready and willing. Read more on how to encourage greater buy in from your team here.

 

4. CHECK IT –

Set up regular check-ins to make sure you are on track with your plan. This part is about monitoring what you’ve done, looking at the data, and evaluating how well you did. Or even whether you can do it better another way next time.

 

5. DO IT AGAIN –

You’ve likely heard of the continuous improvement cycle when it comes to safety management systems? Well this is that integral part to it all. You must repeat this process over and over again. This is simply because things change at work – the hazards may change, your people may change, the legislation may change, etc. Remember there is always something you can improve upon when it comes to health and safety.

 

To be perfectly honest with you, a safety software like Safety Champion was made (quite literally) for this kind of thing – to help you to keep the planning, doing and checking of your safety management system on track and moving effortlessly. We promise it’ll help. It will make your safety program effortless (compared to the alternative), efficient and sustainable.

 

Remember, if you get lost – just keep bringing it back to this; “What we are really trying to do is manage and mitigate risk to people in our workplace.” That’s it. Keep it at the forefront of everything you do and you’ll be in a good place.

 


 

Looking for more detail on Safety Management Systems? Review our past blogs:

Safety Management Systems: A comprehensive overview

 

The [very real] value of an effective incident reporting system

Any safety professional or scholar will tell you one of the core components of an effective safety management system is taking on a participatory approach[1]. Why is this so important? Because it’s your workers themselves who will likely be coming across safety hazards and risks in your workplace as they go about their day-to-day work.

 

And since they are the ones you’re liable to protect from harm, it’s a good idea to hear what they have to say, and to encourage them to actively participate in your safety management system.

 

One important way your people can and should participate in your safety management system is through the regular and accurate reporting of incidents. This includes everything from ‘near miss’ incidents – read our blog on what those are here if you are unsure – through to the more serious incidents that we all wish never happened.

 

Isn’t it a bad thing if my staff are reporting incidents?

You may think it’s a negative thing to encourage your people to report incidents regularly. And you may worry that having many reported incidents may reflect poorly on your business. But – trust us – encouraging regular incident reporting is in fact a very, very good thing.

 

This is because effective incident reporting processes will ensure that you receive very real, relevant and valuable data – specific to your workplace – about the hazards that have the potential to cause harm to your workers, and any visitors to your workplace.

 

And this data can be used to help you know what to focus on when it comes to making your workplace safer. Which is exactly what you are tasked to do under the health and safety legislation. Plus, having a solid and demonstrable incident reporting system or process in place is also a requirement of the legislation.

 

There is real value in having an effective incident reporting system that all of your staff can actively participate in. Data from the incident reports will guide you to the hazards are that you should be addressing, and advise if current controls you have in place might be falling short in effectively reducing risks.

 

It will inform you of the real operational hazards, rather than the ‘hazards as imagined’ in the office.

 

Review our plans – all inclusive of easy incident reporting!

 

 

What about my legal requirements with incident reporting?

And legally speaking, it is a requirement for you to have an incident reporting system to collect and collate your incident data, so that you can identify trends over time. This becomes powerful when you can start to dive into what’s really going on in specific work areas or departments within your business; age- or work-history profiles of you workers; or root causes.

 

This kind of data analysis and reporting will actually help you step back from the management and investigation of single incidents and see the bigger picture. And it’s this bigger picture that can help guide your whole safety management system towards reducing the number of incidents, reducing the severity of incidents, and boosting the overall impact of your safety management system.

 

It can support the procurement of new equipment, or ensure procedures are review more meaningfully.

 

 

Needless to say, Safety Champion Software can assist you with both an easy-to-use and customisable incident reporting form that everyone in your business can use, and powerful reporting so that you can gain insights from incident reporting trends. Take photos when reporting on your phone at the incident site and upload attachments at will.

 

 

Contact us if you would like to hear more or check out our incident reporting module. We have developed our incident reporting module so that you can customise your own questions and response fields, so you won’t need to give up on that content that is super specific and important to you.

 


 

[1] Gallagher, C, Underhill, E & Rimmer, M 2003, ‘Occupational safety and health management systems in Australia: barriers to success’, Policy and Practice in Health and Safety, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 67-81.

 

Photo by rawpixel.com from Pexels – Thanks!

Safety just won’t happen without effective leadership

Some have argued that leadership may be almost the single most powerful component of workplace culture[1]. Therefore, it follows that effective leadership is also important for safety practices to function at their best. We’ve found this to be pretty bang on. Our consultants often find that a poor workplace culture and poor safety performance, usually goes hand-in-hand with poor leadership.

 

While, this may be obvious to some – it isn’t to all. Often it can be organisational leaders themselves who are not acutely aware of their pivotal role in developing the workplace culture that promotes a safe work environment. So, if you’re a leader and thinking “Geez, I gotta get onto this” – or if you play a bit of an influential role with the leaders in your workplace – read on to learn how leaders can better promote a stronger safety culture.

 

demo-safety champion

 

Just why is leadership so important in building a strong safety culture?

 

Well, it’s the actions of leaders that set a personal example for desired workplace behaviour. Leaders can be very influential when they are seen by workers to follow and promote established safety rules, policies, procedures and standards.

 

Wise words from a safety guru:

 

“Top management must be committed to excellence and drive the agenda by establishing a vision, values and goals.”[2] James Meville Stewart, author of Managing for World Class Safety.

 

Wise words from one of our gurus:

 

“What interests my manager, fascinates me.” Craig Salter (most likely paraphrased from somewhere on the internet).

 

What do leaders need to succeed in building a strong safety culture?

 

  • Leaders must possess both the desire to act and a clear understanding of the specific behaviours that lead to excellent safety performance.
  • Leaders should focus on determining and then representing the values and behaviours required to strengthen workplace practices.
  • Leaders must not only say the right things, they must actively drive the development, implementation and enforcement of safety management systems to keep it moving.
  • Leaders should seek advice from safety professionals to guide and advise on an evidence-based approach to health and safety management, suited to their business.
  • Leaders should be involved in safety meetings and regularly include safety in their conversations and communications.

 

So if you are adopting the “do as I say, not as I do” approach to safety leadership – you are way off the mark. Chances are, you’re not developing a culture. Even if you are punishing those workers caught working outside “your rules” and even if they are appropriate controls in and of themselves, it simply won’t bring about the culture you are after you if you don’t adopt the rules yourself.

 

Put simply, if you don’t need to follow the rules, why should others?

 

 

As a leader, just how do you change safety culture for the better?

 

Whilst it is usually found that an organisation cannot change the core beliefs of the individuals within it, an organisational leader can certainly change the core culture of the collective. This is done by not only saying, but also doing. This is done by leaders adhering to the rules they lay out for everyone.

 

They must exemplify the change they wish to see in the workplace.

 

If in reading this, you are thinking “I need to do better” or that the leaders in your organisation need to do better, you’re probably right. Because, after all, all of us have the right to come to a workplace that protects our health and safety. The ignorance of leadership in your organisation may indeed be negatively affecting you, your colleagues and the leaders themselves.

 

And if you need a little help with implementing a health and safety management system to work alongside your strong safety leadership, contact us today!

 

[1] Simon, S.I. and R.A. Carrillo. Improving Safety Performance Through Cultural Interventions. In Safety Health & Asset Protection: Management Essentials, R.W. Lack, 2nd Edition. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 2002.

[2] Stewart, J.M. Managing for World Class Safety. New York. John Wiley & Sons, 2002.

 

Why we should all support diversity in the workplace…

This week is Harmony Week in Australia. What used to be a single day – Harmony Day held on 21 March to coincide with United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination – is now a whole week of celebration of Australia’s cultural diversity, inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone in our community. With recent events, this week is sure to hold great emotion for some amongst us.

 

This year’s Harmony Week got us thinking about diversity and equality in the workplace. We like to think of ourselves as a pretty inclusive and welcoming sort of workplace – it’s something that we really love about working at Safety Champion. But what does it even mean to be diverse in the workplace? And how important is it for your business?

