Business Administration
and Technology...
taking care of business
BSBOHS201A Participate in OHS processes Learner
Guide
ORIGINAL WEB SITE AND REFERENCE
https://portal.det.nsw.edu.au/tale/teaching/resources/Certificate_II_in_Information_Technology/index.
htm
1.
The site has been developed under the agreements and sponsorship of the
TAFE NSW Online Project, TAFE NSW. Copyright of this material is reserved to
the Crown in the right of the State of New South Wales. Reproduction or transmittal
in whole, or in part, other than in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright
Act is prohibited without written authority of the copyright owners.
(c) The State of New South Wales, Department of Education and Training, (TAFE
NSW Online Project, 35 Bridge Street, Sydney), 2001.
2.
This paper-based learning resource is adapted from the Follow Workplace
Safety Procedures online resource for Information Technology by Cathy Pyke ,
reviewed and edited by Shirley Durigo, May 2006.
© NSW TAFE Commission, May 2006
This publication has been developed under the agreements and sponsorship of TAFE NSW
Riverina Institute. Copyright of this material is reserved to the Crown in the right of the
State of New South Wales. Reproduction or transmittal in whole, or in part, other than in
accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act is prohibited without the written
authority of the copyright owners. Apply in writing to Discipline Mentor, Business
Administration & Technology, Riverina Institute
© TAFE NSW, Riverina Institute, PO Box 2231, Wagga Wagga NSW 2650
BSBOHS201A Participate in OHS processes Learner Guide
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BSBOHS201A Participate in OHS processes Learner Guide
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 6
RECOGNISE AND REPORT HAZARDS AND RISKS .................................................................. 7
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY (OHS) LAW ............................................................................ 7
EMPLOYERS’ DUTIES .......................................................................................................................... 7
EMPLOYEES’ DUTIES .......................................................................................................................... 7
HAZARD IDENTIFICATION AND RISK CONTROL PROCESS ............................................... 9
HAZARD IDENTIFICATION ........................................................................................................... 9
TYPES OF HAZARDS ...........................................................................................................................10
IDENTIFYING DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE AS A HAZARD ...................................................................11
INFECTION CONTROL ........................................................................................................................11
IN THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRY, INFECTION CONTROL IS A VERY HIGH CONCERN. WITHIN
THE ADMINISTRATION AREA, INFECTION CONTROL RELATES TO BASIC HYGIENE. ..............................11
IDENTIFYING HAZARDS IN THE ADMINISTRATION ENVIRONMENT ......................................................11
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY SUPERVISOR ..........................................................................12
POOR POSTURE WHEN USING A COMPUTER ........................................................................................12
UNPACKING EQUIPMENT OR STATIONERY SUPPLIES ..........................................................................13
SAFE LIFTING ....................................................................................................................................13
MANUAL FILING SYSTEMS ................................................................................................................13
ELECTRICAL HAZARDS ......................................................................................................................14
USING THE TELEPHONE .....................................................................................................................14
CLEANING AND MAINTAINING COMPUTER EQUIPMENT......................................................................15
OCCUPATIONAL OVERUSE SYNDROME ..............................................................................................15
Ways to avoid OOS ......................................................................................................................16
Good job design ...........................................................................................................................16
Good work area design ................................................................................................................16
The right attitude .........................................................................................................................16
RISK ASSESSMENT, RISK CONTROL AND REPORT RISKS .................................................17
RISK CONTROL ..................................................................................................................................18
INFORMATION ON HAZARDS ..............................................................................................................19
CODES OF PRACTICE ....................................................................ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEETS (MSDS)........................................................................................20
SAFE WORKING PROCEDURES...................................................................................................21
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT ....................................................................................22
SOME EXAMPLES OF SAFETY SIGNS AND SYMBOLS ..........................................................22
SAFETY SIGNS AND WHAT THEY MEAN ..............................................................................................22
TRAINING ..........................................................................................................................................23
SUMMARY .........................................................................................................................................23
CHECK YOUR PROGRESS ....................................................................................................................23
SECTION 2 ..........................................................................................................................................27
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FOLLOW WORKPLACE PROCEDURES IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS ...........................27
ACCIDENTS .......................................................................................................................................27
ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION ........................................................................................................27
INCIDENT NOTIFICATION ...................................................................................................................27
REGISTER OF INJURIES .................................................................ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
Sample of the Register of Injuries ................................................................................................30
EMERGENCY PLANNING & EVACUATION PLANS ................................................................31
FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS ...............................................................................................................33
PROCEDURE IN CASE OF FIRE .............................................................................................................34
FIRE EXTINGUISHERS ...................................................................................................................35
OTHER EMERGENCIES .................................................................................................................35
CHEMICAL SPILLS ..............................................................................................................................36
Reading HAZCHEM codes ..........................................................................................................36
BOMB THREATS .................................................................................................................................37
OCCUPATIONAL VIOLENCE ................................................................................................................37
Workplace violence, harassment and bullying ............................................................................38
SUMMARY .........................................................................................................................................39
CHECK YOUR PROGRESS ....................................................................................................................39
CONTRIBUTE TO SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE THROUGH CONSULTATION ...........42
MANAGEMENT AND CONSULTATION ......................................................................................42
LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS............................................................................................................42
BENEFITS OF CONSULTATION ............................................................................................................42
GETTING THE MESSAGE ACROSS .............................................................................................43
CONSULTATION MECHANISMS..................................................................................................44
ESTABLISHING CONSULTATIVE PROCEDURES ....................................................................................44
FUNCTIONS OF OHS COMMITTEES/REPRESENTATIVES ...................................................45
TRAINING ..........................................................................................................................................46
Scenario .......................................................................................................................................46
CONSULTATION IN ACTION ........................................................................................................47
CONSULTATION AND RISK MANAGEMENT .........................................................................................47
CONSULTATION ACTION AND FEEDBACK ...........................................................................................47
MONITORING AND REVIEWING CONSULTATION ARRANGEMENTS ......................................................47
SUMMARY .........................................................................................................................................48
CHECK YOUR PROGRESS ....................................................................................................................48
CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................................................49
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INTRODUCTION
This learning guide will cover the unit Follow Participate in OHS processes from the
perspective of office/administrative employees. The purpose of the unit is to provide
you with the knowledge and skills to follow workplace health and safety procedures.
It deals with basic OHS responsibilities of an employee at work, and outlines how to
report dangers, risks and safety issues through the proper channels.
What does this unit cover?
When you have completed this learning guide, you should be able to demonstrate
proficiency in the following:
1. Recognise and report workplace hazards.
2. Comply with procedures to assess and control risks
3. Follow workplace procedures in emergencies.
4. Contribute to safety in the workplace through consultation.
How will I be assessed?
Ask your facilitator for a copy of the assessment after you have completed this
learning guide. The unit Participate in OHS processes is not graded and the
assessment is ‘Pass’ or ‘Fail’.
When do I do an activity?
When you are required to do an activity, it will look like this:
Activity
Answer the following questions …
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Recognise and report hazards and risks
Occupational health and safety (OHS) law
The law in New South Wales (and all Australian States and Territories) sets out the
legal requirements for health and safety at work. The law describes the
responsibilities of the various parties such as employers, workers, and people who
supply equipment or chemicals to workplaces.
In NSW these requirements are mostly in the relevant legislation, that is, the
Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 and the Occupational Health and Safety
Regulation 2001. Further requirements are set out in various Codes of Practice and
standards referred to in the legislation.
Employers’ duties
The law requires employers to ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of all
their employees and other people at the workplace, including clients and visitors.
This is referred to as the employer’s duty of care.
To fulfil this duty:



