--- type: Static title: Work Health and Safety Policy description: National Digital's WHS policy, covering our obligations as a PCBU under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld) for a remote-first software team. resource: https://nationaldigital.com.au/governance/work-health-and-safety-policy/ tags: [] timestamp: '2026-08-18T00:00:00.000Z' --- # Work Health and Safety Policy National Digital's WHS policy, covering our obligations as a PCBU under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld) for a remote-first software team. **National Digital** — The Trustee for Australian Business Trust, ABN 13 744 838 758 Trustee: General Consulting Services Pty Ltd, ACN 658 447 280 Version 1.0 Approved 17 August 2026 Approved by Cameron Young, Chief Executive Officer Review date 17 August 2027, or on any material change to how or where work is performed ## 1. Purpose and commitment National Digital is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for all workers, contractors and visitors, and to meeting its obligations under the *Work Health and Safety Act 2011* (Qld) and corresponding legislation in every state where our workers are based. We are a software consultancy. Our people work at computers, predominantly from home or from client premises, and our principal health and safety risks are therefore ergonomic, psychosocial and related to travel — not plant, chemicals or manual handling. This policy is written to address the risks we actually carry rather than to recite hazards we do not. We accept that the primary duty of care cannot be delegated or transferred, and that it extends to contractors and labour engaged through third parties, not only to direct employees. ## 2. Scope This policy applies to: - **Directors and officers** of the trustee company, who hold a due-diligence duty under s.27 of the Act - **Employees**, whether based in Queensland or another state - **Contractors and subcontractors**, including those engaged offshore, for the duration of their engagement - **Anyone else** affected by our work, including client and council personnel at sites we attend Approximately half of our delivery capacity is contracted rather than employed. Contractors are covered by this policy in full; engaging someone as a contractor does not reduce our duty to them. ## 3. Responsibilities **The CEO** is accountable for work health and safety, for ensuring adequate resources are allocated to it, and for exercising due diligence to keep up to date with WHS matters and verify that our controls are in use. **The COO** maintains this policy, records incidents and hazard reports, and coordinates consultation with workers. **All workers and contractors** must take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others, comply with reasonable instructions and this policy, report hazards, incidents and near misses promptly, and not undertake work they reasonably believe to be unsafe. ## 4. Hazards we manage, and how ### 4.1 Workstation ergonomics and display screen work Our dominant physical risk. All workers, including remote and contracted workers, are required to set up a workstation with an adjustable chair providing lumbar support, the monitor at eye level and at arm's length, and forearms level when typing. We provide a self-assessment checklist at onboarding and repeat it annually. Where a worker identifies a deficiency, National Digital funds the equipment needed to correct it. Workers are directed to take a short break from the screen at least every hour. ### 4.2 Psychosocial hazards Software delivery carries genuine psychosocial risk through deadline pressure, on-call expectations, incident response and remote isolation. We manage this by: - Setting delivery commitments against estimates provided by the people doing the work - Not maintaining a formal after-hours on-call roster; out-of-hours production response is voluntary and recognised - Holding regular one-to-one check-ins in which workload and pressure are a standing item - Treating bullying, harassment, discrimination and sexual harassment as intolerable, with any report escalating directly to the CEO - Maintaining a zero-tolerance position on domestic and family violence, and offering flexible arrangements and leave to any worker affected ### 4.3 Remote and isolated work Most work is performed from home. Workers must have a defined work area, working smoke alarms and safe electrical fittings, and must maintain contact with the team during working hours. Home workspaces are self-assessed rather than physically inspected; workers are required to report any hazard they cannot resolve themselves. ### 4.4 Work-related travel and client sites When attending a client, council or partner site, our workers comply with that organisation's site induction, safety rules and emergency procedures, which take precedence over this policy for the duration of the visit. Where a site presents a hazard our workers are not trained or equipped for, they are to withdraw and escalate rather than proceed. Driving for work is to be undertaken only when rested, licensed and unimpaired. ### 4.5 Electrical safety Portable electrical equipment supplied by National Digital is visually inspected before issue and withdrawn from use if damaged. Workers must not use damaged leads, chargers or power boards. ## 5. Consultation We consult workers on matters affecting their health and safety. Given our size, consultation is direct rather than through an elected health and safety representative: WHS is a standing item in one-to-one check-ins, and any worker may raise a WHS matter with the CEO or COO at any time, including anonymously in writing. Where a change to work practices may affect health or safety, we consult before implementing it. Should our workforce grow or a worker request one, we will facilitate the election of a health and safety representative. ## 6. Incident reporting and investigation All incidents, injuries, near misses and hazards must be reported to the COO as soon as practicable, and in any event within 24 hours. Reports are recorded in an incident register including date, people involved, description, immediate action and corrective action. Every reported incident is reviewed to identify its cause and prevent recurrence. Corrective actions are assigned to a named person with a due date and are tracked to completion. **Notifiable incidents** — a death, serious injury or illness, or dangerous incident as defined by the Act — must be reported to the CEO immediately, who will notify the relevant regulator (Workplace Health and Safety Queensland on 1300 362 128, or the corresponding regulator in the worker's state) without delay. The incident site must not be disturbed pending direction from the regulator, except to make it safe or assist an injured person. ## 7. Workers' compensation and return to work National Digital holds a WorkCover Queensland Accident Insurance Policy, **WSM260895388**, covering Queensland workers. Workers based in other states are covered under that state's scheme; Victorian coverage is arranged through Allianz as a WorkSafe Victoria agent. Any worker injured at work is supported to make a claim, and we will not discourage or delay a claim. Where a worker is fit for some duties, we will offer suitable duties consistent with medical advice to support an early and durable return to work. ## 8. Training and induction Every worker and contractor receives this policy at engagement and confirms they have read it. Induction covers incident reporting, the workstation self-assessment, and who to raise a concern with. Directors maintain currency with WHS obligations through periodic review of regulator guidance. ## 9. Review This policy is reviewed annually, and additionally after any notifiable incident, any change to the states in which we employ workers, or any relevant change in legislation. **Cameron Young** Chief Executive Officer, National Digital 17 August 2026 ## Related **Related:** - [National Digital - Custom Software, AI & Platforms](/okf/home.md) - [Talk to an engineer.](/okf/contact.md) - [Careers at National Digital](/okf/careers.md) - [Graduate Full-Stack Web Developer](/okf/australia-remote-graduate-full-stack-developer.md) - [Senior Software Engineer (Frontend)](/okf/australia-remote-senior-software-engineer-frontend.md) - [Senior Software Engineer (Backend)](/okf/australia-remote-senior-software-engineer-backend.md) - [Privacy Policy](/okf/privacy.md) - [Website Terms of Service](/okf/terms.md) - [Accessibility Statement](/okf/accessibility.md) - [Small team. Serious platforms.](/okf/about.md) - [Real platforms, in production.](/okf/case-studies.md) - [Senior engineering, end to end.](/okf/services.md) - [Knowledge library.](/okf/expertise.md) - [QA & Test Automation Engineer](/okf/australia-remote-qa-automation-engineer.md) - [Governance and Credentials](/okf/governance.md) - [Information Security and Privacy Statement](/okf/governance/information-security-and-privacy.md) - [Quality Policy](/okf/governance/quality-policy.md) - [Environmental Policy](/okf/governance/environmental-policy.md)