Address: Main Office: John Gorton Building

Health and safety initiatives

The focus for 2010–11 has been on ensuring legislative compliance as well as promoting a safe and health workforce.

Activities have included:

• 
  developing and reviewing internal policies and procedures to ensure they are up-to-date and to address any new or emerging hazards
  
• 
  establishing fieldwork guidance material, a trip plan template and supporting policy
  
• 
  supporting members of OHS committees in their role
  
• 
  funding influenza vaccinations and health assessments for staff
  
• 
  conducting the 10 000 step challenge to encourage greater physical activity
  
• 
  providing well@work information sessions on a range of health and wellbeing related topics
  
• 
  promoting the use of the Employee Assistance Program, a counselling service for staff and their immediate families provided at no cost to staff
  
• 
  using the panel of providers comprising external companies and individuals to conduct workstation assessments for new staff or those experiencing difficulties to reduce the effects of body stressing activities
  
• 
  supporting ill or injured staff and their managers when a work or non-work-related injury or disease has affected a staff member’s presence at work or ability to perform in the workplace
  
• 
  supporting health and safety representatives in their role through regular meetings
  
• 
  providing a network of trained first aid officers across workplaces.
  

The department has established a strategy to address the impact of body stressing conditions which aims to:

• 
  reduce the number and severity of body stressing incidents and risks
  
• 
  improve the capacity of workplaces to manage body stressing incidents effectively and consistently
  
• 
  introduce activities that will help prevent body stressing injuries
  
• 
  prevent body stressing hazards at the design phase-—job design, IT/property/processes.
  

An internal audit of the risk management procedures around OHS processes, reporting and management of incidents was conducted.

The three key recommendations were:

• 
  OHS training and management capability should be improved through implementing mandatory training for managers on health and safety and injury management and assistance in relation to return to work activities.
  
• 
  OHS risk management processes should be improved by establishing and maintaining a hazard register, and implementing controls following investigations into serious incidents.
  
• 
  Communication and promotion of OHS matters should be improved by having a stronger focus on OHS matters on the intranet and working closely with divisions on OHS issues.
  

Priority health and safety initiatives to be implemented in 2011–12 will include processes to address the audit recommendations mentioned above. In July 2008 the Council of Australian Governments signed an agreement that established the commitment of Commonwealth, state and territory governments to adapt uniform work, health and safety laws by the end of 2011.

Workers compensation premium

In 2010–11 the workers compensation premium rate for the department was 1.73 per cent. This was due to:

• 
  a revision of the 2010–11 premium from 1.66 per cent following Machinery of Government changes effective 14 September 2010
  
• 
  a revision of the 2009–10 premium rate from 1.41 per cent to 1.54 per cent reflecting the development of claims for injuries suffered in 2006, 2007 and 2008
  
• 
  trends within other agencies
  
• 
  the total amount that Comcare needs to collect from all agencies combined.
  

The department has reviewed its cases in 2010–11 ensuring active intervention in longer-term cases and taking early action to reduce the number and cost of claims received during the year. The department has worked closely with Comcare to improve the management of cases.

Notifiable incidents

Under section 68 of the OHS Act, certain incidents are notifiable to Comcare within specific time frames. The following table details the incidents that were notified in 2010–11.

Table 1: Notifiable incidents

Notice type	Canberra workplaces	Parks Australia	Australian Antarctic Division (AAD)	Supervising Scientist Division (SSD)
Death	0	3^1	0	0
Serious personal injury	2	7	18	0
Dangerous occurrence	5	0	11	1
Incapacity longer than 30 working days/shifts	0	0	0	0

Note:

1 The three notified deaths were visitors in Parks Australia and were not deaths of employees.

Details of notices

There were no provisional improvement notices issued under section 29 of the OHS Act. There were no notices issued under section 46 of the OHS Act. Two notices were issued under section 47 of the OHS Act. In the first it was found that the AAD Kingston depot, Tasmania, failed to identify and manage the risks associated with the use of bench and bandsaws. A second notice was issued at the same site for failure to address the management of noise and manual handling risks.

Investigations conducted by Comcare

Comcare investigators attended the AAD Kingston depot, Tasmania, following an audit conducted at the same facility in 2009–10. The failures in compliance with the OHS Act were identified and notices issued.

