whs sac Flashcards
4 steps involved in conducting a risk assessment
- Identify
- Assess
- Control
- Monitor
Identify
Identify any potential hazards in the workplace that could cause harm or loss
Assess
Assess hazards in the workplace that could cause harm or loss
Control
Determine the most suitable control method for the given risk using the heirachy of control
Monitor
Monitor and review the control measures implemented
What is a risk register
A tool for documenting risks, actioning and managing them. Each risk is logged on the register with actions taken to respond to them
What should a risk register include
- Likelihood
- Impact
- Severity
- Date
Internal sources to obtain OHS/WHS information
OHS representative conducting a training session
External sources to obtain OHS/WHS information
- WHS Podcasts
- WHS newsletters
Define Hazard
Any source or situation with the potential for injury or damage to property, the environment, or both
Define Risk (chance)
A risk is the chance of something happening that will have a negative effect, determined by the likelihood of an unwanted event occurring and the consequences
Define Risk Factor
Factors that increases the chance of an unwanted event occuring
Define Controls
Measures that are put in place to decrease the likelihood of a risk. They prevent or reduce the effects of a risk
Define Likelihood
The probability or chance of the risk occuring
Define Consequences
The impact of the risk
Importance of consultation
Worker consultation is an important part of maintaining health and safety in the workplace, it is a legal requirement to consult employees as far as reasonably practicable
Benefits of worker consultation
- improved work practices
- collaboration
- accident rates decreased
- identifying hazards
Factors that impede success controls
- Staff
- Lack of resources or money
- Lack of planning
- Poor management and communication
OHS ‘heroes’ (encouragement of staff participation)
In order to encourage staff participation, you must:
- value their participation
- ask questions
- share information and keep people informed
Evaluating risk control options
- was the control suitable in relation to the budget
- was the control appropriate and effective in reducing the level of risk
Record keeping - What types of WHS records should be kept and used for future hazard identification
- Incident reports
- All WHS related policies and procedures
- Risk assessments
How long must incident reports be retained for
at least 5 years
Relevant OHS/WHS Acts for Victoria
- Occupational Health and Safety act 2004 (vic)
- Occupational Health and Safety legislation 2017 (vic)
Steps that should be taken after a serious workplace injury resulting in hospitalisation
1) Must be documented and reported to WorkSafe within 48 hours
2) Conduct a hazard identification and risk assessment
Heirachy of control (Effective Safety Is Easy As Pie)
- Eliminate
- Substitute
- Isolate
- Engineering Controls
- Admin Controls
- PPE
Elimination
Physically remove the hazard, the highest level of protection and most effective control
Substitution
Replace the hazard, substitute with a lesser risk
Isolation
Isolate the risk by separating people from the risk
Engineering controls
Make physical changes to reduce the risk
Admin Controls
Change the way people perform their work. Involves changes to workplace policies and procedures
PPE
Protect workers through providing them with personal protective equipment.
How to select and apply control options for different hazards in a scenario
The team will use agreed criteria to make their decision, including:
- Time availability
- Budget
- Staff
- Resources
Common causes of incidents/injuries in the workplace
- slips/trips/falls
- manual handling
- infection (sweat)
- inappropriate behaviour
Ways to communicate implementation of OHS/WHS practices
- company newsletter
- staff meeting
Hazardous manual handling
Any pushing, pulling, lifting, transferring that is done incorrectly putting strain on the body
Examples of manual handling
- Muscular/skeletal injuries
- Sprains/strains
- back problems
How to calculate overall level of risk
By determining the likelihood and consequences of the risk
Likelihood
Can be determine:
- Quantitatively (expressed in numbers)
- Ranking (ordered from most to least likely)
- Qualitatively (Uses descriptive words)
Consequence
Consequence ranking is based on:
- amount of loss (money, time, clients)
- severity of the injury
- number of people
Duty holders
Anyone that has responsibility to uphold the safety of others
Risk Matrix
A tool used in a risk assessment to determine the overall level of risk and assist in determining which hazards need to be controlled.
