Occupational Health and Safety
Free OHS Consultations
VCOSS collaborates with WorkSafe Victoria to deliver free three-hour OHS consultations through the Small Business Safety Program. This offer is open to all Victorian community sector organisations with up to 50 employees (full-time equivalent, not including volunteers). All you need to do is register and an independent consultant will visit your workplace for up to three hours to provide expert advice on OHS and help you put together a Safety Action Plan, free of charge. Click here to register.
Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) is consistently identified as a priority concern for community sector organisations across Victoria, and consequently VCOSS is supporting a number of initiatives in this area.
‘Training aids [on OHS] are available but the training process is not rigorous,’ said one VCOSS member in a 2005 training needs analysis. ‘There are a huge number of resources in OHS,’ said another, ‘but no one knows how to access them.’ To assist in providing appropriate and comprehensive training, VCOSS is working in collaboration with WorkSafe Victoria, DHS, relevant peak bodies and trade unions to develop and deliver an integrated OHS education strategy specifically for the community services sector.
Community Sector Investment Fund (CSIF) Community Sector Workcover Initiative
Identifying a WorkCover insurance premium that provides good value is a pressing concern for community organisations. A new VCOSS initiative has researched and selected ‘preferred providers’ for the community sector.
In 2006 all six WorkCover insurers were invited by VCOSS to tender for community sector business. A panel of expert WorkCover consultants and community sector peak body representatives found two organisations, Cambridge Integrated Services (Victoria) Pty Ltd and Gallagher Bassett Workers Compensation Victoria Pty Ltd, stood out as demonstrating that they could add value to the services they provide for community organisations, such as:
- Training tailored to needs and delivered at the local level
- Senior level account management for organisations if they are members of this initiative
- Expert advice
- Customised assistance with claims management
While organisation's insurance premiums will not be affected in the short-term if a preferred provider is selected, it is expected that better quality insurance services will lead to improved workplace safety and a reduction in WorkCover claims, which should lower premiums in the longer term.
VCOSS and its partners in this initiative warmly encourage community sector organisations to consider transferring their business to a preferred provider.
Cambridge Integrated Services (Victoria) Pty Ltd transfer form
Gallagher Bassett Workers Compensation Victoria Pty Ltd transfer form
This initiative was supported by the Community Sector Investment Fund, in partnership with the following organisations:
