Our team of consultants are passionate about our work and strive to ensure we deliver valuable and worthwhile outcomes for our clients ..read more

While most organisations won't see the significant increases in premiums they did last year, it's important to check your Premium Notice carefully to ensure your rate is appropriate. Last year, the 46% increase in the average payroll premium rate saw almost all Victorian employers endure significant increases in their WorkCover premiums. Thankfully, this year, the average payroll rate remains unchanged at 1.8%. However, it's important to understand that the payroll premium rate applied to your organisation is based on three key factors and isn't necessarily the 'average' rate. Your organisa ..read more

In June 2024, we brought together a panel of workplace risk, psychological safety and management system specialists to explore and discuss one of the most challenging safety management issues Australian employers face – psychological safety management. Openly sharing their knowledge, expertise and experience, together, our panellists and the audience discussed and explored:  The frameworks and measures other organisations are using to manage psychological safety. What a best practice approach to identifying hazards, assessing risks, implementing controls and corrective actions lo ..read more

Property developer and asset manager Salta Properties strives to not only meet its duty of care, but lead the way in safety. With a portfolio valued at over $3.5 billion and comprised of over 50 commercial, retail, and industrial properties, ensuring the safety of tenants, employees, contractors, visitors, residents, and the general public across all properties is critical. As part of our ongoing partnership, Risk Strategies is responsible for Salta’s annual property safety auditing program alongside its project and corporate safety programs. Annual Property Safety Auditing Program Over t ..read more

All employers have a legal obligation to proactively work to eliminate or minimise the risk of sexual and gender based harassment from occurring at work, so far as reasonably practical. Every employer has a positive duty to prevent sexual harassment and discrimination Changes to the Sex Discrimination Act in December 2022 saw a positive duty introduced, requiring employers to not just respond to sexual harassment and discrimination but proactively work to prevent it from occurring.   The release of the Safe Work Australia, Sexual and Gender-Based Harassment Code of Practice in December 20 ..read more

https://youtu.be/HMRDU-iGyMc?si=xG-VB0eNjTIyx7ghIn October 2023, we brought together a panel of injury and claims management experts from insurance, industry, consulting and systems to share, discuss and explore what works, what doesn't and what's possible in the space. Openly sharing their knowledge, expertise and experience, together, our panelists provided viewers with a deeper and broader understanding of what others are doing in the space and shared strategies, tools and processes to assist businesses to: > Work with the insurer to achieve better claims outcomes – for the worker and th ..read more

AS/NZS 3760:2010 has been replaced by AS/NZS 3760:2022 In-Service Safety Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment and RCDs. The changes introduced in the new AS/NZS 3760:2022 are designed to make sure electrical equipment is regularly inspected and tested to improve safety and reduce the risks associated with electrical equipment. For the most part, the updates to the Standard make it easier to read and understand, with additional explanation, extra dot points and more images of PAT testers. The key changes and areas to take note of include: Additional Testing requirements There are now ..read more

Last week WorkSafe Victoria began accepting applications for the new Engineered Stone Licences. Businesses that cut, grind or abrasively polish engineered stone now have until 14 November 2022 to prepare and apply for the licence. The new licensing scheme is another measure that has been put in place to protect people working with engineered stone from potentially deadly exposure to silica dust. Applications for the Engineered Stone Licence will need to include: A hazard control plan for working with engineered stone. Details about the information, instruction and training provided to employe ..read more

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YR0LkrDV6Nw&t=29sWorkSafe has recently launched a campaign to raise awareness of gendered violence in the workplace. What is gendered violence? Gendered violence is a serious health and safety issue – in every workplace. It is defined as: Any behaviour, directed at any person, or that affects a person, because of their sex, gender or sexual orientation, or because they do not adhere to socially prescribed gender roles, that creates a risk to health and safety. What constitutes gendered violence? Gendered violence can take many different shapes and forms and ..read more

For 26 years, ,ECMS has provided high quality and inclusive early learning and care to Melbourne families. With more than 60 kindergarten and childcare centres across Melbourne, the organisation engaged Risk Strategies to assist with managing employee injuries, return to work programs and workers compensation claims. Working as an extension of the ECMS team, our role initially focussed on relieving the burden on internal resources while improving injury management processes and outcomes. At a practical, day-to-day level, this required our consultant to: Manage work-related and non-work-relate ..read more