bsbwhs201 ebook
TRANSCRIPT
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to Health and Safety of Self and Others
1 | P a g e March 2015
BSBWHS201
CONTRIBUTE TO THE
HEALTH AND SAFETY OF
SELF AND OTHERS
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
2 | P a g e March 2015 v1.0
Introduction ...................................................................................................... 3
WHS Legislation ................................................................................................ 4
1. Working safely .......................................................................................... 6
1.1. Follow safety procedures and work instructions ....................................... 6
1.1.1. Safety procedures .......................................................................... 6
1.1.2. Safety signage ............................................................................... 8
1.1.3. Work instructions ........................................................................... 9
1.2. Pre start system and equipment checks .................................................. 9
1.3. Follow workplace procedures to respond to an emergency incident .......... 10
2. Implementing work safety requirements .................................................... 12
2.1. Designated persons to direct queries and concerns about workplace safety12
2.2. Identifying existing and potential hazards ............................................. 13
2.2.1. What is a hazard .......................................................................... 13
2.2.2. Identifying hazards ....................................................................... 13
2.2.3. Reporting and recording hazards .................................................... 14
2.3. Identify and implement WHS procedures and instructions ....................... 15
2.4. Emergency incidents .......................................................................... 15
2.4.1. Reporting emergency incidents and injuries ..................................... 17
2.5. Identify WHS duty holders .................................................................. 20
Contractors .................................................................................................. 21
3. Participation in WHS consultation process ................................................... 23
3.1. Contribute to WHS ............................................................................. 23
3.1.1. Meetings ..................................................................................... 23
3.1.2. Inspections .................................................................................. 23
3.1.3. WHS consultation ......................................................................... 26
3.2. Raise WHS with designated personnel .................................................. 28
3.3. Take action to eliminate workplace hazards and risks ............................. 28
3.3.1. Risk assessment .......................................................................... 29
3.3.2. Hierarchy of control ...................................................................... 37
Appendix: Ergonomics ...................................................................................... 38
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
3 | P a g e March 2015 v1.0
Introduction
This unit looks at how you will contribute to the health and safety of yourself and of
others in the workplace.
Throughout this unit you will learn to work safely by following procedures and work
instructions.
Learn the skills necessary to implement work safety requirements such as how to:
Report and identify hazards
Operate in emergencies
Identify designated personnel to help you in your role
You will understand your part in Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) by participating
in consultation processes to improve safety in your workplace.
In this eBook, we will utilise 2 different case studies, to assist with providing practical
examples in your learning.
Case Study 1
You are Joe, a kitchen hand at CA City Caf, There are 10 staff working with you.
The safety supervisor is Brighton Early; the Assistant chef. In the workplace all
safety procedures are listed on the staff communication board and there is a clear
diagram of the assembly location in case of an emergency.
Case Study 2
You are Steve, working in the wholesale stock handling department of the CA City
Retail Group. You main roles are to manage the administration in the area of stock
receival area and assist with loading and unloading of stock in bulk within the
warehouse. You are not qualified to drive the forklift and are required to leave this
to qualified people in the department.
In your immediate workgroup there are 3 other staff. You are all required to report
all concerns to your manager Allen Yah, is the designated person. The whole
department employs on average 50 staff and the safety officer is Luke Tinney;
Logistics officer. The department runs two shifts a day and each shift has a
manager on duty for any immediate issues.
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
4 | P a g e March 2015 v1.0
WHS Legislation
State and Federal Government Workplace Health and Safety Legislation states that all
organisations, employees and contractors must adhere to the relevant Workplace
Health and Safety Acts.
Workplace Health and Safety Legislation requires that organisations have up to date
policies and procedures that set out how to safely perform work.
Workplace Health and Safety Legislation states that there is a legal Duty of Care that
requires that all organisations, employees and manufacturers maintain a safe
workplace and ensure that all work practices are carried out in a safe manner.
1 January 2012 marks an historic event for our jurisdiction with the commencement of
the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) (WHS Act) for the Commonwealth
jurisdiction. A copy of the Act can be viewed here, on the Comlaw website.
The WHS Act replaces the now retracted Occupational Health and Safety Act 1991.
As part of WHS legislation are requirements and documents know as regulations and
code of practices.
Regulations are a set of rules designed by government agencies (i.e. Safe Work
Australia) designed with the intention to carry out the intent of legislation.
Examples of regulation that work in line with the WHS Act of 2011 include:
Representation and participation regulations
Managing workplace risk, health and safety regulations
Hazardous work regulations
High risk work regulations
Demolition work regulations
Electrical safety and energised electrical work regulations
Driving work regulations
Plant and structure regulations
Construction work regulations
Hazardous chemical regulations
Lead work regulations
Asbestos work regulations
Major hazard facilities regulations
Mining regulations
For more information on regulations you may wish to visit:
http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/swa/about/publications/pages/model-whs-
regulations
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
5 | P a g e March 2015 v1.0
Codes of practices are practical guides to achieve the standards of health and safety
that are required under the WHS Act of 2011 and associated regulations. Codes of
practice provide duty holders with guidance on effective methods to manage WHS
risks.
Examples of codes of practice that work in conjunction to the WHS Act of 2011
include:
How to safely remove asbestos
How to manage and control asbestos in the workplace
Abrasive blasting
Confined spaces
Construction work
Work health and safety consultation co-operation and co-ordination
Demolition work
Managing electrical risks at the workplace
Excavation work
Managing the risk of falls at workplaces
Preventing falls in housing construction
Managing the work environment and facilities
First aid in the workplace
Labelling of workplace hazardous chemicals
Preparation of safety data sheets for hazardous chemicals
Managing risks of hazardous chemicals in the workplace
Hazardous manual tasks
Managing noise and preventing hearing loss at work
Managing risks of plant in the workplace
How to manage work health and safety risks
Safe design of structures
Spray painting and powder coating
Welding processes
To discover information about the codes of practice visit:
http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/swa/model-whs-laws/model-
cop/pages/model-cop
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
6 | P a g e March 2015 v1.0
1. Working safely
The purpose of working safely is twofold to, reduce the risk to health and safety in the
workplace and reduce the likelihood of an injury through:
Implementing policy, procedure and work instructions that are compliant with
relevant Acts, legislation regulations and codes of practice
Ensuring that employees know how to work safely when carrying out the tasks
involved in their jobs
Specific health and safety procedures are important because they provide clear
direction or instruction by which workplace hazards can be identified, and the risks
assessed and controlled.
A formal procedure will ensure hazards are dealt with in a structured and agreed
manner, rather than in response to a crisis.
1.1. Follow safety procedures and work
instructions
Procedures and work instructions are fundamental to working safely to ensure risk to
self and others is minimised, following these will require knowledge of safety
procedures, including signage and other reasonable instruction.
1.1.1. Safety procedures
A safety procedure or Safe Work Procedure (SWP) is a set of instructions which
outlines the safest way to undertake a task to minimise the likelihood of risks in its
implementation. Safe work procedures should be written whenever:
Figure 1 Reasons for writing safe work procedures
Below outlines what these procedures might look like in both of our case studies.