Employers must ensure that the premises, machinery and equipment,
chemicals, systems of work and the working environment are safe and
without risks to health
Employers also have to provide such information, instruction, training and
supervision as may be necessary to ensure the employees’ health and
safety.
Employers in New South Wales must use hazard identification and risk
control processes to fulfil these legal obligations.
Employees’ duties
Employees also have duties under the legislation. They must take care not to
endanger their own or others’ health and safety. They must comply with the
employers’ systems for ensuring health and safety, and they should take part in the
hazard identification and risk control process. More information about OHS legal
requirements can be found on the WorkCover NSW website at
www.workcover.nsw.gov.au.
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Workers are entitled to expect:



Safe and healthy working conditions, but they need to participate in
arrangements made for health and safety in order to help create and
maintain those good health and safety conditions.
Success in managing health and safety risks depends on the participation
and cooperation of workers. By reporting OHS hazards and following
procedures that have been established to protect health and safety, workers
can contribute to a workplace, which is safer for everyone.
While the main responsibility for making sure that work activities are safe
lies with the employer/owner of a company, there is a general expectation
that employees work safely and take care in what they do so as not to put
themselves or others at risk.
Employees can be expected to:




follow procedures
wear personal protective equipment (PPE)
report any safety problems and
report incidents and injuries
Employees do have a role to play in creating a safe workplace and in keeping it that
way, but they are only able to meet these responsibilities if procedures such as
personal protective equipment (PPE) and reporting systems are in place.
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Hazard identification and risk control
process
By following a hazard identification and risk control process, employers can
anticipate the types of health of safety problems that might affect workers, and take
action to prevent problems from occurring, or at least minimize the risk.
The process of managing risks follows these steps:
1
Find the hazards (hazard identification).
2
Check them out and consider how likely it is that problems will occur, and how
serious the consequences might be (risk assessment).
3
Do what can reasonably be done to prevent accidents or injuries (risk control).
4
Review risk management strategies.
Measures put in place to control health and safety risks must be checked to see if
they are actually working – that is, if they are successfully controlling the risks they
were intended to control monitoring and evaluation of risk controls. The process of
hazard identification and risk control can be applied to any type of work or risk.
A workplace hazard is a situation in the workplace that
has the potential to cause injury or illness
Hazard identification
The first step in the hazard identification and risk control process is known as hazard
identification. A hazard is anything with the potential to harm life, health or property.
All the types of potential hazards present in a particular job or task need to be
considered and the risks presented by these hazards need to be assessed to work out
how likely they are to cause harm, and how serious the harm might be.
Hazards arise from:

The work environment

The use of machinery and substances

Poor work design

Inappropriate systems and procedures.
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Types of hazards
Many kinds of hazards are found in workplaces. Some are:

Chemical hazards are substances that can harm people’s health when they are
breathed in or absorbed through the skin, or when they irritate the skin.
Examples include some kinds of dusts, vapours and fumes. Cigarette smoke is
a chemical hazard, as are asbestos fibres in the air. Substances such as
pesticides, solvents, ozone, and toner can present chemical hazards. Chemical
hazards can poison people or make them ill, if enough is absorbed into the
body.

Physical hazards include electricity, noise, temperature, lighting, radiation
and vibration. For example, excessive noise can cause noise-induced hearing
loss, fine work done in poor lighting can cause eye strain, and excessive heat
can cause a range of health effects, like heat stress.

Biological hazards such as infectious diseases can also be present in
workplaces. For example, workers in a childcare centre can get contagious
diseases from the children.

Manual handling can cause back injuries and other strain or sprain injuries.
Occupational overuse syndrome can result from work practices and work
organisation that involves people working in postures which are uncomfortable
or which do not involve enough variety.