 

Employee diversity is increasing more and more. Of course – once upon a time – women, people from varying ethnic or religious backgrounds, or people with disabilities, to name but a few, did not find it easy to secure a position in the workplace. Thankfully, now, things have changed – and are continuing to change! Whilst we have come a long way, we know that more can be done.

 

We did a bit of research to discover what’s so good about this change. Here’s what we found – some pretty strong reasons for assuring you have diversity and equality on board in your workplace;

 

With greater workplace diversity comes more innovation and creativity.

People from different walks of life bring new perspectives and ideas to the table. These perspectives can improve the way your team works together and the service or product you deliver. Such improvements are simply good for business.

 

With greater workplace diversity comes opportunity for better and wider customer or partner interactions.

With greater diversity in your team, it’s possible you’ll open up a conversation with people you might not have otherwise. Additionally, your service or product might change for the better to incorporate or accommodate more diverse customers and partners.

 

With greater workplace diversity comes opportunity to learn tolerance, flexibility and adaptability.

Trust us, when your people can cultivate these things, they will be happier at work. And in general, for that matter. You’ll find the opposite of these three traits in almost every miserable person on the planet. And happy staff means lower staff turnover and lower costs on recruitment. Yay!

 

Workplace diversity is not only good for business – it’s good for people. We can all get something amazing out of increased diversity and inclusiveness. So, next time you are recruiting stay open to diversity and inclusiveness.

 

And if you’re already in a pretty diverse workplace – think about how you can learn more about each others culture this Harmony Week. You can even hold a public or private event and register it here. We already have – our office lunch in the park this Thursday! We think we might do a “pot luck” lunch, where we can each bring a plate of food that has meaning to us, to provide an opportunity for greater conversation.

 

Learn more about Harmony Day here: https://www.harmony.gov.au/

5 ways leaders can get safety really moving in 2019

You may have read our recent blog Safety just won’t happen without effective leadership a little while ago. In that article we argued that for safety culture to work and work well, it needs the support and influence of the leaders in an organisation. This is one of the most critical components for the assurance of an effective safety culture.

 

We’d almost go so far as to confidently say, if you don’t have the support of your leadership team as you develop and implement safety practices, you’re up for a hard slog. Sorry to say – and it breaks our heart as super pro-safety people – but we’ve seen it time and time again. Your leaders must be in full support of your safety program if you want your safety culture to really thrive.

 

So – what can you do about building a stronger safety culture?

If you are a leader, or you have great influence on the leaders in your workplace, read on. These are the behaviours that we’d suggest the leaders in your organisation should take on to promote safety excellence:

 

1. Set expectations.

Just like leaders do in other facets of business, leaders must translate their vision for safety into clear expectations and accountabilities, and filter this through all levels of the organisation. This provides a platform to enforce rewards, recognition and consequences, which will ultimately drive better behaviours and stronger safety culture.

 

2. Educate and train.

Leaders must provide education, training and resources to their people to ensure that employees are fully prepared and ready for excellence in safety performance. It is not enough to set the goals and then leave staff without the tools they need to succeed. Education starts at induction, then training should consider both operational specific skills and knowledge (i.e. how to do a work task) and process specific skills and knowledge (i.e. how to ensure policies or procedures are successfully implemented).

 

3. Power to the people.

By taking on points 1 and 2, leaders are well on their way with empowering their people to succeed. But leaders also must give their people the authority, flexibility and partnership they require to perform and achieve. This involves trust and (if you are one of those types) relinquishing control. In the words of Elsa from ‘Frozen‘ – “let it go”!

safety champion safety software safety culture tips for leaders

 

4. Encourage.

Leaders absolutely must continuously inspire, reassure and encourage their people to strive for excellence and meet organisational targets. It’s not enough to do this once at the beginning of the year and forget about it. Your people will lose focus on safety if leaders are not keeping it top of mind year-round.

 

5. Check in.

Leaders need to measure, monitor and review the effectiveness of their safety goals and make any necessary changes as they go. There’s no point without this step, quite frankly.

 

That’s it from us – our two cents. If you are an aspiring leader in safety, take on the above advice and you will be better placed to succeed, along with your people and your entire safety management system. And if you are looking for a software system to help you implement the nitty gritty of your safety program with ease, so you can focus on the bigger stuff outlined above, give us a bell at Safety Champion or jot down your details here and we’ll be in contact.

 

Sign up to our 100% safety software today

 

 

 

 


Keen to get safety sorted in 2019?

March is approaching swiftly. So, if you haven’t started your safety planning yet, it may mean you’re stuck or not sure where to start. But that’s totally ok. At Safety Champion, our mission is to provide clear and simple direction to uncomplicate safety management. In fact, during the last half of 2018 we held a four-part health and safety 101 webinar – The War on Safety – with this simple objective.

 

A number of attendees of the War on Safety mentioned that they found little nuggets of gold within the series that helped them look at their health and safety program in a slightly different way. Attendees mentioned they felt more confident to ‘do safety stuff’ and improve things at their workplace, without an increase in perceived effort. One little nugget stood out and it was this:

 

Identify what can hurt people in your workplace, then, actively work towards fixing and managing those things so people don’t get hurt.

 

So simple.

 

So if you are stuck with where to start your safety planning for 2019, this is our best piece of advice for a starting point. The truth is, if you do this well, you are likely to be doing safety extremely well.

 

But what does this look like in practice? Here’s some practical step-by-step advice for how you could approach this:

  1. Schedule a meeting (as a collective, or as individuals) with people across the business who undertake operational activities.
  2. Ask your team what they understand to be the health and safety risks associated with their work – don’t talk, listen.
  3. If they have a long list, potentially ask them to identify the:
    1. two (2) hazards that could have the greatest consequence (i.e. where they, or others could be seriously injured, or even die); and,
    2. two (2) hazards that they are exposed to, which they have to manage regularly. These hazards may have a minor, or significant consequence.

Remember: Don’t challenge. You asked for their opinion. You already know and have your opinion. After this meeting you can work together to manage hazards that all parties see as reasonable and practicable.

  1. Without challenging your team, working through the hazards identified within point 3, or points 3(a) and 3(b). Ask them, what do they do to ensure that people don’t get injured as they perform their tasks at work – again, don’t talk, listen.
  2. Thank them for their role in establishing a safer workplace.
  3. Then ask, what else could they, or the business, do to better ensure that people don’t get injured. If you do start to have a conversation here, don’t comment negatively towards their suggestions.
  4. Document the conversation – if you need a tool to support documentation, contact us, and we will provide you with the template that we have made available to all of our Safety Champion Clients within our Version Control and Documents Module.

 

A lot of businesses get so overwhelmed by the ‘doing’ of safety. This is often because they don’t involve their workers. They forget that in its rawest form, safety is about preventing incidents. They find it hard to start, because they look to do ‘legal compliance’ rather than explicitly looking at ways the work that they do, could hurt their workers, or people exposed to the work that they do.

 

But our advice? Initially focus on this. Once you identify a way that your workers or others could get hurt, you can then explore the legislation and guidance material to familiarise yourself with appropriate methods of control.

 

Once you have identified things that you will do to reduce the likelihood people getting hurt by your operations (i.e. via training, meetings, inspections, maintenance, etc.) document this, set-reminders, build sustainability. This is what managing your health and safety obligations looks like.

 

We feel incredibly privileged to hear such positive feedback from the people who joined the War on Safety webinar series. Not only has this feedback helped us to refine and improve the way our Action OHS Consulting consultants work with clients, or how our software Safety Champion functions; it was also just awesome to hear from listeners telling us that they were now confident to talk about safety within their workplaces.

 

We’re heartened by this – because as safety geeks ourselves – what we really want is to build safer and happier workplaces.

 

If you are keen to download the full War on Safety Webinar series so you can get safety sorted for 2019 from today – do so here.

