Injury prevention and management case study:
Goldsteins Bakery
In July 2010, Workplace Health and
Safety Queensland (WHSQ) and
WorkCover Queensland introduced the
Injury Prevention and Management
(IPaM) program, designed to help
businesses develop better workplace
health, safety and injury management
systems.
In 2011, Goldsteins Bakery was invited
to participate in IPaM. Goldsteins has
been operating since 1944 and the
business has grown significantly over
time.
In recent years, Goldsteins
experienced a high number of workers’
compensation statutory and common
law claims. In response, the company
has introduced some simple yet
effective safety consultation processes.
Why is consultation important?
Consultation with workers and other
duty holders must underpin all work
health and safety activities.
Consultation is a legal requirement and
an essential part of managing health
and safety risks.
Effective work health and safety
consultation also creates:
•
•
greater awareness and
commitment—workers who have
been actively involved in health and
safety decisions will better
understand and ‘own’ the decisions
positive relationships—
understanding the views of others
leads to greater cooperation and
trust.
How did Goldsteins Bakery
improve their consultation?
Goldsteins now engages with all levels
of staff across the company through its
consultation process. Consultation was
improved by:
•
implementing monthly 30-45 minute
management tool box meetings
•
advertising for work health and
safety representatives to improve
communication and consultation
across the workforce
•
implementing a safety suggestion
box where employees can
anonymously raise safety concerns
they have, and submit new ideas to
help reduce injuries.
Improvements
By consulting with workers and
reviewing their safety and injury
management systems, Goldsteins
identified specific areas requiring
attention, including trip hazards,
electrical problems, faulty conveyor
wheels, a guarding hazard, security
lighting, hazardous manual tasks and
the need for safety reporting processes.
Improvements implemented included
the following:
•
A sensor flood light was installed
along the path from the car park to
reduce the risk of tripping.
•
Security lighting was also installed
to improve the sense of safety for
the workforce.
•
New emergency lights were
installed throughout the factory to
rectify identified electrical
problems with the existing lights.
•
Guarding was installed on mixing
equipment to eliminate the risk of
an employee coming into contact
with moving parts.
•
Induction training for new staff and
revision training for existing staff
was improved to incorporate work
health and safety. Examples of new
training topics include workplace
health and safety duties,
emergency procedures, work
procedures and site specific hazard
and control information.
•
New swivel wheels were installed
on a sausage roll conveyor,
significantly reducing the forceful
exertions required to move the
conveyor.
Sausage roll conveyor with new swivel
wheels.
•
A participative ergonomics program
for manual tasks (PErforM) is being
implemented.
•
New forms were developed for
reporting safety incidents and
hazards, and training for use of
these forms was given to staff.
•
A testing and tagging system was
implemented for racks with
defective wheels, minimising the
potential injury risks from
manoeuvring faulty racks.
A pole in the middle of the racking
stops hot trays slipping forward.
•
A vertical pole was attached to the
middle of the racks to stop hot trays
slipping forward when the racks are
moved.
•
A qualified rehabilitation and return
to work officer was appointed and
suitable duties and return to work
planning were established.
Goldsteins also established a
relationship with a local general
practitioner.
Benefits
Goldsteins’ WorkCover claims
experience is now better than others in
in their industry
The company reports the improved
communication and engagement
between employers and management
has resulted in significant benefits for
the business.
The staff have been more confident to
bring up issues and Goldsteins are
experiencing an improved focus in
thinking about safety.
Company owner Martin Goldstein
said, ’the responsibility is back onto
management to follow up the ideas,
otherwise the workers will lose interest.
The tool box talks have led to so many
good ideas—workers identify simple
solutions to everyday issues’.
Further information
This case study highlights cost
effective and achievable steps that
employers can implement to prevent
workplace injuries while improving
injury management outcomes.
For more information about injury
prevention and management, and
resources to improve your business’s
injury prevention and management
systems:
•
call the WHS Infoline on 1300 369
915
•
call WorkCover Queensland on
1300 362 128
•
visit the IPaM web pages at
www.worksafe.qld.gov.au
•
visit www.workcoverqld.com.au
© The State of Queensland (Department of Justice and Attorney-General) 2012. Copyright protects this document. The State of Queensland has no
objection to this material being reproduced, but asserts its right to be recognised as author of the original material and the right to have the material
unaltered.
The material presented in this publication is distributed by the Queensland Government as an information source only. The State of Queensland
makes no statements, representations, or warranties about the accuracy or completeness of the information contained in this publication, and the
reader should not rely on it. The Queensland Government disclaims all responsibility and all liability (including, without limitation, liability in
negligence) for all expenses, losses, damages and costs you might incur as a result of the information being inaccurate or incomplete in any way,
and for any reason
Personal information collected by the Department of Justice and Attorney-General as part of the IPaM program is for the purpose of helping
employers establish and maintain effective injury management to improve health and safety outcomes. It is the usual practice of the department to
disclose information to WorkCover Queensland. This information may also be referred to other business units within the Department for compliance
and assistance purposes.
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland, Department of Justice and Attorney-General
Injury prevention and management case study: Goldsteins Bakery
PN11383 Version 1 Last updated October 2012