Participate in Safe Work Practices Flashcards
Meaning of health, safety and security
Health → The state of being free from illness or injury.
Safety → The condition of being protected from or unlikely to cause danger, risk or injury.
Security → The state of being free from danger or threat.(emergency procedures)
Implications of the cost of workplace injury:
Human →
Impact upon the worker who is injured or ill due to the workplace hazard.
Will experience physical, emotional, social and psychological effects
Social →
How it impacts others
Whole community can be affected such as families, colleagues and friends
E.g. stop work to become a full time carer resulting in loss of income, support necessary for colleagues who witnessed the incident.
Economic →
How it impacts medical finance, compensation, insurance
When a person is injured they create a burden on the economy(Government)
E.g. medical rehabilitation, legal action, accident investigation insurance and financial hardship
Organisational →
Where the person endured the injury
The cost to the employer(usually monetary)
Results in decreased productivity, medical and counselling bills, legal costs, fines(no signage), loss of business(word-of-mouth)
Acknowledge that WHS is everyone’s responsibility in the workplace and the implications of the responsibility
The WHS Act 2011 (NSW) ensures the Person Conducting a Business Undertaking (PCBU- the employer) provides a safe and healthy workplace for their workers and others. It also requires that workers use safe work practices so they do not injure themselves or other people.
Results in →
- Damage to plant or equipment
- Injuries to self and others
- Decreased productivity
- Lowered staff morale, increasing absenteeism and high staff turnover
Implications →
- Heavy fines
- Penalties for both employees and employers
Concept of ‘participation’ and ‘consultation’ in relation to WHS
Participating in:
- Consultation (meeting for discussion and seeking advice)
- Hazard identification (recognising risks)
- WHS Induction training
- Safe work practice training
- Suggesting inclusions for WHS policies and procedures
- E.g. participate by wearing provided PPE
- Participation: actively involved in WHS related issues
Consulting in:
- A diary, whiteboard or suggestion box used by staff to report an issue or concern
- Discussions with and reports to formal WHS representatives and committee members
- Formal meetings with agenda, minutes and action plans
- Informal meetings with notes
WHS discussions with supervisors/ managers during the course of the day
- Regular staff meetings or workshops to address WHS issues
- Survey or questionnaire that invite staff feedback on WHS issues
- E.g. consult through training
- Consultation: communicate/inform/advice about WHS issues
Primary role/function of key bodies involved in WHS
Safe Work NSW:
Administers provide advice for WHS, safety act and regulation 2011. Provide WHS support, rules, insurance and care for worker compensation.
Safe Work Australia:
Improve WHS compensation. Research to develop legislation for different states and territories in Australia.
Local councils:
Assist NSW councils implementation of rules.
Professional associations:
Improve safety and represent workers compensation.
Unions:
Support, encourage and develop WHS standards.
Internal and external sources of workplace WHS information
Internal sources
- Colleagues(asking for help when unsure of protocol, demonstrations)
- Workmates
- Managers(company policy, training, guidelines)
- Mentors
- Advisors(consultant according to particular area)
- Personal observation and experiences(demonstrations)
- Emergency plans, training documents, operational manuals(signs, manual handling)
External sources - Media(radio, TV, newspaper - current/updated) - Reference books/libraries unions(employee organisations) - Industry contacts(consult, specialise) - Key bodies - Internet/websites
Importance of acting within the level of authority/scope of responsibility in relation to WHS in the workplace
It is important to use initiative, for example wiping up a spill, using a wet floor sign
Problem solving:
- Listen(to the complaint)
- Acknowledge (clarify/paraphrase)
- Identify the problem(what is the issue within the business)
- Consider the solution(develop strategies)
- Action(implement strategies)
- Record(accurate logging)
- Follow up(commitment, customer service)
Decision making:
- Analysing the problem
- Investigating the alternatives
- Choosing an alternative
- Evaluating the outcome
Purpose and intent of WHS legislation and codes of practice and their application to the hospitality industry/workplace and a specific job role
The WHS Act 2011 provides a framework to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of all workers at work. It also protects the health and safety of all other people who might be affected by the work(e.g. Customers and delivery).
Provides protection to the following:
- Employees
- Contractors
- Subcontractors
- Outworkers
- Apprentices
- Trainees
- Work experience students
- General public
Work Health and Safety Act 2011(NSW)(as amended)
- Provide for fair effective workplace representation, consultation, cooperation and issue resolution in relation to WHS.
- Encouraging unions and employers organisations to take a constructive role in promoting improvements in WHS practices(communicate feedback).