 

What on earth is a near miss? And why should I care…

 

To make this terminology slightly more accessible – a ‘near miss’ could simply be called a ‘close call.’ It’s any time that someone in your workplace might have narrowly avoided injury or harm. Sounds like an ok outcome, right? An injury avoided! Great, let’s get on with our work. But actually near misses are worth a closer look.

 

It may sound laborious and you are probably thinking, ‘Of course, the health and safety people want to investigate that near miss further.’ Perhaps you think this may be a waste of time, effort and money. After all, no one was hurt. But actually near misses – from a safety management perspective – are gold. Why? Well, not only did no one get hurt (yay!) but they are also brilliant opportunities to learn about the hazards and risks in your workplace.

 

 

What’s our advice about how to use near miss data?

 

Essentially, as a business owner or a manager, you are trying to create a workplace that means your people will go home every night happy, healthy and in tact. This means, you need to recognise possible hazards and reduce the risk of injury and harm. So, it’s worthwhile starting to look at near misses as great indications of what hazards need to be addressed to improve safety in your workplace.

 

Start to build a culture of reporting near misses. If near misses are reported and then properly addressed, you are doing your job to protect the health and safety of your people.

 

It’s also important to note here that an organisation may be prosecuted in the case of a near miss. Yes, this can be the case even when no one has been injured. Why? Well, in some cases it may be deemed negligent of an organisation to have exposed people to risk – whether the likelihood of that risk is high or low. So, even more incentive to get your people in the habit of reporting near misses.

 

So how can you promote and improve your near miss reporting?

 

  • Explicitly ask your workers at team meetings of near misses or close calls that they have been involved with, and
  • Make ‘near miss’ reporting clear, simple and easy! Not sure how? Consider implementing a health and safety software program like Safety Champion. Safety Champion will allow workers to report near misses, and ensure that these are communicated to key stakeholders in the business to manage.

 

Once you start to get workers reporting ‘near misses’, don’t forget to establish controls to ensure that the likelihood of the ‘event’ occurring again in the future is reduced. Once you have reduced the potential impact of the hazard, then, you are doing your job – and doing it really well. See – near miss data is awesome and can really help you build a stronger safety management system.

Do you flow?

 

Flow. Maybe you’ve heard of it? Maybe you haven’t. But flow is defined to be when a person experiences a state of consciousness where they are totally absorbed in their work, and enjoy it immensely. It’s sounds pretty good and something that both employees and employers should probably chase for the sake of increased productivity levels and worker happiness!

 

Interestingly, the concept of flow is reserved more for the workplace. People report states of flow occurring more commonly in their work, in comparison to all the other activities they choose to do outside of work.

 

For example, surgeons often report experiencing flow when they are completely absorbed in an 8 hour surgery. When it happens the concept of time often evaporates, as does any feelings of anxiety or stress.

 

So how can you experience a state of flow? The million dollar question…

 

Well, flow occurs when a perfect balance is found between the challenge that a task presents, and a person’s ability to perform the task. The task can’t be too easy or too hard, and you have to perceive it this way for it to all work. There needs to be some sense of ‘I can do this’ but that it’s still a challenge. Additionally, research suggests there are three core elements in flow;

 

  1. Intrinsic motivation – this is not just enjoying your work enough to be motivated to do it, but also being fascinated by it and deriving pleasure from it!
  2. Absorption – this is total, 100%, uninterrupted concentration on the task at hand.
  3. Enjoyment – and this one is obvious – no definition required!

 

So, it’s a pretty special experience and perhaps not something that is possible for every person to experience every day. But next time you catch yourself in a brief moment of flow, feel free to smile. Because it’s likely indicative of the fact that the current task at hand meets your professional skill level at a perfect balance. And what a lovely place to be!

 

We asked our software development team when they are in flow…

 

And interestingly, it all revolved around development of ‘new’ Safety Champion modules. Our developers spoke about the ‘challenge’ associated with getting it all to work, all to fit together. Figuring out how to deliver what we need the user functionality to be, in alignment with the brief from the health and safety consultants, and with their own skill level in whichever platform they use. This is the moment they most commonly experienced it. Makes sense.

 

When do you flow?

3 things you probably don’t think could be true about workplace bullying

 

Workplace bullying or workplace victimisation can lead to a range of negative outcomes for everyone involved.

 

Stress, low job satisfaction, burnout, depression, presenteeism and absenteeism are some of the more commonly discussed, and all of severely impact workplace productivity.

 

This list alone should make you want to ensure a bully-free workplace environment. And there are even more possible negative impacts that you may be less likely to think about straight away – including cardiovascular problems, post-traumatic stress disorder, and resignations.

 

There’s clearly a big reason why we’re all talking about workplace bullying right now. But the topic isn’t as simple as many initially think.

 

Here are three things that may challenge your assumptions of workplace bullying and how it works:

 

 

1. Subordinates can bully their seniors.

Don’t be fooled. It is certainly possible for bullying to occur up, down and across traditional lines of reporting in the workplace. Additionally, bullying can even occur between organisations too. Be careful not to assume that bullying behaviour is restricted to managers or those with traditional organisational power.

2. Victims are not always submissive and insecure.

It may be possible for victims to display what might be thought of as personality traits clearly suited to a bully. Some research has suggested that aggressive, hostile or irritating traits may combine to create a provocative character in a person, when paired with certain other personalities that may be more reactive. So, be careful not to assume that these kinds of character traits must be indicative of a bully in all cases.

3. Bullies and victims can switch roles interchangeably.

It is not always easy to know who is the perpetrator and who is the victim, as this may change over time, repeatedly, and as new players come into the scene. Consider the interplay between the personalities of different people – one may provoke, while the other reacts. Then one retaliates, as the other defends. It’s best to consider each bullying scenario as ‘relational’ – a social interaction – and avoid blaming the perpetrator or blaming the victim.

 

Remember that workplace bullying is not only a horrible experience for those directly involved, but it doesn’t do anything positive for the workplace culture in which it occurs. So, be sure to build the kind of workplace culture that refuses to harbour bullying. Learn more about the factors at play in our blog Should I be worried about my staff being bullied at work?

 

The Juggler Part 3: Training the Juggler

In many organisations, the Juggler is your “Safety Champion” – the person that keeps workplace safety on track and moving. Remember, the Juggler is the person, typically in smaller and medium sized businesses, who has been allocated the responsibility of ‘managing’ safety, in addition to their ’employed’ role.

 

As a result, the Juggler has often not completed formal safety training, which then impacts their ability to effectively manage your businesses safety program. In this article, we thought we’d share some of the training options that can help you give the Juggler the right skills to effectively do their job.

 

There are a few formal training course options:

  • The Health and Safety Representative (HSR) Training course – This course imparts extensive knowledge relating to consultation (through representation), legislation and incident investigation. However, areas such as risk management, technical knowledge, training and safety communication are also covered. The course varies from state to state. In Victoria, our sister-company Action OHS Consulting offer this course. Click for more.
  • The Certificate IV or Diploma in WHSThese courses address the skill needs of the Juggler but completion times are long – up to twelve months. Check with your local TAFE or RTO to see if they offer these courses.
  • For Queenslanders – WorkCover Queensland recognised a gap in training for the Juggler and has reintroduced training for the Work Health and Safety Officer (WHSO). The WHSO training provides knowledge in risk management, training implementation, and incident investigation skills.

 

Effective training and development solutions for the Juggler should include the following skill areas:

  • Understanding the legal and regulatory health and safety requirements –what does the law require you to do?;
  • Developing an approach to identify and manage risk (with a focus on serious risk);
  • Developing technical knowledge on areas specific to your organisation. This may include manual handling or ergonomics, hazardous chemicals, work at heights, etc;
  • Development of ‘communication’ and ‘influencing’ skills. Safety challenge’s often arise as a result of ineffective communication; and/or
  • Responding to incidents, and identifying strategies to conduct investigations, to best ensure that reoccurrences do not occur.

