Module One Workplace Health and Safety.

Module One Workplace Health and Safety

Workplace Health and Safety
In this topic we will cover WHS Act 2011 and some of the more common terms WHS Policies and Procedures Health and Safety Representatives and Committees Identifying and Organising WHS Training Consulting and Resolving Issues Identifying, Reporting and Actioning Hazards Record Keeping

Does anyone know what Workplace Health and Safety is and why it is important. Quick Class Discussion about their understanding of what Workplace Health and Safety is.

The WHS Act 2011 is about providing a balanced and consistent framework to secure the health and safety of workers and workplaces. However, you will probably come across WHS information as part of your employment contract or staff induction. There may be policies, procedures that you are required to read and understand, a manual or an online learning module to complete. It is important that as a new staff member, you understand your rights and obligations under these policies and under the relevant legislation so that you can take responsibility for your own workplace health and safety and if the need arises, the workplace health and safety of other colleagues. The definition/purpose of Workplace Health and Safety according the WHS Act 2011 is: To provide for a balanced and nationally consistent framework to secure the health and safety of workers and workplaces by: protecting workers and other persons against harm to their health, safety and welfare through the elimination or minimisation of risks arising from work; and providing for fair and effective workplace representation, consultation, co‑operation and issue resolution in relation to work health and safety; and encouraging unions and employer organisations to take a constructive role in promoting improvements in work health and safety practices, and assisting persons conducting businesses or undertakings and workers to achieve a healthier and safer working environment; and promoting the provision of advice, information, education and training in relation to work health and safety; and securing compliance with this Act through effective and appropriate compliance and enforcement measures; and ensuring appropriate scrutiny and review of actions taken by persons exercising powers and performing functions under this Act; and providing a framework for continuous improvement and progressively higher standards of work health and safety; and maintaining and strengthening the national harmonisation of laws relating to work health and safety and to facilitate a consistent national approach to work health and safety in this jurisdiction. And …… regard must be had to the principle that workers and other persons should be given the highest level of protection against harm to their health, safety and welfare from hazards and risks arising from work as is reasonably practicable. The full WHS Act 2011 can be accessed through

So who is covered by the Act Anyone who works in any capacity including employees, contractors, self employed persons, trainees and more. It also covers visitors and customers that might visit a workplace. Coverage The WHS Act covers: People who carry out work in any capacity for a person conducting a business or undertaking including employees, contractors, subcontractors, self-employed persons, outworkers, apprentices and trainees, work experience students and volunteers who carry out work. Other people at a workplace like visitors and customers at a workplace. The WHS Act does not cover ‘volunteer associations’ who do not employ anyone. The aim of the Act is to provide all Australian workers with the same level of health and safety protection regardless of industry or location.

It should be noted that the term ‘health’ includes psychological health as well as physical health.

Commonly Used Terms P.C.B.U The P.C.B.U. ensures the health and safety of workers and other persons such as visitors. Code of Practice Codes of practice are practical guides used to support and demonstrate compliance. There are a number of terms used in the Act and in business which you may not be familiar with. To assist you in starting to understand this, we have listed some of the most common below with their definitions. Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) A Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking alone or with others, whether or not for profit or gain. A PCBU can be a sole trader, partner within a partnership, company, unincorporated association or government department of public authority (including a municipal council). WHS requires a PCBU to, so far as is reasonably practicable, ensure the health and safety of workers, or workers whose work activities it influences while they are at work in that business. The PCBU must also ensure the health and safety of other persons, such as visitors, is not put at risk by the activities of the business. Codes of Practice Codes of practice are practical guides used to support and demonstrate compliance. They address particular issues and do not cover all of the hazards or risks that may occur. They are developed through consultation between industry representatives, employers, workers, government agencies and professional associations. It is important to understand that being compliant with the code does not necessarily mean compliance with the Act or regulations. Information and examples of approved codes of practice in the states and territories can be found on the websites of the work health and safety regulators.

Worker and the Obligations of a Worker Any employee (either direct or indirect) Obligations of a Worker: Take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that their acts do not adversely affect the health and safety of other persons Comply and Cooperate with an reasonable instruction, policy or procedure given to them by the PCBU. Worker Any person who carries out work for a PCBU. WHS defines a “Worker” as: employees contractors sub-contractors employees of contractors or sub-contractors; outworkers employees of labour hire companies volunteers. WHS defines the word employer broadly because so much work is now done in businesses by people who are not direct employees. Workers who are not direct employees may well work for another business, which would also be a PCBU with the same duty to protect its workers. Obligations of a Worker Whilst the PCBU is responsible for the Duty of Care at the Workplace, Workers and other persons at a workplace, such as visitors, also have duties under the WHS law to: Take reasonable care for their own health and safety Take reasonable care that their acts or omissions do not adversely affect the health and safety of other persons Comply, so far as reasonably able, with any reasonable instruction that is given to them by the PCBU to allow the PCBU to comply with the law Cooperate with any reasonable policy or procedure of the PCBU relating to health or safety at the workplace that has been notified to workers

Consult with Workers A business must consult with its workers when making a WHS decision that could affect their health and safety. Consult with workers The business must consult with workers when the business makes a decision that could affect their health and safety. If the workers have chosen to elect health and safety representatives the business must involve those representatives in the consultation. Workers must be given the opportunity to express their views, raise work health and safety issues and contribute to the decision making process.

