Occupational Therapists (OTs) working within assistance animal practice operate within organisational policies, procedures, safe systems of work and other workplace documentation that translate legal, professional and organisational requirements into practical action.

Effective organisational systems provide structure for:

• workplace health and safety;
• consistent service delivery;
• client safety and wellbeing;
• assistance animal welfare;
• professional accountability;
• risk management;
• consultation;
• incident prevention and response;
• emergency preparedness;
• staff training and competency;
• documentation;
• continuous improvement; and
• compliance with applicable legal and professional obligations.

Organisational systems should support professional judgement rather than replace it.

Documents should be proportionate to the size, complexity and risk profile of the organisation.

A sole-practitioner Occupational Therapy service may require different systems from a large multidisciplinary assistance animal organisation, but both require processes that enable hazards to be identified, responsibilities to be understood and risks to be appropriately managed.

Occupational Therapists should understand:

• their own responsibilities;
• the responsibilities of the organisation or PCBU;
• responsibilities of other workers and professionals;
• the purpose of organisational documents;
• which documents apply to particular activities;
• when additional task-specific documentation is warranted; and
• how organisational systems support safe, ethical and inclusive practice.

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Organisational Documentation and Task-Specific Safety Documents

Effective organisations rely on clear, consistent and accessible documentation to support safe and accountable practice.

Organisational documentation may include:

• policies;
• procedures;
• risk assessments;
• Safe Work Procedures;
• Safe Operating Procedures;
• work instructions;
• checklists;
• plans;
• registers;
• forms;
• records; and
• other task-specific documents.

These documents serve different purposes and should not be treated as interchangeable.

The terminology used may vary between organisations.

What is important is that:

• the purpose of each document is clear;
• responsibilities are identified;
• workers understand how to use it;
• documents are accessible;
• information is current;
• controls are practical; and
• documents are reviewed when circumstances change.

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The Role of Organisational Documentation

Organisational documentation is not simply an administrative requirement.

Effective documents support:

• communication;
• consistency;
• accountability;
• training;
• decision-making;
• role clarity;
• hazard management;
• emergency preparedness;
• professional reasoning;
• animal welfare;
• quality improvement;
• continuity of service; and
• organisational learning.

Documentation should be designed for the people who will actually use it.

A technically correct document may provide little safety benefit if it is:

• inaccessible;
• excessively complex;
• difficult to locate;
• impractical;
• outdated; or
• disconnected from actual work practices.

Organisations should consider:

• who needs the document;
• why they need it;
• what information is necessary;
• how it will be accessed;
• how it will be communicated;
• who is responsible for maintaining it; and
• when it should be reviewed.

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Policies – What the Organisation Commits To and Why

A policy establishes organisational direction, commitments, principles and expectations.

A policy generally answers:

“What does the organisation require, value or commit to, and why?”

A policy may include:

• purpose;
• scope;
• principles;
• organisational commitments;
• responsibilities;
• required standards;
• relevant legal or professional considerations;
• accountability;
• decision-making principles; and
• review requirements.

Examples relevant to assistance animal practice may include:

• Work Health and Safety Policy;
• Code of Conduct;
• Assistance Animal Welfare Policy;
• Assistance Animal Practice Policy;
• Privacy and Confidentiality Policy;
• Complaints Management Policy;
• Infection Prevention and Control Policy;
• Incident Management Policy;
• Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility Policy;
• Training and Competency Policy;
• Continuous Quality Improvement Policy; and
• Client Service Policy.

Policies should establish clear expectations without attempting to describe every operational step.

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Procedures – How Requirements Are Implemented

A procedure explains how an organisational requirement or process is implemented consistently.

A procedure generally answers:

“How is this requirement achieved in practice?”

A procedure may include:

• purpose;
• scope;
• responsibilities;
• required resources;
• sequence of actions;
• decision points;
• documentation;
• escalation pathways;
• communication requirements;
• exceptions;
• monitoring; and
• review.

Examples may include:

• hazard-reporting procedure;
• risk-assessment procedure;
• incident-reporting procedure;
• client intake procedure;
• assistance animal assessment procedure;
• public-access planning procedure;
• complaint-handling procedure;
• emergency-response procedure;
• infection-control procedure;
• records-management procedure;
• recruitment and induction procedure;
• equipment-maintenance procedure; and
• training-delivery procedure.

