CBD College

BSB41415 Certificate IV in

Work Health and Safety

(from the BSB07 Training Package)

STUDENT WORKBOOK

NOTE TO WHS (ONLINE ONLY) STUDENTS: ONLY COMPLETE THE ACTIVITIES REFERRED TO IN THE PRESENTATION SLIDES AND PLEASE DISREGARD QUESTIONS REGARDING MOVIES - THESE ARE FOR CLASS-BASED STUDENTS ONLY. THE QUESTIONS IN THIS STUDENT WORKBOOK ARE NOT ASSESSABLE BUT DESIGNED TO HELP IN YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE TOPICS

CONTENTS

Weekly Timetable3

The Scenario4

Section 1. Legislation/OHSMS/WHSMS7

Section 2. Consultation25

Contractor Arrangements31

Section 3. Hazards/Controls37

Section 4. Emergency Procedures49

Section 5 . Responding to Incidents57

Student Portal68

OHS/WHS

Please note that where this student guide references OHS, this abbreviation is now also acceptably referred to as WHS (Work Health and Safety)

NOTE TO WHS (ONLINE ONLY) STUDENTS: ONLY COMPLETE THE ACTIVITIES REFERRED TO IN THE PRESENTATION SLIDES AND PLEASE DISREGARD QUESTIONS REGARDING MOVIES - THESE ARE FOR CLASS-BASED STUDENTS ONLY. THE QUESTIONS IN THIS STUDENT WORKBOOK ARE NOT ASSESSABLE B

Class Based Timetable: Certificate IV Work Health and Safety

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Introduction and Overview

Course Revision

Course

Revision

Course Revision

Course Revision

Legislation

Consultation

Hazard Identification

Emergency Procedures

Investigate Incidents

Morning Break

Legislation

Consultation

Hazard Identification

Emergency Procedures

Investigate Incidents

Lunch

WHSMS/ OHSMS

Contract Arrangements

Hazard Identification

Emergency Procedures

Investigate Incidents

Afternoon Break

Course Conclusion and Assessment

WHSMS/ OHSMS

Contract Arrangements

Hazard Identification

Emergency Procedures

Wrap-up

Finish

Note: Any changes to timetable will be advised ASAP.

You will use this scenario throughout the course.

ABC STEEL ENGINEERING

ABC Steel Engineering is a steel fabricating company located on the edge of the city. They specialise in fabrication of steel products for the agricultural, construction and mining sectors as well as for the housing industry. They also make made-to-order pieces of equipment and machinery. They operate from a very large purpose-built facility with three factory workshops and employ about 100 employees.ABC processes include:

* design

* plate rolling & machining

* hole punching, cropping & drilling

* guillotining

* marking & saw cutting

* plasma cutting

* MIG, TIG and arc welding

* structural fabrication

* industrial metalwork

* stainless steelwork

* light fabrication

* abrasive blast cleaning & priming

* finishing services (galvanising, electroplating, powder coating & paint)

They work with all forms of metal products including beams, columns & lintels, angles, squares & rounds, pipes, SHS (square hollow sections) & RHS (rectangular hollow sections), flat bars & plates, grating & mesh produced from mild steel, stainless steel, and aluminium and are adept at producing high quality products including large projects (such as, hoppers and silos, gantries, platforms) or smaller projects (such as, security grills, handrails, brackets, ladders and gates).

The majority of plant and equipment in use at ABC Steel engineering is adequate although some pieces are in need of maintenance. Examples of plant and equipment in use included:

* crane with 25 tonne lifting capacity

* guillotine, punches, profile cutters, milling machines

* folder

* 150 tonne press

* heavy duty rollers

* bandsaw

* all other equipment needed for steel fabrication

At times the company travels to off-site projects and take their own equipment with them which can include:

* mobile workshop

* scaffolding

* forklift

* mobile crane 11 tonne

* Elevated work platform (EWP)

* lifting equipment and rigging equipment

* container for storage

ABC Steel has been in business for about ten years and in that time they have seen their company grow both professionally and financially. They have a good rapport with most workers and a lot of them are long standing employees. They have just taken on 10 immigrant workers who are new to the country. These workers tend to stick to themselves and do not speak much English although their job skills are good and they are quick to learn by watching others.

One area of the business that needs attention is work health and safety. ABC Steel has had their share of incidents both minor and serious over the years and given the nature and hazards associated with the work it is surprising that injury rates have not been higher.

You have been employed as a WHS assistant to help assist with the establishment of a WHS management system for the company and to evaluate the overall needs in relation to workplace health and safety.

At this point in time there is a lack of understanding of WHS legislation. A WHS policy is in place but has not been integrated into work practices, workplace safe operational procedures are few and far between and injuries and incidents are only recorded if there is a compensation claim made.

As well as rectifying the problems outlined above, you will also be required to; assist with effective WHS management of contractors; collect and evaluate workplace hazardous conditions; investigate causative events and file reports on any serious incidents that may occur as well as develop a workplace safety alert.

As WHS assistant, your duties also include help with producing comprehensive action plans, reports that outline major areas of concerns as well as your recommendations to help get ABC Steel back on track with its health and safety obligations.

On the following page is an organisational chart of ABC Steel’s major stakeholders with position titles.

For an interactive overview of a typical metal fabrication facility click on the link below

http://www.worksafeform.com/mf-guidance/mf-guidance.html

V11.4 Reviewed 10.04.15, BSB41415 Cert IV WHS © CBD College Pty Ltd Student Workbook Page 1

ABC STEEL ORGANISATIONAL CHART

Section 1. Legislation/WHSMS

Required reading for this unit:

CBD College Course E – Book Chapter 1 Health and Safety Legislation Pages 2 -58 and

Chapter 3 A Systematic Approach To Managing Health And Safety pages 102 - 120

Scenario – additional informationThere has been a workplace incident at ABC Steel where an employee has collapsed due to inhaling toxic fumes from the pickling chemical used in finishing stainless steel products. A supervisor had insisted that the work be performed as fast as possible and so the employee has rushed the job and not bothered to wear the correct PPE. The employee became dizzy and then unconscious and was attended to by a fellow employee until emergency services arrived. The employee was then rushed to hospital and will be away from work to rehabilitate for some time. Obviously this has shaken management and workers and all are concerned that it doesn’t happen again. The company has decided to update their WHS/OHS knowledge and have asked you to investigate which legislation is relevant to this situation and how they can comply in the future.

Common Law/Statute Law

There are two types of law that apply to WHS laws. These are called common law and statute law.

Common law has evolved through civil actions when one party takes another party to court because they believe they have been wronged.

Statute law is developed through the process of government. This includes Acts and regulations. Statute laws are enforceable and prosecution may result if breaches occur.

Duty of Care

Duty of care is a concept that can be considered the cornerstone of all modern WHS practice. It covers all parties and their responsibilities that are connected with a workplace or work environment. Duty of care can be expressed as “something that is owed by one person to another person”.

The concept of duty of care has been adapted into WHS legislation (statute law) and can be especially noted in Duties of Employers and Duties of Workers.

However, duty of care is specifically covered by common law. Before legal action can be taken, damage to a person or property must have already taken place.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WHS LEGISLATION

Acts and Regulations – Include WHS/OHS Act/Regulations as well as Compensation Act/Regulations and Dangerous Goods Acts (in Victoria & WA) and regulations are passed in Parliament and are legally enforceable in a court under statute law.The Acts provide the overriding key principles, duties and rights while the regulations specify the ways duties imposed by the Act must be performed, or prescribe procedural or administrative matters to support the Act, such as requiring licenses for specific activities, keeping records, or notifying certain matters. Regulations are used to establish minimum standards in the workplace (not the best practice standard).

Standards – Australian Standards are a commonly used source of detailed technical advice on particular aspects of work or the safe operation and use of particular types of plant and equipment used in work environments. A number of Australian Standards are compulsory and are enforceable by law (AS 3786 Smoke alarms) and others are advisory (AS3745 Planning for emergencies in facilities) if they have been referenced in an Act or Regulation previously.

