I am pleased to announce the release of the Policy and Guidelines titled 'Taking Safety Seriously: Improving Workplace Safety Management in the NSW Public Sector Policy and Guidelines'. A copy is enclosed for your agency.

The development of this policy and guidelines document is a key aspect of the three year sector-wide Occupational Health, Safety and Injury Management Improvement Initiative aimed at assisting agencies to improve their OHS management and workers' compensation performance.

The policy and guidelines were developed by the Corporate Services Reform (CSR) Team in my Department, in consultation with agencies, the NSW Treasury, the Treasury Managed Fund (TMF), WorkCover NSW and the public sector unions.

As outlined in the document, the Government has set specific targets for the improvement of workplace safety over the next three years. As a whole, the NSW public sector will:

• Reduce the frequency of workplace injuries by 10 percent
• Reduce the severity of workplace injuries by 13 percent

A small number of agencies with high workers' compensation premiums and substantial potential to achieve savings have specific improvement targets to achieve, as agreed with the Treasury, the TMF and the my Department. However, under the provisions of the attached Policy, all agencies are required to review their current performance and deliver improvements.

Agencies' performance in managing OHS and workers' compensation will be monitored by the CSR Team in my Department in collaboration with the Treasury and the TMF. Please note that TMF data will be utilised by the CSR Team for both baseline data and future monitoring - this will avoid the potential duplication in issuing a separate survey instrument to agencies. Reports on agency and sector-wide OHS management and workers' compensation performance will be prepared annually for the Budget Committee of Cabinet.

Additional copies of the Policy and Guidelines can be obtained from the Government Information Service of NSW on telephone (02) 9743 7200 or from our internet site at http://www.dpc.nsw.gov.au/

Enquiries concerning the Occupational Health and Safety Improvement Initiative should be directed to the CSR Team on (02) 9228 5323.

C Gellatly
Director-General