Making Landcare Accessible
Making Landcare Accessible
Implementing a Work Health & Safety Audit
Showing the Difference -
LLCI031-063
The issue
Granite Borders Landcare Committee’s office provides services to a number of pram users, disabled and elderly people in the community. A access issue was identified by the committee and staff as there was no pram / wheelchair access to the office and the elderly found the front steps quite steep.
The safety of the access to the office was also noted in an independent Work Health and Safety Risk Management Audit conducted of the office. This audit was commissioned by the Executive Committee as a result of revisiting the Governance Health Checklist that was a requirement in participating in the NSW Landcare Coordinator Initiative.
The solution
The Executive Committee appointed a member as a work health and safety officer and formed a subcommittee to address the results of the audit. From this, plans for wheelchair access to the office were developed and then an onsite inspection was conducted by the Tenterfield Shire Council's Health and Building surveyor to advise of legal requirements.
Members of the Executive Committee then donated materials and their labour and built a ramp to access to the front door of the Landcare office in July 2016. The cutting of the ribbon to officially open the ramp was conducted in August by Sonia Williams, State Landcare Coordinator NSW Landcare.
The impact
Through conducting an Independent Risk Management Audit of the office a number of work health and safety issues were identified and actions taken to correct them. T
hrough the construction of wheelchair access to the office we are able to be more inclusive of members of the community who use prams, are disabled or are elderly. T
hrough appointing a WH&S officer and forming a WH&S subcommittee, annual reviews of the office will be undertaken to ensure good governance in this area.
Key facts
- WH&S audit undertaken of Landcare Office.
- Wheel chair access built.