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The Environmental Policy within the Quality Assurance program ensures that environmental protection and sustainability are a priority:

The purpose of the Workplace Health, Safety and Environment Manual is to outline the systems and processes that have been put in place by Ausfield Services to ensure a safe and healthy work environment for all employees and third parties and facilitate compliance with environmental guidelines.

The manual has been structured to meet the requirements of AS/NZS 4801:2001 Occupational Health and Safety, AS/NZS 14001:2004 Environmental Management Systems and applicable legislative and regulatory standards.

The manual shall operate in conjunction with other established internal management systems such as quality management to ensure the monitoring of all operational activities.

The information contained in this document provides a framework for the planning, implementation, control, measurement, monitoring and review of workplace health, safety and environmental systems necessary to eliminate or prevent potentially adverse risks associated with operational activities.

All works undertaken shall be in accordance with all relevant Australian Standards, State and Local Government regulations including:

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011
• Environmental Protection Act (Queensland) 1994 and Environmental Protection Policies
• Environmental Protection Regulation 1996
• Agricultural Chemicals Distribution Control Act 1966
• Agricultural Chemicals Distribution Control Regulation 1998
• Other Acts as required

Ausfield Services have over 70 staff with a very broad range of skills and qualifications. Detail on our competence and some of the tickets held are listed in the table below. We are committed to building the skills and capacity of our work team and provide support for traineeships, vocational training, and other courses or professional development.

KEY PERSONNEL

Owen Blacklock – Director

Owen is the principal of the company, and has significant experience in the inception, management, and analysis of large projects across several sectors. This includes the delivery of a range of projects for different clients, and the development of strong working relationships with key staff, over the last seven years. Owen has a very good understanding of the importance of actioning client requests and scheduling variations to address community / business / environmental concerns. In collaboration with clients Owen has adapted the company’s operations to suit the different land maintenance requirements during the dry and wet seasons of North Queensland.

Heath Coleman – Business Improvement Manager

Heath has over 25 years’ experience in project management, business integration and process improvement in the government and private sector. He has a comprehensive understanding of local council policies and procedures, state and national regulations, and regional development priorities which supports effective communications between all stakeholders and Ausfield Services. Heath’s in-depth understanding of contracts allows for accurate interpretation of work scope requirements, performance standards and reporting against allocated budgets.

Drew Pemberton – Contracts Manager

Drew’s strong focus on contract delivery, clear communication, crew and public safety, and ensuring client requirements are met in a timely and effective manner has helped him to build a strong working relationship with a range of Ausfield customers. His ten years of logistics and account experience in the mining sector means he always has a safety and an ‘on time delivery’ mindset for scheduling ground maintenance, and contracted works.

Sharon Marks – Environmental Business Manager

Sharon is passionate about sustainable development and holds a Masters in this field, with post-graduate studies in Integrated Water Resource Management, Science Communication and an undergraduate in Environment Studies. She has worked to build the natural resource management capacity of not-for-profit groups, First Nations people and
communities in Queensland and developing countries for more than 20 years. Over the last eight years Sharon has focused on connecting people to our neighbourhood environmental assets. Her connections with the local Landcare, migrant and Traditional Owner groups will help engage these communities in the stewardship of our parks and natural areas.

Peter Clune – Operations Manager / Quality Assurance

Peter has over 11 years’ experience in being a team leader of grounds maintenance crews for Townsville City Council contracts with a range of employers. He joined Ausfield Services in 2020 as a Crew Leader before taking on the role of Quality Assurance Supervisor. Peter has a strong focus on quality, how Ausfield can exceed customer expectations and, through personal experience, ensure consistent, efficient, and effective on-ground service delivery.

Dave Moorhead – Financial Planning and Accounts Consultant

Dave has over 40 years accounting experience in various financial controller roles in a wide range of industries, primarily in the small to medium business arena. Dave specializes in financial reporting, cost control, cash flow planning, budgeting, finance systems and procedure development. Dave has worked closely with Ausfield’s Director for over seven years and assisted the company to develop effective financial strategies that allow continual improvement in the delivery of services.

Melissa Cooper – Administration Co-Ordinator and Accounts Assistant

Melissa started her 17 years plus of administration experience in the state government sector and has managed council contracts with previous employers. She is highly organised and prides herself on implementing procedures to improve office efficiency, which includes ensuring our staff competency, training, and induction records are up to date. Melissa also assists with our accounts payable and receivable function and is the newest team member at Ausfield Services.

Lezane Esterhuysen – Administration Assistant

Lezane has over 25 years administration experience in various capacities, including a time in the Townsville City Council Customer Service Centre, giving her specific knowledge about the issues that can upset community members.
Lezane works closely with Drew and the grounds maintenance crew to ensure site work reports, incident reports, purchasing procedures, and general project administration is handled quickly, to procedure, to ensure there is no delay to delivery and reporting.

Blaire Bode – Administration Assistant

Blaire has recently joined our administration team, she is an enthusiastic person who is currently studying Business, Sports, and Events Management at James Cook University. Blaire is currently assisting with reviewing our
business processes with the aim to create efficiencies and improvements. Blaire is responsible for inducting all new staff to Ausfield Services through multiple systems. She ensures all necessary paperwork, licences and tickets
are supplied and saved in our human resources management system TARO.

A critical part of the success of the management team and their ability to deliver projects and services, is the certified and audited Integrated Management System that is used to operate all aspects of the company. This management system provides the guidance and framework for the planning, implementation, delivery, and reporting of all projects. It is the backbone of the company, providing management, staff, and customers with:
• Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems ISO 45001:2018
• Quality Management Systems ISO 9001:2015
• Environmental Management Systems ISO 14001:2015

Ausfield Services have over 70 staff with a very broad range of skills and qualifications. We are committed to building the skills and capacity of our work team and provide support for traineeships, vocational training, and other courses or professional development.

The Marshall Tree Saw is a mechanical device that is attached to a skidsteer for woody weed treatment.  Although it is called a saw, it uses a shearing action, powered by two hydraulic rams, which cut through the stem of the plant. The device is also equipped with a sprayer which may be used to treat the cut surface of the plant with a herbicide and diesel mixture.

The Tree Saw can be used for the control of prickly acacia, chinee apple, mesquite, parkinsonia and other woody weeds in the Burdekin Dry Tropics, Southern Gulf Catchments, Northern Gulf Catchments, Wet Tropics and Desert Channels regions of Queensland.

Multiple NRM Benefits

The selective nature of the Tree Saw and subsequent spraying, makes it an ideal tool in the management of weeds.  The saw allows for plants to be selectively treated, ensuring protection of native species in environmentally sensitive areas.  It also allows minimal impact to the hummus layer of the soil, reducing erosion and allowing greater regeneration of native grasses.  The Tree Saw is particularly useful for weed management along fence lines and around water points where improved access is of benefit.

Economic & Efficient

Recent trials in the Southern Gulf Catchments observed a treatment speed from 6 hectares per hour in low density (40 plants/ha) to 0.5 hectares per hour in very high density (700 plants/ha).  Herbicide and diesel mix usage varied from about 1 L/ha to about 46 L/ha depending on the density within the treatment area.

Key Advantages

• Provides immediate treatment results

• Provides supplementary fodder from fallen trees (e.g. Prickly Acacia)

• Improves stock access and mustering ease

• May be used in the treatment of weeds without damage to nearby native vegetation

• Increase in grass ground cover

• Minimise erosion, due to negligible soil disturbance

• Less regrowth, especially with follow up spraying

Further Information

Further information is available by contacting Owen Blacklock at Ausfield Services