Psychological stress can result from workplace violence, bullying, threats or
intimidation.
Employers need to identify whatever hazards exist in the workplace, and to do this
they should consult workers, to find out workers’ views of any threats to their health
or safety. Workers need to be able to contribute to this process by telling their
supervisor of any potential health and safety problems they find.
Workers should note matters such as trip hazards, unsafe electrical installations, any
type of unsafe situation or dangerous work practice, or anything else they think
might be a health or safety problem, and bring these to the attention of their
supervisor according to workplace procedure. Supervisors should take action to
rectify the problem.
If the problem is not resolved, workers may need to report the matter to the
workplace health and safety committee or the OHS representative. If the matter is
still not resolved, workers could ask for advice from the state’s OHS authority, which
in New South Wales is WorkCover NSW.
Management should also investigate all accidents and near misses to work out what
could have been done to prevent them. Workers should co-operate fully in these
investigations, reporting incidents according to workplace procedures.
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Identifying drug and alcohol abuse as a
hazard
Drug and alcohol abuse in the workplace must be seen as part of the hazard and risk
control process. Employees must at all times carry out their duties and
responsibilities in a safe manner. Where an employer believes that a person’s
capacity to perform work in a safe manner may be impaired, the employer has the
responsibility to ensure they are not in a position of personal risk, and they do not
present a risk to the health and safety of others.
A duty of care rests with employers. If an employer believes that substance abuse
may be affecting workplace performance, they must take steps to ensure the health
and safety of the individual, and other employees who may be affected by that
individual’s actions. It is appropriate for the employer to remove the employee from
any position of risk and refer the individual to an appropriate assessment agency eg
medical practitioner.
Infection Control
In the food and beverage industry, infection control is a very high concern. Within
the administration area, infection control relates to basic hygiene.
Identifying hazards in the administration
environment
OHS risk analysis consists of hazard identification, workplace assessment and risk
control. Hazards are the main identifiable cause of workplace health and safety
problems. They can include:

machinery

chemicals

noise

electrical hazards

poor work design

poor management systems and procedures

human behaviour.
Once a hazard has been found it is then assessed as to its potential to cause damage
and then a solution to the problem is sought.
Remember—find it, check it out, get it fixed!
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Occupational health and safety supervisor
Hazards should be reported to the occupational health and safety supervisor. The
occupational health and safety supervisor may be:

a person appointed to this position (in a large company)

the chairperson or a member of the occupational health and safety committee

a safety representative.
Poor posture when using a computer
Poor physical environment when using a computer
can result in a variety of problems including neck
strain, wrist problems and bad backs. Look at the
image to the right and match the numbers to the table
below.
1
Keyboard Skills Training: learn to touch type and use all your
fingers!
2
Breaks: don’t type for long periods.
3
Screen: position the screen at eye level in front of you. Screen
should be about your arm’s length away from your face, Make
contrast and brightness adjustable. Screen should be able to be
tilted.
4
Keyboard: can be tilted towards the user. Correct posture
suggests there should be a 90° angle through the upper/lower
arms and hands at the keyboard.
5
Work Desk/Surface: needs to be large enough.
6
Work Chair: ergonomic chairs have adjustable height and back
rests. Correct posture information suggested a 90° angle
through the upper/lower legs and feet.
7
Footrests and Wrist Rests: You may need to use these. Your
feet need to be able to touch the ground. If not, use a footrest.
A wrist rest may help you if your hands and wrists experience
pain. Your wrists should not be leaning on the desktop when
typing.
Other Equipment Available:
A document holder holds the information you are typing into
your document. Should be level with your screen.
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Unpacking equipment or stationery supplies

Make sure there is enough room for you to unpack the equipment and enough
lighting so you can see what you are doing.

Do not unpack in a hallway or area where someone is likely to be in danger of
tripping over you and the packaging.

Don’t place boxes in doorways or at the top of stairs. It is illegal to block fire
escapes.
Safe lifting
Good safe lifting techniques are crucial when lifting computer equipment or other
objects. Even when the load appears small, make sure you use the right technique.
Figure 1: How to lift safely
Before you lift, make sure you’ve cleared a space to put the equipment!
When lifting,

keep your back straight

bend your knees

hold the equipment you are lifting close to your body.

If you need help — ask for it or get a trolley.
Manual Filing Systems
Be aware of the how heavy filing systems are and do not open more than one drawer
at a time. Another problem are boxes and folders stored on top of a filing cabinet
that can cause unevenness when the drawer is opening.
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Electrical hazards
All employees should be given instructions for dealing with electrical hazards.
Take special note:

Always turn off the power at the power point and disconnect the lead.
Just turning off the switch on the peripheral isn’t enough. It will still
contain 240V.

Avoid overloading a power board or power point. Whilst most computer
equipment doesn’t use more power than a power point can handle, you
shouldn’t connect any high power appliances, such as heaters, to the same
power point or power board.

Where you need to use extension leads or power boards, make sure
they’re not damaged, and if possible use ones with safety switches fitted.

Don’t poke tools into any peripheral device. Apart from doing damage to
the device, you could also hurt yourself. For example, the voltages in the
rear of a typical monitor can exceed 25 000 volts (yes, 25 thousand)!
Lethal voltages also exist in many other types of peripherals.

Make sure that there’s no water or other fluid in an area where a
peripheral device is to be stored, installed or used. As fluids conduct
electricity, they can both damage the device and endanger the user.
Using the telephone
Use the telephone correctly – have a headset if you need both hands free to deal with
customer needs when using the telephone. Don’t nestle the handset of the telephone
in the crook between your shoulder and chin. Occupational Overuse Syndrome
(OOS) symptoms may result.
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Cleaning and maintaining computer
equipment
Particular care must be taken when cleaning computer equipment.
Before cleaning any electrical equipment make sure that it’s switched off and
unplugged from the mains. This is important, because if there’s a short circuit or
malfunction in the equipment it could still be ‘live’ and result in an electric shock
and possible death.
Allow certain equipment, such as monitors and laser printers, to cool down and lose
their capacitance before cleaning them. You should leave monitors switched off for
at least 30 minutes before cleaning the outside of them, and laser printers switched
off for at least 30 minutes before cleaning inside them.
If you’re cleaning inside a PC, or you’re going to handle parts from a PC such as
hard disks or circuit boards, you should earth yourself using an antistatic earthing
wrist strap.
Always refer to the manufacturer’s manual before attempting to clean any
equipment, because improper cleaning or maintenance may be dangerous and also
may invalidate your warranty.
Some equipment, such as power supplies and monitors, use large voltages and
therefore should only be maintained by people specially trained. It could be
dangerous for anyone else to open them for maintenance.
Occupational overuse syndrome
Occupational Overuse Syndrome (OOS) is a serious injury that can affect you if you
perform repetitive tasks, forceful movements and/or have poor posture. It has also
been called Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI).
If you have symptoms of OOS, you will feel discomfort or persistent pain in
muscles, tendons and other soft tissues, especially in the arms, hands and neck.
There are some specific medical conditions that can be found in people who have
OOS. The most well known condition is carpal tunnel syndrome, where the median
nerve is compressed as it enters the palm of the hand. If you suffer from this
condition, you would feel pain and numbness in the index and middle fingers and a
weakness of the thumb.
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Ways to avoid OOS
To avoid OOS your job should not involve too much repetitive keyboard work. You
should take a break, your workstation should be well designed and you should be
prepared to change your work habits if necessary.
Good job design
You may suffer OOS if your work or study involves repetitive actions that don’t
allow you to change what you’re doing or switch to a completely different
movement. It is important to design jobs so that:

