Queensland Health

This undertaking relates to an incident involving a Queensland Health employee that was the victim of a criminal assault outside working hours inside the staff accommodation premises, Mabuiag Island Primary Health Clinic. A member of the public was subsequently charged by the Queensland Police Service and is alleged to have made an unlawful entry to the building and committed the criminal assault.

A breach of s24(1) and 28(1) of the Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995, was alleged.

• Implementation of a system of work for the on-going security of staff accommodation on Mabuiag Island.
• Establish a procedure and implement a system of work for after hours on-call services to ensure safety and security of health care workers.
• Develop and implement a personal duress alarm system including an escalation strategy for an appropriate response, to accommodate the inherent remoteness, cultural and environmental considerations.
• Develop, promulgate and implement a consultative process between management, health care workers and health and safety practitioners that will enable timely assessment and rectification of health, safety and security issues on Mabuiag Island.
• Develop, promulgate and implement minimum standards for the design, maintenance and management of staff accommodation.
• Develop and provide occupants of staff accommodation an information package on safety and security, building maintenance and local area information.
• Maintain regular liaison between Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) and the Cairns Health Service District Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Co-ordinator via bimonthly meetings and during the scheduled WHSQ Regional Government Agency OHS Network Forum.
• Annual funding for three years to assist in the establishment and advancement of an undergraduate degree in OHS Science.

The minimum agreed expenditure (including departmental recoverable costs) is $615,000.

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