WorkSafe Project into Outdoor Adventure
WorkSafe has formally advised that it has commissioned a Project to be conducted looking at the Outdoor Adventure Sector.
The Project will commence this month and likely run to the end of the next financial year. It will see WorkSafe visit operators across the State to review their levels of compliance with the new Work Health and Safety Act. Work health and safety laws | Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (commerce.wa.gov.au)
Read more here
Here’s what you need to know and do:
WorkSafe’s Areas of Focus
The WorkSafe Project is prioritising (but not tackling solely):
- Water activities – including Kayaking, Diving & Snorkelling
- Activities at height – including Abseiling, Caving & Climbing
- Flying Foxes / Zip Lines
- Quad Biking and 4WD Tagalong Tours
WorkSafe will randomly select operators in this group and visit their premises. The tone of the engagement is very much around education, but WorkSafe still has responsibility to act on any issues that breach the Act.
The priority focus for WorkSafe is to ensure operators are providing a safe working environment for their staff. Inspectors will be concentrating on priority areas including:
- Information and training,
- Planning and management of emergencies,
- Mobile equipment and vehicle movement,
- Facilities and equipment,
- Electricity and slip, trips and falls.
It is likely WorkSafe’s visits will be unannounced.
An important point of understanding for the Sector is this activity by WorkSafe is defined as a “Project” as opposed to an “Investigation”.
Australian Adventure Activity Standards and Good Practice Guides
To help operators manage risks to the best of their ability, the sector developed the Australian Adventure Activity Standard (AAAS) and related Good Practice Guides (GPGs). These were endorsed by a meeting of the State and Territory Sport and Recreation Ministers of Australia in 2019.
You can review these on the Outdoors WA website: Safety in the Outdoors – Outdoors WA
We encourage everyone in the sector to always ensure they are familiar with the Standards and Guides that are relevant to their sector.
In addition to the Standards and Guides, the Outdoors WA website also provides access to some educational videos developed by the Department of Mines, Industry Regulations and Safety explaining the changes in the new Work Health and Safety Act. You can access those here: Safety in the Outdoors – Outdoors WA
Register your interest in a Sector Webinar Now
To help all providers in the sector ensure they are fully up to speed with the new Work Health and Safety Act rolled out in 2022, Outdoors WA is looking to coordinate a legal firm to provide a webinar to the sector if there is sufficient interest. To register your interest in attending, please complete the link provided: Contact – Outdoors WA