Creating a culture of consultation leads to fewer injuries and incidents
Whatever the industry you work in or the size of your organisation, the HSR Initial OHS Training Course leads to a culture of consultation and fewer injuries and incidents.
Business Benefits from Creating a Culture of Consultation
Workplace consultation involves developing and implementing effective consultation mechanisms. This will encourage workers and management to co-operate, and will also make all employees feel engaged with their workplace.
Discussion between management and workers on workplace health and safety issues should be:
- Cooperative rather than adversarial
- Based on exchanging views and considering views rather than argument
- Aiming to reach a consensus between all participants.
Reaching consensus fosters positive qualities of collaboration, involvement and co-operation within a workplace and real tangible business benefits in the form of fewer injuries and incidents. Yes the research is compelling, fewer injuries and incidents, which means a significant improvement on the bottom line.
To properly create a culture of consultation though, seeking the opinions and views of workers on OHS issues must be a regular systematic practice, not a one-off.
Management can consult workers as individuals, groups, unions or a mixture of all three. To implement a system from this information, it should be recorded, organised and then promoted clearly throughout your organisation.
The HSR Initial OHS Training Course includes
- the latest learner-centred instructional framework to gain knowledge
- interactive case studies
- informative lectures
- engaging practical activities that encourage a desire to learn.
How the course works
Through active participation, reflection, and diligent study, participants are provided various opportunities to practically convert their new knowledge into skills. Training equips health and safety representatives with the knowledge, skills and confidence to represent their designated work group members and help make the workplace safer.
Entitlements to the Course
Under the OHS Act 2004, Section 67, the following are entitled to attend the Initial OHS Training Course:
- All duly elected health and safety representatives and deputy HSRs are legally designated to take the Initial OHS Training Program for HSRs (as approved by WorkSafe-Victoria) and have the prerogative to pick their course provider with proper consultation with their respective employers.
- Employers, when requested, must allow an appointed health and safety representative as well as elected deputy health and safety representative under their management to undertake the initial OHS training program for HSRs (as approved by WorkSafe) under paid time and must likewise defray the expenses of the entire course and any other costs associated with the training.
- After completing an initial course of training, all designated HSRs and deputy health and safety representatives are legally entitled (for every year that they hold office) to attend the refresher OHS training program for HSRs and choose their preferred courses with proper consultation with their respective employers.
