Occupational Health and Safety Programs in the Travel Agency - Assignment Example

Part A 1. Requirements Who lodges the form How many times is the form updated Business Name Registration NSW Fair Trading for the licence and the other to the trustees of the Travel Compensation Fund Once Travel Agent License Any individual or corporation (including general sales agents, wholesalers, consolidators, retail agents and some tour operators) Once IATA License Person looking for the license has to apply for it Yearly Australian Business Number Business take a 11 digit code to enter into business with other organizations Once Travel Agency Compensation Fund Organization looking to work as a travel agent Yearly 2. The cost of different employees within the agency must be governed and determined according to Fair Work Australia which governs and determines the minimum working hours, minimum pay, working conditions and other amenities which has to be provided to the employees. Developing and having the basic infrastructure which ensure proper adherence to the Fair Work Act helps travel agency to ensure smooth functioning of the business. The different labour laws with respect to minimum wages provide the basic framework through which employees have to be compensated. It is imperative that organizations follow the minimum criteria which has been laid down by law and looks towards providing the basic amenities so that the working conditions can be improved. This will require that to keep the staff cost to the lowest possible extent possible the agency has to look at ensuring that the staff and others are compensated correctly based on the requirements which have been provided according to the Fair Work Australia. 3. A new travel agency has to take necessary steps to protect its employees and it is mandatory that proper insurance is carried out of the employees. This is done with the objective of ensuring that in times of distress or a mishap the family of the deceased is provided with adequate sum which will help them to sustain their lives. It is the public liability of the travel agency to ensure adequate insurance policies which will help to provide required cover so that the person and his family is well insured. This has to be matched by a worker compensation which will look towards providing adequate compensation to the staff in case of a mishap. The entire contribution to the worker compensation fund has to be made by the employer and it is his moral and legal duty to ensure that the worker is protected. This will require adequate policies and strategies which will be aimed towards improving the overall state and condition of the staff so that better security and life cover can be ensured. Along, with it the travel agency has to incur a business indemnity insurance which will provide a general cover to all the staff and employees. The purpose of the cover is to ensure that employees and staff are provided with conditions which will be conducive for their working culture and will be able to provide the basic insurance facilities to its employees so that they are able to work and carry out the different duties diligently. Part B Travel agency for their smooth operation have to adhere to the workplace health, safety and security procedures which have been prescribed by the government agency. The travel agent has to provide the basic workplace safety requirements and ensure that proper steps are taken through which safety of employees and others can be ensured. The governing body has prescribed that as the number of employees working within the organization increases then the business has to look and work towards different aspect which requires moving one step after the other and having the required committee in place whose duty will be to look after the workplace safety requirements. The travel agency has to ensure proper environment in relation to the work place. This has to be matched by use of safety and fire fighting equipments. There should be considerable space for working and objects which are inflammable and have a high risk should be kept at a separate place. Proper training and regular sessions have to conduct to educate the employees regarding the steps they have to take in case of a mishap. The process should further look towards ensuring that the evacuation process and strategies are clearly indicated (OHS. 2013). People have to be taught regarding the nearest evacuation points and proper training and guidance have to be provided so that employees and the entire management is able to take appropriate steps at the correct juncture. The OH&S guidelines have to be developed which will be based on the general guidelines which governs the situation and appropriate framework through which proper health and safety procedures will be implemented has to be correctly identified. The travel agency based on the number of employees working in the organization has to find out whether a formal occupational health and safety program has to be designed which will look towards different aspect. Since, a cost is associated with having a proper program and hiring the required personnel who has the required knowledge to impart the required education and training it becomes imperative that while looking to implement the program all aspect which will ensure that the legal requirements are adhered to are looked at. The program has to include the complete set of rules and regulations with regard to the manner in which the employees need to act in such a situation. The program also requires that free inspection should be allowed of the site at regular intervals so that the gaps and areas which have to be worked to improve the state of the workplace can be identified (Workplace, 2013). This has to be followed by a complete transparency so that the person who aims to look into the different aspect is able to completely look so that prompt action can be taken to deal with the hazardous conditions. This has to be followed by a proper maintenance of the required documents, journals and other documents which will facilitate in the next investigation and will provide an opportunity through which the travel agency is able to look at the different dimensions and develop a policy through which overall effectiveness will be gained. A regular and continuous program which aims at educating the employee has to be carried out so that the employees and other associated with the organization are able to clearly understand the occupational and safety aspect and are able to formulate strategies through which the overall risk in the workplace is reduced. The travel agency has to further look at proper monitoring so that the entire program and the impact it creates on the workplace can be witnessed. This will help to develop the required framework through which the business will be able to look at different aspect through which proper safety and workplace environment can be achieved. The travel agency based on the legal requirements has to thereby aim towards meeting the different needs and requirements of the safety standards so that the business can be carried out without any difficulty and will thereby help to ensure that overall safety standards are achieved. References OHS. 2013. Occupational Health & Safety Frequently Asked Questions. on Oct 13, 2013 from http://www.servicenl.gov.nl.ca/faq/ohs_faq.html Workplace, 2013. Occupational Health & Safety Programs. Retrieved on Oct 13, 2013 from http://www2.worksafebc.com/publications/ohsregulation/guidelinepart3.asp Read More