you don’t have too many peak demand periods

you can do tasks that require different actions over the day or night

every hour you can stop and stretch.
Good work area design
It is important that you use furniture and equipment for the purpose for which it was
designed in the first place. If your chair, desk and workstation have not been
designed for repetitive work such as keying or moving the mouse you may suffer
OOS injuries. Computer equipment such as the keyboard and mouse should meet
Australian Standards.
The right attitude
Be aware that OOS is a potential problem and you should pay attention to any early
signs, especially when you are dealing with a heavy workload. There are good
stretching exercises that you can do to minimise further trouble or permanent damage
as long as you act as soon as or before you get the first twinge.
Remember, if it hurts – stop! OOS injuries are made worse by ignoring them and
continuing the activity without eliminating the cause of the stress.
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Risk assessment, risk control and report
risks
Assessing workplace risks means considering how likely it is that problems will
occur, and how serious the consequences might be.
Clearly, this is not always easy, but workers are often in the best position to know
which details of the task or process might involve the greatest risks of something
going wrong. Near misses, or incidents which could have resulted in undesirable
outcomes, can also provide information on the potential for accidents and injuries.
The seriousness of the potential consequences can be considered by asking questions
such as ‘Could anyone be killed?’ or ‘What could happen if…?’
Through a process of considering the likelihood and possible consequences of the
various hazards or risks that have been identified, the risks can be ranked from
highest priority to lowest priority. Risks that are potentially most serious and/or most
likely to cause health and safety problems should then be tackled first.
Figure 8: Assess the risk
Workers have a lot to contribute to this process of assessing risks, through their
familiarity with the details of the work process.
A workplace risk is the likelihood of an injury or illness
arising from exposure to a hazard
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Risk control
Controlling workplace risks means doing what can be done to prevent problems and
protect people’s health and safety.
Clearly, the most desirable way of managing risks of work injury is to eliminate the
risk entirely, if this is possible. For example, if a noisy machine can be replaced with
a quiet one, the noise hazard has been eliminated.
If the risk cannot be eliminated, it should be minimised in whatever ways are most
likely to be practicable and effective. This could involve:
1
substituting the process or substance with a safer one
2
designing premises or equipment so that it is safer to use
3
engineering controls (altering tools, equipment or work systems to make them
safer, eg. enclosing or isolating the hazard)
4
administrative measures (such as training workers in safe procedures, organising
suitable maintenance or housekeeping practices, job rotation or changing work
organisation)
5
using personal protective equipment (PPE—such as ear muffs, dust masks,
gloves, etc).
This list of strategies is known as the hierarchy of controls (or the hierarchy of
hazard controls), because risk control should be accomplished using strategies as
close as possible to the top of the list (these are more effective).
In many cases it will be necessary to use more than one control method. PPE is the
least effective and should be the method of last resort, used only as an interim
measure or if no other measures are practicable.
This is because PPE doesn’t address the hazard and often does not give as much
protection as other types of controls. For example, a dust mask will not give much
protection if it is already clogged up with dust, or if there is not a good facial fit for
the wearer and dust can enter the worker’s lungs via the gaps between face and mask.
PPE can also be hot, awkward or uncomfortable, and workers may neglect to wear it
for some of the time they are exposed to the hazard.
Risk controls that have been put in place should be monitored to check that the risk is
adequately controlled, and that the risk controls do not create new hazards. Workers’
feedback is an important part of checking whether risk controls are achieving their
purpose.
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Information on hazards
Part of the process of identifying and controlling hazards relies on finding out what
you can about how likely it is that someone could be harmed, how serious the injury
or illness may be, and how the hazard can be controlled. Review any available
information about the hazard, such as:

information supplied to you by the manufacturer of the product or equipment
(handbooks/operating manuals)

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) prepared by the supplier of a hazardous
substance

experience from the workplace with the hazard or similar hazards, such as
workers’ experience or injury data

control measures outlined in Chapters 4–8 of the Occupational Health and
Safety Regulation 2001

WorkCover NSW guidance material to help you assess potential risks for
particular hazards, processes and work tasks

Australian Standards that set out specifications for a range of equipment,
products and materials to ensure that they are safe and of a good quality

Codes of Practice to give you direction and guidance on the identification and
control of specific hazards.
Codes of Practice
Codes of Practice provide practical guidance and advice on how to achieve the
standard required by the Act and Regulation. Codes of Practice are developed
through consultation with representatives from industry, workers and employers,
special interest groups and government agencies.
A Code of Practice is not law, but it should be followed unless there is an alternative
course of action that achieves the same or better standards.
Here is a partial list of Codes of Practice in force in New South Wales. Listed here
are only codes that apply across a variety of industries. Each sector, for example, the
construction industry, may have detailed Codes of Practice that apply only to this
sector.

