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Workers compensation
In addition to providing financial benefits, a focus on
insurance costs can enhance the injury management
process by allowing us to find suitable duties quicker,
reducing Lost Time Injuries (LTIs) and minimising the
time taken for employees to return to normal duties.
Injured workers are provided support through our team
of occupational therapists, regional safety coordinators
and local return to work coordinators, to ensure their
injury and their return to work program is managed in
line with best practice. Country Energy is moving to
a self insurance workers compensation model during
2005-2006.
No longer will employees have to deal with insurance
companies. They will be able to discuss their workers
compensation issues with trained and dedicated
Country Energy employees. In the majority of cases,
dealing with workers compensation in-house will also
reduce the time needed to resolve claims.
Future goals – our estimated Workers Compensation
insurance premium for 2005-2006 is $11.2 million.
Under self insurance, this is expected to reduce to
below $8 million. A key priority next year is to reduce
by five per cent the time taken for injured workers to
return to normal duties.
First aid
First aid procedures have been reviewed to consider
the likely injuries and illnesses that might occur in
the workplace and the number and distribution of
employees (and likely contractors and visitors), size,
layout and location of each worksite. Trained first aid
attendants have been appointed at all work sites and
communicated across the business.
The identification and purchase of first aid supplies was
also rationalised and consolidated through our existing
stationery supplier.
The successful formula for our public safety plan
includes –
• Using a range of communication methods to reach
target audiences including, direct mail, advertising,
media, training videos, safety kits and warning
signage
• Timing campaigns to coincide with high risk safety
periods, such as school holidays and seasonal farming
activities
• Repeated use of the “Watch out, watch out, there
are powerlines about” slogan as our primary
message
• Increased visibility and face-to-face contact with
industry and other organisations, enabling us to help
develop safer work statements and deliver best
practice outcomes
• Attending trade shows, seminars, major field days
and agricultural events, as well as targeted forums
and training sessions for industry, councils, schools,
emergency services and community groups we
consider “at risk”, such as truck drivers, cotton
farmers, pilots and emergency services personnel.
Future goals – to measure the new public safety plan’s
effectiveness, we aim to survey identified “at risk”
groups during 2005-2006, to gauge their understanding
of safety messages.
While we strive to ensure there are no public safety
incidents, our target for 2005-2006 is less than 100
public safety incidents.
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Public safety
Considering the vast and unique nature of our network,
we have a wide range of community groups to
incorporate into our public safety plan. A strategy has
been developed to provide effective communication to
a diverse audience, identifying and addressing the key
areas in which community groups or activities could
pose an electrical safety hazard.
COUNTRY ENERGY ANNUAL REPORT 2004–2005