Your first item of business is to research the Queensland WHS legal framework and to consider how to apply it to either the warehouse setting or administration office.
Consider the following facts:
1. Brisbane Blinds is committed to a safe work environment for its employees and visitors. Although the company does not have all its procedures written down, it currently has written procedures for evacuation/emergency, safe lifting and forklift operation.
2. The warehouse and administration office have designated/selected areas for storage, maintenance of equipment and the use of dangerous equipment. These areas are marked with clear signage/signs. The company has recently ordered a first aid kit and defibrillator . The old first aid kit has gone missing.
3. Brisbane Blinds encourages consultation and training, to a point. The manufacturing, warehouse, retail and administration work groups have elected/chosen a HSR to represent their WHS concerns to management and regulatory authorities if necessary.
4. Most employees have been trained on the safe use of equipment relevant to their work duties. Brisbane Blinds has a WHS induction for new employees, which covers all aspects/parts of their work; however, most of the warehouse and administration office work groups have not undertaken this induction. Most workers have been with the company for over ten years and consider that their experience is enough to endure they work safely.
5. Naturally, management does not really want to risk industrial action/strike or poor work morale/confidence by pushing additional training on employees. After all, there hasn’t been a serious accident in at least five years.
Your HSR (the assessor) has asked you to prepare answers to research questions and to discuss the answers to the questions at your next WHS meeting together.
You should make and keep research notes to ensure there is a physical record of this important task.