Code of Practice for Risk Assessment 2001

Code of Practice for the Control of Workplace Hazardous Substances 1996

Code of Practice: Safe Handling Storage of Enzymatic Detergent Powders and
Liquids 1994.

Code of Practice for Work in Hot or Cold Environments 2001.

Code of Practice for Noise Management and Protection of Hearing at Work
2004.
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
Code of Practice: Occupational Health and Safety Consultation 2001.

National Code of Practice for Manual Handling 1990 (2005)

Code of Practice for Workplace Injury and Disease Recording 1991 (NSW
adopts AS 1885.1-1990)

Code of Practice for the Prevention of Occupational Overuse Syndrome 1994.
Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
MSDS are prepared by the supplier of a hazardous substance and should be available
on request from the supplier. There is a national Code of Practice for the Preparation
of MSDS (2003) and a Code of Practice for the Preparation of MSDS (1996) for
NSW.
On the Internet there are a number of sites that hold compilations of MSDS. Here are
two:
http://www.ilpi.com/msds/index.html
http://apvma.gov.au
ACTIVITY
Access the internet and the following website address
http://www.ilip.com/msds/index.html. Click on the FAQ tab
and find the answers to the following questions.
1. What is a Material
Safety Data Sheet
2. Name four headings
of information on the
sample MSDS for
benzoic acid?
1.
2.
3.
4.
3. According to the
website where can you
get MSDS's?
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Safe working procedures
When the hazards have been identified and assessed and control measures have been
worked out, management may formulate policies, programs and procedures to make
sure the risks are properly controlled. The OHS policy is essentially the statement of
management’s commitment to health and safety; the program is a set of plans and
activities to give effect to the policy, and the procedures are the details about how
each job and task can be done in the safest way practicable.
Workers should be trained in these procedures, and it is essential for them to
understand and follow whatever safe working procedures have been established.
These systems of work are sometimes referred to as Safe Operating Procedures
(SOPs), or Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS). A SWMS is a statement that
describes how work is to be carried out. It identifies the work activities assessed as
having a safety risk and outlines the safety risks. It also describes the control
measures that will be applied to the work activities. The SWMS includes a
description of the equipment used in the work, the standards or codes to be complied
with, the qualifications of the personnel and training required to do the work.
The consequences of not following these systems of work can include injuries or
illness for workers or others present at the workplace, loss of morale and
productivity, and prosecutions of the employer.
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Personal Protective Equipment
PPE stands for Personal Protective Equipment which means special clothing and
other equipment designed to protect workers from injuries caused by hazards in the
workplace. Where the industry or business requires this equipment to be worn it
MUST be worn by the employee. The employee has a duty of care to abide by the
rules of the organisation. PPE is used in many places, for example, outside
maintenance or gardening contractors, roadside workers, truck drivers, laboratory
workers, and workers who work with dangerous chemicals or substances.
Some examples of safety signs and
symbols
Some organisations use safety signs and symbols to indicate the hazards present in
various parts of the work environment. These are standard international signs from
which workers can tell, eg where eye protection should be worn, or where emergency
showers are located. Workers should be familiar with these signs and comply with
them at all times.
Safety signs and what they mean
Make sure you know what each of these signs means:
Sign 1: Do not smoke
Sign 2: You must wear a hard hat
Sign 3: Caution, risk of electric shock
Sign 4: Caution, toxic hazard
Sign 5: First aid
Sign 6: Not drinking water
Sign 7: You must wear safety boots
Sign 8: Caution, biological hazard
Sign 9: Do not enter
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Training
Training in risk control measures, in safe work procedures, and in how to participate
in the hazard identification and risk control process, is essential to achieve a safe and
healthy workplace. Induction training must be given when workers first start work at
an organisation, and from time to time after that, as necessary. Workers should be
trained in how to use substances and equipment safely, and in the systems which are
in place to protect health and safety, including the functions of the workplace OHS
committee (if there is one) and the OHS representative. The training should also
cover the reporting and investigation of accidents/incidents, and any other health or
safety concerns. Workers should make sure they follow the training they have been
given, and should always ask their supervisor if they are not sure how the job can be
done safely.
Summary
The hazard identification and risk control process can be simple or complex,
depending on the scope and nature of the risks to health and safety.
The principles, however, remain the same. Risks need to be:

identified (using records of injury, illness, incidents, talking to workers,
workplace inspections, audits, surveys or accident investigations)

assessed (risks are checked out for the likelihood and severity of possible
harm, and ranked in priority order)

controlled (effective ways to control the risk are identified then put into
practice, using the hierarchy of risk controls)

evaluated and reviewed (new risks need to be checked for, and methods of risk
control need to be checked to see whether they are accomplishing their purpose
adequately, and not creating new risks).
Workers need to follow organisational procedures and instructions for risk control
when hazards are present. Complying with safety signs is part of risk control.
Check your progress
Complete the Activities on the following page which will summarise your learning
so far.
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ACTIVITY
Answer the following questions …
1. What is meant by a
hazard?
2. What is your
understanding of a
risk?
3. What
responsibilities do
employees have in
maintaining the health
and safety of workers
and clients in the
workplace?
4. How can the risk of
transmission of
infection in the
workplace be
prevented?
5. What does PPE
stand for?
6. Describe a
workplace injury that
you know about.
(Either from personal
experience or from a
news item.)
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ACTIVITY
Complete the following risk assessment. Tick the box if
everything is correct.
Complete this risk assessment on your own computer to check that the monitor is
correctly set up.

Is the screen as far away from your eyes as possible while remaining legible?

Is the screen positioned to minimise strain on your neck and back? The screen
should be below eye level. As a rule of thumb the top toolbar on most screens
should be at eye level.

Has the screen display and resolution been set up to minimise eye strain?
While some combinations are less fatiguing than others, the ultimate choice
of these is personal.

Is the computer screen clean?

Is the screen display stable with no flickering?

Are the characters large enough to be easily read?

