Staying safe is a team effort

BRUCE MCCLURE General Manager of the CMPA comments on the topic that the health and safety of employees at each works site depends on each and every one of us.

The life of a quarry manager in our modern society is extremely busy. Not only does he or she have to ensure that the equipment on site is functioning to its maximum capacity, is being well maintained and working within the limits specified but he/she also needs to ensure that the safety of every person working or visiting that site is paramount. But, it is not their responsibility alone.

How each extractives industry site ensures the health and safety of its employees will obviously vary from site to site as very few sites have exactly the same equipment, the same topography and extract the same products. Never the less, the community through WorkSafe Victoria requires minimum standards to apply right across the state irrespective of where the business it is located, and what there modus operandi is.

One of the great benefits of the computer age is that we can gain access to considerable information fairly quickly. All the relevant regulations can be downloaded from the WorkSafe website (www.worksafe.vic.gov.au) and considerable information can also be downloaded on a multitude of issues relating to health and safety on worksites. For example one can quickly see where the most common injuries and hazards are currently for employees in our industry or you can obtain guidelines on how WorkSafe applies the law in relation to identifying and understanding hazards and risks on work sites.

I realize that not all sites or extractive industry operators have access to the web but all of the information can be sent out by post if one asked the department.

The CMPA secretariat can also access and supply much of this information if requested by members. It only takes a phone call!

This article is not about the merits or otherwise of the regulations, the requirements of WorkSafe Victoria. What it is saying is that there is no excuse for not knowing what the current requirements are that each and every extractive industry site in Victoria must comply with.

Organisations like the CMPA can provide assistance in obtaining information if requested but in the end, the health and safety of each employee at a site is the responsibility of every employee at that site and not just the quarry manager.

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