Work Health and Safety
Strategies
June 2013
533575158
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Work Health and Safety
Contents
SECTION 1
Legislative Background & Framework
1.1 Denominational Statement on Work, Health and Safety
1.2 Legislative Background
1.3 Legislative Framework
SECTION 2
Church Risk Management and Roles & Responsibilities
2.1 Risk Management
2.2 Roles and Responsibilities
SECTION 3
Training
3.1 Training
SECTION 4
Contractor Safety
4.1 Contractor Safety
SECTION 5
Accident & Incident Investigation
5.1 Accident & Incident Investigation
SECTION 6
Codes of Practice for specific hazards
6.1 Safe Work Australia Codes of Practice
Seaforth Baptist Church
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Work Health and Safety
SECTION 1 -POLICY AND PRACTICE
Statement
Seaforth Baptist Church (SBC) is strongly committed to ensuring the health, safety and welfare
in work environments of all who conduct and participate in its activities. The Church Conference
of 25 November 2012 approved the SBC Work Health and Safety Policy.
To this end, the following guidelines have been developed so that SBC may best meet its
moral and legal obligations.
Under NSW Government legislation SBC has a primary duty of care to ensure that workers,
volunteers, contractors and others are not exposed to a risk to their health and safety.
 Churches must meet their obligations, so far as is reasonably practicable, by
ensuring:
 safe systems of working
 safe working environment
 notification and recording of workplace incidents, and
 adequate information, training, instruction and supervision
o Officers of a church
 An officer includes someone who
 makes, or significantly participates in making, decisions that affect
the whole, or a substantial part of a church, and/or
 persons who have the capacity to significantly affect a church’s
financial standing
 Church pastors and other members of the Church leadership would
be generally considered officers for the purposes of the WHS Act
 Officers must exercise due diligence to ensure that the church
complies with its general obligations under the Act including
consultation, notifying workplace incidents, training, and responding
to information regarding incidents, hazards and risks
o Workers of a Church
 A worker is someone who carries out work for a church, such as:
 an employee
 a volunteer
 a student gaining work experience
 a contractor or sub contractor

A worker must take reasonable care for his or her own health and safety,
and take reasonable care that his or her acts or omissions do not adversely
affect the health and safety of other persons. Additionally, workers must
comply, as far as the worker is reasonably able, with any reasonable
instruction that is given by the church to comply with the Act.
Seaforth Baptist Church
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Work Health and Safety
SECTION 2 – CHURCH RISK MANAGEMENT AND ROLES &
RESPONSIBILITIES
2.1 Church Risk Management
Statement
The officers of SBC will adopt a risk management approach to all foreseeable hazards and
risks that have the potential to harm the health and safety of workers, contractors, volunteers,
visitors and all who participate in its actvities.
The officers of the Church will undertake regular risk assessments as part of their site-specific
risk management program.
Definition
Hazard - A hazard is defined as anything that has the potential to cause injury or illness such
as physical/chemical hazards or manual handling etc.
Risk – A risk is defined as the likelihood (probability) that injury or illness will occur and the
potential consequences (severity).
Risk Management – is the term applied to the logical and systematic process of identifying,
assessing, controlling and monitoring/evaluating risks associated with work activities so as to
minimise injury and loss
Guidelines

The officers of the church acknowledge responsibility to identify hazards arising from:
a. the physical working environment and all aspects of the working premises (which
includes the layout and condition of all buildings, motor vehicles and all other places of
work);
b. work practices and systems (including psychological hazards and fatigue related
hazards);
c. substances, equipment, machinery, appliances and asbestos;

The officers of the church acknowledge responsibility to ensure that effective hazard
reporting procedures are implemented and are regularly evaluated.

If it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate the hazard, it is the responsibility of the
church’s officers to control the risk using the following hierarchy of control:

a.
Minimise the risk (eg: via engineering solutions, substitution etc);
b.
Implement administrative controls (eg: training etc);
c.
Provide personal protective clothing and equipment.
Via consultation mechanisms, procedures or techniques shall be documented for all work
practices that involve moderate or high risk.
Seaforth Baptist Church
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Work Health and Safety

All new workers will have an introduction to risk management as part of their orientation
program.

Through consultation all assessed risks will be reviewed:
a.
when there is evidence that the risk is no longer valid,
b.
when hazard control strategies that have been put in place appear to have
created additional risks
c.
when significant change is proposed.