Codes of Practice - Compliance codes provide practical guidance to those who have duties or obligations under the WHS/OHS Act. They aim to provide easy to understand information on how to comply. This information, if applied appropriately, will mean those who follow it are deemed to have complied with their obligations under the Act.

Guidance Material - a range of information that can provide valuable guidance to people working in particular industries and occupations on what is reasonable and practicable. Can be found from the States safety authority, unions, manufacturers, suppliers, legal advisors & industry bodies

Whole Class Activity

Activity 1A which areas of legislation interrelate in regards to the scenario above

Act

Regulations

Standards

Codes

Guidance Notes

SAFETY ALERTSA Safety Alert is short guidance material published by a company or organisation that highlights an incident or unsafe practice to industry. Safety Alerts outlines the required action to be taken to prevent the incident from reoccurring or to prevent the unsafe practice.

SAFETY ALERT!!!

JOINER SUFFERS EYE DAMAGE

INCIDENT

A worker, while performing his duties as a furniture joiner, was struck in the eye while using a nail gun to bind furniture products.

The injured person received severe damage to his face and eye which required immediate medical attention. Emergency response personnel were on the scene within minutes. Initial medical treatment was provided and then the injured person was taken to hospital. Doctors were able to save his sight but he will have a 2cm scar across the eyelid and will be unable to fully see for several weeks.

INVESTIGATION

The investigation found that work procedures were disobeyed, as the worker was not wearing the required protective face mask. Also the worker did not comply with the Safe Work Method Statement/Job Safety Analysis associated with the task.

Supervisors were also not on hand at the time of the incident as it was lunch time and the worker was “working through” to be able to finish the job on time.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The safety team has made the following recommendations:

· All nail guns are to be signed out from equipment register.

· The worker shall fill out the required SWMS before starting task.

· The worker shall wear the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) at all times while handling the nail gun (face mask, ear protection, protective footwear).

· All personnel who work within a 4m radius of the nail gun shall also wear the correct PPE or there should be

an established appropriate exclusion zone when nailing.

· Supervisors are to check each worker off before they start the job to make sure correct controls are in place.

· All employees are to adhere to break times. Under no circumstances shall work continue in the absence of the work area supervisor.

DATE ISSUED: 12/12/12

MSDSIn some states referred to as a SDS, a MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) is a document containing important information about a hazardous chemical (which may be a hazardous substance and/or dangerous good) and must state:

· a hazardous substance's product name

· the chemical and generic name of certain ingredients

· the chemical and physical properties of the hazardous substance

· health hazard information

· precautions for safe use and handling

· the manufacturer's or importer's name, Australian address and telephone number.

The MSDS/SDS provides employers, self-employed persons, workers and other health and safety representatives with the necessary information to assist in managing the risk from hazardous substance exposure.

It is important that everyone in the workplace knows how to read and interpret a MSDS/SDS.

Activity 1B Duty of Care

Working in groups, fill out the table below, with reference to the Act and Regulations.

The stakeholders in the scenario will need to know about their WHS/OHS requirements and responsibilities. In groups, discuss how and where duty of care is expressed in legislation in reference to each of the groups.

In the first column, identify five WHS responsibilities for the employer of ABC Steel.

In the second column, identify five WHS responsibilities for the workers of ABC Steel.

(Make reference to where each responsibility is covered in legislation).

EMPLOYER

WORKERS

Activity 1C Regulatory bodies Small Group Activity Explore your state’s regulatory body’s website. What services could they provide for ABC Steel?

How are WHS/OHS laws enforced?

Each state has relevant sections of their Act related to the powers of the authority and the scope for inspectors to enforce legislation. These include, but are not limited to, rights of entry, investigation processes and enforcement measures.

Enforcement processes and instruments include:

· Inspections

· Improvement notices

· Provisional improvement notices

· Prohibition notices

· On the spot fines

· Prosecution action

· Verbal direction for immediate action

·

In the most serious cases enforcement may result in prosecution. Each state of Australia applies penalty rates differently and that could be a set amount, penalty points (or non-financial such as a jail term) or combinations of these.

Activity 1D Group Discussion: How does your state apply penalties and fines?

Reporting breaches of non-compliance

Workplaces should have policies and procedures in place to help guide towards compliance with safety. Any time

non-compliance is discovered it should be reported and acted upon so:

· Corrective action can be taken

· Workers and others are protected against illness or injury

Non-compliance must be reported immediately. Anyone who is aware of an unsafe work practice or system has a duty to notify their supervisor or management.

A non-compliance report should be made whenever there is:

· An instance where OHS procedures are not followed

· A near miss

· A minor incident

· Any incident in which someone is injured, whether it is serious or not

An incident report is an example of a non-compliance reporting document. By making sure workers are filling them out, a company can show compliance with relevant legislation.

All legislation specifies that a death and serious injuries must be reported to the regulatory authority.

ASSESSMENT TASK

Discuss assessment requirements for legislation.

OHS Management System (OHSMS)An OHSMS (known as WHSMS in states that have adopted the WHS Act 2011) is a system of linked management activities designed to continuously improve WHS/OHS and comply with the law. It offers the best way of promoting health and safety and also contributes to improving productivity.

There are many different models of OHSMS developed by industry, health and safety authorities and others.

For the sake of continuity, we will use the Australian and New Zealand standard AS/NZS 4804:2001 Occupational health and safety management systems – Guidelines on principles systems and supporting techniques.

An OHSMS enables an organisation to take a systematic approach to:

· Identify all hazards in its workplace

· Assess the risks arising from those hazards

· Implement measures to eliminate or control those risks

· Provide instruction, training and supervision for workers

· Consult with workers on matters which affect their health, safety and welfare

Principles of an OHSMS

There are five main principles to an effective OHSMS

1

Commitment and Policy

2

Planning

3

Implementing

4

Measurement and Evaluation

5

Review and Improvement

CLASS ACTIVITY 1EExplore these principles further by referring to the pdf AS/NZS 4804:2001 in part 1 of your resources folder.

OHSMS 4804:2001

4.1.2 Leadership and commitment

Successful change can be accomplished by effective leadership and commitment in the areas of:

a) determining the organisation’s current position on WHS/OHS;

b) resource allocation including setting budgets, responsibilities, authority and accountability;

c) coordinated management planning and agreed delegations;

d) decisions followed through and performance assessed;

e) communication of the values and policies unambiguously throughout the organisation; and

f) management demonstrating their commitment by their own actions.

Regular reviews of WHS/OHS at senior management level reinforces its importance to the organisation’s success in meeting its commercial objectives and legal obligations.

Everyone in the organisation should be aware of the influence that their actions and inaction can have on the effectiveness of the system. They should also participate in the establishment and maintenance of the WHS/OHS controls, as well as assisting in WHS/OHS planning.

OHSMS PolicyManagement’s commitment is expressed in words and deeds. This verbal commitment is best represented in the organisation's WHS/OHS policy.

The “Safety Map” auditing tool used in some states has scope for checking the organisation's WHS/OHS policy and

is expressed as:

1.1.1

There is a documented health and safety policy, authorised by the organisation’s top management that:

· requires compliance with relevant health and safety legislation;

· is appropriate to the nature and scale of the organisation’s health and safety risks;

· states overall health and safety objectives; and

· demonstrates a commitment to the continued improvement of health and safety performance.

Activity 1F – OHS PolicyRead the Sample Policy Statement.pdf – Part 1 Resource folder. Class discussion

When was the first time that you read your organisation's OHS policy?

Who should “sign off” at the bottom of a company’s OHS policy? Why?

The OHS Policy states that the organisation will achieve OHS requirements by “consulting with staff and contractors.” How can this be achieved at ABC Steel?

Roles and Responsibilities

A successful OHSMS depends on a shared commitment from everybody within the organisation. The information in the OHSMS helps all stakeholders make informed decisions and take effective action to identify hazards, assess and control risk.

