DEECD OHSMS - Safety Management for Schools - Department of Education & Early Childhood Development

The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development brings together a range of learning and development services for Victorian children, young people and adults
The Department has four main responsibilities:

provide policy advice to our Ministers about education, early childhood development and children's services in general

implement Victorian Government policy on early childhood services

implement Victorian Government policy on school education for all school age students

manage and drive continuous improvement in the delivery of primary and secondary education in Victorian government schools.

What are the key components of your management system and how long has it been in place?

The Key Components of the DEECD OHSMS are:

Policy and Planning
Consultation and Communication
OHS Risk Management
Contractor Management
Hazard Management
Purchasing
First Aid and Infection Control
Induction and Training
Document Management
Evaluation

Implementation of the OHSMS commenced in May 2009.

Does your management system incorporate the elements of AS 4801? Y/N/Don't know.

Yes. The DEECD OHSMS complies with AS4801.

How does your management system integrate health and safety into your day to day business operations?

The DEECD OHS management system was developed to clarify management of OHS and improve workplace safety for DEECD schools and other Workplaces. The standardised and practical nature of the DEECD OHS management system makes it easy to implement and maintain. This system drives safety improvement across the Department while allowing Principals and Managers to focus on the Department’s core business of improving education outcomes.
The OHS Activities Calendar assists schools to identify key OHS activities which must be undertaken regularly throughout the year and integrate them with day to day business activities.

How were your employees engaged in the development and implementation process?

An extensive program of employee consultation and information review was undertaken including analysing 800 survey responses, conducting 9 regional focus groups and engaging with over 60 key individual stakeholders.
Principals, managers and required employees were engaged in the formal implementation. They were engaged through the following methodology.

Understanding the context and approach to implementation

Describing the overall implementation process - Pre, During and Post

Describing the objectives of the on-site implementation visit

Effectively facilitate the on-site implementation process

Describe the on-going support available to workplaces to implement the DEECD OHSMS

What were the results?

From the focus groups and consultation the OHSMS began development in 2008. Since May 2009 the OHSMS implementation has involved 3140 individual site visits and more than 9500 hours of management and employee coaching and support to assist schools in implementing and maintaining their system.
This project was coordinated by the Employee Health Unit Project Manager and delivered and supported by 9 Regional OHS Advisors, a dedicated project team and the DEECD OHS Advisory Service. Implementation has ocurred at 1600 individual workplaces. Principals have engaged with the OHSMS implementation and supported the process in a very professional manner.

*Disclaimer:
The publishing of entries on the WorkSafe Awards website and or/the granting of an award does not constitute any endorsement by WorkSafe Victoria of a product, method or service, or the occupational health and safety performance of the workplace. Monthly Champions must undergo expert review to progress through to the stringent validation and judging process and can only progress to the next stage of entry once WorkSafe are satisfied that the entry/entrant has met the relevant award category criteria and terms and condition of entry.

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