 

If formal training is not an option right now, or it’s something the Juggler at your workplace already has under their belt (yay!), the Juggler can also receive support by:

  • Subscribing to safety updates from their local regulator and Safe Work Australia.
  • Establishing a relationship with a certified safety professional. Think of this like how a bookkeeper maintains the company financial accounts on a day-to-day basis, but calls in certified Accountant for technical advice. Safety professionals can provide technical insights and advice when the Juggler requires specific safety assistance.
  • Adopt safety software – like, say, Safety Champion! Safety Champion will help you plan, and then guide and direct the Juggler to what they need from everyone else in the organisation. It helps everyone in the organisation understand their responsibilities and accountabilities, and means that the Juggler won’t have to police the implementation of your health and safety program. Often, this administration takes time, and policing is not fun, so it is not hard to see why this part of safety management is where the wheels often fall off.

 

Don’t forget – the Juggler is playing a super important role within your workplace. So show your love by giving them access to effective development options and support.

Check out the other blogs in “The Juggler” blog series:

Part 1 – Who is the Juggler

Part 2 – Show your support to the Juggler

What on earth is psychological safety?

So, psychological safety. Maybe you remember that a few years ago Google released their findings about what makes the perfect team following some internal research. It was pretty big at the time. But in case you missed it, what they found was that ‘psychological safety’ was not only the most important factor of a successful team, it actually underpinned all the other factors.

 

Psychological safety is the understanding that members of a team will not be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, or concerns, and even admitting to mistakes or shortfalls. It is all about ensuring that team members feel comfortable and safe in taking risks and even feeling vulnerable on occasion around each other.

 

To put it into practical terms, think of the poorest team you have been part of – this may be in a work, sporting or personal relationship context. Maybe it was an absolute drag to meet with them. Maybe you felt like you were never going to achieve what you set out to achieve as a team. Or maybe there might have even been conflicts amongst the team members.

 

If you’ve experienced anything like this, it’s likely – according to Google’s research – that the team wasn’t psychologically safe. This is what prevents a team from thriving.

 

So, how do you go about getting psychological safety in a team?

 

Well, whether you are a manager or coach, a facilitator, a team participant or partner, the advice is largely the same;

 

  1. Be open to new ideas
  2. Respect those in your team and their views
  3. Listen without interruption

 

This, put simply, is treating others as you’d like to be treated yourself! Easy yeah?

 

And we think – like Google – that psychological safety is a critical factor when it comes to strong workplace health and safety. After all, if people don’t feel they can speak up about what’s making them feel unsafe, how can you go about fixing it and preventing injury or harm?

 

Here’s a link to that Google work on psychological safety that we mentioned earlier.

 

Some other useful articles along these psychological safety lines:

https://www.safetychampion.com.au/should-i-be-worried-about-my-staff-being-bullied-at-work/

https://www.safetychampion.com.au/5-things-we-do-to-keep-our-team-happiness-level-on-a-high/

The silly season is upon us…

Santa suits, party buses, free-flowing bubbly, finger food, high heels and party hats, end-of-year toasts, marquees, dance floors…

 

This time of year certainly is a lot of fun.

 

It’s the time we get to let our hair out with our colleagues, peers and mates to celebrate the year and look forward to the year ahead. But as a business, it’s important to know how you can keep your people safe during the silly season.

 

After all, workplace health and safety responsibilities still apply at workplace-endorsed events. And businesses may even be liable for any employee injuries that occur before, during or after a workplace function.

 

Suggestions for keeping it safe, healthy & happy

 

Think about possible things that could go wrong and come up with some ways you can mitigate the risk of them occurring.

 

Examples are;

 

  • Uninvited and unwelcome guests could easily enter the venue if it’s a function room of a public bar, for example. So, getting security at the door could prevent this from happening.

  • Cuts from glassware might occur if there is a strong potential that they may be dropped. So can you provide plastic cup, cans or bottles?

  • If the event is being held outside or somewhere outside of your workplace, think about how first aid incidents be managed? Don’t limit yourself to injuries, could there be allergies? Take a first aid kit with you!

 

Need safety software, free of charge? Use our Safety Champion Light.

 

  • Let your people know what behaviour you expect. Formalise it. Send out an email, or bring it up in the next staff meeting. Talk about the disciplinary consequences that may take place if behaviour doesn’t align.

  • Clearly set out defined start and finish times for the event and ensure that these are stated on the invitation. Note that if a manager throws their card behind the bar at a different venue, so the party can continue, it is likely that this will be seen as a work-sanctioned event.

  • Ensure that your people can get safely to and from the venue. In some states, workers compensation obligations extend to the journey to and from work – in this case, ‘work’ is the company-endorsed event.

  • Consider restricting the amount of drinks, or the “strength” of drinks that are available. Always have non-alcoholic alternatives available. This could even be fun! Like offering a refreshing ‘company-branded’ mocktail part-way through the event.

  • A meal or finger food can slow down alcohol consumption, so ensure you have enough! Nobody enjoys an event when the food runs out early either.

 

 

And we wouldn’t be good health and safety people if we didn’t also suggest you have a bit of a debrief after.

 

Pop a meeting in your calendar for the event organisers to meet post-the-event to discuss how everything went. Document ways that things could be improved for next time!

 

That’s it from us – have an awesome, fun and safe silly season!

 

It’s the perfect month, week and day to take action on mental health

Why now?

 

Because…

 

This month is National Safe Work Month in Australia…

 

And this week is Mental Health Week in most parts of the country…

 

And today (10/10) is World Mental Health Day around the globe.

 

So today is the day of all days to take action and encourage mentally healthier and safer workplaces in Australia.

 

“Around 90 per cent of employees think mental health is an important issue for businesses, but only 50 per cent believe their workplace is mentally healthy.”

TNS (2014). State of Workplace Mental Health in Australia. Melbourne: beyondblue. Link to report

 

How can you take action?

 

Building a mentally stronger and healthier workplace doesn’t have to be super complex.

 

As a starting point, it can be as simple as taking a note from great organisations like RUOK – and simply check in with your colleagues, staff or even (yes they are a person too!) your boss by asking “Are you ok?”

 

Just opening up the conversation about mental health in your workplace will already set you on the path towards reducing the stigma and getting people that vital support when they need it.

 

Keen to learn more? Well, there’s a wealth of freely available knowledge out there to assist you. Of all of these, the one spot we’d really recommend you go if you want to learn more about what you can do in the mental health space in the workplace, is Heads Up.

 

Heads Up was created by the Mentally Healthy Workplace Alliance, a collection of amazingly knowledgeable organisations – including beyondblue, Safe Work Australia and Black Dog Institute to name a few – working together to develop information and materials to help us all build mentally stronger workplaces. Check it out: https://www.headsup.org.au/

 

At Safety Champion we care a lot about keeping people at work mentally and physically well at work. This is why we are in business. And it’s also why we offer a completely free version of our software to any business that also cares about the health and safety of their people at work!

 

Keen to try it? Learn more about our free safety software here.

 

 

Some quick ideas:

  • Follow the work of great organisations like RUOk, beyondblue, Safe Work Australia and the Black Dog Institute

  • Take some training in Mental Health First Aid – or encourage a workmate to

  • Spend some time on the Heads Up website to get great resources and guidance specifically about workplace mental health

  • Get serious about health and safety practices. A safety software can really help you out – try our Safety Champion Light.

 

Let’s make mentally healthier and safer workplace together! We can all be safety champion’s this National Safe Work Month!

 

Why you should take note of ‘startup’ principles in your workplace…

There are some pretty innovative things going on in the world right now. It’s an exciting time. There’s a stack of people out there solving some pretty big problems, with relatively little money and resources. And it’s the startup culture that’s really helping to drive those people to strive and achieve… against all odds.