Everybody will need to know:

· what their responsibilities are

· what their job duties are

· to whom they are accountable

· what standards they are being measured against

· what authority they have to take action

Action Plans A WHS/ OHS action plan is:

· A strategic document that is usually developed annually but may be developed for a shorter or longer period and reviewed regularly

· It contains OHS performance indicators (i.e. objectives and targets that are achievable and practical) reflecting systematic approaches to managing OHS

Action plans can relate to:

· Reducing injury rates

· Managing disputes in a different way

· Introducing new hazard identification methods

· The requirement for training

· Communicating changes in legislative requirements

· Return to Work Processes

Develop action plans with relevant responsibilities and time linesWHS/OHS responsibilities are governed by legislation.(Codes of practice outline what is reasonably practicable). However, some responsibilities can be dictated by action plans. Action plans are strategic documents that specify a goal and a strategy to facilitate a preferred outcome.

Within the action plan are dictated timeframes and specific information about who will undertake to manage each strategy.

Prior to developing an action plan, the responsible person must ensure the strategy complies with legislation.

At the workplace management level the responsibilities must be specific, covering tactical and operational outcomes for example:

· Identifying, assessing and controlling workplace hazards and risks

· Minimising events that lead to an injury, loss or damage

· Achieving WHS/OHS performance outcomes against KPI’s and agreed business plans

· Early rehabilitation of injured workers

· Reduced cost of workers’ compensation claims

Setting BenchmarksThese responsibilities can be measured against objectives such as:

· the development of a WHS/OHS plan within the manager’s area of control

· leadership in improving risk awareness and elimination of hazards

· implementation of the plan

· consultation with and support for employees on WHS/OHS issues

· meaningful investigation and reporting of WHS/OHS incidents

· compliance with WHS/OHS policies and procedures

In the context of determining timelines some important points to consider include:

· existing policies and procedures

· availability of staff

· level of risk

· legislative controls

Similarly, action plans must reflect current policies and procedures in order to facilitate expected outcomes.Barriers such as reduced staff can be addressed by increasing the timeline or by increasing the staff.

If there is an OHS risk, then the action plan must use a timeline that is as short as possible. If there is minimal risk and not enough staff with relevant responsibilities the WHS/OHS manager may delay the time by which an outcome is expected.

This step requires the WHS/OHS manager to have an understanding as to how long specific responsibilities take to complete. This can be clarified by asking questions, consulting with other staff or referring to staff manuals, policies and/or procedures.

SpecialistsAdvice from specialists and technical advisors is an essential part of a systematic approach.Some situations where specialist advice may be required:

· post-incident

· return to work processes

· feasibility study

· introduction of new laws

· new plant, equipment and premises

· new employee

· at audit

· legal scenarios

· work improvement

Specialists could include: ergonomists, occupational hygienists, risk advisors, lawyers, insurance advisors, nurses, hazmat specialists and rehabilitation consultants to name a few.

ImplementationFor effective implementation, an organisation should develop the capabilities and support mechanisms necessary to achieve its WHS/OHS policy, objectives and targets. There are a number of key implementation points discussed below.

Practical help: Human, physical and financial resources

The resource base, structure, and size of organisation may impose constraints on implementation. In order to overcome these constraints, external WHS/OHS resources may be utilised.

Such resources might include:

a) shared technology and experience from larger client organisations

b) co-operative approaches to develop industry specific guidance material and strategies

c) support from industry and employer associations or principal contractors and owners

d) assistance from government health and safety organisations

e) the use of consultants and the collective engagement of consultants

f) provision of advice and training from suppliers

g) assistance provided by workers’ compensation insurance agents

h) attendance at health and safety seminars

i) mutually beneficial support from universities and other research centres

Organisations should focus on utilising cooperative strategies to implement and maintain an effective WHSMS/OHSMS.

Consultation, motivation and awarenessImproving an organisation’s WHS/OHS performance will require the co-operation of all workers and the development of a supportive organisational culture. An organisation needs to recognise that knowledge and experience throughout the workforce is a valuable resource. Workers should be encouraged to participate in the development and implementation of an organisation’s OHSMS through consultation and involvement in the setting of objectives and targets.

Communication

Commonly used methods of internal consultation include:

a) meetings

b) team briefings

c) hard copy or electronic mail

d) videos

e) bulletins

f) noticeboards

g) newsletters

h) signage

i) toolbox talks

j) intranet

Hazard identification, hazard/risk assessment and control of hazards/risks

All hazards must be identified, hazard/risk assessment conducted, then control of hazards/risks must take place. These steps are repeated as part of an ongoing process, especially when there are changes in the workplace, e.g. when new substances or new machinery are introduced, when the effectiveness of the control method is being evaluated, (see Figure 1 below), when there is new knowledge on hazards or when there are changes in legislation.

TRAININGThe effective implementation and maintenance of an OHSMS is dependent on the competency of an organisation's workforce. Training is one important means of ensuring that the appropriate competencies are met, to achieve WHS/OHS objectives.

Training and competencyGenerally a health and safety training program should cover:

a) the WHS/OHS policy of the organisation

b) how health and safety are organised in the workplace

c) hazard identification, hazard/risk assessment and control of hazards/risks

d) specific hazards, health effects of exposure and control methods

e) WHS/OHS legislation

f) Emergency procedures

There are a number of ways for managers to determine if there is a training need.

These include the following signs:

· Workers not doing their jobs correctly

· Staff don’t understand or recognize procedures and policies

· Staff keep making costly mistakes

· Workers are being bullied in the workplace

· There are a high number of accidents or incidents in the workplace

· Staff turnover is high

· Costs are high and profit is low

· Observation

Some ways in which WHS/OHS training gaps can be identified include:

· Hazard/incident/near-miss report forms

· Manager reports

· Feedback from colleagues

· Feedback from customers/clients

· Comparing current tasks with job performance

· Performance reviews

Develop individuals and teams MotivationThe best way to ensure that there is sufficient motivation for team members to want to attend a training session is to try to get them involved in the design process so they can take ownership and responsibility for their own training. Sometimes this may not be possible, but if feasible, it can be a powerful method of ensuring that you receive buy-in and support from the participant themselves. This is particularly useful if they are feeling resentment or hesitation about attending a training session.

Within any organisational environment, you will find that participants have a need to feel some level of reward for attending a training program. The term “reward” can mean different things to different participants, so it comes back to finding out what motivates your team

Training MatrixA training matrix is helpful to an organisation in keeping records of which workers have received particular training. A training matrix indicates that each employee has received safety training (or has not yet received safety training.)

1

1

V11.4 Reviewed 10.04.15, BSB41415 Cert IV WHS © CBD College Pty Ltd Student Workbook Page 13

ABC TRAINING MATRIX – steel Fabricators

ATTENDEES

GENERAL MANAGER

FACTORY MANAGER

CUTTERS

DRIVERS

MACHINISTS

SPRAY PAINTERS

WELDERS

GENERAL HANDS

TIME FOR TRAINING

COST PER PERSON

$

INTERNAL

or

EXTERNAL

TRAINING

TRAINING DESCRIPTION

INDUCTION

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

1hr

N/A

Internal

FIRST AID

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

4hr

100

Internal with first aid trainer

FIRE WARDEN

X

X

X

4hr

175

External with the fire brigade

WORKING AT HEIGHTS

X

X

4hr

500

External with National Safety Council of Australia (NSCA)

CONFINED SPACE

X

X

8hr

750

Internal with External specialists

HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES

X

X

X

X

X

8hr

300

External with Chem watch

MANUAL HANDLING

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

4hr

N/A

Internal

PPE COMPLIANCE

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

2hr

N/A

Internal

HS AUDITING

X

X

6 Days

2500

External with National Safety Council of Australia (NSCA)

FORKLIFT

X

X

X

4hrs

350

Internal with external specialist

LEGEND

X

Training current and completed

X

Training due –about to

expire/retraining needed

X

Training ExpiredRequired Immediately

Training Not Required

Learning StylesAdults have different learning styles. Managers can determine the knowledge gained from understanding and interpreting learning styles to put together a training program that suits the needs of their team members.

This can be done in consultation with the person who will be delivering the training to maximise the time spent with the participants and to make sure they are getting the most out of the training session.

