WorkSafe — inspectors and investigators

Date:

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Extract from Hansard

5514. Hon Alison Xamon to the Minister for Commerce

I refer to Worksafe, and I ask —

(1) How many Worksafe full-time equivalent employees (FTE) are allocated to inspections and investigations of workplaces and/or accidents?

(2) Where are each of the FTE in (1) located?

(3) How many of these positions are vacant?

(4) For how long have each of these positions been vacant?

(5) Where are the vacant positions located?

(6) Of the FTE in (1), how many are —

(a) ongoing public sector employees; and

(b) employed under fixed-term contracts?

(7) For each of those employed under contract, what is the term of their contract?

(8) How many of the FTE positions in (1) are specialist positions in which the inspector/investigator is required to have the expertise to investigate specific types of worksites?

(9) For each of the FTE in (8) —

(a) what is the specialist area;

(b) where is the position located; and

Hon SIMON O’BRIEN replied:

(1) WorkSafe’s establishment list has an allocation of 103 FTE positions which can be occupied by substantive or contracted inspectors.

(2) Metropolitan Area — 92

Albany — 1
Broome — 1
Bunbury — 7
Karratha — 2

(3) On 7 May 2012, there were 21 vacancies, however 5 of these have recently been filled and the inspectors have commenced on 5 June 2012. The new appointments will reduce the number of overall vacancies to 16, all of which are based in Perth.

(4) At 7 May 2012:

11 positions less than 1 year
5 positions for more than 1 year but less than 2 years
1 position for 2 years 5 months
1 position for 4 years 1 month
3 positions for 7 years 3 months

(5)

Metropolitan Area — 19

Bunbury — 1

Karratha — 1

(6) (a) 99, including one FTE in Perth which has a share arrangement. The substantive occupant works 0.4 of an FTE and shares the FTE with a contract officer who works 0.6 of an FTE.

(b) 4

(7) The terms for the contracts are:

29/11/2011 to 29/11/2015 (Albany).
29/8/2011 to 28/11/2014 (Broome).
7/9/2009 to 6/9/2012 — a renewal for the period 7/9/2012 to 7/3/2014 was signed in March 2012 (Karratha).
3/10/2011 to 20/7/2012 (Perth).
5/9/2011 to 20/7/2012 (0.6 FTE Perth).

(8) WorkSafe has 13 specialist inspector positions. The specialist inspector positions relate to particular
hazards or qualifications. These hazards may be common to different types of workplaces and are not
limited to specific types of worksites.

(9) (a)–(b) The specialist inspector positions are located in the metropolitan office:

5 FTE — Human Factors and Ergonomic Branch.
5 FTE — Occupation Hygiene and Noise Control Branch.
3 FTE — Plant and Engineering Branch.

The specialist inspectors also undertake activities in regional areas as required.