Manufacturing ISSC communique: April 2024
The Manufacturing Industry Standing Committee (the Committee) met on 18 April 2024. The Committee Chair, Mr Scott Reichman, welcomed members to the first meeting.
The Chair facilitated discussions focused on establishing a foundation for the Committee’s three-year term including:
- Endorsing the Committee’s terms of reference, a key governance document that has been developed to support the operations of the Committee; and Identifying the reporting requirements to undertake Committee functions; noting the primary function of an Industry Sector Standing Committee is to give advice and make recommendations to the Work Health and Safety board about work health and safety in the industry sector for which the committee is established (Work Health and Safety Act 2011, Schedule 2, Division 5, Section 15).
The Chair invited the committee members to discuss the current and emerging issues and risks in the manufacturing industry. The following key matters were raised by the Committee chair and members:
- The need for coordinated state and federal-level safety induction training for new staff at manufacturing facilities to enable better safety outcomes
- Confusion around principal contractor arrangements at brownfield sites and a lack of delineation of PCBU vs contractor role
- Unclear expectations for decommissioning of old mine sites
- Mental health programs being of utmost importance considering the large proportion of young males in the manufacturing industry
- Recruitment and retention of capable inspectors as alternate leads to inexperienced inspectors and the need for re-education efforts and filling knowledge gaps by employers/unions
- Need for an advisory body within OIR to provide advice and increased social networking events or forums to encourage engagement and the ability to seek proactive advice by businesses and unions. Noting that the advisory function of the department, if planned, would have to remain separate from the regulatory role.
- Need for a site visit report summarising the issues beneficial for the employers to undertake improvements within agreed timelines.
The Members discussed items for future meetings including a status report on the welding process codes of practice.
The next meeting of the Committee will be held on Thursday, 11 July 2024.
ISSC secretariat | Email: oirboardsandcommittees@oir.qld.gov.au