Is the screen mounted on a swivel base and is it angle–adjustable? This can
reduce glare and reflections coming from it.
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ACTIVITY
Match the descriptions to the safety signs.
Read the following two tables and match the description to the image by placing the
correct number next to the sign.
1.
Oval: Danger Signs - Black background with Red oval with DANGER in
white Text. White background with message in black text. Signs warning of a
particular hazard or hazardous condition that is likely to be life-threatening.
2
Circle: Stop and Prohibition - White background with red borders and cross
bar; black symbol. Signs that indicate that an action or activity is not
permitted such as No Entry.
3
Triangle Caution (warning) signs - Yellow background with black border;
black symbol. Signs warning of a hazard or hazardous condition that is not
likely to be life threatening.
4
Circle: Mandatory Signs - Blue background; white symbol. - Signs that
indicate that an instruction must be carried out such as Head protection must
be worn.
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Section 2
Follow workplace procedures in
emergency situations
Accidents
Accidents are unplanned and undesired events that result in injury to people or
damage to property, and incidents are unplanned and undesired events that have the
potential to cause injury or damage.
Accidents and incidents, including ‘near misses’, can tell us a lot about the types of
risks that can arise from work activities. Whether or not injuries or damage result
from an incident, investigation of the causes can be a valuable aid to hazard
identification and risk assessment. They can also reveal weaknesses in a system that
was supposed to control the risk.
For these reasons, it is important to report incidents and keep records of them. Some
kinds of accidents, incidents and dangerous occurrences, as well as some kinds of
work health problems, should be reported to WorkCover by your employer.
Accident investigation
The cause of an accident may not be obvious. Investigation may reveal several coincidental causes, making a chain of causation factors, none of which would have
been sufficient on its own to cause the accident. Poor maintenance, inadequate
training, poor planning or too much pressure to meet deadlines can all contribute, as
can the work environment. The aim of the investigation is not to assign blame, but to
understand the various factors that contributed to the accident happening, with a view
to preventing it from happening again.
Incident notification
Notification of work-related incidents to OHS authorities is a legal requirement of
both the workers’ compensation and occupational health and safety legislation. In
New South Wales this authority is WorkCover NSW.
The following is a list of some relevant legislative provisions:
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
Section 44 of the Workplace Injury Management and Workers’ Compensation
Act 1998

Clause 32 of the Workers’ Compensation Regulation 2003

Sections 86 and 87 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000

Clauses 341, 341A, 342, 343 and 344 of the Occupational Health and Safety
Regulation 2001.
To read the above sections and other legislation in force, go to the Government of
New South Wales Legislation home page at: http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au
From 1 September 2003, work-related incidents under clause 341 are called
incidents. Previously, these incidents were called accidents and other matters. Also
from 1 September 2003, there is a new simplified incident notification system in
NSW. The types of incidents that should be reported include:

Serious incident involving a fatality or a serious injury or illness - notify
WorkCover immediately by phone and the workers’ compensation insurer
within 48 hours.

Incident involving an injury or illness to workers, where workers’
compensation is or may be payable - notify the workers’ compensation insurer
within 48 hours.
Serious incident with no injury or illness, but is immediately life threatening - notify
WorkCover immediately by phone plus notify WorkCover within seven days to make
a full report using the online form or a printed version.
Incident with no injury or illness, and is not immediately life threatening - notify
WorkCover within seven days using the online form or a printed version. This form
is available at the WorkCover website at: http://www.workcover.nsw.gov.au
These provisions include non-workers, for example, visitors or customers at the
workplace.
When notifying, you will be asked questions about the incident. Some information
will only need to be provided when there has been a death, injury or illness. This
information is marked with an asterisk*.
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Employer information:

name of employer

address (street address, suburb, postcode)

ABN number

type of industry.
Notifier information:

name of notifier

phone number.
* Injured person details:

name of injured, ill or deceased person

residential address (street, suburb, postcode)

date of birth

phone number

non-worker category (eg. visitor, customer).
Incident details:

date of incident

location of incident (location, street, suburb, postcode)

description of how incident happened

description of injury, illness or death*.
Insurers may ask for more information.
Occupiers of workplaces/employers must keep the following records about the
notification for at least five years after the notification is given:

a record of the date, time, place and nature of the incident/injury

a record of the date of notification and the way in which the notification was
given

a record of any acknowledgement given by the insurer or WorkCover.
These records must be made available for inspection by a WorkCover inspector or an
authorised representative of the worker. An entry in the Register of Injuries kept by
an employer is sufficient record of an injury to a worker. The record of any
acknowledgement of the notice can also be kept as part of the Register of Injuries.
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Register of Injuries
Under Section 63 of the Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation
Act 1998, employers are required to keep a Register of Injuries that is readily
accessible in the workplace. The manager is responsible for this Register of Injuries.
The Register of Injuries a current record of any injuries suffered by workers, whether
they result in claims or not. You should fill in the Register even if the accident is
small and seems insignificant. You may need to provide this information in case you
have to make a workers compensation claim.
Sample of the Register of Injuries
Employers can draw up their own injury register. However, it must be reproduced in
the prescribed form.
Table 1: Register of Injuries logbook
Register of Injuries logbook
Name of injured worker:
Address:
Postcode:
Age:
Occupation:
Industry in which worker was engaged:
Operation in which worker was engaged at time of injury:
Date of injury: Hour: am pm
Nature of injury:
Cause of injury:
Remarks:
(Signed)
(Address)
(Date)
(Name of Workers’ Compensation Insurer)
(Note: Entries in this book should be made in ink.)
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Emergency Planning & Evacuation Plans
Employers need to establish plans and procedures to cope with fire and other
emergencies. Emergencies can result from events such as leaks or spills, fire or
explosions, mechanical failures or other incidents.
Legislation which deals with this is contained in the Occupational Health and Safety
Regulation 2001:

clause 17: Employer to provide for emergencies

clause 62: Fire and explosion – particular risk control measures.
There should be contingency plans in place to deal with the types of emergencies that
might arise. Workers should be informed about these plans, including evacuation
procedures. These plans should include:

