Workplace Health and Safety Board Report 2006-07
The Workplace Health and Safety Board is the peak advisory body to the Queensland Government and the Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations on workplace health and safety issues.
Membership
The board is comprised of 13 members representing employer and worker associations and experts. Members are selected by the Minister for their knowledge and experience in workplace health and safety. Board members were appointed from 1 January 2005 for a term of three years. During the year, Mr Brent Reeman from the Australian Industry Group resigned.
Membership is as follows:
Chair
Mr Vince O’Rourke
Representing employers
Mr John Crittall
Director
Construction Division
Queensland Master Builders Association
Ms Susannah McAuliffe
Manager
Employment Law Division
National Retail Association
Ms Wendy Erhart
Owner
Withcott Seedlings
Mr Peter Garske
Executive Director
Queensland Trucking Association
Representing workers
Mr Glenn Goyen
Executive Officer
Safework Queensland
Mr Wallace Trohear
Ms Grace Grace
General Secretary
Queensland Council of Unions
Ms Amanda Richards
Occupational Health and Safety Officer
Queensland Nurses Union
Mr Garry Ryan
Queensland Branch President and Southern District Secretary
Australian Workers’ Union
Other members
Miss Kelli Stallard
Partner, Dibbs Barker Gosling
Mr Tony Hawkins
Chief Executive Officer, WorkCover Queensland
The board formally met five times during 2006–07.
WHS Board work plan
In February 2007, board members and senior departmental officers attended a two day strategic planning session. Members discussed the development of the board’s work plan which would focus on the following priorities:
- leadership, and how it can lead to improvements in workplace health and safety;
- progressing the department’s priorities: musculoskeletal disorders; slips, trips and falls; and hitting and being hit by objects in the identified target industries
- strategic directions for enforcement, compliance and education awareness
- the use of valid data to inform decision-making and evaluation.
The board also endorsed a framework and process for the development of new industry actions plans for 2008 – 2010 which the seven industry sector standing committees (ISSCs) will develop and which will focus on the key problem areas in their respective sectors.
Achievements
During the year, the board provided advice to the Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations and the department on a number of policy, legislative and compliance issues including:
• Workplace Health and Safety Prosecution Strategy
• occupational licensing
• national and state-wide compliance program 2006–07
• positive performance indictors
• incentives and partnerships to safety improvement
• integration of workplace health and safety into the Smart State initiative.
The board continued to oversee:
• progress on implementation of the five industry action plans and two mechanisms of injury plans
• small business initiative
• building industry initiative
• psychosocial injury program.
CEO’s breakfast
An important aspect of the board’s work plan during 2006–07 was to raise community awareness and expectations to
strengthen workplace commitment and motivation for higher standards of workplace health and safety performance.
To this end the board held a very successful industry forum during Work Safe Week on 25 October 2006 at Parliament House. Mr Roger Trundle, CEO of Thiess Pty Ltd addressed this forum which was attended by 150 senior industry and government representatives. The Honourable John Mickel, Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations presented the Workplace Health and Safety Awards to winners of each category.
Industry Sector Standing Committees
The board is supported by seven industry sector standing committees:
- Construction Industry Sector Standing Committee
- Health and Community Services Industry Sector Standing Committee
- Hospitality, Recreation and Other Services Industry Sector Standing Committee
- Manufacturing Industry Sector Standing Committee
- Retail and Wholesale Industry Sector Standing Committee
- Rural Industry Sector Standing Committee
- Transport and Storage Industry Sector Standing Committee
These committees provide advice and make recommendations to the board about workplace health and safety in the industry sector for which the committee was established.
Last updated 21 July 2009
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