Management acknowledges health and safety problems in Archives & Library but there's more work to be done.
In welcome news, ABC WHS management has agreed to conduct an immediate safety review in the ABC Archives & Library work areas. The review will be done directly with workers and comes in response to the safety issues resolution lodged by CPSU members last month. However there is more work to be done by members to ensure this work is meaningful and effective.
What is the issue resolution process about?
The CPSU assert that the ABC WHS risk management process has not worked effectively in the Archives and Library work area. Managers did not effectively control the foreseeable or new safety hazards and risks arising from their restructure, including when staff brought those concerns to their direct attention.
Known psychosocial hazards and risks have not been managed by the relevant managers.
Eight of the fourteen known psychosocial hazards recognised by Comcare, have been identified as prevalent in the Archives & Library work areas. However Archives and Library staff have no visibility, knowledge, or understanding of what if any control measures senior management have put in place to mitigate or minimise the risks associated with them. And herein lies the problem:
- To the extent there are WHS control measures in place, they are not proving effective; and
- Under the WHS Act, managers not only have obligations to control risks, they also have explicit obligations to consult with workers about the WHS risk management process.
Issue resolution that CPSU members seeking:
CPSU members have called on the Head of ABC Workplace Health & Safety, Ian Simpson to work with the relevant managers to do the following:
- Immediately make available details of the risk management hazards and control measures identified to date. Archives and Library workers cannot provide meaningful feedback on the control measures the ABC has put in place in their work area if they don't know what they are. This one is a no-brainer.
- Members of the ABC WHS team to conduct an immediate review of psychosocial hazards and risks in the work areas.
- As part of this review, members of the ABC WHS team need to actively consult with Archives & Library staff on the psychosocial hazards and risk assessment.
- WHS Team and Archives & Library management to finalise and implement control measures to mitigate or minimise risks in accordance with the hierarchy of control.
- WHS refresher training for Technology managers to ensure they understand their obligations and personal liability if they err in meeting their WHS obligations.
Next Steps:
- A member of the ABC's WHS team (we believe it will Pascalle Keane), will be conducting consultative workshops with Archives and Library team members in coming weeks. The CPSU has asked the management to provide staff with details of the existing WHS control measures ahead of this meeting. (See letter attached )