Health and Safety Committee A group of staff who facilitate cooperation between the PCBU and workers Health and Safety Representative A worker elected to represent by other workers to represent them on matters of health and safety.

You will hear this term used quite a bit
Workplace Health and Safety Reasonably Practicable What can be reasonably be done at a particular time to ensure health and safety measures are in place. In determining what is reasonably practicable, there is a requirement to weigh up all relevant points You will hear this term used quite a bit Reasonably Practicable The term ‘reasonably practicable’ means what could reasonably be done at a particular time to ensure health and safety measures are in place. In determining what is reasonably practicable, there is a requirement to weigh up all relevant matters including: the likelihood of a hazard or risk occurring the degree of harm that might result if the hazard or risk occurred what the person concerned knows, or ought to reasonably know, about the hazard or risk and ways of eliminating or minimising it the availability of suitable ways to eliminate or minimise the hazard or risk the cost of eliminating or minimising the hazard or risk Costs may only be considered after assessing the extent of the risk and the available ways of eliminating or minimising the risk. Ordinarily cost will not be the key factor in determining what it is reasonably practicable unless it can be shown to be ‘grossly disproportionate’ to the risk.

There are more terms in your Learning Resource and also from the Safework website.

WHS Policies and Procedures
Organisations must have WHS policies/procedures to support WHS Compliance. Should be based on legislation and codes of practice and the industry. Procedures should have information about steps to be followed to ensure compliance with requirements. Organisations develop policies and procedures to provide direction and guidelines to their workers about their responsibilities and requirements for WHS compliance. These policies and procedures should be based on the legislation, regulations and codes of practice that apply to the workplace and industry the organisation is operating within. Procedures should include detailed information about the actions or steps to be followed to ensure compliance with WHS requirements in the workplace.

WHS Policies and Procedures
Policies may cover: Hazard identification and reporting Risk Assessment and Control Processes Emergency and Evacuation Procedures PPE Requirements WHS Audits and Inspections WHS policies and procedures may address: Hazard identification, reporting and management Risk Assessment and Control Processes Emergency and evacuation procedures Incident investigation Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) requirements Arrangements for contracts and members of the public WHS Audits and Inspections The organisations policies and procedures should support WHS legislation. There are specific requirements, duties and procedures that apply to specific areas of work. Some regulations apply to all workplaces, while others apply to specific industries.

Health and Safety Representatives (HSR)
Represent the health and safety interests of the workers and liaise with the PCBU on their behalf May represent workers on a Health and Safety Committee Do not “fix” WHS issues Health and safety representatives (HSRs) are workers who represent the health and safety interests of workers within their workgroup for a PCBU. They play a vital role in the development and maintenance of the relationship between PCBUs and workers in relation to workplace health and safety issues. HSR’s do not “fix” any health and safety issues, nor are they expected to be an expert on issues or the legislation. As a HSR, if a Workplace Health and Safety issue was identified by a member of your workgroup, they would consult with you in the first instance, at which point you would consult with your PCBU. Effective consultation is a key part in this role, as there may be several people involved in the identification, assessment and resolution of an identified risk. Powers and Functions A HSR also promotes the health and safety of the workers in their work group, whilst effectively representing the interests of workers and contributing to WHS matters. Broadly a HSR can: Inspect the workplace of members of your work group if: there has been an incident or situation involving a serious risk to a person's health or safety from an immediate or imminent exposure to a hazard after giving the PCBU reasonable notice of the inspection. Make a request to the regulator, that an inspector attend a workplace and assist where a WHS issue has not been resolved after reasonable efforts. Accompany an inspector during an investigation. Represent the members of the work group in WHS. Initiating emergency stop work procedures (if trained). Issuing provisional improvement notices (PINs) (if trained). It is important to note that the WHS Act 2011 does not impose mandatory obligations or duties on HSRs. Your responsibilities As a HSR you should: Use your powers appropriately and only in relation to WHS matters. Make sure any action taken while exercising your powers is not taken with the intention of causing harm to the PCBU or to the organisation Represent members of your work group in a professional, timely and ethical manner.

Health and Safety Representatives
Health and Safety Representatives can undertake training to perform the role effectively. If you request to attend the training, you must be allowed to attend an approved WHS Representative Course. . Training Training in workplace health and safety is not mandatory. However, you are encouraged to avail of any training entitlement to make sure you have the skills and knowledge to perform your role effectively. Once trained you have the power to issue PINs and direct work to stop. If you make a request for HSR training you must be allowed to attend an approved course in WHS. You are entitled to attend an initial training course of five days then a one day refresher training course each year—the first refresher training starting one year after the initial training.