Comcare investigators also helped Kakadu National Park to improve compliance with duty of care obligations before the introduction of harmonised OHS laws in 2012. The investigator identified several areas of improvement in relation to a formal OHS risk-based system. After investing traffic management systems in Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park in 2009–10 Comcare investigators reviewed the implementation of recommendations. Issues such as traffic management, risk management, dangerous goods management and equipment guarding were identified during the review. Comcare offered to work with Parks Australia to improve risk management and compliance before the introduction of the harmonised OHS laws.

Comcare and Workcover ACT investigators attended the John Gorton Building in Canberra following concerns raised about the management of risks associated with the department’s duty of care to contractors on site. All issues were addressed and managed to the standard required by the investigators.

Appendix 3—Committee roles and achievements

Roles and achievements of the departmental business committees and sub-committees 2010–11
Workforce Management Committee	Role: To oversee the achievement of best practice workforce management and provide the Departmental Management Board with recommendations on workforce policy issues and risks. Achievements: Reviewed the terms of reference, sub-committee structures and an annual work plan for the Workforce Management Committee to align with strengthened governance arrangements across the department. Participated in a trial 360 degree feedback survey for SES staff to identify strengths and gaps in their personal development. Administered the results of the 2010 staff survey and recommendations for monitoring of divisional action plans in order to address cross-departmental issues. Developed a new, more focused performance agreement for SES staff. Administered the initial stages of a workforce capability framework and reviewed the leadership development program and the Indigenous Development, Engagement and Capability Strategy. Conducted a survey of workforce challenges to help manage staffing movement, and to understand whether the skills of existing staff are aligned to future needs. Monitored the implementation of revised APS legislation (harmonised occupational health and safety laws and the Public Service Act 1999) and its impact on the operations of the department. Reviewed a regular program of HR metrics reporting to provide a strategic focus on workforce planning and identify issues of concern.
Information Management Committee	Role: To identify investment priorities in information acquisition and creation, to develop and maintain information infrastructure and systems, and to advise on the development of policies and standards for information and its management. Achievements: Developed a framework for improving information acquisition and information management practices. Prioritised and recommended a suite of operating and capital investments in information acquisition, management and technology initiatives to deliver against the framework.
Finance and Operations Committee	Role: To oversee financial management activities and operations and provide the Departmental Management Board with recommendations on financial management and operations issues and risks. Achievements: Oversaw reform of the budget and financial management framework. Monitored and reported to the Departmental Management Board on issues of interest for in-year expenditure performance. Reviewed and guided the development of business process improvements in program management, procurement and grants. Shaped the measurement and understanding of corporate administrative performance by developing indicators. Advised the Departmental Management Board on development of the Capital Management Plan. Guided the department’s five-yearly review of the Cost Recovery Policy.
Indigenous Policy Leadership Group	Role: To provide guidance and coordination on the development of policies, and the implementation of programs that affect Indigenous peoples, and appropriate engagement with stakeholders, in line with whole-of-government policies. Achievements: Endorsed the department’s Reconciliation Action Plan and the establishment of a Steering Committee. Endorsed the work of the Indigenous Policy Branch to better meet the department’s contribution to Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage and the Closing the Gap agenda. Established and awarded the Kevin McLeod scholarship.
Regulatory Compliance Executive Committee	Role: To set departmental policy and direction for regulatory compliance activities and enable consistent and effective regulatory compliance and enforcement work by the portfolio. Achievements: Requested and acted on an audit of Authorised Officers and the training of staff who undertake compliance and enforcement work. Developed a five-year strategic plan for regulatory compliance and enforcement. Requested a regulatory compliance manual and a compliance case management and database system to serve all areas of the department that undertake regulatory compliance and enforcement work. Considered the findings of relevant reviews of other agencies and acted on their implications for the portfolio. Appendix 5 lists the legislation directly administered by the department with offence or penalty provisions, activities subject to regulation by the department, and the relevant international conventions and treaties under which the government has compliance and enforcement obligations.
Marine and Coastal Coordination Committee	The Marine and Coastal Coordination Committee was closed on 6 September 2010. The committee did not meet in 2010–11.
Departmental Consultative Committee	Role: To promote good workplace relations in the department by providing a forum for consultation and exchange of information between management, staff and their representatives. Achievements: Provided a forum for staff and their representatives to raise workplaces issues such as accommodation, facilities, OHS and to discuss and resolve issues with management representatives. Consulted on the remote localities allowances, relativities review and policies on code of conduct, fieldwork, bullying, Comcare incident notification and infection control.
Graduate Steering Committee	Role: To oversee the quality, appropriateness and operation of the department’s Graduate Program and provide guidance in relation to policy and direction. Achievements: Identified future needs regarding numbers and qualifications of graduates. Reviewed trends and characteristics of graduate recruitment and retention. Identified appropriate learning and development strategies for graduates. Approved graduate placements as recommended by the Graduate Management Team and the permanent placements of graduates at the end of the Graduate Program. Identified strategies for effective recruitment and competitive marketing for graduates.
Occupational Health and Safety Committee	Role: To consider strategic Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) issues. To review and approve OHS policies and policy improvements including: ensuring compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1991 helping the department deliver effective measures to protect and promote the health and safety of all staff consider local OHS committee outcomes, statistics and other information advise the Workforce Management Committee on effective and efficient measures to improve departmental outcomes for all staff. Achievements: Identified issues associated with harmonised work health and safety laws and started preparations for implementation. Reviewed the department’s Health and Safety Management Arrangement. Reviewed and endorsed new OHS policies. Established a fieldwork forum to address policy and procedures for working in rural, remote and non-office-based environments. Reviewed the department’s OHS statistics.
Departmental Environmental Performance Committee	Role: To strengthen whole-of-department environmental performance and management and contribute to reducing any negative environmental impact of the department’s operations. Achievements: Established the terms of reference, membership and objectives. Developed a whole-of-department operational environmental policy. Reviewed departmental sustainability reporting and agreed on a set of principles for future reports. Developed a draft strategic plan.

