Providing a safe and healthy work environment

During 2020–21, the NTC continued to deliver work health and safety (WHS) programs under its WHS policy and management system, which have been designed to comply with the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cwlth) and Australian Standard AS4804, and to foster a best-practice approach to WHS management.

Strategic

• A work health and safety management system which is reviewed every 12 months.
• WHS quarterly certification reports developed to the satisfaction of the NTC's Risk, Audit and Governance Committee and Commissioners.

Compliance

• Quarterly workplace safety assessments were carried out.
• During the year 2020–21, the recommendations from the last external review of the NTC's WHS management system were implemented.
• Progress against the WHS Annual Plan is monitored each month.

Operational

• Workstation ergonomic assessments were offered to all new employees. All new employees who started work remotely were offered remote ergonomic assessments for home-based work and in-person assessments for office-based work.
• All new staff received workplace safety inductions.
• Risk assessments were completed for identified WHS hazard areas.
• Regular health and safety team meetings were held to discuss operational WHS matters.
• During 2020–21, the NTC engaged new employees working interstate. The interstate employees have been assigned workstations in host organisations. The NTC has signed a memorandum of understanding with each host organisation to assure the work health and safety of employees.

Training

• All relevant staff received training to understand their WHS duties.
• The NTC participated in emergency trial evacuation exercises for its building at 600 Bourke Street.
• Staff completed online compliance training in cyber security awareness, occupational health and safety, anti-bullying and anti-harassment, and discrimination.
• The NTC executive leadership team participated in a WHS due diligence program facilitated by Comcare representatives in December 2020.

COVID-19 response and recovery

• The NTC provided regular updates on COVID-19 and consulted with staff during the response and recovery phases. The NTC followed guidance from the Chief Medical Officers (Commonwealth and Victoria), the Australian Public Service Commission, the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications, Safe Work Australia, and Comcare.
• All staff continued working from home for most of 2020-21, supported by current working from home plans and checklists, and suitable equipment to ensure continued connection with the organisation and colleagues.
• The NTC implemented a COVID-safe plan for return to office-based work in accordance with guidance from the Victorian Department of Health. The plan incorporated up-to-date workplace risk assessments. Control measures included installation of hand sanitiser stations, signage and social distancing protocols.
• It was mandatory for all staff returning to office-based work during 2020–21 to complete a COVID-safe induction session.
• The plan for a gradual return to office-based work was implemented during early 2021. However, there were two additional lockdowns in Victoria during the first half of 2021, where staff returned to working from home.

Health and wellbeing programs

• A Wellbeing Action Plan was implemented and reviewed during 2020–21. The NTC identified promotion of mental health and wellbeing as a strategic priority, to support staff working remotely. Activities included extra contact by the employee assistance program provider, fortnightly staff pulse checks to foster connectedness, training managers to identify and respond to mental health issues, and facilitating increased online one-on-one and team meetings to gauge employee wellbeing. In addition, a new working group was established to continue monitoring staff wellbeing and to implement new positive workplace culture initiatives.
• All staff were offered a flu vaccination as part of the annual campaign in May 2021. This program was implemented remotely.
• All staff continued to have remote access to the NTC's comprehensive Employee Assistance Program as needed.

The NTC's office and equipment have all passed relevant work health and safety checks. The organisation's ongoing WHS initiatives have led to a consistently safe work environment for staff and visitors to its office. There were no notifiable incidents during the year. There were no investigations undertaken by an inspector appointed under Part 9 of the Work Health and Safety Act, and the NTC did not receive any notices under Part 10 of the Act.