Health and Safety Committees
A Health and Safety Committee (HSC) is a forum for consultation on work health and safety issues. A committee enables PCBUs and worker representatives to meet and work co-operatively to improve work health and safety outcomes. .

Who should be on a Health and Safety Committee? What are the functions of a Health and Safety Committee? Who should be on a HSC? The membership of a HSC may be agreed between a PCBU and the workers at the workplace. At least half of the members of the HSC must be workers who have not been nominated by the PCBU. HSR’s are automatically members of the HSC unless they express a desire not to participate. There should also be the PCBU or representatives of the PCBU represented. These may also be senior staff on the committee who have expertise in company policy/procedures and are able to effect any decisions that are made at the meeting. Functions of a Health and Safety Committee The functions HSCs can perform are broad including consideration of the management of health and safety across the whole workforce. In this way, the activities of the HSC can complement the role of the HSRs, whose powers are usually limited to issues affecting their particular work group. HSC functions may include: facilitating co-operation between the PCBU and workers to instigate, develop and carry out measures to secure the work health and safety of workers assisting in developing health and safety standards, rules and procedures that will be followed or complied with at the workplace the formulation of agreed procedures and the committee’s own procedures analysing incident/hazard reports and making recommendations for corrective action examining health and safety audits assistance in the development of safe working procedures linking with workers’ compensation and return to work programs

Staff who attend HSC’s are entitled to their normal rate of pay
Health and Safety Committees To ensure Committees work well there are a number of details that should be decided prior to the formation of the committee such as: Meeting frequency and how long each meeting is Volume of Work and the nature of the industry Who chairs the meetings and takes and distributes minutes How decisions will be made Staff who attend HSC’s are entitled to their normal rate of pay Meetings HSCs must meet at least once every three months and also at any reasonable time when at least half of the HSC members makes a request. Members may want consider the following issues when deciding how often the committee should meet: the expected volume of work to be handled by the HSC the number of workers and composition of the workers at the workplace the nature of the work being carried out and relevant hazards in the workplace Reasonable time should be allowed during each meeting to ensure discussion of all business. The PCBU should ensure that work arrangements are such that all worker members of the HSC are able to attend during paid time. Any member of staff attending these meetings are entitled to their normal rate of pay as if they were undertaking their “normal” duties. The Committee can choose its own methods for organising and conducting meetings. It is recommended that the dates of the meetings be arranged well in advance and that all parties be given a copy of the dates. These dates should also be available to other staff. Every effort should be made to ensure scheduled meetings take place. Where postponement cannot be avoided, an agreed date for an alternative meeting should be made and announced as soon as possible. Some of the rules/conduct to consider in planning a HSC are: whether there will be a quorum for meetings who will chair the meeting who will take and issue the minutes of the meetings who will draw up and issue the agenda how long items will remain on the agenda processes by which decisions will be made.

Minutes should be made available to all staff so: Senior Management is kept informed of the work of the committee Other staff are aware of what is or might be happening in regards to WHS A copy of minutes for each meeting should be supplied as soon as possible after the meeting to each member of the HSC and a copy sent to each HSR for the work groups covered by the committee. A copy of the minutes should also be sent to the most senior executive responsible for work health and safety matters, and arrangements should be made to ensure that senior management is kept informed generally of the work of the committee. Copies of the notes or minutes should be displayed or made available by other means for the information of workers.

Health and Safety Committee members can access information about hazards in the workplace Health and Safety Committee members cannot have access to personal information about a worker without their consent. Health and Safety Committee members do not hold any legal obligations other than their duties as workers What information can a HSC member access? The PCBU must allow the HSC to access any information they have relating to: hazards (including associated risks) at the workplace the work health and safety of the workers at the workplace. However, the PCBU must not allow the HSC to have access to any personal or medical information concerning a worker without their consent, unless the information: does not identify the worker; and could not reasonably be expected to lead to the identification of the worker. Are members of a Health and Safety Committee have any legal obligations There are no additional duties imposed by the WHS Act on worker members (including HSRs) of the HSC, other than their duties as workers.

Training Staff in WHS Organising WHS Training for Other Staff Plan
Assess Set Objectives Best Method of Training At some point in your career, you may be required to organise WHS training for other staff as well as developing a WHS training plan. Training may be internal or external. For example, a new staff member will need to undertake internal training in general safety induction, emergency evacuation procedures, and have a walkthrough of where the fire extinguishers are located and how to complete an incident report. There may also be online WHS training modules required for completion. Current staff may have workstation ergonomic training/fire drills and refresher training on WHS in the organisation. An effective training program requires planning, which includes assessing the training needs of staff, setting objectives and working out the best methods in how to provide this training in line with specific organisational requirements and legislative requirements.