Appendix 4—Grants programs

Outcome 1

Program 1.1: Sustainable management of natural resources Caring for our Country—Natural Heritage Trust Caring for our Country—Environment Stewardship Program Caring for our Country—Caring for our Country Business Plan Caring for our Country—Working on Country Caring for our Country—Community Action Grants Caring for our Country—National Heritage Trust—Reef Rescue National Heritage Trust—Indigenous Protected Areas Working on Country Tasmanian Forest Conservation Funds

Program 1.2: Environmental regulation, information and research National Environment Research Program (NERP) International Whale Science Initiative Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS)

Outcome 2

Program 2.1: Reduction and management of wastes, hazardous substances, pollutants, ozone depleting substances and synthetic greenhouse gases Ozone Protection & Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Account

Outcome 3

Program 3.1: Antarctic science, policy and presence Australian Antarctic Science Research Grants Program

Outcome 4

Program 4.1: Water Reform Sustainable Rural Water Use and Infrastructure Irrigation Modernisation Planning Assistance Non-urban water metering On-Farm Irrigation Efficiency Program Private Irrigation Infrastructure Operators Program in New South Wales Private Irrigation Infrastructure Program for South Australia Small Block Irrigators Exit Grants Strengthening Basin Communities Planning Restoring the Balance in the Basin Water Smart Australia National Urban Water and Desalination Plan National Water Security Plan for Cities/Towns National Rainwater and Greywater Initiative Murray Environment Flows

Outcome 4 continued

Water Resources Assessment and Research Grant Green Precincts Fund National Water Security Plan for Cities and Towns (SPP)

Outcome 5

Program 5.1: Arts and Cultural Development* Cultural Development Program Indigenous Art, Culture and Language Indigenous—Broadcasting Connect Australia—Backing Indigenous Ability Screen Australia Public and Educational Lending Rights Northern Territory Flexible Funding Pool *From 15 September 2010 Arts and Cultural Development was transferred to PM&C.

Program 5.2: Conservation and Protection of Australia’s Heritage* Indigenous Heritage Program Kokoda Track assistance to Papua New Guinea Nation Building and Jobs Fund—Heritage Preservation National Historic Sites—Protecting and Conserving Historic Build assets National Heritage Lists Sites Promotional Program Commemorating Eminent Australians National Trusts Partnership Program Australian Government’s Pacific Engagement Strategy Historic Shipwrecks Program *This incorporates Outcome 7—Conservation and Protection of Australia’s Heritage which was created to reflect reporting requirements in the 2010–11 Portfolio Additional Estimates.

Outcome 6

Program 6.1: Affordable Housing National Rental Affordability Scheme* Housing Affordability Fund* Better Regional Cities Program (SPP)* * These programs came across from FaHCSIA in October 2010 as part of the Machinery of Government changes.

Other Voluntary Environment and Heritage Organisations Grants—Departmental funding