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The correspondence also outlined that the CFA Board has reviewed and endorsed an HSE Workplan, which includes initiatives designed to ensure that appropriate improvements to OHS systems and processes are made.
Finding IGEM considers this commitment has been implemented.
Recommendation 12 That the Emergency Management Victoria Inspectorate be given responsibility for overseeing compliance with occupational health and safety requirements at CFA training facilities. Government commitment: The Minister for Emergency Services has asked IGEM to develop and implement an assurance framework, including a monitoring regime that considers the safety of the operations of Victoria’s emergency management training facilities. IGEM will conduct this complementary monitoring role in close consultation with WorkSafe and in accordance with IGEM's legislative assurance functions. Lead agency
IGEM
Status
Ongoing
The following self-assessment of IGEM's progress applies the evidence-based methodology outlined in section 2.5. The inquiry considered that CFA had failed to comply with OHS legislation at Fiskville and did not allocate sufficient priority and resources to OHS management. The inquiry also found that WorkSafe inspectors failed to address many of the OHS issues raised during the inquiry. The inquiry recommended that external oversight should occur to ensure compliance with OHS requirements at CFA operated VEMTCs. The government supported this recommendation and determined it appropriate that IGEM, given its existing assurance functions, provide system-level monitoring in consultation with WorkSafe. To address this commitment, IGEM committed to the development of the Fiskville assurance framework including the development of a monitoring regime to provide oversight of WorkSafe's compliance monitoring program for VEMTCs.
Monitoring regime of the safety of VEMTC operations WorkSafe is Victoria's health and safety regulator. IGEM does not have specific legislative powers to set, inspect or enforce compliance with safety requirements at VEMTCs, therefore it developed a regime to provide oversight of WorkSafe's compliance monitoring program for VEMTCs in accordance with IGEM’s legislative objectives. IGEM's provision of oversight is limited by the fact that it does not possess OHS subject matter expertise and that its oversight is reliant on the advice and information provided by WorkSafe.