Identifying Training Needs Staff Matrix Hazard Assessment
Training Staff in WHS Identifying Training Needs Staff Matrix Hazard Assessment Survey the staff A WHS Audit (if required) There are a number of ways to identify training requirements which may include a: Training matrix to identify specific WHS requirements based on specific job descriptions. Hazard assessments. For example, ensuring staff are aware of safe manual handling techniques. A full WHS audit of the organisation. Consideration of training requirements should be carefully considered taking into account organisational consultative mechanisms and any hazards or risks

What you want to achieve What are the timeframes
Training Staff in WHS Take into account: What you want to achieve What are the timeframes What will be most effective How will it be monitored Any Language/Literacy requirements . When planning a program to cover training needs: Cover all training needs in your workplace (or work area) What you want to achieve and over what timeframe What sort of training will be most effective How it will be monitored and checked for effectiveness Any requirements for language and literacy needs of staff If you are unsure of what training may be required you may undertake a survey or your staff. This can be a simple questionnaire with a yes/no format. You could ask questions such as: Do you know the organisations process for reporting an incident? Do you know the emergency evacuation points in this office? Do you know where the First Aid Kit is located? Do you know of any hazards in the workplace which need addressing? Once you have distributed your survey and received your answers, you can use the results to start organise a training plan for gaps in staff training and developing training priorities and timeframes. The results should also be tabled at the WHS Committee Meeting to discuss with senior staff and discuss appropriate training and cost options. Training may be in house, external, one on one, or in groups, as decided. You may decide to have regular refresher training on some topics. Once the decision on training has been made, you will need to ensure that it is monitored for effectiveness. You can do this by having a training plan which keeps track of who has been trained in what. This will also ensure that future training activities can be identified as needed. Keeping records of your training also satisfies any legal requirements on record keeping.

A cost is not just money – take into account time away from usual work
Training Staff in WHS Costing the training Detail options/recommendations to management Make sure the training is workable for the business A cost is not just money – take into account time away from usual work Once all training needs have been identified and the learning opportunities have been arranged, it is necessary to report the associated costs to management. All training costs something. Even if there is no monetary cost, there is the cost of time. At a minimum, you will have the cost of your teams’ time in the training sessions. Usually, costs are complied with a written report that will include a list of training options and recommendations as well as any hidden costs (if known) and funding options (if available) that may be available. Details of costs for training your work team should be conveyed in a manner that is acceptable to your organisation and the needs of management. This information can then be included in the financial plan for the business. Depending upon your organisation’s policies, you may not actually have a separate budget for your work team. Some companies group budgets and costs at the managerial level, to make things easier on the accounting department.

All staff must be consulted on WHS changes that will affect them.
Consulting your staff All staff must be consulted on WHS changes that will affect them. Organisations need to have policies and procedures in place that ensure that consultation can take place Consultation (or communication) between all parties involved in WHS is imperative to ensure the smooth give and take of information. Consultation may be in response to a hazard or incident report put forward by a staff member or by the HSR and is required by law. Organisations should have relevant procedures for ensuring that consultation is part of the WHS decision making process. Consultation in relation to Workplace Health and Safety is required when: Hazards have been identified and decisions about how this risk is to be minimised or eliminated need to be made Decisions are being made about the adequacy of facilities for workers Changes in policy or process that will affect the WHS for workers are being discussed The law stipulates that employers must consult with workers in regards to health and safety issues at work. This allows workers to contribute to WHS decisions in their organisation. Decisions made in isolation, without the input of all concerned, are often inadequate because they do not meet the needs of every individual concerned. Consultation is about including all relevant people in discussion, planning and outcomes, and enabling everyone to contribute to the decision-making process within their organisation.

Consulting your staff Why do you think it is important for staff to be consulted in relation to a WHS issue GROUP DISCUSSION Team members are a valuable source of information regarding hazards, risks and WHS improvement opportunities for the work environment. Team members must feel confident in expressing their WHS concerns and ideas. This encourages constructive feedback and encourages participation, rather than just identifying problems. When team members see their contributions being acknowledged and addressed, they are more likely to participate actively. When all levels of staff work together on WHS issues, ultimately it creates a healthier and safer work culture.

Outcomes From Consultation
Not everyone may agree on a course of action. Disagreement may require a dispute resolution process. While organisations are obligated to provide a consultation process, this does not mean outcomes are always acceptable to team members. Disagreement may require a dispute resolution process to be implemented and followed. A HSR must follow organisational policies and procedures for documenting consultations. Documents must be clear, accurate, objective and precise

