Just Like a Whirlpool

A new business opportunity for a client created a whirlpool of activity with circles moving from the centre, demanding answers and demonstrating how a living Document Register saved time, effort, risk exposure and was a driver for compliance.

At the centre - a requirement to have a Sexual Harassment Prevention Plan in Queensland, as a PCBU, became the focus of attention.

The QLD Government has provided a well-structured model plan including guidelines and references so developing the Plan, setting up the communications with all parties.

Creating the Plan was a great consultation exercise for the business and delivered some valuable outcomes and unforeseen areas for management and improvement.

The next step became the whirlpool as the Plan was added to the Register, and we considered where it might connect and what might need to be done. The following is not a complete list but indicates the importance of a Document Register and strong Management System that ensures everything is up to date.

The client was a labour hire provider in QLD so the immediate question was: Does the host client have a Plan in place - this should be added to the questions asked before placing workers during site and system reviews.

Within my client’s system as a starting point: the Induction Checklist, Employee and Contractor Handbook, Anti -Bullying and Harassment Policy, Psychosocial Safety Policy, Incident & Injury Report Form, Incident & Injury Management Procedure all required review and, in most cases updating, to ensure this Plan and its actions and outcomes were referenced.

Thanks to a living Document Register, and a well-developed Management System this was not an onerous task but was a reminder of how compliance can become chaotic if your records and systems aren’t structured well.

Contact Business Monitor if you want to discuss how you can strengthen your document controls and manage the ever-widening circles of risk and compliance management.