A well-designed procedure should allow different people to undertake a process consistently while still permitting appropriate professional judgement.

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Risk Assessments – Identifying and Managing Risk

Risk assessments support systematic consideration of:

What could cause harm?

How significant is the risk?

What controls are already in place?

What additional controls may be required?

Risk assessment may consider:

• the person;
• assistance animal;
• other animals;
• practitioner;
• other workers;
• members of the public;
• task or activity;
• environment;
• equipment;
• manual tasks;
• biological hazards;
• chemicals;
• psychosocial hazards;
• transport;
• public interaction;
• emergency situations;
• existing controls;
• available supports;
• reasonable adjustments; and
• changing circumstances.

Within assistance animal practice, risk assessment should also consider:

• client goals;
• occupational participation;
• dignity of risk;
• animal welfare;
• client autonomy;
• least-restrictive effective controls; and
• the consequences of unnecessarily restricting participation.

Risk assessment should not be treated merely as completion of a form.

The level of formality should be proportionate to:

• complexity;
• foreseeable harm;
• uncertainty;
• novelty;
• changes in circumstances; and
• applicable legal or organisational requirements.

Not every routine activity requires a new formal written risk assessment.

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Safe Work Procedures – Completing Work Safely

A Safe Work Procedure provides practical instructions for completing a work activity safely.

It may include:

• purpose and scope;
• people authorised or competent to perform the activity;
• identified hazards;
• required controls;
• equipment and resources;
• PPE where relevant;
• preparation;
• safe steps;
• prohibited actions;
• emergency or escalation procedures;
• documentation requirements; and
• review arrangements.

Examples relevant to assistance animal practice may include:

• animal transport;
• home and community visits;
• lone or remote work;
• infection-prevention activities;
• equipment fitting;
• managing escalating animal behaviour;
• responding to extreme heat;
• public-access assessments; and
• cleaning animal-related equipment.

A Safe Work Procedure should be proportionate to the activity and level of risk.

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Safe Operating Procedures – Using Equipment and Systems Safely

A Safe Operating Procedure generally provides instructions for the safe operation of:

• equipment;
• machinery;
• vehicles;
• systems; or
• defined operational processes.

Some organisations use the terms Safe Work Procedure and Safe Operating Procedure interchangeably.

Where both are used, the organisation should clearly define the distinction.

A Safe Operating Procedure may include:

• equipment or process identification;
• authorised users;
• pre-use checks;
• operating instructions;
• foreseeable hazards;
• controls;
• prohibited practices;
• cleaning requirements;
• infection-prevention requirements;
• maintenance;
• fault reporting;
• emergency shutdown or response; and
• recordkeeping.

Examples in assistance animal practice may include:

• vehicle loading equipment;
• mobility-related equipment;
• ramps;
• restraint systems;
• specialised animal equipment;
• cleaning systems; and
• other equipment used during assessment or service delivery.

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Work Instructions – Detailed Task Guidance

A work instruction provides specific, detailed guidance for completing a narrower task.

It generally answers:

“Exactly how should this task be completed?”

A work instruction may include:

• required equipment;
• preparation;
• sequential actions;
• safety precautions;
• quality requirements;
• documentation;
• and what to do if something goes wrong.

For example:

Infection Prevention and Control Policy

may be supported by:

Cleaning and Disinfection Procedure

which may in turn be supported by:

Work Instruction – Cleaning and Disinfecting a Particular Assistance Animal Harness

This layered approach allows broad organisational requirements to be translated into practical task-level instructions.

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Checklists

Checklists support consistency by prompting users to confirm that relevant actions have been considered or completed.

Examples may include:

• home-visit safety checklist;
• pre-session checklist;
• assistance animal session safety checklist;
• vehicle and animal transport checklist;
• equipment inspection checklist;
• emergency equipment checklist;
• workplace inspection checklist; and
• induction checklist.

Checklists can reduce omissions but should not replace professional judgement.

A checklist cannot anticipate every circumstance.

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Plans

Plans describe how an organisation or practitioner will manage a foreseeable situation, responsibility or objective.

Examples include:

• WHS Risk Control Plan;
• Emergency Response Plan;
• Evacuation Plan;
• Lone Worker Safety Plan;
• Communication Plan;
• Continuous Quality Improvement Plan;
• Animal Emergency Care Plan;
• Business Continuity Plan; and
• assistance animal contingency plan.