Learning Materials

Learning materials and their production may not specifically be the responsibility of the manager, but often management may be required to provide some input into the materials that are being developed to ensure they relate to the team members that are attending the training. If this is the case, it is a good idea to try to get some of the participants involved in the process to ensure buy-in and support.

Prior to learning materials being printed or ordered, they should be checked and approved by an independent person to ensure they are accurate, appropriate and meet the needs of the organisation.

Resources and EquipmentTraining programs require a considerable amount of preparation.

Steps involved in the preparation of a training program:

· Learning materials need to be written, developed or purchased from a provider.

· Material may need to be contextualised (i.e. made relevant to the industry, the company or the participants and their current knowledge).

· Material must be proof-read.

· Printing needs to be sorted out well ahead of time to allow for delays.

· Materials need to be delivered to the training venue.

Some of the material that you can use includes:

· visual aids such as posters, graphs, flip charts

· PowerPoint slides

· handouts, notes

· DVDs, audio material

· actual samples of the material you are presenting

· workbooks

Venue

The venue is an important consideration also – managers should be aware of safety issues relating to where the training will be held, how conducive the environment is to learning, whether staff members are likely to be interrupted during the training, and whether it is a bright and comfortable environment.

The venue needs to be booked and the following conducted:

· A suitable location should be determined.

· The venue needs to be checked for appropriateness.

· Lighting should be checked for adequacy at the venue.

· Equipment should be checked for availability such as data projector availability.

· Set-up should be confirmed with venue staff.

· Seating should be comfortable.

· Other equipment that may be required should be checked for availability – i.e. computers, audio or video equipment.

· Food and /or coffee facilities confirmed.

· Room temperature should be comfortable.

· Parking availability should be checked.

· The training room should be checked to ensure that no OHS hazard exists.

Participants need to be informed of the following details:

· by mail

· by telephone

· by email

· the trainer or co-ordinator of the program should confirm the learners have been informed

Some participants may have special requirements as well. These may include having visual or hearing impairments, needing wheelchair access or special considerations for other needs.

Record KeepingDepending upon the training being conducted, there are varying requirements for documentation and record keeping. Training records make up an important component of the OHSMS and show compliance to legislation. Some jobs, pieces of equipment and plant require special operating licenses or tickets before they can be used (eg forklifts, working at heights, confined spaces).

Documents and records can be gathered in the case of an incident and may be used as evidence in a court of law.

All documentation should be suitably filed and kept for the stipulated amount of time.

Types of documents that will need to be updated and kept on file may include:

· certificates

· licenses

· safe work tickets

· permits

· training schedules

· attendance sheets

· training matrix

· evaluation and feedback forms

· observation checklists

Monitor and evaluate workplace learning Managers should be aware that at the end of any training, an evaluation should be undertaken to determine how well the training was delivered.

Some of the ways to successfully get feedback from participants or team members include:

· Feedback sheets from the participants – this includes pre-written comment sheets and general ad hoc comments from them

· Written comments – includes unsolicited comments from participants

· Surveys and questionnaires – this can be done straight after or sometime after the training has been delivered

· Focus group interviews – these can be conducted with target questions

· Informal discussion – ask the participants to discuss what they liked and didn’t like about the training

These are carried out so continual improvements can be implemented.

Effectiveness of the training programOne way to get feedback on the effectiveness of the program is to ask the participants for direct feedback. This can be done by asking them to check their new knowledge against the knowledge they had prior to the training. Observing the participants in their job role after the training is also a good way to do this.

The participants can also provide feedback based on their job role and how well they can now perform their duties. This is a good time to get feedback from the manager or supervisor of the team member to determine how well the learner is doing in the job function based on the organisational needs.

All the original stakeholders should be given the feedback in report form so that they are aware of how successful the training was.

Induction training

When a worker commences employment, the employer is responsible for providing induction training. Induction training is needed by all new employees – whether they are full-time; part-time; casual; volunteers; & students doing work experience.

Induction training must include providing health and safety information such as:

· hazards at work

· how to interpret safety signs and information

· how to work safely and use equipment safely

· fire and emergency procedures

· first aid procedures

· who to report incidents or accidents to

· who to discuss safety issues with

· how to get involved in health and safety

Who provides induction training?

The employer is responsible for ensuring that a new employee or trainee is given induction training and has the skills and knowledge to work safely. In most workplaces the owner, supervisor or experienced worker will provide this training.

Coaching

When it comes to workplace learning opportunities, coaching is simply the principle where a learner is managed and assisted by a more experienced worker or employee, or coached by a trainer on a one to one basis or within a small group.

Some of the coaching techniques that can be applied to the learning environment by the trainer or a more experienced staff member include;

· One to one instruction

· Demonstrations

· Assistance in completing work as required

· General advice when required

· Explanation of the processes involved

· A sounding board for issues that come up

· Expert advice when necessary

· Feedback on progress as the learner is becoming more competent in the job role or the task

· Transfer of knowledge and skills through work shadowing

· Secondment – i.e. the learner is involved in another aspect of a different job role and overseen by a coach to ensure they learn the new role properly

Mentoring

We can look at mentoring as the process whereby informal transfer of knowledge or skills takes place between a person with greater knowledge on a subject and a person who is perceived to have less knowledge of the subject matter. This is usually within the working environment and considered relative to career or professional development and can take on a formal or an informal structure.

Mentoring should be based upon open communication, mutual trust, respect, and transparency between the people in the business relationship. A mentor should encourage and support the person being mentored, provide constructive feedback and be willing to assist the other person to learn and grow.

A mentor offers the following:

· Information - Mentors share their knowledge, experiences, and wisdom.

· Contacts - Mentors provide valuable opportunities by facilitating academic, career, and personal contacts.

· Challenges - Mentors stimulate curiosity and build confidence by presenting new ideas, opportunities, and challenges.

· Support - Mentors encourage growth and achievement by providing an open and supportive environment.

· Goal Setting - Mentors help protégés discover talents and interests and define and attain their goals.

· Advice - Mentors guide protégés in reaching academic, career, and personal goals.

· Role Models - By sharing stories of achievement with protégés, mentors can become role models.

Return to Work Procedures

Employer's Return To Work Obligations

Supporting an injured worker to return to safe and sustainable work as soon as possible is necessary to meet legal obligations, is good for the worker and is good for business. It can help increase productivity and keep the cost of workers’ compensation insurance premiums down. It benefits the worker by reducing the financial, health and emotional impacts on them and their family.

Summary of employers obligations

· Plan for your worker’s return to work:

· Obtain relevant information about your worker's capacity for work

· Consider reasonable workplace support, aids or modifications to assist in your worker's return to work

· Assess and propose options for suitable duties, or the worker’s pre-injury duties

· Provide your worker with clear, accurate and current details of their return to work arrangements

· Monitor your worker's progress

· Consult directly with your worker about their return to work, with their treating health practitioner and occupational rehabilitation provider (if involved).

· Provide your injured worker with suitable employment if they have an incapacity to work their pre-injury duties

· Nominate and appoint a Return to Work Co-ordinator who has an appropriate level of seniority and is competent to assist you meet your return to work obligations.

· Make information about return to work available to all workers.

· Communicate the planning process to others and facilitate their contributions to the plan.

Anti-discrimination and labour requirements

Specific State and Commonwealth legislation prohibits an employer or prospective employer from engaging in the following discriminatory conduct relating to a worker pursuing a claim for compensation or for notifying an employer or authority of an injury:

• dismissing, or threatening to dismiss, a worker from employment, or

• altering, or threatening to alter, the position of a worker to the worker’s detriment, or

• treating a worker less favourably than another worker in relation to promotion or re-employment.

There are also other State and Commonwealth discrimination laws that require employers to make reasonable adjustments to hours, equipment and conditions to accommodate a worker’s injury or illness regardless of its cause, nature or permanency. These laws apply to all workers, whether full-time, part-time, temporary, permanent or casual. It is unlawful discrimination to treat any worker less favourably at work because of their illness or injury, or allow them to be treated less favourably by others. In addition, employers need to comply with labour laws, industrial awards and agreements under which their employment arrangements are regulated. There are also privacy laws surrounding the exchange of personal and health information.