Get it approved and put it into action!
Resolving Issues Need an agreed timeframe to resolve the issue Address using organisation WHS policy/procedure Analyse the issue / come up with options and and discuss with others which strategy works best Get it approved and put it into action! Amend all relevant policies/procedures Make sure everyone is aware of the change Ensure that resolution/change can be reviewed. When an issue is raised at the consultative stage, it then needs to be dealt with. There must be an agreed timeframe to resolve the issue and it needs to be addressed using the organisations policies and procedures. The actions taken and the controls put in place will depend on the type of issue raised. At all times, all parties must follow the risk assessment and hazard management procedures for their organisation. When trying to solve a WHS issue some actions you may want to consider undertaking are: Analyse the issue and come up with a list of strategies to address the issue. After reviewing the strategies and after discussion with relevant staff, select a correct strategy Put it into action. This would include getting approval from appropriate management, amending relevant policies and procedures and ensuring that all staff are made aware of the resolution. Monitoring of action. It is important to monitor the outcome of any change to ensure that it has actually solved the issue. This may be done through being an agenda item for the WHS Committee and ensuring that any affected staff member is followed up. If it is discovered that the solution has not worked, the above process should be re-initiated. What if the issue is not resolved? If reasonable efforts have been made to resolve an issue and it remains unresolved, any party to the issue can ask for an inspector to assist at the workplace. There does not have to be agreement about whether reasonable efforts have been made to resolve the issue in order for an inspector to be requested. As long as one party considers that reasonable efforts have been made, an inspector can be requested. The inspector’s role is to assist in resolving the issue. An inspector could exercise any of their compliance powers under the WHS Act, including providing advice, investigating contraventions or issuing an improvement notice. At any time during the process or if a request to the regulator is made a worker is still entitled to exercise their right to cease work, or a HSR can issue a PIN or a direction to cease work

Resolving Issues If the issue has been resolved but the answer ultimately does not fix the initial problem – Start Again

Hazards/Risk and Risk Control
Situation or thing that has the potential to cause harm. Risk Could possibly cause harm if exposed to situation/thing Risk Control Actions the business takes to eliminate or reduce the Risk A hazard means a situation or thing that has the potential to harm a person. Hazards may include: noisy machinery, a moving forklift, chemicals, electricity, working at heights or a repetitive job at your workplace. It is worth noting that a hazard can also be psychological. A risk is the possibility that harm (death, injury or illness) might occur when exposed to a hazard in your workplace. Risk control means your business taking action to eliminate health and safety risks so far as is reasonably practicable, and if that is not possible, minimising the risks so far as is reasonably practicable. Eliminating a hazard will also eliminate any risks associated with that hazard in your workplace.

Hazards/Risk and Risk Control
Can you name some common workplace hazards you might find in the office and how could you minimise or eliminate their impact? Youtube Clips – Difference between Hazard and Risk (3 minutes) GROUP DISCUSSION Youtube Clip – WHS in the Office (3 minutes Some of the Common Hazards Eyestrain and eye irritation Most frequently reported by computer operators. It may result from improper lighting glare from the display screen poor positioning of the screen itself material that is difficult to read. Adjusting the physical and environmental conditions of a workspace can usually prevent the causes of eyestrain and irritation. As well as taking regular breaks from the screen to reduce strain on the eyes. Incorrect Use of Office Furniture One of the main health and safety hazards facing office workers is the incorrect use of office furniture such as chairs, footrests and accessories for a computer workstation. Damage to muscles, ligaments, tendons, joints and nerves may occur. This can result in conditions such as carpel tunnel syndrome and other related conditions. Sitting with bad posture at your computer can also lead to initially discomfort, then fatigue, pain and possibly long-term injury. Your workstation should be set up to suit the tasks you are doing and to help with your posture. Below is an example of correct posture for sitting at your computer It is also important to ensure that you take regular breaks from your computer. See below for some exercises you can do at your desk to help give your body a break. Manual handling Manual handling is any activity that requires you to lift, lower, push, pull, move, hold or restrain an object. For example, in an office you may: lift or lower a box of photocopying paper pull open a heavy drawer hold a pile of files in your arms restrain a door from shutting It is important to ensure that you are aware of the correct techniques for any manual handling activity. When about to undertake an activity that involves manual handling, you may want to mentally analyse, assess and modify your actions to ensure that the activity put a minimum amount of strain on your body. Other common hazards include: Extremes of temperature Poor or inadequate lighting Slip, trip and fall hazards Fire hazards Chemical hazards Stress hazards Contagious illness spread by sick workers Incident reports comprise two aspects. First, there is the actual reporting of any particular incident (this may be something affecting you or other staff members), and the relevant corrective action taken. Secondly, information from incident reports is analysed to identify overall improvements in the workplace or service. You should be familiar with, and follow, incident reporting procedures in your workplace. The following tips are provided to help this process.

Incident Reporting Responsibility of all staff in the event of an incident. Complete an incident report as soon as possible after the event Two aspects to an incident report: Reporting of the incident Information is used for continuous improvements Incident reporting is the responsibility of all team members. It is important to ensure that prompt reporting of an incident, as well as appropriate corrective action, take place. You should therefore understand that the requirement of incident reporting in your workplace should result in improvements in your environment. Incident reports comprise two aspects. First, there is the actual reporting of any particular incident (this may be something affecting you or other staff members), and the relevant corrective action taken. Secondly, information from incident reports is analysed to identify overall improvements in the workplace or service. You should be familiar with, and follow, incident reporting procedures in your workplace.