Plans should identify:

• the situation or objective;
• responsibilities;
• required actions;
• resources;
• communication;
• escalation;
• contingency arrangements; and
• review.

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Registers

Registers provide an ongoing record of items requiring monitoring, review or follow-up.

Examples include:

• Hazard Register;
• Chemical Register;
• SDS Register;
• Corrective Action Register;
• Equipment Inspection and Maintenance Register;
• Training and Competency Register;
• Incident Register;
• Document Review Register; and
• compliance calendar.

Registers support organisational oversight and should be kept current.

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How Organisational Documents Work Together

Document	Main Purpose	Key Question
Policy	Establishes commitments, principles and expectations	What does the organisation require and why?
Procedure	Explains how a process is implemented	How is this requirement achieved consistently?
Risk Assessment	Identifies hazards, evaluates risk and determines controls	What could cause harm and how will it be managed?
Safe Work Procedure	Provides instructions for safely completing an activity	How should this work activity be completed safely?
Safe Operating Procedure	Provides safe operating requirements for equipment or systems	How should this equipment or process be operated safely?
Work Instruction	Provides detailed task-level directions	Exactly how do I complete this task?
Checklist	Confirms relevant actions or checks	Have I considered or completed the required items?
Plan	Establishes arrangements for a foreseeable situation or objective	What will we do and who is responsible?
Register	Maintains an ongoing record	What needs to be recorded, monitored or reviewed?

Organisations do not necessarily require every document type for every activity.

Documentation should be proportionate and should reduce risk rather than create unnecessary administrative burden.

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Example – Documentation in Assistance Animal Practice

Consider an Occupational Therapist undertaking home and community assessments involving an assistance dog.

The organisation might use:

WHS Policy
Sets organisational expectations for worker safety and risk management.

Home and Community Visit Procedure
Describes how visits are planned, conducted and reviewed.

Risk Assessment
Considers:

• the person;
• assistance animal;
• household animals;
• practitioner;
• environment;
• equipment;
• planned activity;
• other people present;
• lone-worker risk;
• emergency arrangements; and
• appropriate controls.

Safe Work Procedure – Animal Transport
Provides instructions for safe transport activities.

Work Instruction – Securing a Particular Transport Crate or Restraint
Provides detailed steps for use.

Pre-Transport Checklist
Confirms relevant checks before travel.

Registers
May record:

• equipment maintenance;
• incidents;
• corrective actions;
• worker training; and
• hazards.

These documents work together rather than operating as isolated forms.

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Applying Organisational Requirements Across the Assistance Animal Lifecycle

Occupational Therapists should consider organisational requirements throughout:

• referral and intake;
• functional assessment;
• identification of client goals;
• assistance animal suitability assessment;
• environmental assessment;
• recommendation;
• implementation;
• education and training;
• transition planning;
• public-access planning;
• emergency planning;
• monitoring;
• review;
• incident management;
• retirement or change in working status; and
• ongoing risk management.

Organisational systems should support consistent practice while allowing decisions to remain:

• individualised;
• person-centred;
• evidence-informed;
• proportionate;
• responsive to animal welfare; and
• appropriate to professional scope.

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Workplace Health and Safety Policies

A WHS policy establishes the organisation’s commitment to protecting the health and safety of:

• workers;
• clients;
• contractors;
• students;
• volunteers;
• visitors;
• members of the public; and
• others who may be affected by the work.

Within assistance animal practice, organisational WHS systems should also recognise the welfare and safety of animals involved in workplace activities.

Occupational Therapist responsibilities may include:

• following relevant WHS requirements;
• identifying hazards;
• participating in risk assessments;
• implementing controls within their role;
• reporting incidents and hazards;
• participating in consultation;
• using required equipment;
• participating in training;
• maintaining competence; and
• contributing to review and improvement.

WHS systems should recognise that assistance animal environments involve both human and animal considerations.

Safe systems should support:

• human safety;
• animal welfare;
• accessibility;
• occupational participation;
• dignity of risk; and
• proportionate risk management.

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Managing WHS Responsibilities of Workers, Contractors, Visitors and External Providers

Workplace health and safety involves multiple people whose responsibilities differ according to their role and the circumstances.

Relevant participants may include:

• employees;
• managers;
• supervisors;
• contractors;
• volunteers;
• students;
• clients;
• people using assistance animals;
• family members;
• support workers;
• visitors;
• external professionals; and
• members of the public.

