Work health and safety (WHS)
The EPA has continued its focus on early intervention strategies in particular with staff returning to work from non-work related injuries and/or medical conditions. Assisting staff with a safe and structured return to work has not only enabled staff to return safely, but also sooner, increasing employee wellbeing and providing the EPA with productivity gains.
The EPA experienced zero lost-time injuries for 2013–14, an improvement from the previous year and only 2 medical treatment claims this financial year. The EPA finished this period with one open claim, which is 3 less than the same time last year. Although during this financial year the EPA experienced better results, it had an increase in the total claims expenditure with one claim receiving a section 42 payment.
During 2014–15, the EPA will continue its commitment to safety and injury management while continuing to implement its Transforming the EPA’s Safety Culture Program across the agency.
The following tables provide information on EPA work health and safety, and injury management, statistics. Further information on key achievements can be found in the ‘Our performance’ section of this report.
Table 30—Work health and safety prosecutions, notices and corrective action taken
| Work health and safety prosecutions, notices and corrective action taken | 2013–14 |
| Number of notifiable incidents pursuant to WHS Act Part 3 | 2 |
| Number of notices served pursuant to WHS Act section 90, sections 191 and 195 (provisional improvement, improvement and prohibition notices) | 0 |
| Number of prosecutions pursuant to WHS Act Part 2 Division 5 | 0 |
| Number of enforceable undertakings pursuant to WHS Act Part 11 | 0 |
Table 31—Workers compensation expenditure
| Expenditure | 2012–13 ($’000) | 2013–14 ($’000) |
| Income maintenance | 4 | 0 |
| Lump sum settlements redemptions, under section 42 | – | 0 |
| Lump sum settlements permanent disability, under section 43 | – | 42.5 |
| Medical/hospital costs combined | 12 | 4 |
| Other | 0.2 | 0.6 |
| Total claims expenditure | 17.0 | 47.0 |
Table 32—Safety performance for 12 months to end of June 2014
| Baseline June 2010 (numbers or %) | Actual | Notional quarterly target | Variation | Final target 2015 (numbers or %) | |
| 1 Workplace fatalities | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 New workplace injury claims | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| 3 New workplace injury claims frequency rate | 5.5 | 8.46 | 4.6 | 3.86 | 4.31 |
| 4 Losttime injury frequency rate | 2.7 | 0 | 2.3 | -2.3 | 2.15 |
| 5 New psychological injury claims frequency rate | 2.7 | 0 | 2.27 | -2.27 | 2.13 |
| 6 Rehabilitation and return to work: | |||||
| a) early assessment within 2 days | – | 33.33% | 80% | -46.67 | 80% |
| b) early intervention within 5 days | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 90% |
| c) losttime injuries have 10 business days or less lost time | 50% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 60% |
| 7 Claim determination: | |||||
| a) new claims not yet determined, assessed for provisional liability in 7 days | 100% | 0% | 100% | -100% | 100% |
| b) claims determined in 10 business days | 50% | 100% | 75% | 25% | 75% |
| c) claims still to be determined after 3 months | 0% | 0 | 3% | -3% | 3% |
| 8 Income maintenance payment for recent injuries: | |||||
| a) 2012–2013 injuries (at 24 months development) | – | $4357.50 | $14 190.23 | –$9832.73 | Below previous 2 years average |
| b) 2013–2014 injuries (at 12 months development) | – | $0.00 | $15 659.23 | $15 659.23 | Below previous 2 years average |