The City of Belmont has become the first Local Government in Western Australia to be presented the Diamond Distinction in Safety Award (DISA), receiving the award last December.
The award highlights the City’s high standard in the management of OHS, as shown in the results of the recent Local Government Insurance Services (LGIS) Occupational Safety and Health Audit.
Conducted every three years, the audits are open to all Western Australian councils, and the Diamond Distinction is the highest Safety Award that can be obtained.
Belmont achieved a result of 97 per cent in the audit against each of the safety categories, which are measured against the criteria outlined in the AS/NZ4801: 2001 Safety Standard. One area it performed exceptionally well in was injury statistics, which have been reduced by 45 per cent over four years.
Council’s Occupational Safety and Health Coordinator, Caroline Corney, said the most important thing is to have staff continually working to improve upon safety systems and to promote a safety culture that has been integrated into all aspects of Council activities.
“Our safety culture is alive and well, which has had a great impact upon Council’s achievements,” she said.
“The City of Belmont sees safety as an ‘all of life value’ and our education is based around this premise.
“The City would not have achieved this award if it was not for the commitment from all staff, safety representatives and the City’s Safety Environment Advisory Team.”
Caroline Corney said Council adopted ‘Belmont’ the meerkat safety mascot in 2007 and integrated it into its educational process and regular OHS meetings. She said employees are introduced to the mascot during their induction on their first day.
“All employees go through a full day site and safety induction in their first week with Council,” Caroline Corney said. “This is followed by a ‘cultural induction’, which is run every six months as a refresher for both new and existing employees.
“During the cultural induction, staff view the ‘All for One – The Meerkat Way’ DVD, which highlights five key points that meerkats use in the wild, which can be transferred to the workplace.
“These include listening to your safety instincts, being consistent (sticking to proven safe practices), communication, cooperation, and no blushing (continuous improvement).”
During the ‘cultural inductions’, the meerkat mascots are also displayed in a cage. Staff are asked to provide suggestions on new safety initiatives Council could take to improve their safety and the best suggestion is rewarded by having one of the meerkat mascots ‘released into the wild’ and out of the cage (a soft toy is awarded to the employee).
“We can only release a meerkat if we know it is going into a safe environment,” Caroline Corney said.
“Staff have responded extremely well to the mascot system, even incorporating it by choice into their own fun processes.”
Caroline Corney said staff initiated an annual safety quiz, with the major prize being one of the meerkat mascots.
“Having a meerkat is something really special and it must be earned,” she said. “As more and more meerkats are released, we are seeing them appear all over Council, from work desks to riding around in depot trucks and work vehicles. This shows that the message of the importance of safety is being received and practiced in the organisation.”
The City has been approached by other Local Governments for ideas on how they too can improve their OHS management.
“It’s all about information sharing, and at the end of the day, everyone being safe,” she said.
For further information contact Caroline Corney on (08) 9477 7222.