Organisational documentation should clearly communicate relevant responsibilities without incorrectly transferring the organisation’s own WHS duties to clients or other participants.

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Responsibilities of Workers

Workers should:

• take reasonable care of their own health and safety;
• take reasonable care that their actions or omissions do not adversely affect others;
• comply with reasonable workplace safety instructions;
• cooperate with applicable policies and procedures;
• report hazards and incidents;
• use equipment appropriately;
• participate in consultation;
• complete required training; and
• work within their competence.

Within assistance animal practice, workers may also need to understand:

• assistance animal interaction expectations;
• animal welfare principles;
• signs of animal stress or fatigue;
• infection-prevention requirements;
• environmental hazards;
• public-access risks;
• emergency procedures; and
• reporting arrangements.

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Responsibilities of Managers and Supervisors

Managers and supervisors may influence:

• systems;
• resources;
• workload;
• worker behaviour;
• organisational culture;
• training;
• supervision; and
• implementation of controls.

Their responsibilities may include ensuring:

• policies and procedures are available;
• responsibilities are clear;
• workers receive relevant information and training;
• hazards are addressed;
• incidents are managed;
• safety concerns are taken seriously;
• consultation occurs;
• controls are monitored; and
• continuous improvement occurs.

Within assistance animal organisations, leadership also influences organisational attitudes towards:

• animal welfare;
• disability inclusion;
• ethical practice;
• client autonomy;
• safe animal interaction;
• reporting culture; and
• professional accountability.

A workplace culture that prioritises productivity, convenience or risk avoidance over safety, welfare or inclusion may create additional hazards.

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Contractors and External Providers

Assistance animal practice frequently involves external professionals and service providers.

These may include:

• assistance animal trainers;
• behaviour professionals;
• veterinarians;
• veterinary nurses;
• groomers;
• assessors;
• equipment suppliers;
• maintenance workers;
• cleaners;
• consultants;
• educators; and
• other health professionals.

Contractors and external providers may hold their own WHS duties.

Where duties overlap, relevant parties should consult, cooperate and coordinate activities as required.

Organisations should ensure that external providers receive relevant information about:

• workplace hazards;
• organisational expectations;
• emergency procedures;
• incident reporting;
• animal interaction;
• restricted activities;
• equipment;
• infection control; and
• other risks relevant to their work.

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Visitors and Members of the Public

Visitors may include:

• clients;
• family members;
• support workers;
• community participants;
• guests;
• volunteers; and
• members of the public attending organisational activities.

Visitors may be unfamiliar with:

• workplace hazards;
• emergency procedures;
• animal behaviour;
• restricted areas;
• appropriate interaction with working animals; and
• organisational expectations.

Organisations should consider whether visitors require:

• information;
• supervision;
• accessible instructions;
• signage;
• safe waiting areas;
• animal-interaction guidance; or
• emergency information.

The extent of information should reflect the activity and level of risk.

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Clients, Assistance Animal Users and Participants

Clients and assistance animal users may influence safety outcomes through the information they provide and their participation in planning.

They may reasonably be asked to:

• communicate relevant information;
• raise concerns;
• use equipment according to agreed instructions;
• participate in safety planning;
• communicate relevant animal behaviour or health information; and
• follow reasonable safety directions where applicable.

However, clients should not be made responsible for an organisation’s or practitioner’s own WHS duties.

A client should not be expected to:

• eliminate every risk from their home;
• achieve an unrealistic standard of independence;
• assume responsibility for professional or organisational failures;
• waive statutory safety obligations; or
• accept unnecessary restrictions simply because they use an assistance animal.

Safety planning should be collaborative and respectful of:

• autonomy;
• privacy;
• dignity;
• disability rights;
• the person’s home and lifestyle;
• animal welfare; and
• professional responsibilities.

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Students, Volunteers and Placement Participants

Students, trainees, volunteers and placement participants may require additional:

• induction;
• supervision;
• training;
• role clarification;
• competency assessment; and
• restrictions on particular activities until competence is demonstrated.

Organisations should identify:

• permitted activities;
• required supervision;
• escalation pathways;
• limitations of responsibility;
• competency requirements; and
• activities that must not be undertaken without additional training.

No person should undertake animal-related, equipment-related or other hazardous work without appropriate preparation.

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Contractor, Worker and Visitor Induction

Induction should provide relevant information before a person undertakes work or enters a setting where particular risks apply.