 

So, when you think about it. It makes sense to pay a little attention to the startup world – even if you’re not a part of it at all right now. Why? Because, if this culture can mobilise some incredible change and progress for humankind, with very little time, money or resources, it’s worth questioning how?! And further, how can you adopt some of the startup principles in your own workplace?

 

So, as a business that adopts quite a few startup principles ourselves, here’s three points of advice:

 

Just start

This is a big one. It means throwing away some of our old school thinking which for some may be developing a five-year plan and thinking about every detail over and over and over again once more before we start doing anything. This is ‘old school’. And it fosters inaction, stagnation. Often there can be a real be benefit in just starting… start small, start with what you can, test your idea. If you get some traction or interest – build on it. This stays true whether it’s an internal project you want to get off the ground or starting the world’s next most awesome everyone-must-have software system (like, say, Safety Champion!)

 

Stay very close to your customer

Seriously, you’re customer is key. They know your product or service. Maybe they know it better than you – at least in a practical sense. Listening to their thoughts, gripes and advice helps you to build, grow and improve your product or service. It’s hard to listen to sometimes, but you have to be open to it. If you stay close to your customer and learn from them – you can build a better product while also building a stronger and more personal relationship with your customer.

 

Never assume you’re done

This kinda follows on from the last. But never assume you have the perfect product or service and that you are done with it. It can always be improved. Always. Yes, always. So even if you’re a small business that’s been delivering consulting services for the last 10 years and you reckon you’ve got the model right, there are still ways you can improve that service. Keep learning. Keep building and improving upon your product or service and you’ll be sure to stay in the game or ahead of it.

 

 

So that’s it from us. Some of the principles we build our business on. Hope you find it useful for your next project or initiative or business idea!

 

 

The Juggler Part 2: Show your support for the Juggler!

The importance of the Juggler is clear, as many bosses and business owners know only too well.

 

Not sure what we mean by the Juggler? Check out this blog.

 

However, when your business introduces a Juggler – or many Jugglers – they really must be supported. And this is something that is often missed. Not supporting the Juggler in your business poses a risk. This means they are not in a solid position to keep health and safety in check and – as is important – are not able to continue to improve your health and safety program.

 

So, how can businesses show their support to the Juggler? Generally, support falls into three areas; leadership support, provision of training / instruction, and allocation of resources. Below is some practical advice for any business looking to help their Juggler out!

 

Leadership Support

The boss must communicate the need for all workers to carry out safety related tasks and, when required, must step in to support the Juggler. Whilst the Juggler will require that others complete safety tasks to support the implementation of the safety program; some people in the business may see these tasks as peripheral. If the Juggler is not able to articulate the importance of the safety task, this is where the boss needs to intervene. When a boss shows the support of the work of a Juggler – generally the rest of the staff fall in line.

Of course, this is made easier if the boss can easily see what tasks are required to be completed by all workers and track progress. A safety software like Safety Champion does help to provide this kind of oversight.

 

Training/Instruction

Since the Juggler is often performing a safety function without formal health and safety training behind them, it’s important to realise that they may need it so that they can perform well in this role. The Juggler often acts as the ‘representative’ of the boss, consulting and communicating with all employees. As such they must be able to speak with conviction to be able to influence others to get behind safety. Should specific technical safety knowledge be required, this can always be undertaken through other means – namely the Safety Regulator, by engaging advice from an OHS professional or employer groups. But the Juggler, no doubt, needs solid training and instruction about their role and responsibilities first.

There is a lot of free training that can be accessed via webinars, free conferences initiated by government departments, councils, industry groups or the regulator, and often free training that is offered by your Workers Compensation Agent. If you’re not sure where to look – Contact Us.

 

Safety Resources

The boss must be prepared to purchase required safety material and equipment to support the Juggler in their role. Resources like these should be part of any risk management solution, and should be budgeted for purchase, maintenance and replacement. One resource that is not often considered is possibly the one most effective in enabling the Juggler to do their work – that of data management. Being able to easily track and progress safety tasks that are being completed by others makes the work of the Juggler easier. And it makes it more likely that safety related tasks will be done, full stop!

So, yeah – it could be argued that this is the lifeblood of health and safety.

 

Having solid support in place to help the Juggler will mean that the boss and everyone else will benefit from effective health and safety practices, which everyone can be confident in making the workplace safety and often operationally more efficient.

Who is responsible for health and safety anyway?

You might find it surprising – but in today’s modern working world it’s not just management, risk teams, and health and safety specialists that have to think about health and safety in the workplace. Everyone has their part to play in living the mantra of “work safe, home safe”. This is how we make sure that everyone goes home safely at the end of each day.

Having a good level of health and safety awareness is key to maintaining an effective safety culture in your workplace. But how do you bring your people on board with this stuff when it all seems too complicated and really just not engaging enough. Well, the trick is to help health and safety responsibilities become naturally embedded in the day-to-day activities of all staff. Aim to be implicit [1] with safety, not explicit. [2]

How?

Well, here are our 3 top tips for starting to create an awareness of health and safety responsibilities without your people switching-off:

 

  1. Start at the top

Make health and safety a strategic and operational priority of your organisation, with management regularly communicating and emphasising its importance to all staff. Do this in as many ways as possible; try adding a safety line item to your regular and existing weekly all staff meetings, or simply “just ask” your staff for input about the hazards they are aware of, or even sharing a blog every once in a while with the workplace. It doesn’t have to be hard or time consuming – but management leading the way is important!

 

  1. Tailor it

Health and safety legislation and standards are wide-reaching and applicable to a broad range of sectors and organisations. So, your approach to health and safety should be relevant to the industry and context of your organisation. To make it more accessible to your people start with WorkSafe’s Injury Hotspots website – and talk about exactly what is relevant in your industry and not what isn’t! Jump on that site today and print a poster or two to stick up in tea rooms and lunch areas.

 

Free safety promotion poster set for your workplace. Download now.

 

  1. Simplify it for your staff

Do away with unnecessary complexity and jargon by speaking to your people about safety in simple terms. They don’t need to see the regulations or the complex paperwork – hell, even you don’t – but reminding your staff that health and safety is simply about making sure we all go home safe at night can really bring it home for people. So if you were to ask your people to simply let you know when something doesn’t safe or feel right, that’s already an amazing step forward and brings everyone into the picture. Work with them on the solution. Keep the updated on your progress. Let them know it’s not that hard.

 

 

Don’t forget, Safety Champion can help. Our software is scalable and flexible, and can be customised to suit the health and safety needs of your business. After all, it was designed especially for the small and medium sized business market, and as such comes pre-loaded with configurable documents and workflows that you and your people need to stay safe and stay on track with safety. We have made it easy to configure our templates and workflows to align with business; not to mention, we will adopt your colours and your logos – so your workers will feel at home. Why not arrange a demo today?

 

[1] Implicit: Quietly, some may say sneakily trying to build safety into already existing business activities. Doing “safety” without workers/people knowing that they are “doing safety”. The process is important, not people thinking/knowing that the process is safety.

[2] Explicit: Yelling from the rooftops, placing an over-emphasis – making it the most important thing in the room, when the behaviours of managers and leaders suggests it’s not.

The Juggler Part 1 : Who is the Juggler?

Workplace health and safety is all about preventing harm to people from the activities undertaken by a business. To achieve this, employers and business owners must understand they have a duty to provide a safe workplace for their employees and anyone else who comes on site or is impacted by what the workplace does. This means both understanding the health and safety risks facing your people, visitors or clients, and eliminating (*ideally) or minimising those risks as best you can.

 

To do this most effectively, everyone in your organisation must have input into the development and implementation of your safety solutions.

 

But believe it or not, often getting everyone involved is the easy part! At least, at the start. Generally, there is an initial willingness from everyone to be involved – especially if the boss is treating safety as a priority. However, for some workplaces, the challenge is to continue the businesses focus on safety, and to ensure that the agreed safety solutions, are maintained and remain effective.

 

When things get busy, or the boss moves on to “another” focus area, or no one has time to keep those safety checks and measures in place; yep, you guessed it, it is not uncommon for safety to fall ‘off the wagon’.