All workers and volunteers are required to identify and report hazards that could harm
them or any other persons at their place of work.

The officers of the church acknowledge responsibility to eliminate any reasonably
foreseeable risk to the health and safety of all persons.
Seaforth Baptist Church
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Work Health and Safety
RISK MANAGEMENT PROCEDURE
THIS NEEDS TO BE REVIEWED
Hazard Identified
Hazard reported to designated officer(s) by the
worker(s)* that spotted the hazard.
Can hazard
be controlled
at no cost ?
YES
Hazard to be controlled and written
report of the hazard to be completed by
worker(s)* and submitted to the
designated officer(s).
NO
Officer(s) to conduct a Risk Assessment in consultation
with key worker(s)*
A solution for hazard control to be selected
Officer(s) to develop a risk control plan (who, when, how,
training etc) with short and long term objectives (if
appropriate)
Officer(s) to implement risk controls
Officer(s) to monitor and review outcomes
*
noting that “worker(s)” includes paid employees, volunteers, student observers,
contractors, etc
Seaforth Baptist Church
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Work Health and Safety
2.2 Church Roles and Responsibilities
Statement
Churches have a primary duty of care to ensure that the health and safety of other persons is
not put at risk from work carried out supporting the ministries of the church.
Churches are required to eliminate risks to health and safety, so far as is reasonably
practicable. If it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate risks to health and safety, then to
minimize those risks so far as is reasonably practicable.
Guidelines
What is reasonably practicable

Churches in determining what is reasonably practicable need to take into account all the
relevant factors including:
 the likelihood of the hazard or the risk concerned occurring;
 the degree of harm that might result from the hazard or the risk;
 the availability and suitability of ways to eliminate or minimise the risk; and
 after assessing the extent of the risk and the available ways of eliminating or
minimising the risk, the cost associated with available ways of eliminating or minimising
the risk, including whether the cost is grossly disproportionate to the risk
Roles of the Church Officers, Workers and Volunteers

The church officer(s) must exercise due diligence to ensure that the church complies with its
duty or obligations and WHS legislation.

Due diligence includes taking reasonable steps:
 to acquire and keep up-to-date knowledge of work health and safety matters;
 to gain an understanding of the nature of the hazards and associated risks associated
with the ministries of the church and generally ;
 to ensure that the church has appropriate resources and processes to eliminate or
minimize risks;
 to ensure that the church has appropriate processes for receiving and considering
information regarding incidents, hazards and risks and responding in a timely way to
that information


examples of due diligence include:
 reporting notifiable incidents,
 consulting with workers and volunteers, and
 ensuring the provision of training
Church workers and volunteers must take reasonable care of their own safety, and
 take reasonable care that his or her acts or omissions do not adversely affect
the health and safety of other persons;
Seaforth Baptist Church
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Work Health and Safety
 comply, as far as the worker is reasonably able, with any reasonable
instruction that is given by the Church Leadership to allow the church to comply
with the WHS Act; and
 co-operate with any reasonable policy or procedure of the church relating to
health or safety at the workplace that has been notified to workers and
volunteers
Church to disclose notifiable incidents


The church must ensure that either Work Cover NSW or WorkSafe ACT are notified
immediately after becoming aware that a notifiable incident arising out of the conduct of
the church has occurred.
A notifiable incident means:
 the death of a person, or
 a serious injury or illness of a person, or
 a dangerous incident

A serious injury or illness means:
 immediate treatment as an in-patient in a hospital,
 immediate treatment for amputation of any part of the body, serious head injury,
serious eye injury, serious burn, spinal injury, loss of bodily function, or serious
lacerations

A dangerous incident means an incident that exposes a worker or any other person to
serious risk to health or safety emanating from exposure to:
 an uncontrolled explosion or fire, or
 an uncontrolled escape of gas or steam, or
 electric shock, or
 the collapse or partial collapse of a structure

The church must keep a record of each notifiable incident for a least 5 years from the day
that notice of the incident was given to Work Cover NSW or WorkSafe ACT
Church to consult

The church, so far as is reasonably practical, will consult with workers and volunteers who
carry out work or tasks for the church, who are likely to be directly affected by a matter
relating to work health or safety.
 Consultation requires the church to share relevant information with workers and
volunteers, and that workers and volunteers be given reasonable opportunity:
 to express their views, and to raise issues,
 to contribute to the decision-making process,
 for their views to be taken into account, and
 be consulted on the outcomes

