Our surveying firm originally began in Wellington in 1980. In 1984 Neil Doherty took over as the principal. In 2005, Eric Smith joined the practice.

As the current principal, Eric has over 20 years of experience in a wide variety of areas including cadastral (boundary) surveying, mining and construction surveying, data capture and civil design.

Our organisation and staff have memberships with many professional and industry groups including the Association of Consulting Surveyors NSWInstitution of Surveyors NSW, and Country Surveyors NSW.

Although we have a long history, our focus is firmly on the future. Leica Geosystems, long recognised as a world leader in surveying equipment, are our supplier of choice. Surveying and design calculations are performed using Civilcad software. Drafting and plan preparation is completed using AutoCAD software.

Doherty Smith supports local organisations including:

Westhaven Association, who provide disability services, employment and accommodation for adults with intellectual disabilities.

Wellington Town Band, a not-for-profit community band.

In order to provide the best service to our clients, Doherty Smith has a Quality Assurance scheme in place and has consistently achieved a Silver rating by ACSIS Insurance, recently upgraded to a Gold rating for 2014-2015.

 

WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY AND PROCEDURES

Doherty Smith & Associates strives to always maintain and implement a comprehensive Workplace Health and Safety policy. We aim to achieve a level beyond our duty of care obligations. This includes:

  • Providing and maintaining safe premises.
  •  Providing and maintaining safe plant. Ensuring any hazardous substances are properly handled, transported and stored. In other words plant and substances used by employees must be safe to use when properly used
  •  Ensuring there are safe systems of work. This would include strategies such as traffic management plans, systems of work when people are working at heights and/or working in the vicinity of overhead electrical powerlines.
  •  Ensuring a safe work environment. This would include having in place strategies to control the risk associated with fumes, dust and lighting levels to name a few examples.
  •  Providing employees with information about hazards and risk associated with the work being carried out.
  •  Providing instruction and training to ensure the work can be carried out in a safe and healthy manner.
  • Providing appropriate supervision that is in line with the risk associated with the job and the employees’ level of competence and/or experience. The person providing the supervision must be a competent person.
  •  Providing suitable amenities.

Doherty Smith & Associates carry out risk management procedures which are achieved through consultation with employees. Some common examples relevant to surveying are:

  • Work on sites involving structural alterations that require temporary support
  • Work at a height above 3 metres
  • Work on sites where there are excavations to a depth greater than 1.5 metres
  • Demolition sites
  • Work near traffic or mobile plant
  •  Work in or around gas or electrical installations
  • Work over or adjacent to water where there is a risk of drowning

Doherty Smith & Associates adapts a policy to ensure any Workplace Health and Safety incidents are reported and recorded appropriately. The basis of this policy includes:

  •  Reporting, recording, investigating and analysing Workplace Health and Safety incidents or accidents.
  •  Continually improve safety performance, policy and procedures.
  • Continually review and analyse results of Audits and any other means available.
  • Adoption of a proactive approach indentifying risks.
  • Maintenance of appropriate records.
  • Supporting Workcover in employee rehabilitation.

Doherty Smith & Associates follows a strict policy regarding Site Induction and training. We ensure that any employee, contractor and their employees working on sites under our control, have completed the necessary induction training and Risk Assessments required.

 

SUSTAINABILITY IN PRACTISE

Doherty Smith & Associates are endeavouring to implement a range of Sustainable Business Practises. These strategies of Sustainability must be both affordable and practical to realize and ensure that the Quality of Service always provided by Doherty Smith & Associates is strictly maintained. The basis for these practises are:

  • Minimise Energy in Use; Make the best of the natural environment…..open windows instead of using the air conditioner, conversion to diesel vehicles, reduce electricity consumption by simple everyday measures e.g. turn off lights when not in use. Our Dubbo office utilises energy efficient LED lighting.
  •  Don’t Pollute; Dispose of waste thoughtfully, make use of existing transport structure.
  •  Where possible protect and preserve Natural Habitat.
  • Recycle; Re-use consumables if viable e.g. clean shredded paper waste is taken home and used for our personal chicken runs, cardboard packaging is placed in Local Recycling Bins.
  •  Conserve Water Resources; Doherty Smith & Associates is involved in WSUD (Water Sensitive Urban Design) projects.
  • Respect People; Build community relations and provide public information. Look after staff with regard to Workplace Health & Safety.
  • Use Suppliers and Products, where possible, that are environmentally friendly.
  • Set Targets: regularly self audit Sustainability Practises to measure achievement/possible improvement.

Doherty Smith & Associates anticipates that by putting these principles into practise we will take the very important step towards being considered a Sustainable Business.

 

QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

Doherty Smith & Associates, like all spatial professionals are under increasing ethical, business, regulatory and consumer pressures to perform at the highest level of efficiency and accuracy. To perform as required, we have adopted risk management and loss prevention disciplines as part of our day-to-day activities. We strive to attain and maintain a high standard of skill and knowledge and keep up-to-date with new initiatives and legislature by Continued Professional Development and Training.
Doherty Smith & Associates has implemented systems to ensure both customer satisfaction and sustainable business performance. The areas of Quality Management that Doherty Smith & Associates mainly focus are:

  • Customer Focus
  • Leadership
  • Involvement of people
  • Systematic approach to management
  • Continual Improvement
  • Factual approach to decision making
  • Mutually beneficial supplier relations
  • Accuracy and Quality in all endeavours
  • High Level of Record Maintenance

Doherty Smith & Associates are current members of ACSIS Ltd (Australian Consulting Surveyors Insurance Society). ACSIS Ltd continues to encourage a culture of risk management amongst its members, ensuring that both claims and premiums are kept at a minimum. Yearly audits of members to assure Quality Assurance are performed by ACSIS Ltd and Doherty Smith & Associates have achieved a Gold Rating.

What’s next?

Doherty Smith & Associates make every effort towards Continuous Improvement. We are implementing Sustainability and Transparency initiatives to ensure Customer Satisfaction and Quality Management Systems are sustained.