13 Feb 2018

Poultry producer leading the way in return to work initiatives

A Queensland poultry producer’s efforts to boost safety training and communication with its workers is paying dividends with a significant fall in its workers’ compensation premiums.

The Darwalla Group, which operates sites in South East Queensland and across the border in New South Wales, has also been honoured for its achievements with a major prize at the 2017 Queensland Safe Work Awards.

The recognition and safety turnaround are the result of a five year campaign which started in 2012 when the Darwalla senior leadership team made rehabilitation and safety a priority in the group’s strategic plan. The team provided the resources and direction to develop an integrated rehabilitation and safety management system based on risk assessments and safety analysis.

A Beyond Best Practice system was designed and implemented as a customised long term, sustainable, fully integrated rehabilitation management system to meet the unique requirements of the business.

The cornerstones of the system are training, communication, worker support and collaborative networking, which ultimately netted the 2017 Safe Work and Return to Work Award for Best demonstrated leadership in return to work.

Beyond Best Practice takes a three phase safety management approach designed to meet the unique nature of its poultry production operations:

  • safety at all stages – risk management, injury prevention and minimisation
  • safety communication – reporting and feedback
  • safety assistance.

The system combines training, consultation and recognition to maintain safety, skills, efficiency and staff morale, with the company achieving a 23 per cent reduction in workers’ compensation premiums over two years, 100 per cent attendance at tool box talks and training sessions, and a positive attitude towards work health and safety.

A range of strategies are used to develop the rehabilitation and safety system, including an improved communication and reporting system, worker support and targeted training programs. The design and utilisation of task specific functional demands and pre-employment assessments is one of the core initiatives of the program.

Further information

Darwalla joins a long list of agricultural producers to achieve state-wide recognition for their work safety initiatives. More information on its achievements and the 2017 Queensland Safe Work Awards is at www.worksafe.qld.gov.au

This article was published on www.worksafe.qld.gov.au last 25 January 2018.

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