Legislative Requirements

WA

Workers’ Compensation and Injury Management Act 1981

Workers' Compensation and Injury Management Regulations 1982

VictoriaWorkplace Injury, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013

Accident Compensation Regulations 2012

Victoria’s Information Privacy Act 2000 and Health Records Act 2001

NSW

Workers Compensation Act 1987

Workers Compensation Regulation 2010

Workplace Injury Management Workers Compensation Act 1998

Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998

Commonwealth

Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988

Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Regulations 2002

Privacy Act 1988

The Return to Work Process

Seek assistance whenever needed throughout the process.

Measure/Monitor

An audit is a health check of your WHSMS/OHSMS. During measuring and monitoring of the WHSMS/OHSMS the organisation is checking to see if all activities are in place and achieving their targets. Targets can be set by using KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) or a series of PPI (Positive Performance Indicator). All components of the WHSMS/OHSMS will need to be checked to see if they are operating effectively. One way this is done is by completing an audit of the WHSMS/OHSMS. This can be done internally or by external audit specialists. There are a number of auditing tools available including the International Rating System, National Safety Council of Australia’s Five Star rating system and Victoria’s SafetyMAP.

The audit tool is usually constructed using the components of the WHSMS/OHSMS in use.

AS/NZS 4804:2001 OHSMS and AS/NZS 4801:2001 Occupational Health and Safety management Systems – Specific guidance for use together provide a framework for implementing and auditing an OHSMS.

ReviewAfter the WHSMS/OHSMS has been measured for effectiveness; areas of non-compliance will need to be improved. Management, with input from all stakeholders, will look for realistic ways to improve the system. This will require a consultation session to brain storm solutions. Once ideas and solutions have been gathered, attention will then be focused on specific parts of the WHSMS/OHSMS, working through the components in a systematic approach.

Assessment TASK 1.21 – Action Plans

Answer these questions in your assessment document.Using the WHSMS Action Plan provided, add actions that you have identified that are needed to implement the WHS policy at ABC Steel.

Definitions

Hazard – A hazard is a situation in the workplace that has the potential to harm the health and safety of people or to damage plant and equipment.

Risk - The likelihood that exposure to a hazard will result in injury or disease.

Incidents - Occurrences that result in death, injury or illness.

Audit - A systematic examination against defined criteria to determine whether activities and related results conform to planned arrangements and whether these arrangements are implemented effectively and are suitable to achieve the organisation’s policy and objectives

Ergonomics - an applied science concerned with the characteristics of people that need to be considered in designing things that they use in order that people and things will interact most effectively and safely—called also human engineering, human factors engineering .

WHSMS/OHSMS - (Occupational Health and Safety Management System) That part of the overall management system which includes organisational structure, planning activities, responsibilities, practices, procedures, processes and resources for developing, implementing, achieving, reviewing and maintaining the OHS policy and managing the risks associated with the business of the organisation.

Assessment overview

Read through the requirements for assessment 1

Section 2. Consultation/Contractors

Required reading for this unit:

CBD College Course E – Book Chapter 2 Consultation Pages 59 – 101 and

Chapter 4 Assist With Contractor Arrangements Pages 121 – 141

Definitions

DWG – Designated Work Group - A collection of workers who perform the same or similar duties.

HSR – Health and Safety Representative - An employee from a DWG who has been elected to represent them in health and safety matters

HSC – Health and Safety Committee – A group of stakeholders who met to discuss health and safety issues within an organisation. Normally made up of at least 50% workers.

SWMS – Safe Work Method Statement

Consultative Mechanisms

There are many ways to facilitate communication and consultation within the workplace. These can include:

· Election of HSRs

· Establishment of HSC

· Communication with unions and employee associations

· Daily communication on the job between managers and workers

· Provision of WHS/OHS information through intranet email, newsletters, safety alerts

· Liaising with contractors and sub-contractors re: WHS/OHS issues

· Discussion of WHS/OHS issues raised through workplace meetings

· Provision of input into safety audits, hazard identification, risk assessments

· Distribution of safety surveys and checklists

· Toolbox meetings, floor meetings

· Suggestion boxes, surveys

· Adherence to Codes of Practice/SWMS

· Inductions

Activity 2A- How could you consult?

Discuss in small groups and report back to the class the following:

1. What consultative mechanisms could be used in the ABC Steel scenario?

2. What are the benefits of this mechanism?

Stakeholder Group

Consultative Mechanism

Benefits

Managers

Supervisors

Workers

Contractors

Note

Barriers to effective consultation

There are many reasons why consultation could break down or the message not clearly be relayed.

Barriers that may stop or hinder people looking for or reporting WHS/OHS issues could include:

· Language, literacy and numeracy

· Shift work, rostering arrangements

· Structure of the workforce

· Part time, casual, contract, remote workers

· Hierarchical structures and contractual arrangements

· Workplace culture

· Gender, age, cultural or workplace diversity

· Educational backgrounds

Activity 2B – Barriers to Consultation

Work in small groups

Read through ABC Steel’s scenario.

Identify the different stakeholder groups that are present, their characteristics and any potential areas that may present a barrier to consultation about workplace health and safety issues

Collate your findings in the table below and then report your findings to the class:

Stakeholder

Special Characteristics

Possible Barriers to Communication

EFFECTIVE & INEFFECTIVE CONSULTATION

FACTOR

EFFECTIVE

INEFFECTIVE

When consultation occurs

Early, before agenda is set and decisions are made

After the agenda is set

and decisions are made

Employer role

Interested in and values workers’ ideas

No recognition of the

benefits of consultation

Employer skills needed

Interpersonal, facilitative, listening

No skills needed

Employee role

Pro-active, workers encouraged to suggest ideas

Reactive, workers have

no role in improving OHS

Employee skills

Training provided in communication skills and risk assessment

No training provided to enable effective

participation

Interaction style

Planned, genuine, and collaborative

Directionless, token, or sporadic

Approach toward each other

Trust, mutual respect

Mistrust, lack of respect for differing points of view

Process

Open and receptive to employee participation

Invisible, barriers to

employee participation

Information

Relevant information provided

Limited access to information

Communication

Opportunities for one-to- one communication with workers, clear and

ongoing feedback

No direct communication

with workers, no feedback

Outcomes

Outcomes result in improvements to the systems for managing safety

There is no improvement

in how safety is managed

Organising Consultation

Each workplace situation and environment will call for different consultation techniques.

Legislation

There is direct reference in WHS/OHS legislation for the establishment of DWGs, HSRs and HSCs. Following and applying these directives show an adherence to complying with legislation. There are codes of practice designed and available to all jurisdictions that give direction on appropriate forms of consultation.

Establishing lines of communication

The organisation's WHS personnel will need to establish what the appropriate times for consultation are. Consideration needs to be given to busy production periods, shift work and remote locations.

Form of Consultation - What is the preferred consultation mechanism? (See list on previous page)

A safety meeting is one of the most common forms of consulting with workers about workplace safety issues. Having a correct procedure to follow will help facilitate a successful meeting with positive outcomes. Below are some useful tips to facilitate a successful meeting.

Example: approach for face-to-face safety meetings between an employer and their workers

1. Gather workers at the start of work.

2. Invite workers to raise any WHS/OHS issues they may have.

3. Report actions taken since last meeting.

The employer should advise the workers of the actions that have been taken to address issues raised at the last meeting. In particular, the employer should report on measures to eliminate or minimise risks previously identified.

4. Discuss with workers any planned changes that may have implications for their health and safety.

5. Preview work assignments

Discuss with workers any hazards associated with the current work being performed and the safety measures that should be taken to eliminate or minimise the risks posed by those hazards.

6. Conduct walk-around safety inspection

All workers should join in an inspection to identify hazards in the workplace. This provides an important opportunity for workers to learn about how to identify hazards and assess the risks they pose. Discuss with workers their views on the appropriate corrective action.

7. Ask workers for feedback

After the meeting, ask workers for feedback. Two-way communication involves everyone in the process. Ask workers to

evaluate the effectiveness of the safety meetings in allowing them to have a say and making the workplace safer.

