Work Health and Safety Policy

Purpose. This policy states Ridgeway's commitment to a safe workplace and the responsibilities of officers and managers under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (New South Wales).

1.Commitment

Ridgeway will provide a working environment in which staff, contractors, visitors and people in custody are protected from harm so far as is reasonably practicable. The centre treats safety as a condition of operating and will resource the safety management system accordingly.

2.Principal hazards

The principal hazards at Ridgeway are assault and threatening behaviour, exposure to body fluids and needlestick injury, manual handling during restraint and property movement, psychological injury from exposure to traumatic events, fatigue from shift work and overtime, plant and machinery in the industries workshops, and fire.

• Assault and threatening behaviour
• Body fluid exposure and needlestick
• Manual handling and restraint
• Psychological injury and fatigue
• Workshop plant and machinery
• Fire and smoke

3.Responsibilities

The General Manager holds the primary duty of care. Managers must implement controls in their units and consult with staff before changes. Officers must follow safe work practices, use personal protective equipment, report hazards and incidents and take reasonable care for their own safety and that of others. Health and safety representatives will be elected for each work group.

4.Hazard and incident reporting

Every hazard must be reported on the day it is identified and entered in the Hazard and Risk Register. Every injury, near miss and exposure must be recorded in the Incident and Use of Force Register before the end of shift. Notifiable incidents must be reported to the regulator immediately by the WHS and Wellbeing Manager and the scene preserved.

5.Consultation and training

The WHS committee will meet monthly with representatives from every department. All staff must complete induction and annual refresher training in safe work practices, body fluid exposure, fire response and manual handling. Officers must hold current accreditation in defensive tactics before working a custodial post.

6.Wellbeing

Ridgeway will offer peer support, an employee assistance program and a structured debrief after any critical incident. Managers must monitor fatigue and overtime and will not roster an officer for more than 14 consecutive hours or six consecutive shifts without approval from the Custodial Operations Manager.