2. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY Introduction

3. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY ACT 2001 Outlines the duties of workplace parties and includes a framework for participatory decision making on health and safety

4. AIMS (s2) Secure the health, safety & welfare of employees and other persons at work Eliminate, at the source, risks to health, safety and welfare of employees and other persons at work Ensure that the health & safety of members of the public is not placed at risk Provide for the involvement of employees, employers and organisations representing those persons in the formulation and implementation of health, safety and welfare standards

5. DEFINITION OF HEALTH The term health as referred to in the Act refers to psychological health as well as physical health

6. CONCEPT OF ENSURING HEALTH & SAFETY (s20) part 3 The general OHS duties require, in most instances, to ensure health and safety so far as is reasonably practicable. This requires the person: To eliminate risk to health & safety so far as reasonably practicable; and If not reasonably practicable to eliminate risks, to reduce those risks as far as reasonably practicable

7. REASONABLY PRACTICABLE (s20) The likelihood of a hazard or risk occurring The degree of harm that would result if the hazard or risk occurred What the person concerned knows, or ought reasonably know, about the hazard or risk and any ways of eliminating or reducing that hazard or risk The availability or suitability of ways to eliminate or reduce the hazard or risk; and The cost of eliminating or reducing the hazard or risk

8. WHO IS COVERED BY THE ACT? (s5-6) Employees (not volunteers) Contractors Sub-contractors Outworkers General public Except Commonwealth Government employees

9. DUTIES OF EMPLOYEES (s25) Must take reasonable care for their own safety & the safety of others who may be affected by their actions or omissions They must co-operate with any actions taken by their employer to comply with the Act They must not intentionally or recklessly interfere with or misuse anything provided at the workplace in the interests of health, safety and welfare

10. DUTIES OF EMPLOYEES Cont Employees are required to: Use equipment provided for health and safety purposes Follow instructions and training related to health and safety provided by the employer Comply with heath and safety policies of the work place Report any situation at the workplace which they believe is hazardous

11. DUTIES OF EMPLOYERS (s21) The law requires employers to provide and maintain: A safe working environment Safe systems of work Equipment in a safe condition

12. DUTY OF EMPLOYERS Cont (s21) The law requires employers to provide: Information, instruction, training and supervision to ensure that each employee is safe from injury and risk to health

13. DUTY OF EMPLOYERS Employers who fail in their duty of care can face substantial fines

14. DUTIES OF THOSE WHO MANAGE OR CONTROL WORKPLACES (s26) Any person or body that manages or controls a workplace, to any extent, must ensure that the workplace, including entering and exiting the workplace, is safe and without risk to health. This duty is limited to matters over which the person has management or control

15. DESIGNATED WORK GROUPS (s43-46) A designated group of employees established under Division 1 or 2 of Part 7 of the Act

16. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY REPRESENTATIVE (s54-55) An Occupational Health & Safety Representative is the health and safety representative for a designated work group who has been elected and holds office for a maximum period of three years.

17. EMPLOYERS DUTY TO CONSULT From January 2006 employers are required to consult their employees as far as reasonably practicable on matters of health, safety and welfare.

18. HAZARDS A hazard is the potential for an agent or process to do harm.

19. RISK Risk is the likelihood that an agent will cause injury or disease under specified conditions

20. COPYING EQUIPMENT Photocopiers Laser printers Plan printing machines Facsimiles Spirit duplicators

21. HEALTH HAZARDS Ozone - photocopiers Selenium & cadmium - photocopiers Black carbon - toner materials Physical factors – Light Heat Noise

22. PREVENTION & CONTROL OF HAZARDS The majority of these hazards can be satisfactorily controlled by: Adequate ventilation Correct maintenance on equipment Applying ergonomic design principles Exercising caution when using equipment

23. MANUAL HANDLING Manual handling covers lifting, pushing, pulling, holding, throwing, and carrying. It includes repetitive tasks such as packing, typing, assembling, cleaning and sorting, using hand tools, and operating machinery and equipment.

24. WHAT TYPE OF INJURIES CAN RESULT FROM MANUAL HANDLING? Unsafe handling may cause injuries such as: Muscle sprains and strains Injuries to muscles, ligaments, intervertebral discs and other structures in the back Injuries to soft tissues such as nerves, ligaments and tendons in the wrist, arms, shoulders, neck or legs Abdominal hernias Chronic pain

25. WHAT IS HAZARDOUS MANUAL HANDLING? Hazardous manual handling means; Manual handling that involves any of the following: Repetitive or sustained application of force Repetitive or sustained awkward posture Repetitive or sustained movement Application of high force Exposure to sustained vibration

26. WHAT IS HAZARDOUS MANUAL HANDLING? Continued Manual handling of live people or animals Manual handling of loads that are unstable, unbalanced or difficult to hold

27. IDENTIFY HAZARDOUS MANUAL HANDLING Identify risk Assess the risk Control the risk Check that controls are working properly

28. IDENTIFY RISK Check for tasks that could cause musculoskeletal disorders (an injury, illness or disease that arises in whole or in part from manual handling in the workplace).

29. ASSESS RISK Posture Movements Forces Duration and frequency Environmental factors

30. CONTROL RISK Eliminate or reduce risk by: Altering the workplace or environmental conditions Alter the system of work Changing the objects used Using mechanical aids Providing information, training and instruction (if the above are not practicable)

31. CHECK THE CONTROLS ARE WORKING PROPERLY Ensure that the steps put in place are being followed and that they are eliminating or reducing the risk

32. HAZARDOUS MATERIALS There are international safety signs and hazard warning signs Students look at Worksafe Hazchem Safety Card as an example of these

33. VICTORIA UNIVERSITY STAFF EMERGENCY PROCEDURES Teacher to go over overhead for Emergency Procedures at their Campus Emergency Procedures signs are found in every room