Documents vs Digital systems
We can help with all the compliance documents such as Policies, SWMS, SOP's etc.
AND
We can provide a full digital system: mobile app for the teams, web portal for management, digital forms, document sharing, JSA's, Audits, Pre-starts etc.
These are two separate areas, you may need just the documents or maybe you have documents and just need a mobile app for your team.
Documents - the short version - Call Mark, we'll discuss it - 0419 349 268
ProofSafe can supply all your WHS / OHS documents, they are set up to suit your business, covering all the normal Tree Industry activities for $1600 (ex GST). See what's included here.
These tree industry documents and policies will completely set you up with your safety management paperwork. Using the provided information you can inform the team, identify problem areas, prove compliance and win tenders.
Then to maintain ongoing records you can do it on paper forms or, more easily, use ProofSafe digital forms - The ProofSafe App.
Ongoing use of the digital forms, data collection and asset management is charged based on usage - see our pricing information.
Trees and OHS / WHS safety compliance
ProofSafe offers a full safety compliance solution for arborists and the tree industry.
The law is very clear: to properly protect your team and your business you must do three things:
- Keep everyone safe
- Have a system to manage safety, and
- Keep documents that prove you have a system
Part 1 is the most important, it takes both management and the team to 'Keep everyone safe'. Success relies on building a culture of caring; a workplace where everyone is actually, truly serious about getting themselves and their mates safely home at the end of every day.
Building this culture starts at the top: sensible policies, designed with the team and properly resourced, only then will it be fully accepted throughout the team.
Part 2 and 3 - The 'System' and the 'Paperwork' - ProofSafe can supply. We can make it simple and affordable - cheaper than you think and much cheaper than an injury or prosecution.
1. Keep everyone safe
The foundation of all workplace safety is CULTURE. What this means is if you and your team actually, truly care about protecting people then it will happen - people will be protected - this is a safe 'culture'. As it happens WHS legislation demands this of us; the laws state that we have a 'Duty of Care' which is an obligation 'to care' whether we want to or not. That idiot who just refuses to use his hearing protection.... we are legally obliged to keep telling him and the boss! This 'Duty of care' is the most important thing for protecting people because if we CARE then we'll act.
You will notice there is no mention of paperwork here in this first section.
2. Have a Workplace Safety System - OHSMS
Unfortunately some people don't 'care' or don't care enough and this is why people get disfigured and killed. Consequently the WHS laws mandate that each organisation must have a 'system' to protect people - each business is different so it's up to the employers and employees to design and maintain a good system. These systems are often called an Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS). This is a set of practices that remind the team how everything is done. You can't just wing it, you must have a system.
3. Keep documents as proof
You are required under law to have documents that prove you have a system. If everyone truly cared then we'd have no workplace injuries and so would not need systems or documents. As it turns out it's much easier for WorkSafe and other regulatory bodies to prove a business doesn't have documents than to prove a worker or supervisor didn't 'care'. So from a regulation and compliance perspective the documentation is vital. The threat of prosecution is a practicable way to motivate workers and employers to implement good safety practices. If your documented systems are implemented within the business then they go a long way to proving that management really does 'care'.
ProofSafe can quickly get your tree business set up with all the documents required including Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS's), Job Safety Analysis (JSA / JSEA) forms, Safe Operating Procedures (SOP's) etc and with forms on your phones or tablets it becomes very easy to complete the paperwork at every job, audit or induction.
Safety documents & policies for arborists and the tree industry
ProofSafe tree industry safety compliance documents include:
- Company / organisational safety policies
- Links to reference materials
- Details in plain English outlining the responsibilities of employees and employers
- Information for employees, sub-contractors and team leaders
- Job Safety Analysis / Job Safety Environmental Analysis (JSA / JSEA)
- Safe Operating Procedures (SOP)
- Blank template for SWMS's
- Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) for woodchipper operation, stump grinders, tree climbing, chainsaw use, excavator use on tree jobs, chemical use and various others for arboriculture.
- Schedules of meetings
- Overarching OHSMS pricipals and procedures such as 'contintual improvement'
- Detailed information on hearing conservation, manual handling, hazardous materials etc, etc
- Training requirements, refreshers, supervision, reporting
- Industrial relations components sutied to the arb industry
- Emergency procedures
- Climbing procedures
- Stump grinding, chipping, chainsaw, polesaw, traffic management, skid steer operation, rigging, felling procedures
- Elevating Work Platform (EWP) operation
- Chemical selection, storage and use guidelines
- Environmental policy, reporting, investigation and improvement procedures
- Risk Matrix, risk assessments, risk management
- Plant and equipment checklists
- Audit forms for plant, equipment, work sites & personnel
- Safety improvement plan
- and more
Workplace safety (OHS / WHS) online digital system for arborists & the tree industry
ProofSafe will make it easy for your entire team to manage safety and keep good records. Any digital form can be created including those listed above, they can have text, GPS, images, lists, calculated results etc. The forms are made available to your managers, team leaders, arborists, ground crew and are easily completed and uploaded as needed.
There are two main areas to understand: 1. Forms - whatever forms you need are created, shared and then easily completed in the field by your team, this keeps your records up to date and proves the tree crews are assessing risk, having pre-start safety talks and inducting or training new workers. Then 2. the data collected allows management to properly maintain equipment and assets. This means that when a truck is serviced or a chipper tested that event can be easily recorded, it also means when a fault is identified the operator can immediately log that fault and let the maintenance crew know. These processes are easy to adopt, it's much easier than paper, they save time and mistakes and ultimately prove that you are providing safe equipment and a safe workplace.