WH&S Doesn’t Have To Be Ugly

Workplace Health and Safety (WH&S) isn’t sexy.

It is well-known to be a difficult thing to prioritise when you’re busy keeping your business afloat. It may as well have dank, greasy hair and be dressed in a faded brown overcoat with boots and no socks.

It’s not that attractive, and that’s how I personally felt when we recently reviewed our WH&S policies.
While most of us are cognizant of the fact that WH&S compliance is one of those things you don’t need until you do; there is the busy little devil in all of us encouraging us ‘deal with the barely washed and badly dressed’ later.

But that’s not on, and there’s a gazillion good reasons why. In a best-case scenario non-compliance can be costly; in a worst-case scenario someone could get hurt.

Changing my mind from acceptance to enthusiasm along this path (the equivalent of escalating WH&S into a sturdy pair of levis and a crisp white cotton shirt) was our participation over the past six months in WorkSafe Queensland’s Injury Prevention and Management Program (IPaM).

This is a free program designed to help Queensland businesses, including cane farmers and contractors, to develop and implement sustainable health, safety and injury management systems. It is delivered in a way that is easy to understand and tailored to each business and individual circumstances.

IPaM is an easy fit for farmers, contractors and any business owners or organisations with busy schedules. And did I mention it’s free?

Some of the components covered in the program includes a revision of health, safety and injury management systems, identification of workplace hazards, assessing workplace safety capability and tailoring specific business improvement plans to individual businesses.

Visit www.worksafe.qld.gov.au for more information.

Women In Sugar

It is now only weeks away until women from throughout the state converge on Mackay for the Women in Sugar Australia (WISA) conference this year hosted by Canegrowers Network Mackay.

The conference, a popular and well-supported event, will be held over two days in Mackay, 31 March and 1 April, with a meet and greet, guest speakers, conference dinner and a bus tour on day two.

The WISA Conference is an opportunity for women (and men) from all sectors of the sugar industry to learn, share, grow and network.

For information contact Network president Ann Jansen, 0402 248 462.

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QCAR SAFE: Over the past six months QCAR’s Central District Manager Sonia Ball, right, has been participating in WorkSafe QLD’s Injury Prevention and Management Program (IPaM) with Kathleen Pace, pictured, Senior Advisor IPaM Program, Policy and Workplace Services. Kathleen last week presented QCAR’s Sonia Ball and QCAR Director Steve McKeering with a program completion certificate. Photos supplied

Holding the fort at QCAR’s Head Office, Queensland, managing member enquiries and supporting QCAR District Managers and Committees from the Far North of Queensland south to Northern New South Wales is the dynamic trio, from left, Executive Assistance Lee-Anne Gelling, Payroll Manager Bernadette Rehbein and Office Manager/Company Secretary Melissa Boulter. All members and non-members are encouraged to contact the team with any queries or for any assistance on 4783 2111 or in the first instance call your local QCAR Central District Manager Sonia Ball on 0467 573 321.

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