ASSESSMENT TASK 2.1 Toolbox Meeting Role Play

Break into small groups and follow the instructions to carry out the tool box meeting in your assessment document. You will need to re-read the scenario to familiarise yourself with the potential safety issues you may wish to raise.

Your participation in the role play will be monitored by the trainer to assess appropriate level of input. (See role play checklist.)

Activity 2C – Consultation equals change

Watch the short clip about the former CBD College student Lawrence Mwangi who is a HSR at the Department of Human Services.  Please note his attitude to consultation that led to work place changes that won him a nomination in the Victorian Safety Awards in 2013. While watching the clip note your responses to the three questions below.

http://www.worksafeawards.com.au/browse-entries/entries/therapeutic-residential-care

Involved all stakeholders in consultation

Made changes to HS based on results of consultation.

Met legislative requirements

Note

Monitor and Review

Organisations should set out clear goals to achieve while consulting. These goals can then be used to measure how well consultation processes are working. Criteria could include:

· active participation by all

· level of informed discussion

· quality of information sharing

· timely implementation of decisions

Once relevant information and feedback has been collected from consultation, management will need to review WHS/OHS procedures and implement change to bring any unsafe practices back towards an acceptable level.

The WHS/OHS manager may need to provide advice on ways consultation can be improved in the future including changes that may need to be applied with regards to policy and procedures, training, supervision, hazard management, legislative requirements and participation in safety programs, to name a few. The WHSMS/OHSMS will need to be amended to accommodate changes. It is recommended that consultation practices are part of the audit process.

Issue Resolution

Committees and HSRs can play a useful part in issue resolution. An issue resolution is the most effective way of resolving issues in the earliest stages, so long as the resolution parties involved are properly trained, skilled and committed to the procedures.

There is a useful diagram for Issues Resolution Process on page 43 - Consultation Guidance WA.pdf in your Day 2 resources folder

Activity 2D CLASS BASED STUDENTS ONLY

Watch the movie “Leadership - being proactive in safety” and then circle the correct answers.

Key attitudes towards to safety

1. Which statement represents the correct attitude towards fatalities, injuries and diseases at work?

a) they are unavoidable

b) they are preventable

c) they are reasonably practicable

2. Who is personally responsible for health and safety in your workplace?

a) managers and supervisors only

b) the owner of the company only

c) everyone at work

3. What should you do if you encounter a hazard at work?

a) remove the hazard if it is safe to do so

b) remove the hazard regardless of the risks

c) ignore the hazard

The hierarchy of risk controls

4. When deciding on implementing the appropriate risk control measures, what should be the first risk control to be considered?

a) use of PPE

b) eliminating the hazard

c) isolation control

d) engineering control

5. True or false? PPE is a primary risk control measure and is rarely used in conjunction with other measures.

a) true

b) false

Leading by example and the chain of safety leadership

6. How can you show leadership when someone at work is not wearing the required PPE?

a) remove yours and give it to them

b) report them to the police

c) remind them to wear it

7. What can you do if you are concerned about not meeting a deadline at work?

a) pass the task onto someone else

b) discuss it with your supervisor

c) take the necessary short cuts you need to get the job done

Formal processes where do I fit in?

8. True or false? If no one is injured in a near miss incident then you should not report it.

a) true

b) false

9. Who is responsible for communicating work health and safety issues to persons conducting formal inspections?

a) supervisors only

b) contractors only

c) everyone at work

Assessment overview

Contract Arrangements

Contractors

A contractor is a person, or an organisation, that provides a service for a fee but is not a direct employee of that organisation.  Contract work is becoming increasingly common in the modern workplace and most work places are likely to engage specialist contractors from time to time to perform certain kinds of work such as maintenance, repair, cleaning and additional labour.

It is important to understand that organisations have the same legal obligation to ensure the health and safety of contractors as they do to their own employees.

It is recommended that there is coverage for the responsibilities of contractors included in the scope and objectives of the organisations OHS Policy.

The contractor needs to be informed in writing that your organisation expects these requirements to be met before proceeding with works.

Legislation and Contract Works

All states' OHS/WHS legislation has coverage for contract workers and each state's Act specifically make mention of the responsibilities of employers/PCBU in regards to engaging contract workers.

These sections make numerous references to the requirements of the employer to treat such arrangements as they would for an employee and therefore have the same responsibilities towards their health and safety.

WA OSH Act 1984 – Division 3 Certain Workplace Situations to be treated as EmploymentSection 23D - Contract Work ArrangementsSection 23E - Labour arrangements in generalSection 23F – Labour Hire Arrangements

These three sections make reference that Section 19 - Duty of Employers applies.

Vic OHS Act 2004 Section 21 Duties of Employer to Employees (a) a reference to an employee includes a reference to an independent contractor engaged by an employer and any employees of the independent contractor;

NSW WHS Act 2011Section 7 Meaning of a worker- contractor or subcontractor- an employee of a contractor- an employee of a labour hire company who has been assigned to work for the persons business or undertaking

Therefore, if contractors, subcontractors and /or labour hire personnel are considered employees/workers then they must adhere to the state's requirements under the act of Duties of Employees/Workers.

To ensure the contractors you engage work safely when on site and do not introduce any unmanaged risks when undertaking the work, plans must be put in place to manage contractor activities.

Reviewing Preparedness for ContractorsAn employer has an obligation to review their preparedness for engaging the services of contractors. This will include but is not limited to;

· Reviewing workplace safety standards – is the principal contractor complying with the expectations of WHS? Does it understand which Acts, Regulations, Standards, Codes and guidance material is applicable to its operation?

· Policies, procedures, systems– are these in place written and easily conveyed to contractors so they know the safety requirements of the tasks they have to perform i.e. OHS Policy, SWMSs, Emergency Evacuation plans, SOPs etc.

· Contract Requirements – does the current contract cover all necessary WHS and procedural issues such as, start finish times, issue resolution processes, safe work expectations, pay, leave, meal and termination allowances?

· Insurance/Superannuation – is the contractor covered for workers injury insurance and superannuation payments? You will need to check with your states authority what the requirement are for the employer of the contractor in regards to supplying compensation insurance and superannuation.

· Licences, Permits and Tickets – Does the company know which permits the contractor needs before they can commence work?

· Induction and Training – does the company have a specific induction set up for contract workers that clearly defines the safety and health expectations of the work being carried out and is there additional training required?

Engaging Contractors

Before engaging contractors for work they should be informed of the expectations and requirements that your organisation has in relation to OHS and what is expected of them when they are engaged as contractors.

It is important for the employer to understand their legal obligations towards contract workers. These are explained in the state's OHS Act and should be added to the contract prior to any work commencing. Obviously, the OHS requirements expected from the contractor should also be added to the contract which needs to be read, understood and signed prior to the contractor starting work.

The principal contractor will have to preview the current contract to make sure that coverage has been allowed for work health safety obligations of both parties and amended appropriately to meet legal requirements. These obligations take their guidance from the company’s OHS Policy statement and can then be carried through to the contract, safe work procedures, SWMS, and any other documentation that may be necessary to complete the job.

Also a specific agreement can also be drafted for OHS requirements for contractors. These can be used in a number of ways, for example, it can be sent in a letter to existing or potential contractors or it could be used in an advertisement calling for contractors or it could be given to the contractor and discussed at an induction meeting. An OHS agreement would be additional to the actual contract be read and signed just prior to starting to work to reiterate the company’s stance on workplace safety and health requirements.

Activity 2E – View ABC Procedure Induction, ABC Steel Pre Start Agreement, and ABC Steel OHS Policy form Part 2 resources for HS requirements for contractors.

Activity 2F – View sample Contract and discuss HS obligations contained within

BRIEFING THE CONTRACTOR ABOUT THE OHS REQUIREMENTS OF THE JOB

Prior to the contractor undertaking works they should be briefed about any OHS hazards and arrangements that are specific to the particular job, by the person responsible for the administering the contract.

