3. Management and accountability
Occupational health and safety
In recognition of the legal responsibility to safeguard the health of its employees while they work, the agency provides and maintains occupational health and safety (OH&S) standards in relation to its offices and equipment. The OH&S Committee met on a quarterly basis during the year. The OH&S Committee regularly makes recommendations to the PSR Management Committee for consideration. In all cases PSR Management has supported the OH&S Committee’s recommendations.
During the year, the PSR office relocated from Yarralumla to Brindabella Business Park at Canberra International Airport. During this relocation, extensive consultation was undertaken with staff and the health and safety representatives regarding fit-out of the office and relocation activities. The health and safety representative carried out an OH&S inspection of the new office before staff relocated. Another more extensive OH&S inspection was undertaken following relocation and staff settling in to the new premises. PSR Management was guided by the recommendations of the OH&S Committee to rectify potential OH&S hazards identified in the office.
If required, policy advice relating to OH&S is given by the specialist area in the Department of Health and Ageing as an element of the memorandum of understanding. Also included in the memorandum of understanding is access for staff and/or their immediate families to counselling services by trained professionals, using an employee assistance program.
Four OH&S incident reports were submitted in 2004–05 one of which resulted in a claim to Comcare. Two of these incidents related to trips in the workplace, one work-related back injury and one to a fall outside the workplace. No notices were issued or received under any of the relevant sections of the OH&S Act during the year.