Incident Reporting So what should be included in an incident report.
Name of people affected and any witnesses Where and when the incident occurred The events surrounding event Whether there were any injuries The response and corrective measures What is included in an incident report? The name of the person(s) affected and the names of any witnesses to an incident Where and when the incident occurred The events surrounding the incident Whether an injury occurred as a direct result of the incident The response and corrective measures that were taken It should be signed and dated prior to handing it in to the appropriate person, such as a supervisor.

Incident Reporting When reporting an incident: Use objective language
Write only what you saw – don’t make assumptions about what occurred Make sure you submit the report as soon as possible You should keep the following points in mind when documenting an incident: Use objective language Write what was witnessed and avoid assigning blame; write only what you witnessed and do not make assumptions about what occurred. Have the affected person or witnesses tell you what happened and use direct quotations Ensure that anyone else person who witnessed the event writes a report Report in a timely manner Complete your report as soon as the incident occurs, or as soon as is feasible afterwards. Never try to cover up or hide a mistake!

Incident Reporting What sort of situations should be reported? Any injuries (mental or physical) Any act of aggression Faulty equipment or product failure Any incident in which safety is comprised What situations should be reported? Examples include: Injuries – physical such as falls, or mental such as verbal abuse Complaints, or any episodes of aggression Faulty equipment or product failure Any incident in which safety is compromised

Identifying a Hazard Does the environment enable workers to carry out their jobs with risks to their safety. Are all tools and equipment suitable and are staff trained in their use. Are they appropriately maintained? You can identify a hazard through a number of ways, although the most common would be a walkthrough of the workplace. This can be assisted by the use of a hazard checklist which should be developed in consultation with all employees to suit the workplace. If you find a situation where there is immediate or significant danger to people, move those persons to a safer location first and attend to the hazard urgently. This might include looking at the way a persons’ desk is set up, how photocopy pallets are moved or the glare from a computer. Hazards are not always obvious. Some hazards can affect health over a long period of time or may result in stress (such as bullying) or fatigue (such as shiftwork). It could also include issues such as work procedures. In some cases, a walkthrough may identify straightforward issues which require a degree of risk control or staff not following the proper procedures. In this case action can be taken with delay to eliminate or control the risk. Ask your co-workers about any health and safety problems they have encountered in doing their work and any near misses or incidents that have not been reported. Analyse your records of health monitoring, workplace incidents, near misses, worker complaints, sick leave and the results of any inspections and investigations to identify hazards. If someone has been hurt doing a particular task, then a hazard exists that could hurt someone else. These incidents need to be investigated to find the hazard that caused the injury or illness. Look at how people actually work, what safe or unsafe work practices exist as well as the general state of housekeeping. Things to look out for include the following: Does the work environment enable workers to carry out work without risks to health and safety (for example, space for unobstructed movement, adequate ventilation, lighting)? How suitable are the tools and equipment for the task and how well are they maintained? Have any changes occurred in the workplace which may affect health and safety? When you have identified a hazard, this needs to be risk assessed and based on the outcome of this assessment, controls put in place to reduce or eliminate the risk. It will also need to be monitored for effectiveness.

Assessing Risk What might happen if someone is exposed to a hazard and is it likely to occur. Risk Assessment How severe is the risk Are existing controls working Is this urgent A risk assessment involves considering what could happen if someone is exposed to a hazard and the likelihood of it happening. A risk assessment can help you determine: how severe a risk is whether any existing control measures are effective what action you should take to control the risk how urgently the action needs to be taken. A risk assessment can be undertaken with varying degrees of detail depending on the type of hazards and the information, data and resources that you have available. It can be as simple as a discussion with your workers or involve specific risk analysis tools and techniques recommended by safety professionals. When should a risk assessment be carried out? A risk assessment should be done when: there is uncertainty about how a hazard may result in injury or illness the work activity involves a number of different hazards and there is a lack of understanding about how the hazards may interact with each other to produce new or greater risks changes at the workplace occur that may impact on the effectiveness of control measures. A risk assessment is not necessary in the following situations: Legislation requires some hazards or risks to be controlled in a specific way – these requirements must be complied with. A code of practice or other guidance sets out a way of controlling a hazard or risk that is applicable to your situation and you choose to use the recommended controls. In these instances, the guidance can be followed. There are well-known and effective controls that are in use in the particular industry, that are suited to the circumstances in your workplace. These controls can simply be implemented.