SWP Caf Purchasing
Standard
operating
procedures
When operating the steam oven,
you must stand behind the door
See example below for filing
cabinets and bookcases.
Designing a new job or task
Changing a job or task
Introducing new equipment
Introducing new substances
Reviewing a procedure (that problems have been identified)
Reviewing a procedure (after an accident or
incident investigation)
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
7 | P a g e March 2015 v1.0
when opening it to avoid steam
burns.
Emergency
procedures
In the event of a fire, alert the front of house staff to calmly
evacuate customers, if qualified to do so attempt to extinguish
fire and call emergency service.
Following product
specifications
The microwave oven requires a
specific amount of power, do not
move it unless authorised.
Do not operate a fork lift
unless you are qualified to
do so.
Operator or
manufacturer
manuals
Deep fryer must be filled with oil
to the correct marked level.
Cold room operation, no
obstacles to door closing,
always check door is closed.
Procedures for
selecting, fitting,
using and
maintaining
personal
protective
equipment (PPE)
As a kitchen hand you are
required to wear your uniform
which includes provided PPE
such as:
Apron
Heat proof gloves
Steel cap boots
When working in the
warehouse are you are
required to wear the
provided PPE:
Steel cap boots
High visibility vest
Hard hat
Figure 2 Examples of how Safe Work Procedures are implemented in case studies
Safe Work Procedure example
Filing cabinets and bookcases
Filing cabinets and bookcases can be dangerous if used incorrectly. Follow this
procedure for safe use:
Close drawers and doors when not in use to prevent bumping and tripping.
Do not open more than one drawer or door at once.
Place filing cabinets where their use will not interfere with office traffic patterns.
Secure or anchor filing cabinets or bookcases taller than 162 cm to the wall to
prevent toppling over, use the correct fixings for the wall type.
In the case of four-drawer filing cabinets, fill the second drawer from the bottom
before the others to weight the bottom and to prevent it from tilting or tipping.
Figure 3 Example of a Safe Work Procedure
Case Study 2
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
8 | P a g e March 2015 v1.0
There is an issue with filling cabinets and other shelving in the office. When Steve
went to put files in the cabinet he stared filling from the top, this caused the top
draw to be too heavy and the cabinet fell and landed on his foot. The cabinet was
only new and had not been anchored into the wall. If cabinet had been filled
according to the SWP this would not have happened.
1.1.2. Safety signage
Sometimes language and cultural barriers mean that employees and visitors do not
understand safety instructions and hazard warnings if they are only provided in text
form. It is generally understood that the correct sign provide a simple means of
communicating a message. Do not assume that everyone in your workplace
understands your signage, you may add an explanation into your induction process to
make sure they understand:
Safety signage displayed in appropriate areas is an effective means of
improving workplace safety
Many signs are simple and easy to understand
Make sure your organisation uses universally accepted signs to keep the
standard of safe work high
Below are some examples of signage which fits the above criteria
Sign What it means? Sign What it
means?
There is potential
for a hazard to
become a risk, it
is managed by
following the clear
instructions to
eliminate the risk
There is
electrical
hazards
present, do not
touch unless
you are
authorised to
do so.
There are first aid
supplies here for
use if you are
injured
You are
required wear
a hard hat in
this area as a
safety
precaution.
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
9 | P a g e March 2015 v1.0
There is a
radiation hazard
present, avoid it if
not in the
appropriate PPEs
There is a fire
fighting hose
here for use in
the event of an
emergency
Also means it
is a water
based fire
fighting aid for
wood and
paper fires
The floor is wet
and may lead to
people slipping.
Ensure caution
and care is taken.
Figure 4 Examples of safety signage and there intended meaning
1.1.3. Work instructions
Work instructions can be written or verbally given by a manager to an employee. A
written work instruction may be a routine to follow, much like a procedure. A verbal
work instruction is a request made by a manager to an employee, which they must
comply with unless they believe that the request is unreasonable.
Case Study 2
Steve normally performs administrative functions and is not licensed to drive a
forklift. When a supervisor in the warehouse asked Steve to use the forklift to move
several crates, he must refuse as he is not licensed and this could present a risk to
the safety of himself and others. After this he could talk to his boss about getting a
forklift licence.
1.2. Pre start system and equipment checks
Before using a system, appliance or machine in the workplace, you are required to
ensure you follow pre start procedures and equipment checks. Many of these are
outlined in the product specifications and operator/manufacturer manuals.
Case Study 1
In the kitchen Joe is required to use deep fryer on a daily basis, he needs to follow
the SWP and make sure the oil is filled to the required level before turning on the
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
10 | P a g e March 2015 v1.0
deep fryer. If something changes and he is unsure what to do he can ask Brighton
to assist him.
Case Study 2
Before Steve commences work he must check the lighting of the office is adequate
and that his workplace is set up to be ergonomically effective. See appendix 1 on
ergonomics.
1.3. Follow workplace procedures to respond to
an emergency incident
It is essential for all organisations to ensure that all who work in, and visit the
organisation do so in safety. The organisation has a duty of care to make sure that
these procedures are in place and that they work.
There could be a number of instances where there is a need to respond to an
emergency:
Evacuation procedures in the case of fire, flood, explosion or other significant
event that can impact on the inhabitants of a building
Emergency procedures that refer to injury or illness in the workplace
Below is an example of an emergency procedure. This is one part of a procedure in
the case of evacuation there will be a designated place to assemble, designated
personnel to coordinate the evacuation and to help control the situation. Each
organisation needs to provide details which fit their own situation.
Example
Emergency safety procedure
Is someone seriously injured or in need of urgent medical help?
Is your life or property being threatened?
Have you just witnessed a serious accident or crime?
Is anyone in immediate danger?
Help them only if it is SAFE to do so.
1 Call 000 on the designated phone
If you are hearing impaired please use 106 for a text based emergency
2 State which emergency service you want: Ambulance, Fire, or Police
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
11 | P a g e March 2015 v1.0
3 Stay calm - stay focused
4 Stay on the line. The emergency service operator will need to talk to you
before sending assistance. They will ask you questions about the incident
5 Give as much information as possible about the location of the emergency.
The information required depends whether you are in an urban or rural or
remote area
6 Have your name and call back details ready for the operator
7 What happened e.g. car accident?
8 Number and condition of the casualties, including level of consciousness,
breathing and circulation
Figure 5 Example of an emergency safety procedure
Case Study 1
Joe is working, when there is a fire, he knows that he is to alert Brighton who is the
safety office so he immediately notifies him. The procedure for an emergency
evacuation is clearly displayed on the staff communication board, so he quickly
looks at it while Brighton makes decisions about evacuation of staff and customers
and containing the fire. Joe carries out the first step on the emergency procedure
which is to call 000 and request the fire brigade.
