iSafe Risk Management Program
What is the iSafe Program?
The program undertakes health and safety assessments at host client sites where workers have been placed under a contract with another party such as a labour hire agency or contracting company.
The agency placing the workers receives a comprehensive report on the health and safety systems and work site of the host client, giving them the information they need to monitor the safety of their workers. The host client also receives the report including any recommendations for change.
iSafe assessments can demonstrate co-operation and communication between PCBU's with a shared duty of care. This is not a WorkSafe program – it is industry driven in order to ensure all WHS assessments required by third party providers are conducted and managed to the same quality level.
What are my legal obligations?
The model Act forms the basis of the WHS Acts that have been implemented in most jurisdictions across Australia. Although there remain some differences in the Victorian and WA safety legislations, and in supporting materials such as the regulations and codes of practice across the states and territories, the principles and the approach to safety is much the same.
The underlying principle is that all parties involved in the workplace should work together to protect workers and others from harm in the workplace. In particular, it is now accepted that both the Labour Hire Agency and the Host Client are considered PCBU’s (persons conducting a business or undertaking) and therefore share responsibility for the safety of the employee or contractor.
This responsibility is overlapping and non-severable, although each PBCU may have different levels of control depending on the degree of influence or control: the host client controls the work environment and the role and activities the worker undertakes; the labour hire agency controls whether or not the worker will be placed at that site and in that role.
How does the iSafe Program help meet my obligations?
The iSafe Risk Management program has been designed to help Labour Hire Agencies and Host Clients meet their obligations. An assessment of the safety risk at the Host Client site is undertaken by qualified and independent Assessors. The subsequent report provides a basis for discussions between the parties, including whether further co-operation is necessary to enhance the safety of the work environment.
The assessments address both the management of health and safety, including the documentation, risks and controls, training and communication, as well as a walk through of the site to assess the risk and hazards of the work environment.
The report can be shared by all PCBUs, that is between the Host Client and all Labour Hire Agencies who are participants in the Program (iSafe Members).
Request an assessment
You can request an iSafe Assessment of your site or that of a host client. Alternatively, contact us to learn more about the iSafe Program.
When we receive your request, we will contact you to confirm the receipt of your request (if you are already a Program Member) or to confirm the approach of conducting the visit and fees.