Zoological Parks Authority - Parliament of Western Australia - The ...

Zoological Parks Authority ANNUAL REPORT 2012
Disclosures and Legal Compliance
Government Policy Requirements
Occupational Safety, Health and Injury Management
Perth Zoo and its Corporate Executive are
committed to providing and maintaining
a safe and healthy environment for
staff, contractors, volunteers and visitors, and to
the continuous improvement of injury prevention
and injury management programs. In the event
of a work-related injury, the Zoo provides claims
management and rehabilitation assistance
aimed at supporting injured employees through
their period of illness or injury and, where
possible, their safe return to work.
Activities at the Zoo are required to conform
to relevant State and Federal legislation and
Australian Standards. The Zoo provides
staff with guidance and training in safe work
practices. Staff are required to comply with the
Zoo’s occupational health and safety policies,
procedures and guidelines, and to conduct
themselves in a safe manner, not placing
themselves or others at risk. Members of staff
are responsible for the health and safety of staff
and students working under their direction.
Contractors working on the Zoo premises are
also required to conduct activities in a manner
that ensures the safety, health and welfare
of others.
Perth Zoo is committed to consulting with
staff on occupational safety and health (OSH)
issues, and supports an active OSH Committee
enabling staff to contribute to decisions that may
affect their health, safety and welfare at work.
Formal mechanisms for consulting with staff on
OSH matters include:
• regular team meetings with OSH
agenda items
• OSH representation on all capital
works projects
• online hazard reporting system
• bi-monthly OSH Committee meetings
• access to trained, elected OSH
representatives
• monthly rotational OSH inspections of the
work site
• procedures for Provisional
Improvement Notices
• open access to grievance procedures on the
Zoo intranet and staff briefings
Perth Zoo ensures compliance with the injury
management requirements of the Workers’
Compensation and Injury Management Act 1981
through an approach to injury management
that combines expert assistance from external
providers and the development of effective return
to work plans with the support of supervisors
and human resource staff at the Zoo.
As part of this approach, the Zoo:
• promotes the expectation that it is
normal practice to return to work as
soon as practicable in to appropriately
modified duties
• encourages early intervention in
injury management
• ensures there is early and accurate medical
assessment and management of each case
of injury, work related or not
In 2010‐11, external auditors (IFAP) conducted a
desktop review and on-site interviews using the
Worksafe Plan framework, compliant with the
Australian Standard AS4801:2000. As a result
of the review, an on-line Occupational Safety
and Health intranet portal was implemented in
2011‐12. This portal links the Zoo’s entire safety
management system in one place for ease of
navigation and understanding.
The number of workers’ compensation claims
lodged during the year increased from 18
in 2010‐11 to 20 in 2011‐12. Of these, seven
claims involved time off work and only one
claim resulted in significant lost time.
Number of Lost Time
Injuries/Diseases
Number of
Severe Claims
Lost Time Injury
Severity Rate
2011‐12 2010‐11
8 6
1 1
12.5 16.67
133