WHS will be a standard agenda item for discussion at Church Officer Administration
meetings.
Seaforth Baptist Church
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Work Health and Safety
SECTION 3 – TRAINING
3.1 Training
Guideline
The church is committed to providing all workers with appropriate WHS training and
encouraging all workers and volunteers once trained, to manage risks and to reduce the
incidence, severity and duration of injuries from occurring.
Under the Work Health and Safety Acts SBC has a primary duty of care to provide any
information, training, instruction or supervision that is necessary to protect all persons from risks
to their health and safety arising from work and ministry related activities carried out.
Statement

The officers of the church acknowledge a responsibility to ensure all workers and
volunteers have an introduction to workplace health and safety as part of their orientation
program. Included in this training will be site-specific information on:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

Safe Work Australia Codes of Practice;
Hazard reporting;
Accident/incident reporting and investigation;
Security, fire and other emergencies (including first aid);
Housekeeping and Hazardous Substances;
The officers of the church will ensure adequate resources are provided for the purpose of
WHS training.
Seaforth Baptist Church
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Work Health and Safety
SECTION 4 – CONTRACTOR SAFETY
4.1 Contractor Safety
Statement
This church is committed to ensuring the health, safety and welfare of all workers and all
others who may be affected by issues arising from their involvement with the church as an
external contractor or employee of an external contractor,
Definition
Contractor – a contractor (and all their employees) is defined as a worker with the church for
the purposes of the Work Health and Safety legislation as the provider of goods and/or
services to the church.
Response
As a contractor is a person over whom the church has a limited amount of control and
supervisory expertise in relation to how the relevant contracted work is performed, the church
will ensure that all contractors engaged will confirm their adherence to the WHS legislation
for all work contracted by the church, prior to contract commencement.
Guidelines
All relevant contracts signed by the church will include an assurance that the contractor
adheres to the WHS legislation, or alternatively a separate document providing this assurance
can be provided by the contractor.
Contractors will be provided with a copy of the SBC Asbestos Register when applicable to the
work they are undertaking.
Seaforth Baptist Church
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Work Health and Safety
SECTION 5 – ACCIDENT AND INCIDENT INVESTIGATION
5.0 Accident & Incident Investigation
Statement
All accidents and incidents are to be reported to the officers of the church and investigated to
identify cause/s. Preventative or corrective action and strategies will be implemented as soon
as practicable following the event
The Work Health and Safety legislation imposes reporting obligations on notifiable incidents
Definition
Accident – any unplanned and undesirable event that results in human injury or damage to
property.
Incident – any unplanned, undesired or potential event, which could have resulted in harm.
Guidelines

All worker/contractor/volunteer/visitor accidents and incidents resulting in injury must be
reported in writing to officers of the church.

The officers of the church will ensure that all reported Accident/Incidents are investigated
as soon as practicable following the event.

It is the responsibility of the worker and/or volunteer to report and document all accidents
or incidents to officers of the church. The Accident/Incidents Report Forms will require
affected workers to document on the form, the ways in which they feel the
Accident/Incident could be eliminated or controlled in the future.

All new workers will have an introduction to Accident/Incident reporting as part of their
orientation program.

The Church Officer Administration meetings will review and analyse the Accident/Incident
investigation and reporting system annually.