Assessing Risk To estimate the severity of a hazard consider:
What type of harm could ensue How many people could be affected the hazard Could one hazard lead to more hazards (escalation of the problem) How to do a risk assessment All hazards have the potential to cause different types and severities of harm, ranging from minor discomfort to a serious injury or death. To estimate the severity of a hazard, you could consider the following: What type of harm could occur (e.g. muscular strain, fatigue, burns, laceration)? How severe is the harm? Could the hazard cause death, serious injuries, illness or only minor injuries requiring first aid? What factors could influence the severity of harm that occurs? For example, the distance someone might fall or the concentration of a particular substance will determine the level of harm that is possible. The harm may occur immediately something goes wrong (e.g. injury from a fall) or it may take time for it to become apparent (e.g. illness from long-term exposure to a substance). How many people are exposed to the hazard and how many could be harmed in and outside your workplace? Could one failure lead to other failures? For example, could the failure of your electrical supply make any control measures that rely on electricity ineffective? Could a small event escalate to a much larger event with more serious consequences? In thinking about how each hazard may cause harm, you should consider the effectiveness of any existing control measure, how work is actually done as opposed to what is written in a procedure (if applicable) and whether the situation/hazard is a frequent/infrequent event.

Is harm likely to occur from the hazard
Assessing Risk Is harm likely to occur from the hazard Is the task performed often How often are people near the hazard Has there been any near misses before Rating the likelihood Certain to Occur / Very Likely Possible Unlikely /Rare Is harm from the hazard likely to occur. Based on the answers you might give above, you then need to assess the likelihood of an incident occurring. How often is the task done? Does this make the harm more or less likely? How often are people near the hazard? How close do people get to it? Has it ever happened before, either in your workplace or somewhere else? You can rate the likelihood as one of the following: Certain to occur - expected to occur in most circumstances Very likely - will probably occur in most circumstances Possible – might occur occasionally Unlikely – could happen at some time Rare – may happen only in exceptional circumstances Obviously, the level of risk will increase as the likelihood of harm and its severity increases.

Controlling Risk /Hierarchy of Risk Control
Controlling Risk by ranking from the highest level of protection and reliability to the lowest. Eliminate the Hazard – highest Reduce the Hazard – second Reduce Exposure - last The most important step in managing risks involves eliminating them so far as is reasonably practicable, or if that is not possible, minimising the risks so far as is reasonably practicable. In deciding how to control risks you must consult your workers and their representatives who will be directly affected by this decision. Their experience will help you choose appropriate control measures and their involvement will increase the level of acceptance of any changes that may be needed to the way they do their job. There are many ways to control risks. Some control measures are more effective than others. You must consider various control options and choose the control that most effectively eliminates the hazard or minimises the risk in the circumstances. This may involve a single control measure or a combination of different controls that together provide the highest level of protection that is reasonably practicable. Some problems can be fixed easily and should be done straight away, while others will need more effort and planning to resolve. Of those requiring more effort, you should prioritise areas for action, focusing first on those hazards with the highest level of risk. The ways of controlling risks are ranked from the highest level of protection and reliability to the lowest as shown below. This ranking is known as the hierarchy of risk control. The WHS Regulations require duty holders to work through this hierarchy when managing risk under the WHS Regulations. You must always aim to eliminate a hazard, which is the most effective control. If this is not reasonably practicable, you must minimise the risk by working through the other alternatives in the hierarchy. Eliminate the Hazard The most effective control measure involves eliminating the hazard and associated risk. The best way to do this is by, firstly, not introducing the hazard into the workplace. Eliminating hazards is often cheaper and more practical to achieve at the design or planning stage of a product, process or place used for work. In these early phases, there is greater scope to design out hazards or incorporate risk control measures that are compatible with the original design and functional requirements. You can also eliminate risks by removing the hazard completely, for example, by removing trip hazards on the floor or disposing of unwanted chemicals. It may not be possible to eliminate a hazard if doing so means that you cannot make the end product or deliver the service. If you cannot eliminate the hazard, then eliminate as many of the risks associated with the hazard as possible. Minimise the Hazard If it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate the hazards and associated risks, you should minimise the risks using one or more of the following approaches: Substitute the hazard with something safer Isolate the hazard from people This involves physically separating the source of harm from people by distance or using barriers. Use engineering controls An engineering control is a control measure that is physical in nature, including a mechanical device or process. Reduce Exposure These control measures do not control the hazard at the source. They rely on human behaviour and supervision, and used on their own, tend to be least effective in minimising risks. Two approaches to reduce risk in this way are: Use administrative controls Administrative controls are work methods or procedures that are designed to minimise exposure to a hazard. Use personal protective equipment (PPE) Examples of PPE include ear muffs, respirators, face masks, hard hats, gloves, aprons and protective eyewear. PPE limits exposure to the harmful effects of a hazard but only if workers wear and use the PPE correctly. Administrative controls and PPE should only be used: when there are no other practical control measures available (as a last resort) as an interim measure until a more effective way of controlling the risk can be used to supplement higher level control measures (as a back-up).