 

Enter the Juggler!

 

The Juggler is the worker who puts their hand up, or is assigned, management of the operational health and safety work that doesn’t readily fall into the roles or responsibilities of other workers. The Juggler either does these things themselves, or keeps everyone else on track to get things done. Why do they keep people on track?

 

Because often these are the things that others may not be focused on doing as part of their tasks.

 

Tasks may include, to name a few, doing and/or ensuring that the following is completed: inductions and identified training; safety and operational meetings; workplace, first-aid or emergency management inspections; equipment and Personal Protective Equipment ordering and maintenance; and incident reports and workplace injuries are managed appropriately. Importantly, the Juggler is often responsible for ensuring that records and evidence of completion is maintained.

 

The Juggler might be anyone in the business, from the business owner, to the office manager or the receptionist. But whoever they are, they face diverse work duties and manage these simultaneously… just like juggling.

 

So it’s often the juggler who is left with the responsibility of managing the implementation of the safety program. Especially businesses out there that don’t have a designated “health and safety” person. But it’s important to remember that even though the Juggler is out there keeping the safety program alive, and encouraging everyone to join in – especially when or if the pulse is fading, it is vital that businesses continue to acknowledge that everyone is responsible for maintaining a safe workplace and don’t rely on the juggler.

Why you should pay attention to health and safety prosecutions data…

Last month, our sister organisation, Action OHS Consulting, put together a pretty thorough analysis of the 2017 health and safety prosecutions in Victoria and NSW; based on data from WorkSafe Victoria and SafeWork NSW. You can see the full report here. But we thought it was a pretty good time to point out why information like this is important for business leaders to take note of.

 

Prosecutions – even just the word – sounds pretty full-on (and also a little scary). For some, it encourages the placement of hands over their ears and eyes, so that they can “pretend” that they were not aware of the detail that was available. Add to that the word ‘data’, we understand, it puts you at risk of eyes glazing over!

 

However, being aware of the trends in health and safety prosecutions data is a smart move for every business.

 

This is not only so you can avoid a fine – but more importantly, this rich information that can guide you towards ways that your business can avoid injury and harm to the people in your workplace. How? By allowing your organisation foresight. Once you better understand what can go wrong, your business can make changes to current processes to ensure that you do not repeat the health and safety mistakes made by others.

 

Three ways that you can use prosecutions data to set your business up for health and safety success:

 

  1. Trends in the prosecutions data and insights from specific cases can help inform what to either include or focus-on in your health and safety program; that you may have previously overlooked.

 

  1. Prosecutions data can help support and influence key stakeholders within your organisation. It may assist with getting that health and safety-related item purchased, or that health and safety related program you’ve been trying to get off the ground finally moving.

 

  1. The data can help you to communicate the importance of adhering to health and safety protocols; and when used wisely, can motivate your people to play their part in establishing a safe workplace too.

 

So, there you have it. It will pay to stay across what has unfortunately gone wrong at other workplaces. And even if you think you are in a low-risk industry – if (touch wood) an incident that did occur in your workplace – remember hindsight is no defence. It’s likely the prosecutions data will at some stage give you a little nugget that will assist you to keep your people safer.

What on earth is an Issue Resolution Process?

What is an Issue Resolution Process, and do I need one? A lot of people ask us this. And they also ask whether they should develop one internally? And our response to this is… well yes, you should. However, if you don’t then you will automatically adopt the issue resolution procedure straight from the Regulations – so it is in your best interest to be across what it requires.

 

Essentially the intent of an issue resolution process is to make things easier for the people in your workplace to come to a resolution following an issue.

 

If you ask us, our take is that the terminology issue and resolution makes it all sound a little scary, and negative. But the short of it is, if you have a business, there will be safety hazards. And if you have employees, then it is likely that you will, on occasions have differences in opinions about how these hazards or other workplace issues are managed. By creating and communicating an issue resolution process, you are simply smoothing it all out, should these differences of opinions occur.

 

We know what you are thinking – does this mean pages and pages of words? No! It doesn’t need to be pages of complicated communication flows, rigid rules, and jargon. However, it does need to be a clearly defined, step-by-step process for how differences in opinion regarding safety management (i.e. issues) are escalated so they can be properly addressed.

 

So, what does your an issue resolution process need to include?

Well, these 4 things:

 

1. Report & Record

Clearly identify how your workers can raise issues. Do they tell someone, do they open an excel register and enter it in, or do they email someone? Sounds simple, but the trick is to make it clear how your people should raise an issue. If you make sure that it is recorded, no one can try to ignore the issue and use the “I didn’t know” clause at a later time. Recording the issue therefore assists in being more confident that the issue is clear, and can be attended to immediately.

 

2. Review & Assess

Who reviews the issues after they are logged? Along with the workers manager, the regulations guide you to ensure that the Health and Safety Representative (HSR) is made aware and consulted with. If you don’t have a HSR, then identify someone in your workplace with health and safety knowledge. Where possible, have a team of people assess and review the issue. This can be a good tactic because a team is more likely to find sustainable controls and resolutions that consider all parts of your business operations.

 

3. Ways to Escalate

If an issue doesn’t get addressed or resolved, where does it go next? Perhaps your people don’t have the expertise or experience to manage more serious issues. So this is where you need a clear pathway for issues to be escalated to management or even out to external parties. Typically, the issues will move from a worker to the HSR and then to the manager. Then, if the issue is not resolved at this level, it may be escalated to the manager’s manager. Then again, if it is not resolved here, it will get escalated up the management line to the CEO and/or Business Owner. And if it makes it all the way and is still not resolved, this is where external experts or the Safety Committee should be consulted. And as a final step, the State Health and Safety Regulator would be involved – here’s a list of the Australian Health and Safety Regulators.

 

4. Follow up & Close Out

How do you confirm that all issues have been addressed correctly and to the satisfaction of the person or team that raised it in the first place? This is an important part of the process – loop back and let your people know what the issue was and how you addressed it, so they can be reassured that it was resolved.

 

And another tip – once you have this process sorted, it should be communicated clearly to your people. Documenting it is a good way to make sure people have access to the information. Consider drawing up a simple and clear Issue Resolution flow chart and sticking it up around the tea room or emailing it around.

 

 

Stuck for ideas on how you can develop a simple way for health and safety issues to be raised, recorded and managed until close out? Well, Safety Champion Software has a module dedicated to do just this – yep, shipped and ready for used. Don’t make it hard and complicated for your people to raise issues that concern them. Make the ‘doing’ of Issue Resolution Process Management super simple with Safety Champion.

We’re declaring war on safety… wait, what?

That’s right. We’re declaring war. On ‘safety’. But it’s not what you think. This is the title of our upcoming webinar series designed to fight through the perceived complexity of health and safety. We were inspired by the ABC’s War on Waste program… and threw a little spin on our own title. Yes, we want to catch your attention. Because safety is important.

 

These webinars will deliver simple health and safety advice to any business out there that has a thirst for it or needs it. We want to break down health and safety into what you need to know, not what the ‘Safety Industry’ tells you you!

 

Sound good? Get access to all episodes here!

 

So, yes, declaring War on Safety is a dramatic title (*cheeky of us). But we have our reasons.

 

Actually the title The War on Safety really represents the frustrations and confusion that we see of many Australian businesses have when probed about their safety program. It is clear that many businesses don’t know where to start and need some assistance crawling before they start to walk.

 

An overview the webinar program can be found below.

 

The program has been designed by the very experienced health and safety consultants at our sister-organisation, Action OHS Consulting. So you can be confident that you will be getting practical advice from innovative and forward-thinking health and safety professionals.

 

Across a four-part series, from August to November, The War on Safety will break all that safety jargon down into bite-sized, 30-minute webinars that give practical advice to business owners and people managers that want to learn more.

 

This way we can play our part in helping businesses keep their people healthier and safer.