Depending on the role, induction may address:

• WHS policy;
• emergency procedures;
• hazard reporting;
• incident reporting;
• assistance animal interaction;
• restricted areas;
• infection control;
• PPE;
• lone-worker arrangements;
• animal welfare;
• equipment;
• psychosocial hazards; and
• communication pathways.

The level of induction should reflect the level of risk.

For example:

• a visitor attending a brief office appointment may require minimal information;
• a contractor servicing equipment may require task-specific information;
• a worker handling animals or chemicals may require detailed competency-based induction.

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Hazard Identification and Reporting Procedures

A hazard is anything with the potential to cause harm.

Assistance animal practice may involve hazards associated with:

Animal Factors

Examples include:

• pain;
• illness;
• fatigue;
• fear;
• stress;
• unsuitable workload;
• behavioural escalation;
• unsafe interaction with other animals;
• equipment-related discomfort; and
• environmental distress.

Environmental Factors

Examples include:

• unsafe flooring;
• restricted movement;
• inadequate lighting;
• crowds;
• poor accessibility;
• extreme temperatures;
• traffic;
• unsafe exits; and
• environmental contaminants.

Person–Task Interaction

Relevant considerations may include:

• falls risk;
• fatigue;
• communication requirements;
• equipment use;
• changing health or function;
• ability to perform a particular activity with available supports;
• need for reasonable adjustment; and
• additional education or training.

The person’s disability itself should not be labelled as the hazard.

The hazard should be described as specifically as possible.

For example, rather than:

“Client has reduced mobility.”

a more useful description may be:

“Current doorway width and placement of equipment restrict safe turning space for the client’s mobility device and assistance dog.”

This identifies the actual interaction requiring control.

Workplace and Organisational Factors

Examples include:

• inadequate procedures;
• unclear responsibilities;
• insufficient training;
• unsafe workload;
• poor communication;
• inadequate staffing;
• lack of consultation;
• inappropriate equipment; and
• inadequate emergency planning.

Occupational Therapists should follow applicable procedures for:

• documenting hazards;
• escalating concerns;
• implementing immediate controls where appropriate;
• reviewing existing controls; and
• monitoring outcomes.

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Risk Management Procedures

Organisations should have processes for systematically identifying, assessing, controlling and reviewing risk.

A typical process includes:

Step 1 – Identify the Hazard

Consider:

• person;
• assistance animal;
• other animals;
• task;
• equipment;
• environment;
• other people;
• work systems;
• psychosocial factors; and
• emergency circumstances.

Step 2 – Assess Risk Where Required

Consider:

• likelihood;
• potential consequences;
• frequency;
• duration;
• who or what may be affected;
• existing controls;
• uncertainty; and
• changing circumstances.

For example, an assessment involving an assistance dog used for mobility support may consider:

• falls risk;
• environmental barriers;
• the person’s functional needs;
• existing skills;
• preferred supports;
• equipment;
• reasonable adjustments;
• animal behaviour and reliability;
• animal welfare;
• task demands; and
• available controls.

This is more useful than broadly assessing “handler capacity.”

Step 3 – Implement Controls

Controls should be selected according to applicable WHS principles and the hierarchy of controls.

Occupational Therapists should seek controls that:

• effectively reduce risk;
• support occupational participation;
• preserve autonomy;
• respect dignity of risk;
• protect animal welfare; and
• impose the least unnecessary restriction.

The most restrictive option should not automatically be selected simply because it appears administratively simpler.

Step 4 – Review

Controls should be reviewed where:

• circumstances change;
• incidents occur;
• new hazards arise;
• client goals change;
• animal health or behaviour changes;
• equipment changes;
• the environment changes;
• controls prove ineffective; or
• restrictions may no longer be necessary.

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Assistance Animal Assessment and Recommendation Procedures

Organisations providing assistance animal-related Occupational Therapy services should have clear assessment and recommendation procedures.

These may address:

• referral and intake;
• client goals;
• occupational profile;
• functional assessment;
• disability-related needs;
• identification of the person’s strengths, skills and preferred supports;
• identification of assistance animal functions or tasks;
• environmental assessment;
• animal suitability;
• animal welfare;
• equipment;
• training requirements;
• support requirements;
• risk assessment;
• reasonable adjustments;
• safeguards;
• contingency planning;
• emergency planning;
• documentation;
• consent;
• stakeholder consultation;
• review; and
• referral pathways.

