1              Overview

SafetyMAP is the program designed and supported by the Victorian Workcover: it is administered by JASANZ and delivered by organisations such as Global-Mark.

OHS compliance is one of the biggest issues confronting businesses today.  There is a growing awareness and expectation in the community that “everyone deserves a safe job, and come home at night un-hurt”.  Many western countries are now introducing legislation which will make supervisors, managers, directors and board, accountable for unsafe work environments.

OHS standards are designed to provide a framework, within organisations, that will identify hazards, quantify the risks, and put it place control methods to eliminate, reduce or control these risks.

This also needs to be done within a system environment: this means an organisation needs to have sound systems for dealing with issues such as:

- Training, induction and competence recognition

- Planning, and keeping on top of legislation,

- Internal audits

- Communications

- Document control

- Incident reporting etc

Due diligence may also be improved if compliance with a framework like SaferyMAP is maintained.

2              In simple terms

In essence, OHS certification reflects an organisation commitment to providing a safe environment, leadership, systems and discipline which can deliver consistent safe work practices.

If you care about your staff, you are organized and willing to set the example, OHS certification should be a simple, yet important step.  Certification will assist you prove and demonstrate that you have sound systems, and you are keeping them up to date, and in continued compliance.

3              Specific program conditions

3.1         Important program specific issues

Multi-sited clients: if a Client’s F factor is greater than 100, then sampling is not allowed and all sites need to be visited.

3.2         Program specific definitions

In addition to these presented in Global-Mark document MSP-01 the following definitions apply:

• Date of Completion The date of the business review was completed: i.e. the date the client manager determined that all the audited criteria were rated as “Conformance”
• Not able to be verified A situation where there is evidence of a suitable system in place but because of the infrequent need to use the system there are no recent records or other form of verification available.
• Not Applicable A judgment made by an auditor that because of the nature of the operation of the organisation, the requirements of a particular audit criterion do not need to be met.
• SafetyMAP Standards Those standards set out in the SafetyMAP Standards (SMS) Manual, the control copy being located on the Victorian WorkCover Authority Internet Site (www.workcover.vic.gov.au).
• SafetyMAP Element This is a requirement or section of SafetyMAP
• SafetyMAP Criteria This is a requirement that applies to Clients seeking Certification.  There are a number of criteria within an element.
• SafetyMAP Level Initial and Advanced, are the 2 options for SafetyMAP certification

3.3         Dates in relations to SafetyMAP KPI’s

The following dates are required by JASANZ for SafetyMAP activities

• Clients are to notify us in writing within 20 days of conviction of any offence under OHS or other legislation in the relevant jurisdiction at a site that held SafetyMAP certificate at the time of the offence.
• In no less than 10 days of being notified, the PM must notify the client in writing that certification it to be suspended.
• Conflicts of interest survive for 2 years.
• The CM must advise the client of the criteria to be audited not less than 4 and not more than 6 weeks prior to on site business review
• All business reviews at client sites must be completed within 1 month of each other. (for example if the client progresses bit by bit).
• Pre-certification review meeting must be done between 4 and 6 weeks before the planned review.
• Release of Review Report. Review report and findings must be issued within 2 weeks of completion of the business review.
• Review Finding, must be issued at the end of the business review or no later than within 2 working days
• Client time to complete a review finding: any NC most be corrected within 4 months from the date of issue.  Client must submit information about their proposed corrective actions within 1 month of the finding being raised.  This can be extended by the CM by up to another month, in special circumstances.  If any review finding is not addressed within 4 months of issue, the certificate of approval must be suspended and the client must have full re-certification review of all criteria in order to be eligible for SafetyMAP certification.
• SafetyMAP certificates of approval are valid for 3 years from the date of the issue (which must be the date of completion.
• 10 working days after the client has been given or has given to use its/our intentions to withdraw the certificate of approval.
• Recommendation for certification (including periodicity of next on site review/audit) within 1 month of the successful Business Review

3.4         Defining a site

Certification must refer to defined site(s) under clearly identified management. The following factors should be used to determine the scope of the certificate:

• management of the OHS management system subject to certification shall:
  • be responsible for all OHS hazards and associated risks relevant to the OHS management system subject to certification;
  • have authority to determine how OHS policy is implemented in terms of setting its own objectives and targets, and programs to meet them;
  • have authority to allocate appropriate financial and human resources to OHS control and improvement. This may be within budgets or other constraints. Additional resources for OHS improvements may require the authority of more senior management;
• the boundaries to the responsibilities for activities that may give rise to hazards shall be defined;
• interfaces with services or activities that are not completely within the scope of the OHS management system (e.g. occurring on the same site), shall nevertheless be addressed within the OHS management system subject to certification;
• Account shall be taken of the scope of the organization’s OHS legislative requirements (registration requirements, notification requirements, operator’s certificates, licences) when determining the coverage of the certification.

The site is typically defined as:

• all land on which the activities under the control of an organization at a given location are carried out, including any connected or associated storage of raw materials, by-products, intermediate products, end products and waste material, and any equipment or infrastructure involved in the activities, whether  fixed or mobile; or
• where required by law, corresponds to definitions laid down in national or local licensing regimes; or
• Other definitions may also be used subject to justification.

3.5         Preparation for Certification

It is required that prior to certification you have completed:

• a management review
• internal audits.

3.6         Timing of post certification review based on the number of review findings (RF)

• If RF>25% of total number of audit criteria then:
• A full re-audit needs to be performed before the client can be considered for certification.  The re-audit must comprise all the criteria included in the original one.
• 25% is to be calculated by excluding criteria found to be not applicable and rounded down to the nearest whole number.
• All findings need to be cleared within 4 months of the date of issue or certification must be suspended and a full re-certification review will be needed to re-consider the client for certification.  Such situation should be identified by the CM and raised to the attention of the PM for action.

3.7         Notification of Global-Mark

Also you must keep Global-Mark informed, if you have been found to have breached regulations or legislations, or have any serious injuries.

3.8         Hazards/Risk identified during our audits/business reviews

If during one of our review on your site(s), we find unsafe practices which put people at risk, we will report these to you immediately and expect you to take action immediately.  If you fail to act, we will stop our review, raise a non-conformance, and if appropriate notify the relevant regulator. 

4              What documents/records are needed to understand this program

In order to understand our program, you should also access and be aware of the following documents:

·         G-00: Welcome Pack

·         MSP-00: Introduction to our management systems

·         MSP-01: Nomenclature and definitions

·         MSP-24: Appeals

·         G-09: Information to be included in the certification advise

·         G-10: Use of SafetyMAP certification marks