 

Since this webinar series is now over – we’re providing access to the recordings to anyone who is keen. Click here.

 

 

Webinar Schedule

All webinars will commence at 11am AEST

 

8 August 2018 Planning for casualties

How to develop a safety program

 

Registrations closed
12 September 2018 Can I burn them up?

Understanding the safety documents you need

 

Registrations closed
10 October 2018 Who are my allies?

Where to find free, useful resources

 

Registrations closed
14 November 2018 Now let’s get that army moving

How to make safety business as usual

 

Registrations closed

 

Should I be worried about my staff being bullied at work?

Look, maybe you don’t need to be worried about but certainly you should be aware of workplace bullying and how it can impact your people. Surprising for some – perhaps not for others – it is a real thing and something that happens in Australian workplaces often enough for us to write about it.

 

“9.4% of Australian workers indicated that they had experienced workplace bullying in the previous 6 months (Safework Australia, 2014–15)”

 

So what is workplace bullying?

 

Workplace bullying is repeated and unreasonable behaviour directed towards a worker or a group of workers that creates a risk to health and safety. I can be carried out by one or more workers.

 

The definitions are important.

 

  • ‘Repeated behaviour’ refers to the persistent nature of the behaviour and can involve a range of behaviours over time.
  • ‘Unreasonable behaviour’ means behaviour that a reasonable person, having considered the circumstances, would see as unreasonable, including behaviour that is victimising, humiliating, intimidating or threatening.

 

Examples of such behaviour, whether intentional or unintentional, include but are not limited to:

  • abusive, insulting or offensive language or comments
  • aggressive and intimidating conduct
  • belittling or humiliating comments
  • victimisation
  • practical jokes or initiation
  • unjustified criticism or complaints
  • deliberately excluding someone from work-related activities
  • withholding information that is vital for effective work performance
  • setting unreasonable timelines or constantly changing deadlines
  • setting tasks that are unreasonably below or beyond a person’s skill level
  • denying access to information, supervision, consultation or resources to the detriment of the worker
  • spreading misinformation or malicious rumours, and
  • changing work arrangements such as rosters and leave to deliberately inconvenience a particular worker or workers.

 

So what should you do to look out for your people?

 

  1. Watch out for these things happening in your workplace. Note that though they could be one-off incidences, they are certainly something you should take note of and watch carefully. Because a single occurrence could be indicative of repeated behaviour that has already happened or may happen in the future.

 

  1. Be aware of changing characteristics of your staff. People experiencing bullying could show signs such as; distress, anxiety, panic attacks, physical illness, deteriorating relationships with colleagues, family and friends, poor work performance, inability to concentrate and more.

 

  1. Talk to your staff about workplace bullying, keep it on the agenda, and reiterate your workplace has zero-tolerance for it. If you don’t have a policy and clear procedures for how your staff should manage this if it happens – get it sorted! Reach out to OHS consultants that can help set this up. As a minimum you should have:

– a policy statement, and

– be able to demonstrate that you have spoken with your workers (this may be via formal training, or toolbox talk) about what bullying is and how to report it; and,

– consider providing workers with easy access to help and/or someone to speak to if they identify a need. Obviously the Issue Resolution Process is a good start, however, you may want to consider external and confidential services like an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), or direction to free contacts such as Lifeline, beyondblue, Headspace, The Black Dog Institute… to name a few. Put the contact details up on a noticeboard or in internal newsletters / communications emails.

 

  1. Skill yo’self up! Read the guidelines from Safe Work Australia. Learn more about related issues and check out the available resources from Heads Up – an alliance between a handful of reputable organisations created to ensure people in Australia workplaces are mentally healthy and safe. Or take a ‘mental health first aid’ course through Mental Health First Aid Australia. There’s lots of resources out there for you to use.

 

All of these things can help you to be better aware and better prepared for workplace bullying if it happen in your workplace. Good luck!

What on earth is a toolbox talk?

If you don’t know what a toolbox talk is it’s likely you don’t work in a blue-collar-type role. Because in industries like construction, mining, warehousing, manufacturing, right through to landscaping, toolbox talks are an integral part of health and safety program and procedures.

That said, if you run a business or manage people in or outside of these industries and don’t know what a toolbox talk is… read on. Then consider integrating these into your own safety management system – the benefits can be outstanding.

Why? Because toolbox talks can be a great way for any manager or team leader to start conversations about safety in the workplace!

 

So, what are they?

Toolbox talks are short and regular meetings about safety issues relevant to a specific site, project or workplace. A manager, supervisor or health and safety representative usually runs them with all person on site prior to a shift, at the commencement of a particular part of a project, or simply on a regular basis.

So yes, toolbox talks are sort of like meeting. In white-collar workplaces these are often just what you’d call a team meeting.

In addition to site, project or workplace specific hazards, toolbox talks will often cover organisational-specific safety topics including; key definitions, reminders about established controls, and importantly, actions/tasks scheduled to be taken by the people in the team to ensure that work is undertaken safely.

 

Why have them?

In short, their purpose is to ensure the whole team understand and keep the correct health and safety practices in mind as they go about their work. They keep health and safety front-of-mind and raise awareness about a safety issues.

And because any given site or project may have different or changing safety hazards, it’s important they are held regularly and involve everyone. This helps builds that safety-first culture, and a physiologically safe workplace, where workers are provided with a safe environment to raise questions that they may have.

 

What is a common structure?

Often toolboxs talks these days will be less like a lecture or meeting, and more like an interactive discussion where everyone can and should raise their hands to be involved. What you want is for your team to be engaged, to have their concerns addressed, and to ensure that everyone walks away with a clear understanding of that safety topic and how it implicates them in their day-to-day work.

A question-answer type structure is a good way to run toolbox talks. You ask the team for their involvement and answer their questions, but at the same time have a few common questions with considered answers ready to go.

 

Should I hold toolbox talks?

We’re gonna say YES! Regardless of the industry you work in toolbox talks are a great way to discuss get the discussion moving around common hazards in your workplace.

And if you are thinking, “I work in an office – there are no hazards here,” think again. Every workplace has hazards – it may just be that the frequency that your toolbox meetings take place is adjusted. Workers have the right to know what those hazards are and how to management them – and it’s your responsibility to ensure that they have everything they need to be healthy and safe in the workplace!

 

How can I get my hands on some templates?

We’re glad you asked! Simply fill out this form, let us know what you think you need, and we’ll be in contact to help you out with some common toolbox talk templates that are relevant for your industry!

 

Does my business need a Safety Management System?

Our short answer is: yes! Every business needs an effective Health and Safety Management System because every business has people that need to be protected!

 

But don’t worry – your Health and Safety Management System doesn’t have to be complex, and it doesn’t have to be costly. Put simply, a Health and Safety Management System is a systematic approach to keeping your health and safety tasks in check.

 

What the health and safety consultants generally won’t tell you, is that the legislation doesn’t stipulate that a business’s Health and Safety Management System has to be documented. If your workers are clear on your internal health and safety processes, this is sufficient.

 

 

That said, as businesses grow, and there are more people at the table, relying on a more “verbal” Health and Safety Management System can be challenging to implement.

 

It becomes more difficult for all of your staff to have a uniform understanding of your system and more difficult to demonstrate what compliance measures you’ve been taking to the regulator, if there was ever a need.

 

Think back to the effectiveness of Chinese whispers!

 

So, if you are not 100% confident that your health and safety message will be the same at the end, as it was at the start – this is when you should start to consider formally documenting your approaches and processes.

 

 

Ready to get started? Well, here are 5 critical components for you to consider as you start to set up your Health and Safety Management System:

 

1. Management endorsement.

If management has a low focus on health and safety, so too will everyone else. Start at the top – seriously. You can’t get out of this one if you want to make a safe workplace. What will you commit to and support? Think resourcing, think budget, think actions.