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
12 | P a g e March 2015 v1.0
2. Implementing work safety requirements
2.1. Designated persons to direct queries and
concerns about workplace safety
Any work process or practice that does not comply with WHS requirements needs to
be reported to the organisations designated person. Who this person is depends on
the size and type of business.
Designated persons could be:
Designated person Why should they be consulted on?
Health and Safety officer or their
representatives
Issues to do with hazards, risks or incidents
Managers or supervisors Issues during shift
Team leaders Queries on tasks
Designated persons
Health and Safety officer
or their representatives
Managers or supervisors
Team leaders
Other persons nominated by
the organisation
Union officers
WHS inspectors
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
13 | P a g e March 2015 v1.0
Other persons nominated by the
organisation
Serious operational issues
Union officers Safety issues that have not been resolved
2.2. Identifying existing and potential hazards
The goal of WHS is to reduce the risk to the health and safety of all persons involved
with the workplace. Risks are what hazards are to the health and safety of others and
it is important to be able to identify them.
2.2.1. What is a hazard
A hazard is anything in the workplace that has the potential to harm people.
Hazards can include objects in the workplace, such as machinery or dangerous
chemicals. Other hazards relate to the way work is done. For instance, hazards on
a production line could include manual handling, excessive noise and fatigue caused
by the pace of work. (Work Safe Victoria, 2015)
Hazards will vary in severity and importance in each organisation, industry and job.
Following are some common hazards which affect all organisations in different ways.
2.2.2. Identifying hazards
Case Study 1
The cafe has been designed to create mood by using ambient lighting. It is not
suitable to change the lighting in the cafe but Joe and his manager need to be able
to make suggestions to be sure there are areas of better lighting for completing
dockets, reading and inside the food or beverage production areas. Insufficient
lighting in the work areas could cause an incident or injury. This would be
considered a hazard.
These examples are very simple, how this could work at your work place?
What is the
hazard? What can we do? Hierarchy control
Poor lighting
Allow for efficient task lighting or
replace lights as required considering
the impact of energy use as well as safe
work practices
Substitute
Loose power
cords
Use mats to secure all cords or install
more electrical points to reduce the
need for cords at all
Eliminate or isolate
Faulty electrical
equipment
Regular maintenance and clear system
for quarantining faulty equipment Use engineering
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
14 | P a g e March 2015 v1.0
Handling of
hazardous
chemicals
Training sessions on a regular basis for
all staff required to handle chemicals
Use administration
and Personal
Protective Equipment
(PPE)
Heavy lifting
required Use trolleys at all times Eliminate
Figure 6 Hazards in the workplace and how they are managed
2.2.3. Reporting and recording hazards
You should report any hazards immediately to your supervisor. You do not need to
wait for an inspection team to come by. In fact, health and safety legislation requires
employees to report hazards to their supervisor. The immediate hazard reporting
process allows employees to report hazardous conditions or practices as they notice
them. This procedure allows for prompt reporting and subsequent corrective action
without waiting for the next round of regular inspections. Hazards can be reported
verbally or by filling a simple form available at bulletin boards or other conspicuous
places, it may also be included in your induction depending on your role. The following
is an example of such a form.
Hazard report form Example
Please send all forms to M Rogers CA City WHS officer
Name: Date:
Location:
Equipment:
Description of the hazard:
Suggested corrective action:
Signature:
Supervisor's remarks:
Corrective action taken:
Signature of Supervisor: Date:
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
15 | P a g e March 2015 v1.0
Figure 7 Hazard reporting form example
2.3. Identify and implement WHS procedures and
instructions
It can be useful to use a hazard identification checklist. Once again every department
and every organisation will use their own systems, this is a basic example for making
sure steps are in place to manage the use of chemicals which are potentially
hazardous in the workplace.
Hazard communication checklist
Check Items
Has a list of hazardous chemicals in the workplace been prepared?
How will this list be updated? Is there a system?
Are safety data sheets (SDS) available for each chemical used?
Are all chemicals labelled?
Has a system been developed for incoming chemicals for labelling and SDS
provision?
Are all employees aware of hazards of the chemicals in the workplace?
Have employees been informed of the hazards associated with performing
non-routine tasks?
Do all employees have access to correct PPE for their role?
Are all employees trained in handling hazardous chemicals in the workplace?
Are all employees aware of emergency procedures in the case of a
hazardous material related incident?
Figure 8 A hazard communication checklist template
When recording hazards it is important that the information is clearly written in easy
to understand language and instructions have logical steps.
It is also very important to make sure the hazard plans are:
Figure 9 Important points about hazard plans
2.4. Emergency incidents
Any work process or practice that does not comply with WHS requirements should be
reported to the organisations designated person.
An incident is defined as: an instance of something happening; an event or
occurrence, generally in the terms of WHS it means the events such as a near miss or
injury. Designated persons may hold positions such as:
Updated regularly Reviewed oftenFeedback must be given to employees and management
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
16 | P a g e March 2015 v1.0
Figure 10 Designated persons in an emergency incident
Accurately reporting incidents using associated workplace documentation involves
completion of appropriate forms and these forms being used to create a clear source
of information of how, when and where these incidents occur. Managers can then use
this information to help prevent problems occurring again.
Types of reports can include:
Document What is it?
Incident report A report is filled out in the event of an injury, incident or
death in the workplace
Hazards reports Used to report hazards or potential hazards for
investigation
Grievance /
complaints reports
A document that details a complaint or issue from a
member of staff. With regard to WHS it could be
complaints about bullying, lack of appropriate action or
protections
Job checklists A list of tasks an employee must tick off whilst engaging
in work, to perform their job safely.
Work schedules A document detailing when staff work and at what times
they perform their duties
Workplace inspection
checklists
A document used to identify hazards in the workplace
through inspections
Designated persons
Workplace Health and
Safety Officer
Manager
Supervisor
Officer on Duty
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
17 | P a g e March 2015 v1.0
These documents will be used for their initial purpose as records of incidents and in
the future as registers of safe work practices and historical accounts for planning and
audits.
2.4.1. Reporting emergency incidents and injuries
The primary purpose of an injury incident report is to ensure that appropriate
action is taken to prevent future incidents/injuries, and to provide data to
assist the organisation to continuously improve its health and safety management
system.
Injury incident report procedure
Remember three things:
Figure 11 Key factors in reporting an incident or injury
All workplace incidents resulting in a work injury, work-caused illness, dangerous
incident or near miss must be reported to the supervisor as soon as possible.
First, a few definitions to differentiate the types of incidents:
Accident An unplanned event which causes injury, death and/or damage to
equipment or property
Dangerous
occurrence
Means any incident that arises from workplace operations and which
causes an immediate and significant risk to a person. A person does not
have to be injured. The risk may arise if a person is or could have been
in, on or near the incident. Such incidents can include acid/chemical spills
in a laboratory, explosions, gas leaks, electrical short circuits, implosions,
fire and/or damage to plant or property
Hazard All actions, situations and occurrences with the potential to cause harm
Injury Any physical or mental damage to the body caused by exposure to a
hazard
Near miss An unplanned event that occurred in the workplace which, although not
resulting in any injury, had the potential to do so
Notifiable
incident A notifiable incident as outlined in the WHS Act is:
The death of a person A serious injury or illness A dangerous incident
Arising out of the conduct of a business or undertaking at a
workplace. Notifiable incidents may relate to any personwhether an
employee, contractor or member of the public
What needs to be reported?
