Located in southwestern Sydney, Campbelltown City Council is self insured for Workers Compensation and has a strong commitment to ensuring its staff work in a safe manner in the workplace and at home.
As one of the ten largest councils in New South Wales, the City covers
312 square kilometres and has a population of over 150,000 people. It has over 675 permanent staff, more than 200 of which are part time.
In late 2008, Council established its Business Assurance section. The section comprises Council’s Workers Compensation, Risk Management, Internal Audit, Organisational Development and OHS Units.
The establishment of this section formalised the appointment of an OHS Training Officer to look after OHS specific training for all areas of the organisation.
Since this appointment, a significant increase in OHS related training has occurred at no additional cost to Council.
The OHS Training Officer works in conjunction with Council’s Learning and Development Unit and across all Council departments to identify OHS training needs. As a result, a number of inhouse training courses have been developed and implemented, such as the importance of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment); becoming a designated first aid officer; sun, heat and sharps awareness; trailer maintenance; and fire extinguisher and emergency warden training, all tailored specifically to the section and staff being trained.
Training is provided as a group or one on one, depending on the requirements of the section.
Campbelltown Mayor Russell Matheson said feedback from staff on this style of training has been positive.
“The course content relates specifically to a staff member’s area and includes information on procedures across other Council departments,” he said. “The role specific content, together with the condensing of sessions has contributed to staff willingness to attend, and positive responses through the feedback questionnaires circulated at each session.”
Mayor Matheson said that management welcomed the new approach, with the flexibility allowing training to take place at times and locations suitable to the various sections of Council.
Later this year, Council will implement health and wellbeing training for its staff.
This training will focus on improving the health of staff and their families from a work and home perspective.
Training modules will include diabetes awareness, healthy eating and fitness programs.
Further courses are currently being investigated, with feedback from staff on other ideas to be obtained during Council’s annual Health Fair to be held in November 2009.
For further information contact Michelle McIlvenny, Campbelltown City Council’s Manager Business Assurance, on (02) 4645 4110.
