Introduction and Background
Hireup considers safety one of its highest priorities. By creating a model that combines choice and control for people with disability and smart technology, we can harness powerful safeguarding. Our model is underpinned by the following values:
The Person is the Point
We’re here to help people live their lives their way, and we do that by including, listening to, and serving our community to the absolute best of our ability. At Hireup, we don’t make assumptions about people. Instead, we build a platform that provides as many people as possible the opportunity to manage their own supports.
We champion choice
Hireup was founded with the rights of people with disability front of mind. Every practice, policy and system we develop aims not to impede a person’s rights, rather it should allow those rights to be more easily exercised.
We live the ‘power of yes’
We believe that taking intentional and informed risks is a right. At Hireup we work with all stakeholders to confront and adapt to risk.
We push for the best
We create an environment that requires a shared responsibility for safety. This responsibility looks different for each person and every support relationship, but at its core is a commitment to keep all members of our community safe and well. In partnership with our Community we challenge ourselves to reach new heights of safety and quality rather than settling for the status quo.
Zero tolerance for abuse, neglect, exploitation, discrimination and harassment
Hireup builds and maintains fair, effective measures to minimise so far as is reasonably practicable these risks and protect people with disabilities and support workers from abuse, neglect, exploitation, discrimination and harassment. While choice and control are important measures in safeguarding against abuse, neglect and harassment, Hireup provides ways to report on incidents and complaints and gives access to relevant levels of support in response.
The right match
Hireup believes that safe support is about matching the right support worker, with the right shift. ‘Right’ will mean something different to everyone, it’s up to Hireup to create an environment for users to easily find the right match for them, whatever that looks like.
Injury Management
Hireup is committed to the safety of our workers and to their wellbeing and rehabilitation should they sustain an injury or illness while working for Hireup.
Respect for regulation and legislation
We are committed to complying with regulation and legislation and the way we develop and deliver our policies is tailored to the people we serve.
A psychologically safe workplace
We are committed to identification and reduction of reasonably foreseeable psychosocial hazards that could give rise to health and safety risks. We manage these hazards to eliminate (or minimise) psychosocial risks to health and safety so far as is reasonably practicable.
Purpose & Scope
This policy sets out the Trust and Safety ecosystem that Hireup has co-designed with our community. This policy has been put together to articulate Hireup’s commitment to the health and safety of all people in our community and to ensure that everyone has a clear and consistent understanding of all their work health and safety (WHS) obligations, including how procedures must be implemented to ensure that we can work in a physically and psychologically safe workplace.
This policy applies to all staff, support workers, clients, account managers, contractors, business partners, and any others present in the workplace and anywhere disability support takes place, such as family members and visitors. It also applies anytime a user participates in the Hireup community, whether that’s on a support shift, attending a work related event or function, or interacting with the Hireup team or other Hireup users.
This policy is to be read in conjunction with Hireup’s Code of Conduct and the NDIS Code of Conduct and other related health and safety policies, procedures and guides. To the extent of any inconsistency, [those Codes of Conduct] prevail.
The policy does not form part of any contract of employment or engagement with our staff or support workers, or give rise to any contractual obligation or entitlement. The policy may be amended, replaced or removed by Hireup from time to time in its sole and absolute discretion.
Governance
The Board and other officers of Hireup are responsible for exercising due diligence to ensure that Hireup meets its obligations under Work Health and Safety (WHS) Legislation. Hireup has developed a WHS Governance Framework which sets out how the Directors, Board and Executive Leadership Team implement and maintain safety governance and exercise Due Diligence within Hireup.
Responsibility for safety is shared equally across all members of Hireup. The Risk and Safety Committee, as an advisory committee, assists the Board to fulfill its corporate governance responsibilities and meet legislative and legal obligations.
In relation to risk and safety matters the Committee oversees:
- internal control structures;
- risk management systems and reporting; and
- strategies, systems, policies and practices (including operational safety, WHS and insurance matters).
The Risk & Safety Committee and Executive Leadership Team receive periodic health, safety and quality reports which support them to monitor health and safety performance.
Leadership
The Hireup Board, Executive Leadership team and broader management teams foster and promote a positive safety culture at Hireup, leading by example through fulfilling their responsibilities and accountabilities, encouraging a culture of open communication and reporting in which staff feel empowered to contribute to a safe working environment, actively managing health and safety risks, and committing to continuous improvement.