To whom it is to be
reported?
How to report it?
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
18 | P a g e March 2015 v1.0
Serious
injury/
bodily injury
Within Australia, generally means the injured persons death, loss of part
or an organ of the injured persons body, serious injuries to the spine,
eyes, the suffering of serious burns, the separation of skin and
lacerations. Can also mean that the injured party required immediate
emergency medical treatment or hospitalisation to recover and/or was
unable to work for periods ranging from a minimum of 4-7 work days
Work illness An illness or exacerbation of an illness to which work, a workplace, a
workplace activity or specified high risk plant was a significant
contribution factor
Workplace
incidents
Any incident resulting in a work injury, work caused illness or dangerous
event
Work-
related
Means that the incident arose from:
The conduct of the employers undertaking at a workplace
Work performed by an employee in connection with the employers
undertaking at a workplace
These reports must be consistent with the requirements of the Workplace Health and
Safety Act 2011. You need to check with the state government body in your area
regarding state specific legislation.
Example According to http://workplaceohs.com.au/legislation/qld-legislation
Queensland became the first state to pass harmonised WHS legislation
with the passage of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 on 26 May
2011. It came into effect on 1 January 2012.
Example Incident / injury report form
Please print clearly and tick the correct box
Status: Employee Contractor Other
Outcome: Near miss Injury
1. DETAILS OF INJURED PERSON
Name: ____________________________________ Phone: (H) (W)
Address: ________________________________________ Sex: M F
_______________________________________________ Date of birth: ___________________
_______________________________________________ Position: _______________________
Experience in the job: ______________________________ (years/months)
Start time: ______________________________________ am pm
Work arrangement: Casual Full-time Part-time Other
2. DETAILS OF INCIDENT
Date: __________________ Time: _________________________
Location: _______________________________________________________________________
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
19 | P a g e March 2015 v1.0
Describe what happened and how: ___________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. DETAILS OF WITNESSES
Name: _________________________________________ Phone: (H) _________ (W) ________
Address: ______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
4. DETAILS OF INJURY
Nature of injury (eg burn, cut, sprain) ________________________________________________
Cause of injury (eg fall, grabbed by person) ___________________________________________
Location on body (eg back, left forearm) ______________________________________________
Agency (eg lounge chair, another person, hot water) ____________________________________
5. TREATMENT ADMINISTERED
First Aid given Yes No
First Aider name: ________________________________________________________________
Treatment: _____________________________________________________________________
Referred to: ____________________________________________________________________
SECTION 6-9 MUST BE COMPLETED BY EMPLOYER
6. DID THE INJURED PERSON STOP WORK ?
Yes No If yes, state date: __________________ Time: _______________
Outcome:
Treated by doctor Hospitalised Workers compensation claim
Returned to normal work Alternative duties Rehabilitation
7. INCIDENT INVESTIGATION (comments to include causal factors):
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
8. RISK ASSESSMENT
Likelihood of recurrence: __________________________________________________________
Severity of outcome: _____________________________________________________________
Level of risk: ____________________________________________________________________
9. ACTIONS TO PREVENT RECURRENCE
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
20 | P a g e March 2015 v1.0
Action By whom By when Date completed
10. ACTIONS COMPLETED
Signed (Manager): ______________________________________ Title:
Date: ___________________
Feedback to person involved Date: _________________
11. REVIEW COMMENTS
OHS committee / staff meeting: _____________________________________________________
Reviewed by site Manager (signed): _________________________ Date: _________________
Reviewed by Health & Safety Rep.(signed): ___________________ Date: ___________________
2.5. Identify WHS duty holders
Everyone is responsible for workplace health and safety, all managers, staff and
external contractors are responsible for creating a safe work environment. Effective
workplace health and safety is all about providing information about WHS issues to
workers in an organisation and giving them an opportunity to respond and contribute
to the WHS issues that affect them through consultation and participative
arrangements.
At the beginning of your time in a new job you will be inducted into the role, an
important part of your induction must be to explain who you are to go to in the case
that you need to report an incident, hazard or risk.
Persons Conducting Business or Undertaking (PCBU) are responsible to consult with:
Workers
Contractors, including sub-contractors
Labour hire workers
Apprentices
Work experience staff
Volunteers
PCBUs are also responsible for establishing a Health and Safety Committee (HSC) if
there are 5 or more workers or, at their own initiative. A HSC is there to facilitate
cooperation between the PCBU and all employees, to improve and make the
workplace safer, to develop standards and rules to make sure of workers health and
safety at work.
Due diligence is a term you will need to know. It is used often in WHS, it means
reasonable steps taken by a person to avoid committing an offence.
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
21 | P a g e March 2015 v1.0
Supervisors and management
Supervisors and managers play a large role in WHS. They need to take all reasonably
practicable measures to ensure the WHS program is working in the area of their
control. This means take all steps as a duty holder as is reasonable. They need to
consider:
Change or likelihood of the hazard or risk happening
Harm if it does
What is known about the risk and how to remove or reduce it happening
Cost of removing or reducing the risk, as well as the cost of not doing it?
Duty holders are also required to make sure employees are supervised and trained to
meet their requirements under the program.
Management needs to ensure that employees are consulted about issues which affect
their health and safety. Any concerns employees may have must be referred to
appropriate managers who have a responsibility to look at raised concerns and
provide feedback on action taken.
Employees
All employees are required to co-operate with WHS policy and programs to ensure
their own health and safety, and the health and safety of others in the workplace. As
an employee you also need to avoid impacting others safety and you must follow any
reasonable request from your supervisor or manager with regard to WHS.
Contractors
All contractors engaged to perform work on the premises or locations of the
organisation are required, as part of their contract, to comply with the WHS policies,
procedures and programs of the organisation and to observe directions on health and
safety from designated officers of the organisation.
Failure to comply or observe a direction will be considered a breach of the
contract and sufficient grounds for termination of the contract.
Who Their responsibilities as duty holder
PCBU
Owner, manager
(Section 20-26
WHS Act 2011)
Primary duty of care to ensure health and safety of workers while
at work in the business
Make sure work does not carry risk to health and safety of others
Provide and maintain safe work environment, plant and structures,
systems of work
Ensure safe use handling and storage of plant, structures and
substances
Provide adequate facilities, instruction, training, information,
supervision
Monitor health of workers and conditions in the workplace
Officers Person
within the
business.