Control Measures Cost is one of the factors to consider (time and money) when developing and implementing a control measure However, cost cannot be used as a reason for doing nothing. If two measures are equally reliable, the less expensive option can be chosen. Cost of control measures All risks can be controlled and it is always possible to do something, such as stopping the activity or providing instructions to those exposed to the risk. There will normally be a number of different options between these two extremes. Cost (in terms of time and effort as well as money) is just one factor to consider when determining the best control option. The cost of controlling a risk may be taken into account in determining what is reasonably practicable, but cannot be used as a reason for doing nothing. If two control measures provide the same levels of protection and are equally reliable, you can adopt the least expensive option. Cost cannot be used as a reason for adopting controls that rely exclusively on changing people’s behaviour or actions when there are more effective controls available that can change the risk through substitution, engineering or isolation.

Implementing Control Measures
Implementing a control measure may change the way people work. You must support any change with: Amended work procedures Training if required Supervision as required Implementing controls The control measures that you put into operation will usually require changes to the way work is carried out due to new or modified processes. In these situations, it is usually necessary to support the control measures with: Work procedures Develop a safe work procedure that describes the task, identifies the hazards and documents how the task is to be performed to minimise the risks. Training, instruction and information Train your workers in the work procedure to ensure that they are able to perform the task safely. Training should require workers to demonstrate that they are competent in performing the task according to the procedure. It is insufficient to simply give a worker the procedure and ask them to acknowledge that they understand and are able to perform it. Training, instruction and information must be provided in a form that can be understood by all workers. Information and instruction may also need to be provided to others who enter the workplace, such as customers or visitors. Supervision The level of supervision required will depend on the level of risk and the experience of the workers involved. High levels of supervision are necessary where inexperienced workers are expected to follow new procedures or carry out difficult and critical tasks. You may prepare a risk register that identifies the hazard and the action and who is responsible for ensuring measures are taken.

Effectiveness of Control Measures
Monitor the control measures in place by: Ensuring accountability of all staff Training for existing and new workers Review and consultation about the control put in place. The following actions may help you monitor the control measures you have implemented and ensure that they remain effective. Accountability for health and safety. Accountability should be clearly allocated to ensure procedures are followed and maintained. Managers and supervisors should be provided with the authority and resources to implement and maintain control measures effectively. Up-to-date training. Control measures, particularly lower level controls, depend on all workers and supervisors having the appropriate competencies to do the job safely. Training should be provided to maintain competencies and to ensure new workers are capable of working safely. Up-to-date hazard information. Changes to operating conditions or the way activities are carried out may also mean that control measures need to be updated. Regular review and consultation. Control measures are more effective where there is regular review of work procedures and consultation with your workers and their representatives.

Review of Control Measures
Is the new Control working? A review is required if: the control measure is not working as expected It has introduced a new, unexpected hazard If a HSR requests a review How to Review Controls The control measures that you put in place should be reviewed regularly to make sure they work as planned. There are certain situations where you must review your control measures under the WHS Regulations and, if necessary, revise them. A review is required: when the control measure is not effective in controlling the risk before a change at the workplace that is likely to give rise to a new or different health and safety risk that the control measure may not effectively control if a new hazard or risk is identified if the results of consultation indicate that a review is necessary if a health and safety representative requests a review. You may use the same methods as in the initial hazard identification step to check controls. Consult your workers and their health and safety representatives and consider the following questions: Are the control measures working effectively in both their design and operation? Have the control measures introduced new problems? Have all hazards been identified? Have new work methods, new equipment or chemicals made the job safer? Are safety procedures being followed? Has instruction and training provided to workers on how to work safely been successful? Are workers actively involved in identifying hazards and possible control measures? Are they openly raising health and safety concerns and reporting problems promptly? Is the frequency and severity of health and safety incidents reducing over time? If new legislation or new information becomes available, does it indicate current controls may no longer be the most effective? If problems are found, go back through the risk management steps, review your information and make further decisions about risk control. Priority for review should be based on the seriousness of the risk. Control measures for serious risks should be reviewed more frequently.

Keeping Records Why Keep Records of your WHS Activities?
Compliance with WHS Act and Regulations Demonstrates consultation Demonstrates how decisions have been bought about Assists in training requirements Assists in the development of safe work procedures Keeping Records Keeping records of the risk management process demonstrates potential compliance with the WHS Act and Regulations. It also helps when undertaking subsequent risk assessments. Keeping records of the risk management process has the following benefits. It: allows you to demonstrate how decisions about controlling risks were made assists in targeting training at key hazards provides a basis for preparing safe work procedures allows you to more easily review risks following any changes to legislation or business activities demonstrates to others that work health and safety risks are being managed. The detail and extent of recording will depend on the size of your workplace and the potential for major work health and safety issues. It is useful to keep information on: the identified hazards, assessed risks and chosen control measures (including any hazard checklists, worksheets and assessment tools used in working through the risk management process) how and when the control measures were implemented, monitored and reviewed who you consulted with relevant training records any plans for changes. You should ensure that everyone in your workplace is aware of record-keeping requirements, including which records are accessible and where they are kept.

Class Activity - Hazards

End of Day General Discussion and Questions About What was Covered Today

End of Day HOMEWORK: Homework –

Module One Workplace Health and Safety.

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Module One Workplace Health and Safety.

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