They are responsible for integrating health, safety and wellbeing risk management into all aspects of Hireup’s business and operations and for allocating sufficient financial and physical resources to enable the effective development and implementation of this policy. Hireup’s WHS Governance Framework demonstrates the activities and commitment to implement, monitor and review safety of all stakeholders within Hireup.
Work Health & Safety Responsibilities
Everyone in our community must take reasonably practicable steps to ensure their own health and safety as well as the health and safety of others, including by actively managing any day to day health and safety issues as they arise.
Responsibilities of the Hireup Community:
- Follow Hireup safety policies and procedures
- Avoid any acts, omissions or behaviours that could give rise to a risk to the physical or psychological health and safety of themselves or any other person
- Commit and contribute to a positive safety culture at Hireup
- Follow reasonable instructions on health and safety
- Take the appropriate action when risks or hazards are identified
- Report health and safety hazards, incidents, injuries and risks by using the online incident report form.
Support Workers:
- Ensure they are fit and well enough to provide required support
- Ensure that they perform their duties in a healthy and safe manner, including by operating any equipment or vehicle in such a manner
- Complete Hireup induction training modules and any other health and safety training that may be required from time to time
- Use the Stop, Think, Plan Risk Assessment to manage hazards and minimise or eliminate risks
- Avoid any acts, omissions or behaviours that could adversely affect the physical or psychological health and safety of others including clients, their account managers and families or other workers
- Not perform work while under the influence or in possession of illegal drugs and/or alcohol
- Report health and safety hazards, incidents, injuries and risks by using the online incident report form.
Clients, account managers and/or primary carers and their families:
- Provide a healthy safe environment for workers in their home
- Talking to support workers about health and safety including about any potential safety risks
- Ensuring that the work is conducted in a safe and healthy way
- Keep their equipment safe, well maintained and in good order
- Train Hireup support workers in the safe use of any equipment required during a support booking
- Avoid any acts, omissions or behaviours which could give rise to a risk to the physical or psychological health and safety of themselves or any other person
- Inform Hireup of any known or potential risks or hazards and otherwise report health and safety hazards, incidents, injuries and risks by using the online incident report form.
Responsibilities of Hireup:
- Establish a positive safety culture through promoting open communication on health and safety; promoting hazard, incident and near miss reporting; actively managing health and safety risk; taking action when safety concerns are raised; and committing to ongoing continuous improvement
- Ensure we understand our obligations and comply with our health and safety duties
- Comply with applicable health and safety legislation and health and safety requirements for all states and territories in which we operate
- Adhere to NDIS Practice Standards for the safe provision of services
- Design, implement and monitor health and safety policies and procedures that promote safe outcomes and a psychologically safe work environment
- Review and revise health and safety policies on a periodic basis where appropriate from time to time and in response to changes to the services Hireup delivers or any changes in legislation
- Implement and maintain a risk and safety management process that is consistent with the nature, activities and scale of our operations
- Implement and maintain an effective work, health and safety management system. This includes evaluation and management review for continuous improvement
- Establish measurable objectives and targets for health and safety aimed at the elimination, or minimisation to the greatest extent reasonably practicable, of work related illness and injury (whether physical or psychological)
- Develop, maintain and disseminate appropriate health and safety information in an understandable and accessible language and form
- Provide induction training for support workers, health and safety representatives where relevant, Risk and Safety Committee members, first aid officers, emergency control staff and Injury Management Advisors
- Provide periodic health and safety training for Support Office staff to ensure health and safety is a key element of planning, design and execution
- Ensure workers have the necessary skills and knowledge to achieve appropriate health, safety and wellbeing outcomes
- Identify, assess, control and review any workplace hazards or risks that cannot be eliminated to ensure that they can be minimised to the greatest extent reasonably practicable
- Monitor workplace safety practices and the health and safety of staff and support workers
- Investigate and act upon reported safety hazards, incidents and risks where appropriate
- Ensure workers compensation insurance is relevant and current
- Implement and maintain processes for consulting with staff, support workers and clients on health and safety decision making where appropriate
- Provide an Employee Assistance Program which is confidential and free of charge for staff and their families
- Maintain health and safety records including injury/incident reports and investigations, workers rehabilitation and compensation, return to work plans, first aid, risk assessment and controls
- Review records, particularly injury reports to ensure compliance, suitability and effectiveness of our health and safety policies, procedures and systems and to identify areas for improvement
- Provide appropriate information and report on health and safety issues where appropriate, including to the Executive Leadership and Hireup Board to assist with due diligence or relevant regulatory bodies where necessary.
Laura O’Reilly
CEO