- Educating employees, keeping people industry current
- Ensuring compliance with the Act through effective and appropriate compliance and enforcement measures
- Ensure appropriate scrutiny and review of actions
- Provide a framework for continuous improvement and progressively adhere to high standards
Strategies:
- Personal protective equipment: wearing appropriate enclosed leather shoes, gloves, masks
- Consultation and participation: attend regular meetings, actively participate in WHS matters therefore providing input and contributing
- Report and identification: hazards
- Training: induction, along with ongoing current making workers industry current
- Following and displaying of signage: preventing trips, slips and falls
- Handling hazardous substances
- Manual handling: trolley for transportation
Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011(NSW)(as amended)
The regulation sets out the general equipment of the legislation in more detail and in a form that is easier to understand.
Codes of practice
A practical guide to help a business achieve the standards of WHS required under the WHS regulation 2011(NSW)
Applies to anyone who has a duty of care in the workplace
SafeWork NSW provides codes of practice on the following:
- Dangerous good substances:
Managing risks of chemical in workplace
Preparation of safety data sheets for hazardous substances
Labelling of chemicals
- Manual handling:
Covered by the code of practice Hazardous Manual Tasks e.g. bending knees, straight back
- Risk management:
Covered by the code of practice ;How to manage health and safety risks?’
- WHS consultation(to appropriate stakeholders):
Covered by the practice WHS consultation, cooperation and coordination
Certain issue: reporting issues, malfunctioning equipment
WHS rights, duties and responsibilities of the PCBU, officer and worker(as defined in the legislation)
A Person Conducting Business or Undertaking (PCBU) has a duty of care to its workers, visitors and customers in the workplace. To fulfill their duty of care they must:
- Provide safe systems or work and a safe work environment. E.g. consult, PPE, signage
- Eliminate or minimise workplace risks. E.g. faulty equipment, make changes, organise training
- Ensure workers are trained in the use of plants, structures and substances. E.g. demonstrations, inductions, ensure compliance, provide adequate records
- Provide facilities that are adequate for the welfare of workers. E.g. enough bench space, best possible environment
- Provide adequate information, training, instruction and supervision. E.g. choose correct method to display information
- Comply with the requirements covered under the WHS regulation. E.g. by law they must fulfill these things
Under the WHS Act 2011(NSW) a worker must:
- Take reasonable care for their own health and safety(they must used given PPE, SDS and training)
- Take reasonable care for the health and safety of others(clean up or barricade a spillage so there are no hazards)
- Comply with all reasonable instruction from PCBU
- Cooperate with any reasonable policies and procedures from the PCBU(code of practice)
- Report any malfunctioning equipment(to appropriate personnel)
Consequences of failure to observe(non-compliance) WHS workplace policy and procedures and legislative requirements
- PIN → issuing a provisional improvement notice
- Fail to comply with WHS law
- Written notice from a health and safety representative indicating breach in WHS act and must be displayed - Prohibition notices
- Must immediately terminate workplace practice that will involve serious risk - Legal action
- Failure to observe WHS policy therefore resulting in fines, court/intervention or training orders
Safety signs, symbols and barricades in the hospitality industry and their use in the workplace:
Stop and prohibition signs
- Red circle with a crossbar on a white background
- Common type in the hospitality industry include: no smoking, no access, cleaning in progress
Caution and warning signs
- Black triangle on a yellow background with a black symbol
- Common warning signs include: slippery surface, hot surface and watch your step
Emergency signs
- Green rectangle with white text and symbols used to indicate emergency procedures
- Common types: exit, emergency exit and first aid
Protective equipment signs
- Indicate when PPE must be warm and are blue background with white symbols
- Common signs include: hand washing, protective footwear, ear protection and manual handling
- Positioned in areas where hazards are likely to occur
- Highly visible → appropriate colour, size
- Easily identifiable → universal(colour)
- Not placed on moving items
Hospitality industry and workplace requirements for monitoring and reporting in relation to workplace safety
- A written accident report must be submitted to the employer after an accident occurred.
- It is important when reporting breaches of health, safety and security you act within your level of authority to ensure initiative problem/decision making is appropriate to the incident.
- All incidents need to be reported within 24-48 hours of the incident occurring
Monitoring and reporting WHS issues
Observing /evaluating/minimising
- It is the responsibility of all workers and the PCBU to ensure that health and safety practices are monitored in the workplace
- All breaches need to be reported and all incidences should be recorded
- Any changes to WHS need to be noted, fixed and eliminated where possible via staff meeting
Reporting to an appropriate person
Acting within a level of authority. Reports should be made to:
- Supervisor or team leader
- Manager
- Trainer
- Health and safety representative
- WHS representative/ committee
- Union representative
Opportunities for workers to provide input into WHS consultation and participation:
Consultation may involve: informed/communicated to
- A diary, whiteboard, suggestion box to report issues
- Discussions
- Formal meeting with agendas/actions plans
- Regular staff meetings
- surveys/questionnaire
Participation in: actively involved
- Consultation
- Hazard identification(risks)
- WHS induction training(such as machinery operation)
- Safe work practice training
It is essential that the PCBU, workers and all parties involved regularly meet to discuss matters of concern to distinguish any areas for improvement. Can be done by either WHS audits or WHS inspections.
