Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) policies are essential for compliance, but policies alone do not guarantee a safe workplace. Many businesses have comprehensive systems on paper, yet fail to implement them effectively.
WHS Policies Alone Is Not Enough
The Queensland Court of Appeal heard Woolworths breached its duty of care by using a rating system that pressured workers to work faster or risk losing shifts.
The Court heard that the system of work involved frequent lifting away from the body of weights that did not align with the recommendations for the WorkSafe Victoria guidelines on safe manual order picking.
The decision was made that Woolworths were found to be liable for the worker’s injury claims and to pay $231,000 in damages.
The Court found the worker’s pre?existing condition was common enough that injury risk was foreseeable, requiring the employer to take reasonable care.
A few questions to ask of your business:
- Have you consulted and implemented your procedures and systems of work with your workers?
- Do you currently engage pre-employment screening for your workers to ensure they are capable of performing their tasks?
ABILITY GROUP can help you with your RTW, rehabilitation and WHS concerns and requirements. Contact us to discuss how.
Source: Smart Company
Title: Woolworths Ordered to Pay Injured Worker $230,000.
Read Time: 1 Minutes
Source: Supreme Court of Queensland
Title: Berhane v Woolworths Limited
Read Time: 10 minutes