 

2. Planning. 

Ensure hazards arising from work activities are identified so that risks can be assessed and then controlled. This is critical. Get your people involved in this – use weekly meetings to ask about possible risks. Need help? Check this tool out. Just type in your industry and see exactly what hazards you need to look out for.

 

3. Implementation.

Develop a plan to improve things and allocate components of it out to your people. You need to ensure that what you say, is what you do. Everyone has a role to play! Meeting reminders from a software system like Safety Champion can do wonders to make sure everything gets done and everyone is involved!

 

Join one of our upcoming webinars.

 

4. Measurement and evaluation. 

Track what you’ve done. Are you doing what you said you’d do in the beginning?

 

5. Review and improvement. 

Review to continually improve your Health and Safety Management System. Make sure you regularly look at your results and take preventative and/or corrective action to continually improve things. Aim to be better!

 

 

So, yes, you need a system but don’t get too bogged down.

 

Basically, your Health and Safety Management System is simply ‘what you actually do’ to manage foreseeable and unforeseeable hazards, to prevent incidents and injuries, and to minimise risks. Focus on how you will do all those health and safety tasks and how you will sustain the implementation of your system, and your off to a good start.

 

Even better, document it and communicate it well to all your people – often – for even better results. Good luck!

 

5 things we do to keep our team happiness level on a high!

We’re sure you know about it. There’s big things happening in the business world these days around stuff like ‘employee engagement’ and ‘workplace wellness.’ Whist you may currently leave this terminology to the big end of town, doing something with it in your business probably something that shouldn’t be ignored for much longer! And you know what, you may actually be doing it already… but calling it ‘how you do business.’

 

We are hand on heart safety nerds at Safety Champion, so engagement and wellness gets us excited. Why? What it really means is that Australian businesses are responding to the call to look after their people holistically. After all, we are people – we are not machines!

 

We, of course, practice what we preach in terms of health and safety in the workplace… and we know this also means looking after our team’s mental health too. So, what do we do at Safety Champion to keep our people happy?

 

  1. Plan: Weekly stand-up meetings allow for expectations on weekly deliverables to be carefully considered and clearly allocated. Sounds simple but it is something that has taken a bit of work to master!
  2. Support: Flexible working hours and locations are important to our team. We are objectives focused, not ‘time on seat’ focused!
  3. Disrupt: Monthly lunches in the park or pizzas in the boardroom lets us chew the fat and talk shop in a more relaxed environment.
  4. Move: Regular walks at lunch or ‘walking and talking’ meetings help us fresh air and works wonders for our ideas!
  5. Socialize: Regular Friday night hang-outs and quarterly social events help us get to know each other better. We aim to know more than the face and to build real connections!

 

If you’re already doing one or more of these – gold stars to you! That said, if you are still not convinced or still wondering why you should care about the wellbeing of your people at that level… Well, you really can’t argue with benefits like:

 

  • Lower staff turnover = cost savings. Finding and then upskilling the new team member with the requisite knowledge to succeed is time and resource consuming!
  • Happier staff = increased productivity. If your staff look forward to work, and love their workplace – that is productivity right there.
  • Mentally healthier people = less chance of serious claims against you. Whilst we don’t want to see someone we care about going through the trauma associated with the claim. As a business, a workers compensation will drain resources in administration of the claim, and finances associated with increased premiums.

 

So there you have it. Have a think about how you could bring some of these initiatives onboard at your workplace today. These ideas are by no means ‘the be all and end all’, however they are some cost-free and simple starters to get you going.

 

A perfect solution fit for SMEs…

We’re guessing that you already know you have to do something about health and safety in your business but you are probably thinking “When on earth do I have the time?” Yes, it’s complex and, yes, it’s hard to know where to start, but the fact is you gotta start somewhere.

 

Why? Well, actually small to medium sized Australian businesses are often exposed when it comes to health and safety. As you probably know, we justify our ignorance of health and safety by saying there’s not enough time to make it a focus because there’s always another area of the business that is a higher priority. That is, until one of our workers injures themselves; then we blame the regulator for making it all so complicated!

 

We have heard you!

 

This is exactly why we created Safety Champion. Our point of difference? Safety Champion has been designed by highly experienced health and safety professionals that work with SMEs every day. This means that Safety Champion efficiently responds to the real needs of businesses, as we have witnessed all those barriers and pain points.

 

“We didn’t develop Safety Champion because we wanted to develop software. We did it because we couldn’t find a simple and affordable software solution that would assist small and medium sized businesses promote health and safety, and also support them to comply with the legislation and regulators to keep their people safe.”

-Craig Salter, Founder

 

We don’t just dump our software on our clients and leave you to figure out the health and safety part. We supply a holistic solution that supports you from a number of angles. Yes, the user-friendly software is part of it. But we also offer:

  • a Safety Manual that can be contextualized to align with your business,
  • over 100 useful templates and 100 workflows aligned with Australian Standards, and
  • access to health and safety consultants to assist you with the practical implementation of your health and safety management system, if you need it.

 

Our consultants are on the ground every day. They have worked with over 500 Australian SMEs. They know your frustration, they’ve seen the issues you’ve had with other software systems and they can help.

 

And for our techy friends out there – here’s something cool. Safety Champion has been built using a system architecture framework that sets it apart. This architecture – a micro/macro services approach – allows for the fast and low-cost flexibility that SMEs need – something that other, older technology on the market just doesn’t offer. It’s your commercial-off-the-shelf enterprise solution.

 

So, why is Safety Champion the perfect solution? Easy.

 

In short, we know safety and we know software.

 

 

Do I have RSI?

Recently, one of clients was asking our advice about “RSI”. A number of their employees have raised issues over the past few years about pain in their wrists, arms and necks, most suggesting it was due to extensive computer use. Our client was worried about the ongoing issues related to this – both from a productivity point of view but also because they wanted to look out for their people. So, they asked us what they could do about it.

 

We should start by saying this is a very common question for us. Probably because ‘Repetition Strain Injury’ (RSI) or ‘Occupational Overuse Syndrome’ (OOS) as it is known to us in the health and safety biz, is very common. In fact, it has been found that upwards of 77% of workers across a variety of occupations reported having experienced mild to severe RSI (Australian Government, Comcare, 1997). With an increased reliance on computers, tablets and smartphones – it is safe to assume that this may have increased in more recent years?!

 

So, what is it? RSI is a term that covers many different kinds of discomfort or pain in the muscles and tendons caused by repetitive or forced movements, or sustained or constrained postures. Examples of RSI you may have heard of are things like Tendonitis, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Writer’s Cramp.

 

Though there are so many different renditions of RSI, there are some things that you can do to decrease the likelihood of your people suffering from it in any form it comes in. SafeWork Australia have some, quite lengthy, guidance notes specifically created for computer users. But we thought we’d break it down for you a bit.

 

So, three major things to think about:

 

  1. Your work systems – Think about how you can reduce the amount of repetitive or prolonged work that is required within the daily work life of your people. Can you encourage more frequent work breaks or more task variation? Are you making sure you allow appropriate time for your people to get used to new technology or processes, or are you demanding the same speed? Talk to you people and gauge how they feel.

 

  1. The workplace itself – Think about creating the most well-designed workplace you can. Are your workstations suitable for all the shapes and sizes of your people? Is the workplace environment appropriate? And do your people have access to the equipment they need to perform their tasks as best they can, with minimal risk? Implementing some positive changes to account for these things will increase comfort, improve efficiency and minimise the risk of RSI claims.

 

  1. Training and education – Think about offering some information sessions or talking openly to your people about RSI. Do your people know anything about RSI? Do they know what they can change in their personal working style to avoid it? Training your people can be great strategy to prevent instances of RSI. And this way everyone can play a part in prevention.

 

As an employer or manager, you have a duty to protect the health and safety of your people whilst they are at work. So, RSI is an important thing for you to consider – especially given its prevalence! So, may take a few hours this week to consider the above 3 points, talk to your people and get their opinion… and of course if you are still stuck – call in the experts (like us)!

 

 

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