In any country, the workforce is considered the back bone of development. Without the dedication and commitment of the populace to work for growth and profit, the country’s economy will surely decline. This is probably the reason why workplace health and safety has been prioritized by the Australian government as a major area for reform. The reform agenda has identified the importance of working towards a single set of safe work practices. It has the intention of minimizing incidence of injury, disease and death throughout Australia by having an efficient and effective set of work safety laws in place.
A safety management plan is a collection documents that outline how the principal contractor will manage health and safety for employees, sub-contractors, suppliers and the general public. The content and detail of the safety plan will depend on the size and complexity of the proposed work. A site safety plan must be prepared before the start of any project, and it should be subject to an ongoing review as the project develops. This approach allows identification and control of the health and safety risks as the project advances.
Such a safety plan is mandatory for construction projects as it formulates the approach to risk management and reduces the potential losses to employers and employees alike. The principal contractor or his nominated officer is responsible for the preparation, submission and administration of the plan.
Once ready, the plan should be effectively communicated to all the personnel concerned, and compliance should be observed. It is useless to have a well-prepared plan if the workforce does not know about them. A safety officer must therefore be assigned to ensure compliance – one who has the authority to direct and control what happens at the project site. He ensures that safe work systems are maintained and monitored.
Continuous monitoring should be in place and, after a thorough evaluation, necessary variations should be incorporated to minimize and control risks in line with the principles contained in the plan. This process is necessary as it may not be possible to identify every health and safety issue before the start of a project. Safety measures become more relevant as the project progresses so it is very important to keep all the staff informed about it.
A safety plan is an essential part of construction compliance, and it should be prepared before commencing work on a site. Make sure that the safety management system is in compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety legislation. The consequence of not complying with this legislation may lead to financial penalty that could affect your budget.
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