SBC will keep a record of each notifiable incident for a least 5 years from the day that
notice of the incident was given to Work Cover NSW or Work Safe ACT
Seaforth Baptist Church
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Work Health and Safety
SECTION 6 – CODES OF PRACTICE FOR SPECIFIC HAZARDS
6.1 Codes of Practice
Safe Work Australia Codes of Practice
Safe Work Australia (SWA) Codes of Practice play a key role under the WHS legislation in
providing guidance to churches on how to eliminate or control risks.
While churches are not required to comply with SWA Codes of Practice, it should be noted
that they may be used in court proceedings as evidence of what is known about particular
risks and what is considered “reasonably practical” to control them.
The current SWA Codes of Practice can be viewed at www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au.
The first tranche of revised codes issued in 2011, and further codes are scheduled to be
released during 2012/13 to include:
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*
*
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*
*
*
*
*
*
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How to manage work health & safety risks
Work health and safety consultation, coordination and cooperation
Managing the work environment and facilities
Hazardous manual tasks
Managing noise and preventing hearing loss at work
Hazardous manual tasks
Confined spaces
How to prevent falls at workplaces
How to manage and control asbestos in the workplace
How to safely remove asbestos
First Aid in the workplace
Managing electrical risks at the workplace
How to manage risks of hazardous chemicals
How to manage the risks of plant in the workplace
Demolition work
Safe access to tree trimming
Preventing and managing fatigue in the workplace
Preventing and responding to workplace bullying
In view of the special requirements surrounding the presence of asbestos, while limited, on
SBC property an Asbestos Register and Asbestos Management Plan will be prepared (See
Appendix A.
Seaforth Baptist Church
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Work Health and Safety
Appendix A
Asbestos – How to Manage and Control
Background
The detailed SWA Code of Practice (dated August 2011) can be located at
www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au. If SBC has a query regarding the treatment of asbestos, then
reference should be made to the Safe Work Australia website.
Codes of practice are admissible in court proceedings under the WHS Act and Regulations..
Courts may regard a code of practice as evidence of what is known about a hazard, risk or
control and may rely on the code in determining what is “reasonably practical” in the
circumstances to which the code relates.
Asbestos Prohibitions
SBC must not carry out or direct or allow a worker to carry out work involving asbestos if that
work involves transporting, storing, removing, using, installing, handling, treating, disposing or
disturbing asbestos, except in prescribed circumstances.
Church Duties to Manage & Control
Churches have the following responsibilities to manage and control asbestos in the workplace,
and these include:
 Control Risk of Exposure





o Churches to ensure, so far as reasonably practical, that exposure of a person
to asbestos at the workplace is eliminated. If not, exposure must be minimised
so far as reasonably practical
Health monitoring
Training and use of equipment
Controlling the use of equipment
Asbestos related work
Identifying or assuming asbestos
o Churches must ensure, so far as reasonably practical, that all asbestos at the
workplace is identified by a competent person or assume its presence;
o Churches must ensure that an asbestos register is prepared; and
o where asbestos has been identified at the workplace, ensure that an asbestos
management plan is prepared
Seaforth Baptist Church
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Work Health and Safety
How Churches Identify Asbestos in the Workplace
Churches must ensure asbestos at the workplace is identified by a competent person.
Identifying asbestos is the first step in managing the risk of exposure to asbestos in the
workplace. If the person with management or control of the workplace assumes that asbestos
is present, or if they have reasonable grounds to believe that asbestos is not present, a
competent person does not need to be engaged to confirm the presence of asbestos in church
buildings or on church grounds.
The WHS Regulations define a competent person to be someone who has acquired knowledge
and skills to carry out the task through training, a qualification or experience. There may be a
person within the church that is competent to identify asbestos. If there is not, an external
competent person should be engaged.
Factors to Consider when Churches Identify Asbestos
Churches should have all relevant information so they can correctly identify where asbestos is
located in the workplace. For example, obtaining information on the products used in making
the building, structure or plant, including building plans, design specifications, and
correspondence with builders and plant manufactures.
Factors to be taken into account include:







When was the building constructed ?
Any refurbishments or additions to the building prior to 31 December 2003 ?
What type of material was used to construct the building ?
Talk to designers, or refer to design plans
Talk to workers who have worked at the workplace for a long time
Visibly inspect the workplace
Take notes and photographs
Church Asbestos Register
Churches must ensure an asbestos register is prepared and kept at the workplace.
Details of how a Church Asbestos Register should be developed and completed can be
located in the Asbestos Code of Practice (Appendix C and Appendix D) at
www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au
Seaforth Baptist Church
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Work Health and Safety
Church Asbestos Management Plan
Churches must ensure a written asbestos management plan is prepared for the workplace if
asbestos has been identified, or is assumed to be present, in church buildings or on church
grounds.
An asbestos management plan must include:







The identification of asbestos
Decisions, and reasons, about the management of asbestos at the workplace
Procedures for detailing accidents, incidents or emergencies
An outline of how asbestos risks will be controlled
A timetable for managing risks of exposure
Identification of each person with responsibilities under the plan, and
Procedures, including a timetable
Seaforth Baptist Church
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