This can include conducting pre-commencement Contractor Induction, advising contractors of specific site hazards, sighting Safe Work Procedures and acting on identified non-compliance of contractors to workplace procedures.   

For example, if the contractor is going to work at premises where they will be exposed to excessive noise then the contractor should be advised of this fact and any procedures or policies that your organisation adopts for treating the exposure to noise.

This OHS briefing should be done each time the contractor is called in to do a specific job or task.

This requirement should also be added to the contract requirements using a short statement such as

“The person responsible for administering the contract will brief the contractor about any known OHS hazards and risk minimisation arrangements that are specific to the particular job.”

Safety and health requirements would also be reiterated prior to each job task being undertaken using the same methods we would deploy for all employees such as including these requirements in; :

· inductions

· pre start meetings

· information sessions

· training

· take fives

· JSAs

· SWMS, Safe Work Procedures

Contractor Non Compliance

Organisations should develop a standard procedure for noting and raising non-compliance issues in relation to a contractor’s work which outline what constitutes non-conformity and the process to be followed when an OHS non-compliance issue arises.

A non-compliance issue may become apparent prior to the contractor starting work, when organisations are checking the contractor's OHS arrangements or during the undertaking of work activities.

It should be clearly explained within the procedure what reasonable opportunities exist for the contractor to rectify non-compliance and what the ramifications of not rectifying non-compliance will be.

This procedure should also be handed to the potential contractor with the employment contract to be read, understood and signed prior to commencing work.

The contractor may be ordered to cease work to rectify non-compliance or be issued with a cancellation of contract of work if non-compliance continues.

Non-compliance may include but are not limited to:

· Absence of required tickets, permits or licences

· Not wearing appropriate PPE

· Working in an unsafe manner

· Putting others at risk though their unsafe work practices

· Not following instruction, information, training or supervision

Disadvantages of Using Contractors

The disadvantages for an organisation arising from the use of contract work may include:

· Lack of expertise in managing contractors

· Additional activities and time during the pre-selection process for selecting contractors

· Contractors bringing bad safety habits onto site

· Increase in administration requirements in maintaining contractors i.e. Insurances, company documentation etc.

· Additional time required to make sure contractors documentation conform to organisational OHSMS requirements

· Ensuring all contractors meet the organisations required contractor specifications

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Section 3 Hazards/Controls

Required reading for this unit:

CBD College Course E – Book Chapter 5 Contribute to Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment Pages 142 – 177 and

Chapter 6 Work-Related Health And Safety Measures And Initiatives Pages 178 – 196

Watch “Risk Assessment for Industry” answer these questions: CLASS BASED STUDENTS ONLY

1. Give a simple definition of 'hazard’.

_______________________________________________

2. How do we define ‘risk’?

_______________________________________________

3. Why should you carry out workplace inspections regularly?

_______________________________________________

4. Why should you keep all risk assessment records such as hazard report sheets and risk assessment log sheets?

_______________________________________________

5. Elimination is the most effective control measure. What is the most effective elimination method?

_______________________________________________

6. Using machine guards to prevent contact with a hazardous plant is an engineering control. Can you name the three types of guard widely used?

a) _____________________________________________

b) _____________________________________________

c) _____________________________________________

7. How do each of these guard types function?

a) _____________________________________________

b) _____________________________________________

c) _____________________________________________

8. Administrative controls involve changing or improving work procedures and systems. Can you name three typical examples?

a) _____________________________________________

b) _____________________________________________

c) _____________________________________________

9. To whom in your workplace should you report any hazards that you’ve identified?

_______________________________________________

10. What is the name of your First Aid Officer at work?

_______________________________________________

Legislation

As mentioned before, we have a “duty of care” towards the health and safety of ourselves and others in the workplace. This is represented in various parts of the Act, Regulations, and Codes of practice as well as in general terms under Common Law. Practically, this means organisations must provide:

· a safe work environment

· safe systems of work

· safe plant and equipment

· communication about safety requirements

· information about hazards

· supervision, instruction and training

Risk management ProcessA WHSMS/OHSMS provides a framework for a systematic approach to managing WHS/OHS within an organisation as well as helping an organisation to comply with legislative requirements and regulations. For this approach to be successful it needs to adhere to a centralised ideal of effectively managing risk.

As defined in AS/NZS 31000-2009. Risk management – Principles and Guidelines “coordinated activities to direct and control an organisation with regard to risk.”

Risk Management Process

HAZARDS

A hazard is a situation that has the potential to harm people physically or psychologically. Hazards need to be identified and ultimately controlled.

HAZARD GROUP

TYPICAL EXAMPLES

Physical

Heat, cold, noise, radiation, vibration, pressure

Chemical

Carcinogens, poisons, skin irritants, flammable liquids, heavy metals

Ergonomic

Poorly designed workstations and/or plant and equipment, manual handling, repetitive work

Biological

Infectious diseases (including those from birds, animals and insects) HIV and other viruses, organic dusts, insect bites/stings, pollens

Social, Psychological

Stressful work conditions (including excessive workload and deadlines) sexual, racial or religious harassment, violence and aggression, bullying, heights, tunnels

Mechanical and Electrical

Faulty tools, machinery, unguarded machinery

Information and data

There are numerous sources of internal and external sources of information that can help in identifying hazards before they occur.

INTERNAL SOURCES

EXTERNAL SOURCES

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) / Safety Data Sheets (SDSs)

Australian standards

workplace inspections

industry bodies

minutes from meetings

employer groups and unions

hazard, incident, investigation reports

OHS specialists and professional bodies

audit reports

websites, journals and newsletters

material or chemical registers

manuals and specifications

legislation, standards, manufacturers manuals

regulatory bodies and relevant Acts, regulations, codes of practice

· workplace walkthroughs

· surveys /questionnaires

· inspections

· checklists

· incident reports

· incident records

· interviews

· discussion forums

· MSDSs/SDSs

· risk mapping (rough map of work area with hazards marked)

· body mapping

· JSA

· JHA

· take fives

· SWMSs

Hazard Identification Tools come by different types and names and can include:

HEALTH MONITORING

Occupational Hygiene is the WHS discipline that is concerned with monitoring hazards such chemicals, biological, physical, ergonomic and psychosocial in nature and is “dedicated to the anticipation, recognition, evaluation, communication and control of environmental stressors arising from the workplace that may result in injury, illness, impairment or effect the wellbeing of workers and members of the community” – (WHS – A Management Guide page 173)

Resourcing relevant sources of information will inform management of required health monitoring for their particular work environment. Sources of information may include:

1. industry bodies and groups

1. WHS Acts, regulations, codes of practice, guidance material, and other information issued by WHS regulators

1. relevant Australian and international standards

1. work health and wellbeing specialists

1. relevant websites, journals and newsletters

1. workers’ compensation insurance agents

1. unions

1. workplace information and data relating to worker health and wellbeing

Health monitoring may cover any of these workplace hazards;

· noise

· volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

· lighting

· chemicals, solvents

· vibration

· welding fumes

· radiation

· synthetic mineral fibre

· dust

· metal fumes

· asbestos

· lead

· hydrocarbons

· breathing air quality

· isocyanates

· thermal comfort

Mandatory Health Monitoring

Includes work-related health and safety measures and initiatives that meet specific legislative requirements and obligations such as:

1. health monitoring of workers exposed to particular work hazards as specified in legislation

1. pre-employment and other work-related health assessments as specified in legislation

1. workplace measures to target specific factors, such as stress, fatigue, bullying and harassment, hearing loss, and short term and long-term effects resulting from exposure to hazardous substances (such as asbestos, lead and isocyanates)

State legislation and especially WHS regulations specify which hazards require mandatory health monitoring.

Volunteer Health Monitoring

Work-related health and safety measures and initiatives that support voluntary health promotion programs may include:

1. employee/worker support and assistance programs

1. general health promotion measures and programs

For example, a workplace may wish to introduce periodic health checks on the basic wellbeing of their staff which includes having medical professionals attend work to perform blood pressure, heart rates, temperature, cholesterol and overall health analysis as well as provide advice on healthy living standards. Employers may introduce a walk or ride to work program to help increase fitness levels.