Officers are responsible to make sure the PCBU meets their
obligations They need to take reasonable steps to:
Gain and update knowledge of WHS
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
22 | P a g e March 2015 v1.0
Director of a
company,
company
secretary
(Section 27 WHS
Act 2011)
Understand the type of business and hazards/ risks involved
Make sure PCBU has resources to reduce/ remove risks and
hazards
Processes exist to manage incidents, hazards, risks
Make sure PCBU is involved in consultation, providing training and
instruction and reports notifiable incidents
Workers All
employees
(Section 28 WHS
Act 2011)
Take reasonable care for your own safety
Take care your actions do not harm others
Comply with instructions from PCBU or their officers to help comply
with WHS obligations
Cooperate with policies or procedures which relate to WHS
Visitors
Contractors,
volunteers others
(Section 29 WHS
Act 2011)
Take reasonable care for your own safety
Take care your actions do not harm others
Comply with instructions from PCBU or officers to help comply with
WHS obligations
Health and safety
committees Work
groups
(Section 77 WHS
Act 2011)
Group of persons in the workplace who maintain and improve WHS
Establishing a workgroup or committee depends on the number of
employees and the size of the business
At least half of the members must not be nominated by the PCBU
Health and safety
representative
(Section 68 WHS
Act 2011)
The person elected by members of a workgroup to represent them
during consultation on WHS issues
They monitor actions taken by the PCBU to comply with WHS Act
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
23 | P a g e March 2015 v1.0
3. Participation in WHS consultation process
3.1. Contribute to WHS
As an employee you are legally, ethically and contractually obligated to contribute to,
and uphold WHS at all times during employment. You may participate in meetings,
conduct or be involved in inspections or contribute to the consultation process.
3.1.1. Meetings
There are different types of workplace meetings you as an employee can participate in
and use as a platform to contribute to the health and safety of others. Types of
meeting you may attend include:
Team meetings
One-on one meetings with your manager
Meeting with Health and Safety Committee (as a representative)
Case Study 1
In the Caf each month there is a team meeting, the manager sets aside time in the
meeting to discuss WHS and invites all staff to raise any issues. Joe raises his hand
and says that he is a bit concerned. The Caf has had a new set of cleaning
chemicals for close to a month now and there were no SDS available to the staff.
The Manager notes this down and makes it a priority to get the SDS to staff.
3.1.2. Inspections
Inspections are crucial to WHS and are a valuable method of contributing and
participating in the process as an employee. Different inspections that contribute to
WHS include:
Conducting safety audits
Inspecting equipment for safe use
Conducting routine inspections of hazards
Participating in workplace inspections
Case Study 2
One of Steves monthly roles is to conduct a safety audit where he inspects the
workplace to ensure that all aspects are meeting health and safety requirements,
documenting noncompliance and ensuring it is corrected.
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
24 | P a g e March 2015 v1.0
Workplace inspection checklist
Item Y N
N
/
A
Action taken
1 Fire
Extinguishers are in place x
Are clearly marked x
Have been serviced in the past 6 months x Overdue by a month, arrange
service immediately
Area around extinguisher is clear for a 1
meter radius
x
Fire exit signs are in working order x
Exit doors are not blocked x
Exit doors can easily be opened x
Fire alarm is in working order x
Emergency plan is displayed x
- Emergency drill carried out within last 6
months
x
2 Electrical
No broken plugs, sockets or switches x
No frayed or damaged leads x
Portable power tools in good condition x
No temporary leads on the floor x
Testing and tagging of electrical items
has been attended within the last 12
months
x
3 General Lighting
Adequate illumination in working areas x
There is good natural lighting x
There is no direct or reflected glare x
Light fittings clean and in working order x
Emergency lighting is operational x
4 Walkways
No oil or grease x
Walkways are clearly marked x
Walkways are clear of obstructions x
Unobstructed vision at intersections x
Stairs not blocked in good condition x
5 Rubbish
Bins are located at suitable points x
Bins are not overflowing x
Bins are emptied regularly x
6 Work Benches
Clear of rubbish x
Tools are stored properly x
- Adequate work height x
- No sharp edges x
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
25 | P a g e March 2015 v1.0
7 Storage
Materials stored in racks safely x
Pallets in good condition (no broken
wood)
x
Floor around racking is clear of rubbish or
obstacles
x
Racking is in good condition, no damaged
uprights, beams etc.
x
8 Chemicals
SDS for all chemicals x New chemicals SDS are
available, but not distributed
SDS Register is available and up to date x New chemicals SDS are
available, but not distributed
Containers clearly and accurately labelled x
All chemicals stored in accordance with
SDS
x Staff not storing chemicals
correctly in line with SDS, they
do not have access to them
9 First Aid
First aid kits and contents clean and
orderly
x
First aid kit is adequately stocked (as per
the Schedule in the kit)
x
Easy access to first aid kits x
All employees aware of first aid kit
location
x
At least one worker on site with current
Senior First Aid cert
x
10 Floors
Even surface with no large cracks, holes
or trip hazards
x
Floors are not obstructed x
Floors are free from grease, oil, etc. x
11 Office
No exposed leads x
Air conditioning working adequately x
Filing cabinets are stable, in good repair x
Workers' chairs at correct height (knees
at right angles, feet flat)
x
Workers' monitors correct distance (arms
length away when seated)
x
Workers' monitors correct height (eyes in
line with top of screen)
x
Workers' mouse located beside keyboard x
Workers' keyboard located near edge of
desk (allows relaxed arms)
x
12 Machines
Power equipment maintenance carried
out
x
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
26 | P a g e March 2015 v1.0
Power equipment clean x
All guarding in place and interlocks
working
x
13 Display material
WHS policy statement signed and
displayed on notice boards
x
Return to work program signed and
displayed on notice boards
x
No smoking signs are displayed x
Staff only or Restricted area x
Report that hazard poster displayed x
Manual handling poster displayed in the
warehouse
x
Safety noticeboard available up to date x
14 WHS information
WHS manual available to workers x
Incident report form available x
Hazard report forms available x
Emergency evacuation plan displayed x
Training records up to date x
Additional comments or actions required:
Contact fire extinguishing service company for immediate service of equipment
Locate and print SDS (MSDS) and distribute
Signed: J Peanut Date: 15 April
Copies sent to: Purchasing Manager, WHS Officer
Adapted from (Everything OHS, 2013)
3.1.3. WHS consultation
Consultation is a two way process between employees and PCBUs. Communication
about health and safety is given high priority. Health and safety issues are addressed
by:
Expressing concerns
Listening to managements concerns
Seeking and sharing views and information
PCBUs considering what workers may say before making a decision
Consultation is a legislative requirement under section 48 of WHS Act of 2011.
