Guidelines to support occupational health standards have been developed and are being applied throughout the Group. These consider best international practices and the adoption of similar or better practices is urged.

Preparation of the standards started in 2000 with input from each business and extensive consultation through workshops carried out during 2001 and 2002. At the end of 2002 the standards were finalised and by the end of 2004 all businesses should be in full compliance.

The standards cover the major occupational health risk areas and include topics such as risk assessment, fitness for work, hazardous substances, workplace monitoring, hearing conservation, manual handling and vibration and the recognition and management of stress. The standards are supported by guidelines which provide information on fundamental principles and practice specific guidance on achieving the requirements set out in the standards.

Every business and site must have a health policy and strategy which addresses key health issues relevant to the facility's products and services, a guide to setting objectives and targets, and a means of making them readily available to, and understood by, employees, contractors and the local community. As part of the annual management plan, every site must have in place a health improvement action plan for eliminating disease and injury. There are also minimum requirements for health monitoring and surveillance and contractor health management.

Activities undertaken during 2003 to support businesses in their implementation of the standards include:

• providing assistance and advice and carrying out gap analyses between the requirements of standards and existing practices at the business; and
• developing guidance to support the standards and sharing experience around the Group. For example, fatigue guielines to support implementation of the fitness for work standard have been developed. A number of operations have also shared their vibration measurements for certain pieces of equipment to assist others with implementation of the standards.

View our standards...