Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) Committees have long been established in the Bureau's Head Office and Regional Offices. These committees continued to meet regularly in 2003-04 and make valuable contributions to the health and safety of Bureau employees. Health and Safety Representatives were selected to represent particular work areas within the Bureau, and together with First Aid Officers and Fire Wardens, were provided with relevant training.

A Bureau-specific OH&S Policy and Agreement was finalised in 2003-04 and will be issued early in 2004-05. A draft Critical Incident Management Policy and Procedures document was also progressed and will be issued early next year. A number of policies and procedures attached to particular aspects of operational work within the Bureau (working at heights, long distance driving, personal protective equipment) were developed or updated.

On-line training courses in OH&S for employees and managers continued, with 56.7 per cent of employees having either completed or started the OH&S Legal Compliance Course, and 29.5 per cent of employees having either completed or started the OH&S Management Course.

The Bureau's Employee Assistance Program (EAP) was used regularly to address a variety of work-based and outside-work problems. Trends this year indicated that approximately twothirds of the issues from employees have been personal, and one-third work-related. Strategies to address personal issues were canvassed in a Weather Newsarticle, and during a lunchtime forum entitled "Enhancing Relationships". The Bureau's Head Office EAP provider, RTK Corporate, also provided the Bureau with tip sheets on improving relationships, and these now appear on the Bureau's Intranet. Most employees accessing the EAP were self-referred, and a third were referred by managers.

An influenza inoculation program was available to employees again this year, with significantly increased take-up rates.

There were no notices issued under sections 29, 45, 46 or 47 of the Occupational Health and Safety (Commonwealth Employment) Act 1991during the course of the year. However, three dangerous incidents (fire in Alice Springs, an ear injury and Hydrogen leak) were reported to Comcare under section 68 of the Act, with follow-up and corrective action taken by the Bureau.

The Bureau's Workers' Compensation premium rate for 2003-04 was set at 1.01 per cent, which relates to the Bureau payroll and the number/cost of claims for injuries, compared with 1.43 per cent for the Commonwealth overall. The number of compensation claims received by the Bureau in 2003-04 represented an increase of approximately 9.24 per cent, with lost time being an average of 1.57 weeks. The increase was related to several OOS (occupational overuse syndrome) cases, journey-related fractures and a number of protracted stress cases.