Consultation can be done in various ways and does not specifically require a formal
process, it can be as simple as communication between staff and management on a
frequent basis about WHS. An organisation is required to set up a Health and Safety
Committee (HSC) if it has more than 5 employees, or if a request is made by a
member of staff to form one. When consulting on WHS matters, the following
documents may be used to make decisions:
Hazard, incident and investigation reports
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
27 | P a g e March 2015 v1.0
Workplace inspection reports
Minutes of meetings
Job Safety Analyses (JSAs) and risk assessments
Safety data sheets (SDS) and registers formerly Material Safety Data Sheets
(MSDS)
Employees handbooks
Manufacturers' manuals and specifications
Information from WHS representatives
Reports from WHS committee
Information from external sources on hazards/risk relevant to work group
An organisation will consult on matters for a variety of reasons, this is part of the
continual improvement of the organisation and ensuring the organisation upholds its
commitment to legislation. Organisations usually undertake consultation on matters
such as:
Employee contribution
Employees play a vital role in the WHS process. Some of the key areas are
Raise/report/identify WHS issues with the designated workplace representative
Participate in workplace meetings (join WHS committee or Health and safety
committee (HSC), groups, become a WHS rep)
Conduct workplace inspections or other consultative activities to improve safety
Provide assistance to contribute to workplace safety (assist workplace WHS
committee, rep, contribute to workplace safety activities)
Changes to policies, work practices and
procedures
Changes to premises, plant or substances used at
work
Conducting workplace risk assessments
Incorporating new health and safety requirements for
compliance purposes
Making decisions about the adequacy
of workplace facilities
Making decisions about the
organisations consultative procedures
Reviews of policies, procedures and work practices
Risk control
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
28 | P a g e March 2015 v1.0
3.2. Raise WHS with designated personnel
When an issue is identified within the workplace, it is a part of your obligation to WHS
in the workplace in section 2.1 designated personnel in regards to WHS were
identified. When a WHS issue arises, it is important to raise it with these people.
Figure 12 Example procedural flowchart for alerting designated personnel to WHS issue, incidents and
injuries
3.3. Take action to eliminate workplace hazards
and risks
Definition: A safety risk is a situation or circumstance that includes the possibility of
injury to someone or of damage to property.
What's the difference between a risk and a hazard? Employees need to know.
Hazards are anything in the workplace with the potential to harm people. They can
include objects in the workplace i.e. machinery or dangerous chemicals or other
hazards that relate to how work is done.
A risk arises when its possible that a hazard will actually cause harm. The level of
risk will depend on how often the job is done, the number of workers involved and
how serious any injuries that result could be.
It is important that all employees can assess risks. Workplace risks need to be treated
in order to remove or reduce the potential for accident or injury.
Every organisation needs to undertake a risk analysis to identify all risks to the
organisation. It will encompass many different types of risk, including risks to
resources financial, human and physical. Human resources risks revolve around losing
key staff member to other organisations as well as injury or workplace incident which
causes disruption to the effective running of the organisation or a department.
Issue identified Notify managerIssue attempted to be resolved
Report (hazard identification)
filled out
Health and Safety Officer
notified
Attempt resolution (if none made)
HSC refered issue for
consultation
Attempt resolution (if none made)
Refer to Work Safe Inspector (if no resolution
made)
Resolution
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
29 | P a g e March 2015 v1.0
NB: Risks for an organisation include not only physical or workplace health and
safety issues but any incident that can disrupt the ability of the organisation to
achieve its goals. In this case we are concerned with injury or incident as a risk to
prevent the goals of the WHS policies being achieved.
We have considered examples of hazards, now take it a step further. In the table
below the hazard is identified with a type of risk. It outlines an example of what can
be done to minimise the risk and what approach could be used.
Identified
hazard?
Risk
associated
What can we do? Main approach
Slippery
surface
Slip Monitor correct use of uniform with
regard to appropriate footwear
Kitchen floors are extremely
slippery - a very real hazard
Likelihood of someone slipping in
wrong shoes - high
Likelihood of serious injury from
a fall in a busy kitchen - extreme
Introducing proper uniform
standards will help reduce risk
but is it enough? Use non slip
mats
Use PPE
Power leads
running across
ground
Trip Remove the power cables from
running along the ground
Eliminate
Working at
heights
Fall Install a safety barrier (scaffolding)
around the working area
Engineer
Pallets for
storage and
movement
Injury
heavy lifting
Implement procedure for moving
pallets - all employees to be outside
a ten metre radius of the pallet
Administration
Faulty
computer
Electrocute Replace computer Substitute
3.3.1. Risk assessment
Risk categories
There are many areas where risks may be identified in an organisation, these can be
sorted into common risk categories:
Communications
Compliance
Consultative
Environmental
Finance
Health and safety
Physical
Political
Project assumptions
Project constraints
Project process risks
Quality
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
30 | P a g e March 2015 v1.0
Human resources
Legal
Organisational brand
Social
Technology
Examination of all risks and hazards in the workplace will make the likelihood of
incident lower, a benefit to all concerned.
Risk classification
There are some variations of risk classification terminology across different industries,
such as:
Catastrophic, major, moderate, minor and insignificant
In comparison to- Extreme, high, moderate and low
Essentially, so long as there is a legend guiding the use of the classification
terminology the application within the risk management process is the same.
Risk Classification example: These classifications are used in determining the risk
tolerance level.
Figure 13 Risk level and corresponding action
Risk examples:
The table below shows examples of risk for different areas of an organisation:
Score
Rating Explanation
4
Extr
em
e
Managing people: significant restrictions on resourcing key services or
programs state-wide; serious fms,cmc breach; multiple deaths
Product and service delivery: state-wide cessation of multiple services or
programs; greater than one month operational delay
Information management/administrative systems: state-wide loss of
services, programs or data
Infrastructure/asset management: long term and possible permanent loss
of property or assets
Terminate activityExtreme
Transfer risk
Treat risk (likelihood and /or consequence)High
Treat risk (by reducing likelihood and/or consequence)
Moderate
Tolerate riskLow
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
31 | P a g e March 2015 v1.0
Managing the environment (internal/external): sustained adverse
publicity extreme /public outrage state-wide, permanent community/
environmental impact
3
Hig
h
Managing people: noticeable restrictions on resourcing some services or
programs; loss of life or permanent injury: cmc investigation
Product and service delivery: cessation of some services or programs; up
to one month operational delay
Information management/administrative systems: loss or restrictions to
key services, programs or large loss or theft of data
Infrastructure/asset management: sustained damage to property or
assets lasting many months
Managing the environment (internal/external): significant political
sensitivity, long term detrimental impact on community and the environment
and stakeholder relationships
2
Mo
derate
Managing people: localised restrictions on resourcing services or programs;
serious injury requiring hospitalisation or medical treatment; minor code of
conduct breach
Product and service delivery: disruption to a number of services or
programs; up to one week operational delay
Information management/administrative systems: restrictions to
services, programs and loss or theft of some data
Infrastructure/asset management: significant but temporary damage to
property or assets
Managing the environment (internal/external): significant adverse
publicity state-wide, adverse community or environmental impact in some
location
1
Lo
w
Managing people: minimal effect on resourcing services/programs; first-aid
injury-no lost time; local workforce management issue
Product and service delivery: minimal disruption to some services or
programs; up to one day operational delay
Information management/administrative systems: minor effect on
services, programs
Infrastructure/asset management: slight/ temporary damage to property
or assets
Managing the environment (internal/external): short term adverse
community impact in particular locations; short term local environmental issue
Figure 14 Risk and their impact across areas of an organisation
Organisations should take the items below into account when determining the risk
level. Information can usually be gained from both internal and external sources.