warning, alarm and sprinkler systems

first aid facilities

available and location of emergency equipment

accessibility of lists of emergency organisations with contact details, key
personnel with their contact details and responsibilities

emergency drills.
The purpose of an emergency plan is to:

provide written and clearly displayed procedures to be followed in the event of
emergency evacuation

give specific duties to individual staff members.
A plan should be widely displayed on noticeboards, clearly worded and include a
floor plan of the building layout. All exit locations and meeting points should be
included on the plan.
The following information should be considered when following an emergency
preparedness procedure:

recommended evacuation procedures

reporting and appropriate response procedures

first aid facilities and services

fire fighting equipment.
Look at the following office floor plan and note that it shows an employee the
quickest and safest way to exit the building.
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Figure 1: This plan shows an employee the quickest and safest way
to exit the building
ACTIVITY
Locate the evacuation plan in your immediate area. It will
be shown on a noticeboard or in an obvious area.
1. Write down three
main points that are
shown on the plan
1.
2.
3.
2. Write down where
you exit the building
in an emergency
3. Write down where
the assembly point is
for your building
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Fires and explosions
Three factors are needed for a fire or explosion to occur:

fuel: any solid, liquid or gas that can burn

oxygen: from the air and also from chemical reactions

heat: flames, sparks, cigarettes etc.
If you discover a fire or see/hear an explosion, remember the six steps to safety:
1
Sound the alarm immediately.
2
Tell everyone to get clear.
3
Advise the fire brigade.
4
Fight the fire—if you have been trained to do so.
5
Evacuate the building.
6
Do not re-enter the building until the all clear has been given by the fire brigade.
For electrical fires, remember to turn off the power.
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Procedure in case of fire
Here’s what to do in case of a fire.
Figure 2a: Sound the alarm
Figure 2b: Tell others
Figure 2c: Advise the fire brigade
Figure 2d: Fight the fire if trained to do so
Figure 2e: Evacuate
Figure 2f: Stay clear of the building
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Fire extinguishers
Extinguishers are colour-coded so that you can easily identify them. Extinguishers
that contain water, for example, are colour-coded red. This is important to know
because you cannot use water to put out fires involving live electrical equipment.
You could get electrocuted.
Remember that a fire extinguisher is only the first step in fire fighting. All small fires
can quickly become big fires—and an extinguisher is no substitute for the fire
brigade.
The table below lists the main types of extinguishers, their colour codes and their
special uses.
Table 2: Main type of fire extinguishers
Extinguisher
Colour
Electrical
Paper
Fuel
& oil
Gas
Toxic
Purpose
Water
red
No
Yes
No
No
No
cooling
Foam
Red with
blue
band
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
smother
CO2
red with
black
band
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
smother
Halon/BCF*
yellow
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
smother
Dry chemical
red with
white
band
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
smother
*Were recalled in 1995 for disposal. They should be replaced with a CO2 or dry
chemical extinguisher.
Remember: after a fire, don’t put the empty extinguisher back on its rack. This may
cost someone his or her life at a later date. Arrange to have it refilled.
Other emergencies
Some other emergencies include:
1
Chemical spills
2
Bomb threats
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3
Occupational violence.
Chemical spills
Many substances used in offices may be hazardous. Users should find out how a
particular substance should actually be used (this may be sufficient). The next step to
take is to develop and implement any control measures required as a result of the
assessment, if warranted. In most cases, following basic precautions outlined in the
Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) will be adequate. For example, it may be
necessary to wear gloves and a mask when changing certain powder toners in
printers.
To find out more about Material Safety Data Sheets go to
http://www.worksafe.wa.gov.au and then search for MSDS within the site.
Reading HAZCHEM codes
When dangerous goods are stored on premises, or are transported by road or rail,
HAZCHEM codes must be displayed. These codes show:

type of hazardous substance

what to use for fire fighting or to clean up spills

any reaction risk

PPE to be worn when dealing with the incident

if evacuation is necessary.
The number in the bottom corner of the diamond represents the class of dangerous
goods. For example:
Class 2
Compressed gases (flammable, toxic, oxidising gas)
Class 3
Flammable liquids
Class 4
Flammable solids; spontaneously combustible substances; gas emitting
substances (when mixed with water)
Class 5
Oxidising agents/organic peroxide
Class 6
Toxic substances
Class 7
Radioactive substances
Class 8
Corrosive substances
Class 9
Miscellaneous dangerous goods
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Bomb threats
A bomb threat is usually received at the workplace by telephone. If received, it is
important to remain calm as the information given and replies to questions asked by
the person taking the call, could be of vital assistance to authorities. Try to keep the
caller on the telephone as long as possible. If a telephone bomb threat is received:

Take a note of the exact time, voice characteristics (such as accent,
impediment and diction), estimation of the approximate age, boy or girl, man
or woman.

Listen for background noises, music, traffic, laughter or other persons.

Try to find out from the caller where the bomb is located.

Question the caller as to their knowledge of your premises.
Questions to ask the caller include:

What time will it explode

Where did you put the bomb?

When did you put it there?

What does it look like?

What type of device is it?

Why are you doing this?

What is your name?
If a written or typed bomb threat is received, the note should be handled by a
minimum number of people to preserve fingerprints. It should not be altered in any
way ie not stapled or written on, but placed inside an envelope large enough as to not
fold it. Take note of date and time received, the person who received the note and
mode of delivery.
Suspected devices should not be touched, tilted or tampered with.
Occupational violence
In Part 2, Division 3 of the NSW OHS Act 2000, it is stated that:
All persons must not:
Disrupt a workplace by creating health or safety fears.
The OHS Act protects psychological welfare as well as physical safety. It is the
responsibility of employers to ensure that personal threats of any kind are not
allowed in the workplace.
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Workplace violence, harassment and bullying
Violence includes verbal and emotional threats, physical attack to an individual’s
person or property by another individual or group. The level of fear an individual
feels and the way they respond during and after a violent act relates to their own
experiences, skills and personality. Violent acts include:

Verbal abuse in person or over the phone

Threats of a sexual nature

Threats of violence

Ganging up by a group over an individual

Physical or sexual assault.
Violent behaviour can escalate from intimidating body language, to verbal threats
and physical violence.
Staff need training in how to recognise the possibility of violence occurring and how
to respond in the event of verbal and physical attack. All workplace procedures
should be geared towards preventing this occurring in the first place.
WorkCover Guide 2000 Violence in the Workplace offers these practical suggestions
for controlling violence risks:

Provide a secure work environment.

