› DIER › Annual Reports › 2003 Annual Report › Occupational Health and Safety

Occupational Health and Safety
The ongoing development of the Occupational Health and Safety Management Framework continued in 2002/03 with the launch of the OH&S Management Manual. These were distributed to managers and safety representatives.

The election of new Safety Representatives, representing each Branch within the Department, was undertaken in 2002/03. This included the integration of the safety representatives and first aid officers' role.

The new safety committee structure throughout DIER became operational in January 2003.

Responsible Officers received notification of their appointment.

Training for Responsible Officers, Managers and Safety Representatives in relation to their Occupational Health and Safety responsibilities and DIER's expectations under the new OHS Framework was conducted in 2002/03.

Various health, well-being and physical activity-related activities have been undertaken this year. These have included corporate care massage, Corporate Services stair walking event, high calcium morning tea as part of World Osteoporosis Day and the trial of pedometers. An introduction to Pilates and a stress management class were piloted during Workplace Safe Week. Tickets to the Fitness Extravaganza held at Friends Health and Fitness were made available to staff. Many of these activities will be integrated into DIER's Health and Wellbeing Framework.

DIER's Workers Compensation contribution for 2002/03 was $163,516 (exclusive of GST) in comparison with $159,510 in 2001/02.
Workers Compensation

There were 26 Workers Compensation claims for last financial year and 27 this financial year. Although claims show an increase of one for this financial year, seven of those were submitted as a precaution due to exposure to a contaminant. With those claims excluded, there is a significant decrease from 2001/02

Continued awareness programs encouraging employees to identify risks associated with providing a safe workplace have contributed to the decrease.

Workers Compensation claims that remain open and active include nine for 2002/03, eight from previous years and three claims from the former Department of Construction/Works Tasmania.

The Contribution rate for Workers Compensation Premium paid in 2001/02 was again 0.53% of salary during 2002/03.
 

WORKERS COMPENSATION CLAIMS

For Divisions of DIER for 2001/02 and 2002/03

	Number of injuries/claims1	Number of injuries/claims1	Lost Time(days)	Lost Time (days)	Average Lost Time (days)2	Average Lost Time (days)2	Cost of Claims	Cost of Claims
Division	2001–02	2002-03	2001–02	2002–03	2001–02	2002–03	2001–02	2002-03
Corporate Services	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	$1,467
Land Transport Safety	5	6	116	69	23.2	11.5	$15,015	$14,065
Mineral Resources Tasmania	1	0	0	0	0	0	$48	0
Office of the Secretary	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Racing Services Tasmania	1	1	0	0	0	0	$164	$4,730
Roads and Public Transport	9	12	69	11	7.7	0.9	$5,286	$3,688
Infrastructure Policy	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	$1,537
Workplace Standards Tasmania	7	3	34	1	4.8	0.3	$10,926	$742
Private Forests Tasmania	1	0	0	0	0	0	$257	0
Forest Practices Board	2	2	0	5	0	2.5	$1,516	$2,676
ALL DIVISIONS	26	27	219	86	8.4	3.2	$33,212	$28,905

 
  1 Included among the 12 claims for Roads and Public Transport are 7 claims from exposure
  to a contaminant and which were lodged as a precaution.
2 The average lost time is calculated by dividing the total lost time (days) by the number of claims.
 

SUPERANNUATION DECLARATION

I, Mark Austin Addis, hereby certify that the Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources has met its obligations under the Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992 of the Commonwealth in respect of any employee who is a member of a complying superannuation scheme to which the Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources contributes.

Mark Addis
SECRETARY
Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources
30 June 2003