Roper Gulf Regional Council is committed to providing a safe workplace for all. As a result Roper
Gulf Regional Council is undertaking reform of its Workplace Health and Safety practices.
This reform comes as part of the roll out of National standards of Workplace Health and Safety across the
Northern Territory and Australia which involves applied changes across staff and management.
Roper Gulf regional Council is focusing on change in three main areas, Workforce Safety Culture,
Safety Management System, and Measuring & Monitoring.
Workforce Safety Culture
The most important factor for changing workforce safety culture is leadership. RGRC leaders are working with
their teams to increase awareness of the hazards and risks associated with their roles.
This is carried-out through toolbox talks, coaching and mentoring, as well as engaging ground level employees
through the WHS Committee. Senior leaders are increasingly aware of their role and responsibilities
in WHS and are confident to stop operations when the safety is at risk.
Regular Work, Health and Safety Bulletins are another means of communicating with employees
the importance of WHS:
17th January 2020 – Road Safety – Please check all road conditions prior to travelling and ensure all
safety equipment taken is full stocked.
Road Reports can be found at Road Report NT
7th May 2014 – WHS Alert – Firearms
14th May 2014 – WHS Alert – PPE
4th July 2014- WHS Alert – Electrical Safety
14th August 2014 – WHS Alert – Hazardous Chemicals
1st September 2014 – WHS Alert – Hazards
9th September 2014 – WHS Alert – Manual Handling
16 September 2014 – WHS Alert – Fit for Work
22 September 2014 – WHS Alert – Training
13 October 2014 – WHS Alert – Heat
2 December 2014 – WHS Alert – Extreme Weather
12 January 2015 – WHS Alert – Escalation Process
12 January 2015 – WHS Alert – Returning to Work
30 March 2015 – WHS Alert – Easter Road safety
17 April 2015 – WHS Alert – Bullying and Harassment
5 May 2015 – WHS Alert – Sprains & Strains
15 May 2015 – WHS Alert – PPE Requirements
27 May 2015 – WHS Alert – High Risk Licenses
01 June 2015 – WHS Alert – Dry Season Health
12 June 2015 – WHS Alert – Take Regular Breaks
13 July 2015 – Hazard Recognition
27 July 2015 – Hazardous Substances
Safety Management System
In order to meet legislative requirements the law requires a systematic approach to Work Health & Safety. Procedures and policies are being reviewed and upgraded, recording processes are being improved and extensive audits are being undertaken.
One strategy implemented to assist with the creation and maintenance of the systems that support our safety is a monthly focus on a different area of safety.
RGRC is aiming to gain AS/NZS4801 certification in the next two years, and become the first Local Government in the Northern Territory to get this accreditation.
Safety Initiative – Safe September
During September 2014, Roper Gulf Regional Council ran a safety initiative, among many other programs and activities delivered during this month, employees of Roper Gulf Regional Council were invited to participate in a Safety video competition. View the winning entry below:
Measuring & Monitoring
Each month the Executive Leadership Team review Work Health & Safety statistics for the organisation. Injuries, incidents, and hazards are discussed and analysed with a focus on “How Can We Make It Safer?” Reports are provided quarterly for Managers and the WHS Committee showing trends. Leaders spend time in the field inspecting their workplace and noting actions. Corrective actions from significant incidents are allocated to senior leaders and tracked to ensure suitable close out.
Staff are being encouraged to report safety issues and incidents knowing that these reports will be acted upon.
WHS is the responsibility of individual workers, management and the organisation working together.