The need for assistance from another person should not, by itself, be treated as evidence that an assistance animal partnership is inappropriate.

Recommendations should be:

• person-centred;
• evidence-informed;
• functionally relevant;
• professionally justified;
• proportionate to identified risks;
• supportive of autonomy and occupational participation;
• attentive to animal welfare;
• within professional scope; and
• consistent with applicable legislation and professional requirements.

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Infection Prevention and Control Procedures

Organisational infection-prevention procedures should reflect the nature of the work and setting.

They may address:

Hygiene

Including:

• hand hygiene;
• environmental cleaning;
• equipment cleaning;
• animal waste;
• bodily fluids; and
• contamination management.

Animal Health

Including:

• preventive veterinary healthcare;
• parasite prevention;
• monitoring for signs of illness;
• veterinary assessment where required; and
• vaccination where clinically indicated or required by the relevant setting, program or applicable requirements.

Vaccination should not be described as a universal legal requirement across all assistance animal settings.

Workplace Controls

Including:

• environmental cleaning;
• PPE where appropriate;
• staff education;
• access arrangements where a genuine infection risk exists;
• task modification;
• animal positioning; and
• reasonable adjustments.

Infection-control processes should support both:

safety

and

inclusion.

Restriction should be proportionate to actual risk.

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Emergency Procedures

Organisations should have processes for responding to foreseeable emergencies.

These may include:

• client medical emergencies;
• worker medical emergencies;
• animal injury or illness;
• animal distress;
• behavioural incidents;
• fire;
• evacuation;
• severe weather;
• equipment failure;
• violence or aggression;
• public safety incidents; and
• unexpected separation of an assistance animal team.

Emergency procedures should identify:

• responsibilities;
• required actions;
• emergency contacts;
• communication;
• accessibility needs;
• escalation;
• transport;
• veterinary arrangements;
• reporting;
• temporary animal care;
• continuity of disability-related support; and
• post-event review.

Emergency planning should address both:

What happens to the assistance animal if the person becomes unable to provide care?

and

What happens to the person if the assistance animal becomes temporarily unavailable?

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Incident and Near-Miss Reporting

Incident-reporting systems support:

• immediate response;
• documentation;
• investigation;
• statutory notification where applicable;
• corrective action;
• organisational learning; and
• continuous improvement.

Internal reporting may include:

• human injury;
• psychological harm;
• animal injury;
• animal welfare concerns;
• bites or scratches;
• public-access incidents;
• equipment failure;
• environmental incidents;
• discrimination-related safety incidents;
• violence or aggression;
• biological exposure; and
• near misses.

Not every internally reported incident is a statutory notifiable incident.

Organisations should have processes for determining:

• who receives the report;
• whether immediate action is required;
• whether escalation is required;
• whether regulator notification applies;
• whether another external reporting pathway applies;
• what records must be retained; and
• how corrective actions will be monitored.

Incident systems should focus on learning rather than inappropriate blame.

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Training, Competency and Professional Development

Organisations should ensure that people undertaking work have the knowledge, skill and supervision appropriate to their role.

Training needs may include:

• WHS responsibilities;
• assistance animal legislation;
• disability inclusion;
• animal behaviour;
• animal welfare;
• infection prevention;
• risk assessment;
• psychosocial hazards;
• violence and aggression;
• emergency procedures;
• incident reporting;
• lone work;
• equipment;
• communication;
• public access; and
• organisational procedures.

Competence may be developed through:

• formal education;
• induction;
• practical instruction;
• supervised practice;
• competency assessment;
• continuing professional development;
• mentoring;
• supervision;
• interdisciplinary consultation; and
• refresher training.

Attendance at training does not automatically establish competence.

Where a task carries material risk, organisations should consider whether practical competence needs to be demonstrated.

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Consultation and Communication

Effective WHS relies on consultation.

Within assistance animal practice, consultation may involve:

• clients;
• workers;
• managers;
• health and safety representatives;
• family members where appropriate;
• support people;
• assistance animal trainers;
• veterinarians;
• employers;
• educational organisations;
• healthcare providers;
• contractors; and
• other duty holders.

Consultation should occur with appropriate regard to:

• consent;
• privacy;
• professional scope;
• relevance; and
• legal requirements.

