Topic:Systematic Work Health and Safety Management
Subject:Management
Volume: 2 pages
Type: Case study
Format: APA
Description
Use the Internet resources provided to help understand the questions: http://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/ Accident Window Cleaning is a 4 year old company currently having workplace safety issues. The company is under investigation by Safework NSW and Icare after two of their employees suffered major injuries when the extension ladder used by the said employees accidentally toppled from the 2nd-floor of a building. One worker sustained a compound fracture to one arm, injuries to the liver, fractured ribs and a fractured pelvis. The other employee suffered a fractured pelvis, loss of several teeth, and injuries to his tendon, cheek and mouth. Both are found to have basic English language skills and have no concept of WHS principles. The company is facing a $75,000 fine by Safework. There was an error of judgement of the part of Acci Dent as the shift supervisor assigned is found inexperienced and was incompetent. Internal investigation reveals that lack of a systematic way to manage WHS in the workplace is a major contributing factor to the cause of the accident. For example, they do not have formal consultation procedures to handle safety issues. Eddy Mann, the manager is the unofficial workplace safety officer who’s responsible in all safety issues. For example, if a safety concern is identified by one of the staff, Eddy will look at it, evaluate it, and make a decision as to how to remedy the problem. No formal documentation is made on each of the safety issues identified. The only recording of these issues is on Eddy’s diary where incidents are jotted down when, where, and who is involved, including some of the relevant details of the incident. The owners are also totally negligent in managing workplace safety issues. They have an “It won’t happen to us” attitude regarding workplace accidents. As part of its legal obligations under the WHS Act 2012, Acci Dent is looking at developing a comprehensive system that will prevent these kinds of WHS issues happening in the future. The first course of action for the company is to appoint a WHS Administrator that will handle all WHS policies and procedures including procedures for effective consultation, implementation, control and review of workplace safety practices. The management is totally committed to this process after the incident.
