Occupational Health and Safety Policy

Purpose. States how Southern Cross meets its duty under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 to provide a working environment that is safe and without risks to health.

1.Commitment

Southern Cross will provide and maintain a working environment that is safe and without risks to health so far as is reasonably practicable. The business will eliminate hazards where possible and will otherwise reduce risk using the hierarchy of control. Safety performance is reported at every production meeting and every board meeting.

2.Principal hazards

Meat processing exposes workers to a specific set of hazards that this policy and its procedures address directly. Managers must ensure the controls for each hazard are in place before work starts and must not allow chain speed or customer pressure to override them.

• Knife and bandsaw lacerations
• Manual handling of carcases, cartons and hides
• Slips and falls on wet, cold and fatty floors
• Ammonia refrigeration leaks
• Forklift and livestock truck movements
• Animal handling injuries in lairage
• Zoonotic disease including Q fever and leptospirosis
• Noise, cold stress and repetitive strain

3.Responsibilities

The General Manager holds the officer duty and must exercise due diligence. Department managers and leading hands must ensure workers are trained, supervised and equipped for each station. Workers must follow safe work procedures, wear the personal protective equipment specified for their station, report hazards and incidents the same shift, and must not operate plant they are not signed off to operate.

4.Consultation

Health and safety representatives are elected for each designated work group. The health and safety committee meets monthly and its minutes are displayed on the notice boards. Toolbox talks are held weekly in every department and workers will be consulted before any change to plant, process or chain speed that affects their safety.

5.Incident reporting and investigation

All injuries, near misses, hazards and property damage must be reported on the Incident and Hazard Report Form and entered into the incident register before the end of the shift. Notifiable incidents must be reported to the People and Safety Manager immediately so that WorkSafe Victoria notification can be made and the scene preserved. Every lost time injury and every serious near miss will be investigated under the incident investigation process.

6.Health monitoring

Southern Cross will offer Q fever screening and vaccination to every new worker before they start in a production area. Audiometric testing will be provided every two years for workers in designated noise areas. Return to work plans will be developed with injured workers, their treating practitioner and the return to work coordinator.