Good communication supports:

• early identification of hazards;
• clarity of responsibilities;
• reasonable adjustments;
• appropriate risk controls;
• coordinated emergency planning;
• animal welfare;
• informed decision-making; and
• continuous improvement.

Information should be accessible.

This may require consideration of:

• preferred communication method;
• cognitive accessibility;
• Easy Read;
• visual information;
• AAC;
• captions;
• interpreters;
• literacy;
• language; and
• cultural considerations.

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Documentation Requirements

Accurate documentation supports:

• professional accountability;
• continuity;
• safety;
• communication;
• legal compliance;
• quality improvement; and
• defensible decision-making.

Relevant records may include:

• referral information;
• functional assessments;
• environmental assessments;
• risk assessments;
• animal welfare assessments;
• equipment records;
• consent;
• incident reports;
• near-miss reports;
• communication records;
• emergency plans;
• contingency plans;
• consultation records;
• corrective actions;
• training and competency records;
• induction records;
• review outcomes; and
• professional reasoning.

Documentation should clearly demonstrate:

• the person’s goals;
• relevant evidence;
• identified hazards;
• assessment of risk;
• available controls;
• reasonable adjustments considered;
• animal welfare considerations;
• consultation;
• professional reasoning;
• decisions made;
• responsibilities; and
• review requirements.

Documentation should avoid vague statements such as:

• “client unsafe”;
• “client incapable”;
• “environment unsuitable”; or
• “assistance animal inappropriate”

without explaining the specific evidence, hazard, risk and reasoning underlying the conclusion.

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Developing Organisational Documentation Skills

Occupational Therapists working at an advanced professional level should be able not only to follow organisational documents, but also to contribute to their:

• development;
• evaluation;
• implementation;
• review; and
• improvement.

When developing documentation, practitioners should consider:

1. What activity, risk or process requires documentation?
2. What is the purpose of the document?
3. Which document type is most appropriate?
4. Who will use it?
5. What information do users need?
6. What hazards and controls must be addressed?
7. What legal, professional and organisational requirements apply?
8. How will human safety and animal welfare be addressed?
9. How will client autonomy, accessibility and participation be supported?
10. What responsibilities need to be clear?
11. What escalation processes are required?
12. How will the document be monitored and reviewed?
13. Is it accessible and practical?
14. Does it create unnecessary duplication or administrative burden?

Professional documentation should be proportionate.

Not every activity requires its own separate policy, procedure, risk assessment, checklist and work instruction.

The purpose is to create systems that improve safety and practice—not paperwork for its own sake.

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Templates and Resources

Organisations may use or adapt templates such as:

• Policy Development Template;
• Procedure Development Template;
• WHS Risk Assessment Template;
• Safe Work Procedure Template;
• Safe Operating Procedure Template;
• Work Instruction Template;
• Checklist Template;
• Plan Template;
• Register Template;
• Hazard Identification Checklist;
• Incident Report Form;
• Near Miss Report Form;
• Emergency Response Checklist;
• Lone Worker Safety Plan;
• Animal Welfare Risk Assessment;
• Psychosocial Hazard Assessment;
• Manual Handling Risk Assessment;
• Vehicle and Animal Transport Safety Checklist;
• Training and Competency Record;
• WHS Consultation Record;
• Corrective Action Register; and
• Continuous Improvement Plan.

Templates are starting points.

They should be adapted to:

• the organisation;
• work undertaken;
• jurisdiction;
• users;
• environment;
• hazards;
• client group;
• animals involved; and
• level of risk.

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Key Practice Principle

Organisational policies, procedures and operational documents provide the framework through which legislation, standards, professional obligations and risk-management principles are translated into everyday practice.

Effective systems should support:

• worker safety;
• client autonomy;
• occupational participation;
• assistance animal welfare;
• disability inclusion;
• professional accountability;
• consultation;
• emergency preparedness;
• consistent decision-making;
• incident learning; and
• continuous improvement.

Policies alone do not create a safe workplace.

Safety depends on whether organisational systems are:

• understood;
• accessible;
• implemented;
• appropriately resourced;
• monitored;
• reviewed; and
• improved.

Occupational Therapists should use organisational systems critically and professionally.

Documentation should support safe participation rather than become an unnecessary barrier to it.

The objective is to create workplace systems in which:

people understand their responsibilities, hazards are identified, risks are managed proportionately, animal welfare is protected, client autonomy is respected, and safe inclusion is actively supported.