Prosecution of on-hire firm a cautionary tale for others, says peak body

The recent prosecution of an on-hire employment firm for failing to meet its Occupational Health and Safety (OHandS) obligations is a timely reminder to the industry that that there are ongoing and fundamental responsibilities which simply cannot be ignored, the recruitment and on-hire industryís peak body said today.

MAD Recruitment, which is not a Member of the RCSA (Recruitment and Consulting Services Association), was last week fined $10,000 by WorkSafe Victoria for failing to meet its safety obligations, with the result that a worker was injured in a forklift accident.

Julie Mills, CEO of the RCSA, says the case highlights the critical importance of OHandS for on-hire firms.

ìEmployee safety should be a number one priority for every employer, and this is why the RCSA is focused on providing a high level of support to the industry, so that every Member has the tools and knowledge to get it right.

ìWe urge every operator in the industry to check and re-check their OHS management systems, and make sure they are being implemented and monitored,î Ms Mills said.

The RCSA is currently finalising a business operations checklist for new Members that details their extensive obligations. The checklist, developed by the RCSA Insurance Committee, will complement several other services already supplied to Members.

ìOne of the most well-received tools has been WorkPro. Launched late last year, this web-based portable induction system is supported by the RCSA, and designed to provide portable OHS training and inductions to on-hired employees where records of completion are automatically recorded on a database for future evidence of compliance.

ìThe RCSA also delivers a popular risk management training course for consultants and others carrying out pre-placement assessments. Itís a must-do for anyone involved in this area,î Ms Mills said.

Small businesses in Victoria are also eligible to receive three hours of free consulting from RCSA Business Support Service Provider SRM Risk thanks to a project being sponsored by WorkSafe Victoria.

It is absolutely critical that providers of on-hired employees understand that OHS management is not something that is optional or can be put on the to-do list. Incidents are more likely than ever to result in prosecution, and a fully functioning system, not words, will be the only real defence,î she said.