Occupational Health and Safety Code of Practice 2008 Compliance Assistance

Codes of Practice How many of you have a complete set of the previous 27 codes in your workplace including the associated Australian Standards?

Codes of Practice How many of you find it hard to have to source information from over 50 documents including more than 2800 pages?

Codes of Practice How many of you would like to be able to access all the codes in one document?

Occupational Health and Safety Code of Practice 2008 Here it is!

Occupational Health and Safety Code of Practice 2008 How does this new code fit into the legislative framework? What was changed and why? What is in the new code? What are the major changes?

The Framework Law The OHS Act Legislative instruments Regulations Approved codes of practice Guidance Comcare SRC guidance material Other guidance Mandatory – must follow Compliance - mandated unless the same or better safety outcomes are achieved No legal status

How our framework operates (legislation) Occupational Health and Safety Act 1991 Provides the legislative basis for our OHS framework

How our framework operates (regulations) The Regulations Safety Arrangements regulations –HSR Election process –investigators and statutory notices –details about incident notification Safety Standards regulations –Covers general requirements for hazard identification, risk assessment and risk controls for high risk areas.

How our framework operates (codes of practice and guidance material) Approved codes of practice Provides employers with practical guidance on how to meet their OHS obligations Guidance material Guidance Material (issued by Comcare or SRCC) Other guidance (issued by others)

The Review There were 27 codes which in some cases: were too prescriptive duplicated other regulations and legislation did not support the amendments to the regulations were out of date were not written in plain English.

What happened to the old codes? There are 8 previous codes not proposed to be included in the 2008 Code. Guidance may be issued in regard to some of the issues. –Interior Lighting –Visual Display Units VDU –Chemical database for emergency services –Transport of Dangerous Goods –Non Ionizing Radiation –Ionizing Radiation –OHS Competency Standards for the Operation of load Shifting Equipment and other Types of Specified Equipment –Workplace Injury and Disease Recording

Which codes are current? Noise Storage and Handling of Dangerous Goods Control of Work-related Exposure to Hepatitis and HIV viruses in the Australian Government Employment

The new code is: Easier to read and follow Contains guidance on areas previously excluded Only refers to AS/NZ Standards where necessary for technical matters Allows flexibility in achieving compliance. The aim of the New Code

The Occupational Health and Safety Code of Practice 2008 The new code consists of 25 parts 18 parts of previous codes redrafted 7 parts address new hazards Note: 4 of these 25 are still under development

What the Code will do for you. This new code will provide you as duty holders: efficient support to the Act and the regulations guidance which is relevant, practical, effective reduce legislative burden without reducing safety standards a holistic approach to safety allows flexibility in achieving compliance.

The New Code PartTitleStatus 1Risk ManagementNew code 2First AidRedrafted 3NoiseRedrafted 4 *Manual Tasks (under development)Redrafted 5VibrationRedrafted 6Human Immunodeficiency and Hepatitis B& CRedrafted 7Confined SpacesRedrafted 8Indoor Air QualityRedrafted 9Safety In LaboratoriesRedrafted 10 *Asbestos in situ (under development)Redrafted 11Dangerous GoodsRedrafted 12Hazardous SubstancesRedrafted

The New Code PartTitleStatus 13Synthetic Mineral FibresRedrafted 14Vinyl ChlorideRedrafted 15Carcinogenic SubstancesRedrafted 16Timber PreservativesRedrafted 17Inorganic LeadRedrafted 18Ethylene OxideRedrafted 19Ultraviolet Radiation in SunlightRedrafted 20Diving WorkNew code 21Spray paintingNew code 22Abrasive BlastingNew code 23 #Construction Induction Training (under development)New code 24 #Falls in Construction (under development)New code 25Cash in transitNew Code

Group Exercise Question 1. Which parts of the code may apply to those at your table?

Part 1 – Risk Management The purpose of this Part is to provide practical guidance to: –identify hazards –assess the risk –implement risk control measures in the workplace –monitor and review.

Risk Management Process Hazard identification Risk assessment Implement Risk control measures –The hierarchy of controls Elimination Substitution / Modification Isolation Engineering Administrative PPE Review effectiveness

Risk Matrix From the CodeFrom another organisation

Part 2 – First Aid Practical guidance for employers and employees on how to meet their duty of care under the Act. Specifically, it deals with the provision of appropriate first aid services to the employer’s employees as required under subsection 16(5) (c) of the Act.

Some of the major changes to this code are: Minimum standards for workplaces Risk Management approach to high risk hazards The addition of First Aid Policies and procedures The removal of the Risk Management approach and Deemed to Comply approach. Part 2 – First Aid - Changes

Questions

Group Exercise Question 2. What may need be to considered when applying this code to your workplace? –eg. Procedures, resources, consultation…

How can Comcare help? OHS General enquires –Internet: –Phone: –

Summary The Occupational Health and Safety Code of Practice 2008: allows flexibility in achieving compliance is easier to read and follow is less prescriptive is written in plain English is practical.