OHSW

Our policy

• Purpose and application

  The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Trust (MCET) is committed to providing and maintaining a safe and healthy working environment and strives to be an industry leader in protecting employee health and safety and promoting employee wellbeing.

  This policy describes MCET’s approach and commitment to providing an environment that is, as far as reasonably practicable, safe, and free from risks to the health and wellbeing of all those who may be impacted by our activities, including employees, partners, customers, and visitors.

• Statement

  MCET’s goal is to stage successful and memorable events with no harm to people.

  To enable MCET to provide a safe and healthy place to work and visit, prevent work-related injury and ill-health, and enhance employee health and wellbeing, MCET and MCEC management have committed to developing, implementing, and continually improving a contemporary Occupational Safety, Health & Wellbeing Management System (OSHW MS).

  MCET will ensure compliance with all Health & Safety Acts and Regulations applicable to MCET operation, as well as any relevant Codes of Practice and Australian Standards as far as possible.

  MCET OSHW MS is modelled on the key principles of standard ISO 45001 standard for Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems. The Standard describes the key elements of an effective OSHW system and based on continual improvement principles, human centred, integrated with the organisation’s business systems, structures, processes, and practices, and be appropriate for the purpose, size, and context of the organisation and to the specific nature of its safety, health and wellbeing risks and opportunities.

  MCET’s SHW MS provides a framework for:

  • Identifying and eliminating hazards and reducing the risk of injuries, diseases, and illhealth resulting from MCET’s activities.

  • Fostering a working environment and systems of work that help optimise individual, group, and organisational performance, resilience, and creativity.

  • Establishing measurable SHW objectives to drive accountability and continuous improvement.

  • Responding when the need for further improvements to the SHW MS are identified.

  Management is committed to:

  • Maintaining a OSWHS management system to ensure it is consistent with the nature and risk profile of MCET operations.

  • Providing and maintaining safe systems of work to reduce Workplace Health Safety and Wellbeing risks through the risk assessment, hazard identification, hazard elimination, implementation, and review of control to reduce the risk of injuries, diseases, and ill health resulting from MCET’s activities.

  • Fostering a working environment and systems of work that help optimise individual, group, and organisational performance, resilience, and creativity.

  • Establishing measurable OSHW objectives to drive accountability and continuous improvement.

  • Responding when the need for further improvements to the OSHW MS are identified.

  • Driving a safety culture that enables and actively encourages employees to participate in the development, maintenance, and improvement of the OSHW MS.

  • Providing and supporting services, programs, and initiatives, that improve the health and wellbeing of its employees.

  • Ensuring compliance with legislative and other requirements and working in collaboration with regulatory and other authorities to fulfil these obligations.

  • Consultation and participation of employees and their representatives on health and safety matters that affect them, and the identification of hazards, risks, and opportunities for improvement.

  • Provide adequate resources to maintain healthy, safe, and supportive workplaces.

  • Providing information and training for all MCET representatives to enable them to perform their roles and responsibilities safely

  Employee Safety, Health, and Wellbeing (SHW) is everyone’s responsibility; every person has a duty to prevent harm to themselves and others. All employees partners, customers, and visitors are expected to comply with the SHW MS and associated policies, procedures, and instructions.

  Employees are expected to work towards the requirements of the SHW MS by taking action to identify and manage hazards and risks at MCEC and are encouraged take up opportunities that will enhance their wellbeing.

  Management will actively encourage and provide a safe space for all employees to raise any safety or health concerns or opportunities for improvement and provides authority for employees to stop any activity that poses a significant, serious, and immediate risk to health, safety, or wellbeing.

  Roles and responsibilities associated with the development, implementation, maintenance, and improvement of the SHW MS will be defined in documented management and operational procedures. These procedures will be written in easy to understand English and provide clear and concise standards and instructions for all the applicable areas of the company’s activities.

  MCET and MCEC management will regularly review the SHW MS to confirm controls to prevent workplace injury remain effective and there is a continued focus on employee wellbeing, and ensure it is continually improved taking advantage of identified opportunities. This policy will be communicated to all employees, contractors, and stakeholders of MCET and MCEC to ensure awareness of our commitment to safety and wellbeing.

• SHW governance structure

  MCET understands that organisations are complex, and that robust assurance, and governance structures are needed to enhance continual improvement and drive an organisational culture that the enhances health and safety performance.

  The following governance structure emphasises the need for integration between organisational levels. This governance structure will be developed and maintained, with an emphasis on building reliable feedback loops between layers.

• Definitions and references

  Definitions

  Contractor: External organisation providing services to MCET in accordance with agreed specifications, terms, and conditions.

  Health: Includes physical and psychological health.

  MCEC: Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre Precinct – encompasses Melbourne Convention Centre (MCC), Melbourne Exhibition Centre (MEC) and the Melbourne Exhibition Centre Expansion (MECE).

  MCET: Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Trust. The employer and operator Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Trust is the certified body (ABN 17434286169) and trades as Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

  SHW MS: Safety, Health, and Wellbeing Management System a set of plans, actions, and procedures to systematically manage safety, health, and wellbeing in the workplace. It combines the principles of occupational health & safety, strategic human resource management, and risk management with initiatives that enhance employee wellbeing to prevent work-related physical and psychological injuries and illness.

  Stakeholder: A person or organisation that can affect, be affected by, or perceive itself to be affected by a decision or activity. The ISO standard also refers to a stakeholder as an interested party.

  Wellbeing: A combination of feeling good and functioning well, physically and mentally.

  Employee: A person performing work or work-related activities under a MCET contract of employment or contract of training.

  References

  External

  • Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004

  • Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017

  • AS/NZS ISO 45001:2018 Occupational health and safety management systems - Requirements and guidance

  Internal

  • MCEC Business Strategy 2024-28

  • Risk Management Policy

  • Risk Management Framework

  • Corporate Governance Framework

  • Code of Conduct

• Procedure details

  Division name – Operational Services

  Department - Security and Safety

  Sponsor - CEO

  Responsible officer - Senior Manager Security & Safety

  Review frequency - Annual

  Policy ID - MCET-725537380-3502

  Approved date - 01/12/2022

  Version – 1.0