Many workplaces have access to counseling services in regards to stress, depression and general workplace psychosocial issues or may introduce volunteer based programs such as drug and alcohol checks. Although these approaches are not mandatory they all help the employer establish a duty of care to providing a safe working environment.

Consulting with workers will help to establish which of these programs would be more suitable to their requirements.

Individuals and parties can help with identifying and evaluating factors impacting on work-related health and safety such as;

1. health and other requirements for workers undertaking safety critical tasks and jobs

1. lifestyle factors, work-related factors

1. non-work related health and safety problems

1. other factors that need to be addressed to meet specific legislative requirements and obligations

1. workplace psychosocial factors, including bullying, fatigue, harassment and other sources of work-related stress

Contributing to establishing work-related health and safety measures and initiatives will include liaison with government bodies and health promotion program professionals to determine suitable initiatives that can be introduced into the work environment for health monitoring.

Action plans can then be completed which Identify resourcing requirements, timelines and responsibilities for implementation as well as assist with timetabling, liaison and coordination, administering resources and communication to implement work-related health and safety measures and initiatives.

Established consultation mechanisms are then used to help ensure effective and appropriate participation of and consultation with individuals and parties about all aspects of work-related health and safety measures and initiatives. This should be in line with WHS Legislation, workplace policies and procedures. Other legislative requirements and obligations that will need to be taken into consideration include:

· award and industrial workplace legislative requirements

· common law rights and duties

· privacy laws and regulations

· workers’ compensation legislation and regulations

Work-related health and safety measures and initiatives will need to be reviewed for effectiveness. This will mean evaluating activities and initiatives in correspondence with relevant stakeholders. Outcomes should be compared with benchmarks set in action plans and comparisons made.

A final report which communicates these findings should then be completed and supplied to relevant individuals and parties.

Benefits of work health initiatives

Organisations that take steps to improve workplace health and wellbeing can also improve business' safety performance, productivity and workplace culture. Broadening the scope of workplace health and safety systems to include work health monitoring can have considerable benefits for your business.

For employers the benefits of providing workplace health programs include (but are not limited to):

· improved productivity

· increased creativity and innovation

· improved employee engagement

· improved staff morale

· reduced sickness-related absenteeism

· reduced presenteeism (defined as staying at work when someone is ill)

· increased attraction and retention of staff

· reduced workplace injury and workers compensation costs

· improved employee relations

· improved corporate image

· Improved workability in an ageing workforce

For employees the benefits of participating in workplace health initiatives include (but are not limited to):

· improved health awareness and knowledge

· improved physical and mental wellbeing and resilience

· increased energy and vitality

· increased work enjoyment and fulfillment

· improved concentration and productivity

· Improved team relationships

Useful websiteshttp://www.workhealth.vic.gov.au/home

http://www.commerce.wa.gov.au/worksafe/Content/Safety_Topics/Noise/index.htm

https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/active-living/workplace-wellness/Pages/default.aspx

Activity 3B – Hazard Identification

Class activity

What are the potential safety hazards at ABC Steel?

What are the recognised potential mandatory health hazards that may be need to be monitored at ABC Steel?

What voluntary health programs and monitoring may be applicable to ABC Steel?

Risk – is the likelihood that a hazard will cause harm

Risk Assessment

In order to manage hazards you will need to analyse and evaluate the risks associated with that hazard to determine the likely outcome if an incident occurs (how much harm or damage will be done).

When analysing and evaluating risks:

1. review existing controls;

2. determine likelihood or probability of risk;

3. determine consequence or severity of risk;

4. estimate the level of risk; and

5. prioritise and rank risks for further action

A tool to help identify the consequence of the impact of the hazard is called a Risk Assessment Matrix

(We will be referring to this matrix for assessment work)

A Risk Assessment Matrix

RISK

MATRIX

CONSEQUENCE

(How bad is it likely to be?)

Insignificant

1

Injuries not requiring first aid

Minor 2

First aid required

Moderate

3

Medical treatment required

Major

4

Hospital admission required

Severe

5

Death or permanent disability to one or more persons

LIKELIHOOD

(How likely is it to happen)

A - Almost Certain

(Is expected to occur in most circumstances)

Medium

High

High

Very High

Very High

B - Likely(Will probably occur in most circumstances)

Medium

Medium

High

High

Very High

C- Possible(Could occur at some time)

Low

Medium

High

High

Very High

D - Unlikely (Not likely to occur in normal circumstances)

Low

Low

Medium

Medium

High

E – Rare(May occur only in exceptional circumstances)

Low

Low

Medium

Medium

Medium

A risk assessment determines:

· how serious the consequences are

· how likely they are to happen

Risk rating

The aim of the risk rating is to provide a consistent standard across the organisation when rating OHS risks.

This will help:

· Improve decision making

· Give a better understanding of the seriousness of the risk

· Identify which risks need to be attended to first (order of priority)

RISK RATING

Very High

VH

Immediate action is required

High

H

Important to do something about this hazard as soon as possible

Medium

M

Risk control measures are required

Low

L

Manage by routine procedures

ASSESSMENT TASK 3.3 Answer this question in your assessment document

Hierarchy of Controls

It is not enough to identify the hazards. Action must be taken to control them before they cause injury or illness.

The Hierarchy of Controls is a list of control measures ranked according to their effectiveness in controlling the hazard at its source.

The flow chart on the next page explains the relationship between the hierarchy of controls in the organisation's structure and the OHS preventative measures

Controlling Hazards

The way to deal with a hazard is known as the “Hierarchy of Controls”. They should be considered in order. It is always best to eliminate a hazard first, if not possible then move to substitute and so on until PPE is reached.

· eliminate

· substitute

· isolate

· engineering

· administration

· PPE

Elimination Remove the hazard from the workplace. The first step in the Hierarchy of Controls is the absolute removal of the hazard from the workplace therefore eliminating it from being able to cause any harm whatsoever. There will be times when this process will not be able to be achieved so WHS/OHS management will turn to the next best option.

Substitute Change what is being used or task being performed. By changing the way a task is being performed, WHS/OHS staff can reduce the levels of risk. If this is unachievable the next best option is to isolate workers from the process.

Isolation Separating the workforce from the hazard or dangerous process. Having restricted areas, fenced off areas or contained working systems can stop the workforce from coming into contact with the hazard.

Engineering ControlsThese include designs or modifications to plants, equipment, ventilation systems, and processes that reduce the source of exposure. Engineering controls include:

· the addition of a safety off switch

· safety guards

· electrical circuit breakers

· filtration devices added to air filtering systems

· soundproofing

Administrative Controls Controls that alter the way the work is done, including timing of work, policies and other rules and work practices such as standards and operating procedures (including training, housekeeping, job rotation, signage, rest breaks, equipment maintenance and personal hygiene practices).

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) When all other safety measures have been exhausted, WHS/OHS management will have no other choice but to turn to PPE. This is equipment that is designed to be worn by a person to provide protection from a range of hazards.Equipment that is worn helps to reduce exposure, such as contact with chemicals or exposure to noise.

If there is a hazard, management must not just rely on PPE as the only form of control. You must start from the top of the Hierarchy of Controls and apply as many levels as you can of which are reasonably practicable.

Equipment can be easily damaged and needs replacing regularly which is another drawback in using PPE as the choice of hazard control.

ALARP – Adopting a Reasonably Practicable approach

To help us apply the principles of acting in a reasonably practicable manner we can employ the use of the ALARP process in exercising our duty of care.

ALARP stands for – As Low As Reasonably Practicable and helps understand the balancing act between risk and the cost (money, time and effort) of controlling that risk.

(Refer to diagram in CD College E – Book CHAPTER 5 Contribute to Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment)

Communication and Consultation

Accurate and timely hazard identification and communication is a critical part of duty of care.

Strategies that support consultation include:

· team meetings

· tool box meetings

· workplace inspections

· WHS/OHS Committees

· WHS/OHS Representatives

· WHS/OHS information and training sessions

· safety audits

ASSESSMENT TASK 3.3

Small Group Work

After reading through the scenario, answer this