Work Health and Safety Policy

Purpose. This policy states how Riverbend protects the health and safety of workers, volunteers, clients and visitors across its three sites.

1.Purpose and scope

Riverbend is committed to providing a workplace where nobody is harmed. This policy applies to all workers, volunteers, contractors, students and visitors at the shelter, the clinic and the boarding centre, and to work performed in vehicles and at other locations such as call-outs and adoption events.

2.Our commitments

Riverbend will meet its duties under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Victoria). Management will identify hazards, assess risks and apply controls in consultation with workers. Riverbend will provide the training, equipment and supervision needed to work safely and will investigate every incident to prevent recurrence.

• Consult workers through the monthly welfare and safety review
• Provide induction before unsupervised animal handling
• Maintain first aid kits, spill kits and emergency plans at every site
• Report notifiable incidents to the regulator as required

3.Principal hazards

The main hazards in our work are animal bites and scratches, zoonotic diseases, manual handling of animals and feed, sharps and needlestick injuries, chemicals used for cleaning and disinfection, anaesthetic gases, vehicle use and aggressive or distressed members of the public. Each hazard has a documented control in the relevant procedure and the site risk register.

4.Worker responsibilities

Every worker must take reasonable care for their own safety and the safety of others. Workers must follow procedures, wear the personal protective equipment specified for the task, report hazards and incidents through the WHS Incident and Hazard Register, and never work outside their training or competence.

5.Incident reporting

All injuries, near misses, hazards and property damage must be reported on the day they occur using the Incident and Hazard Report Form and entered in the WHS Incident and Hazard Register. Supervisors must review each report within two working days. Serious incidents must be reported immediately to the Operations Manager, who will decide on regulator notification.

6.Review

The Operations Manager will review this policy annually and after any serious incident. Performance against this policy is reported to the Chief Executive Officer each month.