Internal External
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
32 | P a g e March 2015 v1.0
Accident and incident reports Industry body newsletters
Risk assessments conducted by
internal staff
Risk assessments conducted by
external staff
Staff meetings and consultations Internet
WHS committee meetings and findings Media
Surveys Workshops
Ad hoc conversations and observations Seminars
General business documentation such
as annual reports and other policies
and procedures
Advice and consultations with industry
experts
Figure 15 Determining risk levels using internal and external sources
Analyse risks
Determine risk-analysis classification criteria and apply to an agreed risk-
ranking system
Risk-ranking system may include:
Classification rankings (tolerance level, as shown early Extreme Low)
Consequence of risk scale
Impact of risk scale
Manual or software-based systems
Organisational risk policies and methods
Predetermined ranking criteria
Target and trigger settings
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
33 | P a g e March 2015 v1.0
Risk Matrix
Risk Rating
E: Extreme M: Medium
H: High L: Low
Likelihood
Rare Unlikely Possible Likely Almost
Certain
Consequence (
Impact)
Severe Medium High High Extreme Extreme
Major Medium Medium High High Extreme
Moderate Low Medium Medium High High
Minor Low Low Medium Medium High
Insignificant Low Low Low Medium Medium
The risk rating matrix shown above is used to combine the effects of the consequences
and likelihood ratings into an overall assessment of risk priority.
Example If I assess the likelihood of my risk as Possible; and the consequence
of my risk as Severe; then the overall assessment of risk priority is
High
Defining risk levels
It is important to clarify what each level in the matrix represents to ensure it is used
correctly and consistently by those who use it. For example, how will a user know the
difference between possible and likely risk? What about the difference between a
major and critical risk? And what actions should we take for medium risks, as opposed
to a high risk?
Standard risk likelihood scale:
RATING DEFINITION SCALE
Almost certain Will definitely occur or will occur on an annual cycle 5
Likely Similar events have been experienced several times 4
Possible May occur once 3
Unlikely Occurs from time to time 2
Rare Occurrence is possible but highly unlikely 1
Figure 16 A standard risk likelihood scale
Standard risk consequences scale: Consequences represent the possible impact
of the risk on project outcomes, if it does occur.
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
34 | P a g e March 2015 v1.0
RATING DEFINITION SCALE
Severe Most objectives cannot be met 5
Major Some important objectives cannot be met 4
Moderate Some objectives impacted but may still be met 3
Minor Minor effects that can be remedied 2
Insignificant Almost no impact on objectives 1
Figure 17 A standard risk consequence scale
Definitions will differ from business to business as different businesses have different
business processes and risk aversion.
Planning responses to specific risks
After all risks have been identified and analysed, managers need to determine how
each risk will be managed. You will also need to determine which risks will undergo
specific risk response, or action, and which will not.
It is typical to focus risk response planning on risks that fall into the high and upper
end of the medium priority as per the select risk-rating matrix. This rule of thumb can
be flexible depending on specific organisational risk guidelines. There are four
standard approaches to risk response planning:
Negative risks or threats Positive risks or opportunities
Avoid Transfer Exploit Enhance
Mitigate Accept Share Accept
Removing a specific threat by eliminating the cause of the risk
Avoid
Involves shifting some or all of the ownership of a risk to a third party
Transfer
Actions taken in order to reduce the impacts of any risk
Mitigate
Passively accepting that the risk may occur
Accept
Terminate activityExtreme
Transfer riskTreat risk (Likelihood +/or Consequence)
High
Treat risk (by reducing Likelihood +/or Consequence)
Moderate
Tolerate riskLow
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to health and safety of self and others
35 | P a g e March 2015 v1.0
Risk avoidance: Removing a specific threat by eliminating the cause of the risk. This
often involves change to eliminate or bypass the risk entirely. This may require
extreme replanning or inclusion of significant activities and deliverables. This
approach, therefore, is usually reserved for the highest-priority risks that are likely to
have the largest detrimental impacts on objectives.
Risk transference: shifting some or all of the ownership of a risk to a third party and
therefore transferring negative impact. It does not meant the risk has been
eliminated; it simply means that someone else is responsible for managing the
consequences and likelihood. Transferring a risk often involves some form of
contractual arrangement between the organisation and the party taking on the risk
management responsibility. E.g. could be to seek insurance for the risk.
Risk mitigation: Actions taken to reduce the impacts of any risk. Mitigation activities
can reduce the likelihood of a risk, the consequences of a risk, or both. Taking action
early to reduce a risk is recommended, rather than trying to rectify once the risk has
occurred. This is especially relevant for risks with medium- to high-risk priority
ratings.
Risk acceptance: involves passively accepting the risk may occur and choosing not
to mitigate or respond to it in any way. Risk acceptance is recommended when the
risks have a low risk priority rating; so therefore they are extremely unlikely to occur
and the impact would be insignificant.
Risk assessment and control
The risk assessor needs to define appropriate risk control measures that are
achievable. When documenting controls the following should be included:
Risk ID (relating to the actual risk being addressed)
Description of the control strategy (terminate /transfer /treat /tolerate)
Description of the control
Resources required
Timeframe
Person responsible
Status of completion
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to Health and Safety of Self and Others
36 | P a g e March 2015
An example of a spreadsheet used for risk assessment and control:
Risk Definition Risk Analysis Risk Control
Ris
k
#Prio
rity
Risk Description Causes Consequences
Lik
elih
ood
Impact
Ris
k R
atin
g
Risk Control Strategy Owner Expected
occurrence
Date / Phase
Expected
Retirement
Date / Phase
Sta
tus
1
Figure 18 Example of a risk assessment and control template
The following content has been added to demonstrate how the spreadsheet can be utilised.
Risk Definition Risk Analysis Risk Control
Ris
k
#Prio
rity
Risk Description Causes Consequences
Lik
elih
ood
Impact
Ris
k R
atin
g
Risk Control Strategy Owner Expected
occurrence
Date / Phase
Expected
Retirement
Date / Phase
Sta
tus
E.g.
1
Fence will not be
straight
Insufficient care
taken during
alignment. Fence
foundations sink
after installation
Fence will look
bad. Damage to
company
reputation.
Customer refuses
to pay for fence Possible Major Extreme
Include hold points in
project inspection and
test plan that requires
review and sign off by the
project Client, Foreman
and Project Manager;
a - at completion of
mark-out
b - prior to pouring
foundation
Quality
Manager
Foundation
digging &
pouring from
15th Jan 2014
30th Jan 2014
Open
Figure 19 Example of a completed risk assessment and control document
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to Health and Safety of Self and Others
37 | P a g e March 2015
3.3.2. Hierarchy of control
The hierarchy of control is a method to reduce the level of risk with an associated
hazard ranking from the highest level of protection and reliability to the lowest. In
all cases when managing a risk, it is best to make all reasonable attempts to
eliminate the risk. When attempting to control a risk it is best to work from the
most effective solution and if it is impossible to control the risk, then work your
way down to the least effective. At times a risk will be controlled by more than one
method.