Health and safety committees and representatives
A health and safety committee is a combination of workers and management and is designed to help develop and review the WHS policies and procedures within a workplace.
- Role is to facilitate cooperation between the PCBU and the worker.(changing current policies → dependent on personnel)
Health and Safety representatives (HSR) are elected by workers after the establishment of a work group (8-12 members).
Work groups are made up of workers who perform similar tasks(middle management) within the workplace. (Bigger establishments will usually have more than one HSR).
Roles and responsibilities include:
- Investigate any health and safety concerns
- Investigate issues which may pose as a health risk
- Monitor the health and safety actions taken by the PCBU
- Help businesses resolve any safety issues
- To represent group appropriately on any health and safety matter
Role and responsibilities of relevant personnel in WHS consultation and participation:
PCBU:
- Responsible for providing a safe and healthy work environment for all workers and visitors to the site. E.g. providing workers with the correct PPE
- Ensure all equipment is safe and working correctly.
Manager/ supervisor/ team leader:
- Monitor the workplace for any health and safety issues
- Ensure workers are following correct procedures and act upon any workers concerns or complaints
Self/ workers:
- Must work in the safest manner possible
- Report any safety issues to the appropriate persons
- Not put themselves or others in harm’s way.
Unions :
- Can help workers with advice on health and safety matters
- Can represent workers in regard to WHS compensation claims
- Must be a member of the union to access help.
Importance of identifying and reporting
It is essential in avoiding accidents and incidents that can lead to injury or illness in the workplace. You need to report on the following:
WHS issues and concerns(potential risks):
- Must be raised with the appropriate persons(supervisor etc.)
- E.g. inadequate or damaged PPE
Workplace Hazards(illness or risk):
- Direct cause of injury or illness in the workplace and must be reported
- E.g. poorly lit storerooms, inadequate equipment for manual handling
Unsafe work practice(behaviour):
- Engaging in unsafe work practices will lead to workplace illness and injury (substituting for something safer, preventative strategies)
Breaches in health and security:
- E.g. lack of suitable signage, adequate health and safety training(lacking training)
Hazard vs Risk
A hazard is the potential to cause harm(the actual thing)
E.g. hazard - oil burn - deep frying
A risk is a chance of harm(the likelihood of it occurring)
E.g. risk - low-moderate chance
Range of potential hazards need to be identified and eliminated for our self, colleagues and customers
Risk assessment
Equipping ourselves to minimise risks
A risk assessment is carried out as a preventative measure to ensure that all work practices and equipment are as safe as possible for the worker.(any possible risk that could occur)
When a PCBU or health and safety representative should follow the procedures outlined below:(steps of a risk assessment)
- Identify the hazard
- Find out what is causing the harm in the workplace
- Aware of equipment
- What causes harm in the workplace - Assess the risk
- Ask questions such as the nature of the harm caused by the hazard, how serious could the harm be, what is the likelihood that harm will occur and what injuries or illness could the risk cause - Control the risk
- Minimising risks by implementing strategies
- Put measures in place to eliminate, reduce or control the risk as much as reasonably possible
- E.g. signage, PPE - Review the control measures(checking/evaluative of strategies)
- checking/evaluative strategies
- Once the control measures are in place, reinspect the hazards and evaluate if the control measures are working as intended
- Adjustments and inspecting risk → go back to step 2 or 3
Hierarchy of risk controls
A system used in industry to minimise or eliminate exposure to hazards. It is a widely accepted system promoted by numerous safety organisations.
Elimination
- Remove hazards completely from the workplace
- Unable to remove, as it is imperative to the workflow
Substitution
- Provide a safer alternative
- Manual hand washing of equipment
Isolation
- Remove as much as possible from workers
- Keeping in area separate from workers using signage and barricades
Engineering
- Using controls to lessen any remaining risk
- A trained professional of the application to fix, comply to restrictions
Administration
- Implement policies, procedures and training for people to follow when working with a hazard
- Workers have all necessary equipment to promote safety, how to wash, training, gloves
Personal Protective Equipment
- Provide people with safety glasses, gloves, or footwear when working with a hazard and provide training in the use of these.
- Safety mats around water, gloves, apron, non-slip enclosed shoes → preventing slips, trips and falls
