Why are Local and State Governments asking for so much Information

In the current climate businesses are required to take a high level of responsibility for their Quality, Environmental and Safety Management Systems and their implementation.

Last year, two important standards were reviewed and released; the Quality and Environmental Management Systems. Next year a new Health and Safety Standard will be released. Businesses will be required to meet those standards if they want to continue to ensure their products and services meet best practice, eliminate any Environmental Impacts and ensure their workplace and everyone that may be affected by their products and services are safe and without risk to health.

Implementing an Integrated Management System (comprising of Safety, Quality and Environment) can benefit your business greatly and place your business at the forefront of a competitive market. It will also ensure your business continually improves in all areas, from Business Management Planning, Budget Planning, Recruitment, Resourcing, Incident and Injury Reduction and much more.

State and Local Government are becoming increasingly vigilant in ensuring businesses conducting work on their behalf meet the Standards. State and Local Government are now focusing on randomly auditing businesses to ensure what they are implementing their systems. WHY? Most State and Local Government organisation are certified to the Quality Management System; therefore, it is a requirement of the system to ensure external interested parties (businesses) are compliant with certain standards and implement what they say they are going to implement and are serious about their products, processes and people, including the wider community.

Where do you begin?

If you are continually creating your own procedures or have purchased an ‘off the shelf’ system, it’s a good idea to get a professional to undertake a system health-check to ensure it suits your business, industry and the type of products and services you deliver. A system is not worth much if it is sitting on a shelf or within an electronic filing system and not implemented effectively.

How much is too much?

The issue with an ‘off the shelf’ or google download systems is that most business vary in size, structure, products and services and they also have different risks. The issue is also that an ‘off the shelf’ system will provide your business with a plethora of information and a mountain of processes and procedures that you may never look at again as it doesn’t suit your business.

The ideal scenario:

The new standards have been developed to ensure systems integrate with one another and minimises the overlap in relation to policies, processes etc. This enables personnel to implement the system in an effective and efficient manner throughout the business. You should engage a professional that can assist you to review your current system and ensure that it is efficient and meets the particular needs of your business.

Who can assist?

There are many consultants that have expertise in several areas; choose the right consultant for you. Don’t be afraid to ask for their qualifications, experience and competency in the areas you which to implement. Systems can be amended to suit a business, however its not ideal if you engage a consultant with a construction background to develop you a system if you are in the health care industry. There are many compliance obligations (legal or otherwise), standards (Australian, International or Industry), codes of practise that relate to your industry, so take the time to choose the right consultant to fit your business.

If you would like to learn more about this topic or would like an honest chat about the systems, products and services our business provides, please don’t hesitate to call.

Email us today.

Regards,

Sonia Fernandes