Case Study 1
The caf uses steam ovens. They are very efficient but do present an increased
risk of burns from contact with the steam and heat it issues. Going through the
hierarchy of control, the most effective and practical control measure is to
implement administrative controls such as staff training and appropriate PPEs.
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to Health and Safety of Self and Others
38 | P a g e March 2015
Appendix: Ergonomics
Physical ergonomics is concerned with human anatomical,
anthropometric, physiological and biomechanical characteristics as they
relate to physical activity. Relevant topics include working postures,
materials handling, repetitive movements, heavy work, work-related
musculoskeletal disorders, workplace layout, noise, thermal conditions and
vibration, safety and health, as these relate to work.
.Ergonomics focuses on the appropriate design of workplaces, systems,
equipment, work processes and environments to accommodate the workers.
The aim is to achieve compatibility between the needs of people with real
limitations and the demands of their jobs. Consideration should be given to
the immediate problem as well as the entire work setting and beyond.
Ergonomics guidelines for occupational 12 health practice in industrially developing countries
In the study of ergonomics we need to focus on making our workplaces safe and
effective places to spend large amounts of time. Consideration must be given to the
overall workplace and of the details of the individual roles, this includes:
Organisational design including the building you work in
Your job design, what you actually do on a daily basis
The training you need and receive
Environmental concerns
Your individual work space
Individual tasks that make your job
The equipment you use, including tools
As an employee, you need to be involved in this process. In other words
you should play a part in your own safety.
On 1 January, 2012, Work Health and Safety Act became harmonised so the
legislation, regulations and codes of practice are consistent across States and
Territories in Australia. For the purposes of using safe work practices, you need to
understand your duty of care in regards to using technology in a work environment.
A duty of care is a moral or legal obligation to ensure the safety or well-being of
others. There are several key points you must be familiar with.
The principal duty holder under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act) is
a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU).
Any PCBU who is contributing to work has a duty of care; there can be more than
one duty in relation to specific activities. There are many other details that pertain
to this and the Act, be aware of your own area of responsibility to avoid issues with
compliance.
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to Health and Safety of Self and Others
39 | P a g e March 2015
PCBUs must also have meaningful and open consultation about work health and
safety with its workers, health and safety representatives and health and safety
committees. NSW WorkCover
Fundamentally, organisations, and the people who work in them, have an
obligation to reduce the risk of harm to others to the most practicable level
possible.
http://www.business.gov.au/business-topics/employing-people/workplace-health-and-
safety/Pages/whs-acts-regulations-and-codes-of-practice.aspx
http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/
As a worker you are required to ensure your worksite is safe and free from hazards
and risks. If you do not report hazards or risks to your employer, and someone is
injured, you may be held liable under law.
Your employer has a duty to you, the worker, to correct any risks and hazards on
the worksite. If you are injured, your employer can be held liable for negligence.
No environment is free from danger no matter how much the organisation plans.
If are not familiar with your organisations policies and procedure regarding safe
work procedures in using technology you should access and read information
provided, this will include:
Procedure manuals
The equipment operating guidelines
The manufacturers manuals
Manuals for specific help for any role you are expected to perform in the
normal course of your work
Basic safety standards will depend on your role in the organisation, you
must be aware of your responsibilities before you commence work.
Basic electrical safety, i.e. no moisture, secure leads, not overloaded power
points, cords tagged and tested as required, in good order, well maintained
equipment, guards installed as required
Ensure that equipment is well ventilated as required, safety and operating
manuals for all equipment on hand for ready reference
Consult your supervisor, colleagues or manufacturers manual with any problem
understanding any workplace procedures in regards to the operation of the
technology. If you identify a hazard in your work area, report it.
Before you start work, inspect your work area:
There are not too many plugs connected to power points
Light, shadows or reflections do not interfere with your screen
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to Health and Safety of Self and Others
40 | P a g e March 2015
Your workplace should be set up to minimise exposure to radiation from your
screen
Lights must be adequate for your needs, there are specific lux levels in
workplaces which need to be adhered to
If you find equipment is loud, work with your organisation to move or isolate
the noisy equipment to avoid undue levels of volume
Make sure that the air conditioning or heating is not too hot or cold,
temperatures should be between 23 to 24 Celsius
Before commencing any work organise your personal work environment in
accordance with ergonomic requirements.
Many Australians are injured at work each year
It is essential to know WHS policies and procedures in the workplace
A common hazard in the office environment is the computer work station
Ergonomics is the relationship between the tools of doing your job and the people
using the tools. The tools of any job must be appropriate for the job. In an office
environment, to decrease the chance of risk; chairs, tables and desks need to be
adjustable so as to avoid:
Sitting incorrectly which may cause musculature damage
Too many repetitive tasks causing an overuse syndrome (OOS) or repetitive
strain injury (RSI). If your work requires many repetitive tasks, make sure
you take breaks and vary your tasks. OOS can affect your ability to work;
follow safe work practices
Fatigue caused by eye stress
These problems are addressed through the control and use of the workstation
design. Consider the following recommendations to minimise the chances of
discomfort and stress in the workplace.
-
eBook
BSBWHS201 Contribute to Health and Safety of Self and Others
41 | P a g e March 2015
Adapted from http://www.ergonomics.com.au/office-ergonomics-checklist/
Follow workplace policy and procedures for cleaning of workplace and
personal hygiene.
Sort, recycle, remove and dispose of waste promptly
Safely remove and clean spills of food, waste or other potential hazards
Maintain equipment and consumable materials and store correctly
Use and clean equipment according to manufacturer instructions and policy
requirements
Consider your colleagues
Furniture and equiment
Adjustable chair height, back mechanism and armrests
Support the small of your back
Shoulders relaxed not slumped or elevated, no pressure under your thighs
Use a footrest if you cannot reach the floor with your feet
Document holders must be angled correctly to avoid neck or eye strain
Display monitor and glare resistant filter
Keyboard and mouse position
Lighting
Suitable workplace temperature, humidity and noise levels
Avoid (possible) radiation from computer screens
Posture
Change postures often throughout the day
A very important part of workstation design
Pay careful attention to position of head, neck/spine, arms/ wrists, hips/thighs and feet
Keep a neutral position - forearms, wrists and hands in a straight line
Good posture reduces chance of strain and fatigue
Avoid resting elbows, forearms or wrists on hard surfaces or sharp edges
YOU!
Strike keyboards lightly
Avoid awkward reaching for work tools i.e. telephone, mouse
Keep work close to you
Alternate work activities to use different muscle groups and avoid overuse
Rest your eyes often
Get up and move periodically
If have glare on your screen, adjust your station glare to a minimum level
Take frequent mini-breaks throughout the day to give muscles and joints a chance to rest and recover