OHS 25-11-2025

Attendees

• Tim Bishop

• Paul Deakin

• James Walshe

• Alex Morris

• Matthew Windsor

• Graeme MacLean

• Thomas Lidgerwood

• Henry Osborne 

Apologies

• Jake Joyce

• Drizzy Evergreen

• Oscar Paterson

• Gabriel Stibio

• Jack Tandy

Nominate Chair person

• Matthew Windsor

Conflicts of interest if any

• Nil

Topics Covered

1.  Heat Policy Review

2.  Morning Procedures – Access to food/water after shift start time

1. Heat Policy Review

Key Points

   Policy must be reviewed every 12 months as part of the EBA.

Proposed Improvements

•    Send staffwide SMS on hot days reminding workers to take heatbreaks.

•    Automated weekly WhatsApp reminder for OHS group to review the forecast.

•    Management to proactively move jobs away from peak heat where possible (pull jobs forward or shift afternoon jobs to mornings/next day).

•    Office to call/text all trucks on hot days to check who needs assistance.

•    Investigate creation of a “heat/fatigue break” object in the scheduling system:

  • Would appear visually on the schedule.

  • Could be counted for reporting and reviewing policy effectiveness.

  • Use of heat breaks currently requires calling the office; automation may not be possible until new system is built.

  •  A flow‑chart is requested:

       Worker feels overheated → worker takes appropriate break →

        resumes job → calls office to adjust invoice.

Water & Hydration Discussion

•    Many workers arrive without adequate water.

•    Proposal:

  • Provide branded, reusable MWAV water bottles at depot.

  • Keep a box available for new or unprepared staff.

  • Possible Christmas gift: choice of socks / water bottle /sweatband.

Clarification for New Staff

•    Don requested clearer wording on:

  • What “reserving 25% of afternoon slots” means.

  • Suggested to expand wording in the policy for transparency.

Policy vs Procedure

• Graeme suggested splitting policies into discrete 'Policy' and 'Procedure' sections

2. Measuring Policy Effectiveness

•    Currently no reliable method to track use of heat breaks.

•    Possibility:

  • Count heat/fatigue break objects if implemented.

  • Compare usage to recorded temperatures.

3. Morning Procedures: Food, Water & StartTime Expectations

Problem Raised

Some morning managers have prevented staff from eating or filling water after their start time.

Agreed Principles

•    Workers must arrive fit for work at their SMS start time.

•    Breakfast must be eaten before arrival, not once on the clock.

•    Filling a water bottle or quick bathroom use is acceptable.

•    Consistent lateness should be handled via separate performance management, not at the moment of dispatch.

•    Morning managers should not need to “hunt for people” upstairs—clear rules should prevent this.

Timing Expectation

•    From swipe‑on → ignition on should be no more than 10 minutes.

•    This will be displayed on depot screens as official guidance.