Install and use physical barriers and security systems.

Remove the motivation or incentive for violence.

Ensure effective management including selecting the right people for the job,
fair employment conditions, training, employee consultation and regular
supervision.

Change the method of contact between clients and employees to a remote
service — use telephone instead of face-to-face interaction.

Limit client interaction to times when there is a safety in numbers for your
staff.

Ensure that work systems and service do not provoke aggression from clients.

Deter offenders by making it known that security measures are in place.

Provide detection measures.

Where staff must work alone or in isolated locations, keep in contact with
them.

Ensure that workers can get to and from work in safety.

Ensure that workers are not alone when dealing with potentially violent
clients.

Where it provides an additional, back-up safety measure that is necessary and
acceptable to employees, provide employees with training in self-defence.
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Staff training programs should cover specific violence control in your workplace. In
consultation with employees, a Workplace Violence Prevention Policy should be
developed and implemented.
Summary
Following workplace procedures for accidents and emergencies is a requirement of
the OHS Act 2000 and OHS Regulation 2001. Effective management of emergency
procedures by employers ensures the safety of employees and members of the public
visiting the workplace. Workers are required to follow emergency procedures.
Employees require adequate information and training so that they can contribute to
their own safety and the safety of others. By providing such information and training,
employers ensure they meet their legislative requirements.
Check your progress
Now you have completed this learning object, reflect on the skills you now possess.
You should be able to contribute to workplace health and safety by:

Being able to list different types of emergencies and their appropriate
responses.

Identifying legislation relating to emergencies and OHS procedures.

Following emergency/evacuation plans.

Following workplace procedures for accidents and emergencies under direct
supervision.
Complete the activity on the next page.
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INTERNET ACTIVITY
1.
Access the Internet and search for information to
answer the following questions. A useful address
is www.ascc.gov.au
2.
Write down the web address you obtained the
information from.
1.
What are hazardous substances?
2.
How would you protect your hearing from excessive noise?
3.
What are some of the contributing factors to OOS?
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4.
What are some of the risk factors contributing to skin cancer and eye
damage?
5.
How do you know if stress is a hazard in the workplace?
6.
What is meant by workplace consultation?
7.
What are some practical solutions to workplace design?
Remember to look for any recent media articles on
improper OHS in the workplace or any related incidents.
Show your facilitator for discussion.
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Contribute to safety in the workplace
through consultation
Management and consultation
A key mechanism for the management of OHS in the workplace is to consult with
employees, in order to tap into their capacity to help identify and resolve health and
safety problems. This is a legal requirement under Section 13 of the Occupational
Health and Safety Act 2000, and it is also good management practice.
Legislative requirements
The legislation provides a duty of care for all employers to consult with employees
on health and safety matters. This duty to consult is based on the fact that employees’
input and participation improves decision-making about health and safety matters.
Consultation is required by NSW legislation in the following situations:

when changes are proposed to the premises where people work; systems or
methods of work; plant used for work or substances used for work

when OHS risks are assessed or reviewed

when decisions are made concerning measures to control or eliminate risks

when introducing or altering procedures for monitoring risks

when decisions are made about adequacy of facilities for the welfare of
employees.
(Section 15, NSW OHS Act 2000)
Benefits of consultation
Consultation involves co-operation and feedback between the employer and the
employees (including unions). Ideally, effective consultation should bring the
following benefits:

Employees are often ideally placed to monitor and provide feedback on control
safety measures introduced.

Employee awareness of OHS can be reflected in the job with an increased
awareness of their own safety and the safety of others within their work
environment.
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
Co-operation and commitment of employees is essential for the success of any
OHS program. Co-operation and commitment are enhanced through
consultation as employees have ownership in the OHS programs developed and
implemented.

Consultation increases employee skills and willingness to identify workplace
hazards, assess the level risk and suggest appropriate control measures. This
can increase employee morale and job satisfaction as their views are valued
and taken into account.

Employee participation provides valuable input into the development, review
and quality improvement of OHS reporting and recording systems,
organisational OHS policies and procedures.

Employee participation promotes a safe system of work.
Although management retains the decision-making power in this process, employees
are in a good position to provide feedback on work methods, procedures and
practices. They are usually aware of minor workplace incidents and other problems,
for example, where short cuts are used to speed up work processes. Such information
can lead to continuous improvement, with better decisions being made when
identifying, assessing and controlling workplace health and safety risks.
NSW legislation requires that employers record their consultation arrangements
(OHS Regulation 2001: C27(1) a) and publicise these arrangements among existing
and new employees (OHS Regulation 2001: C27(1) b).
Getting the message across
As part of the consultation process there needs to be a two-way communication
between management and employees. This includes:

Employees being made aware of what actions have been undertaken as a result
of their feedback through formal consultative mechanisms such as OHS
committees.

Employees being made aware of OHS initiatives through notice boards, staff
and section meetings, circulars and supervisor communication.

Employees also require feedback on statistical data analysed, including the
success of OHS policies, procedures and programs introduced within the
organisation.
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Consultation mechanisms
Consultation mechanisms used within workplaces include:
Management meetings—OHS needs to be discussed and acted on at these meetings.
OHS Committees—These are where representatives of employees and management
regularly meet to discuss and recommend OHS action.
OHS representatives—These are people who fulfil the role of OHS committees in
smaller workplaces or diverse locations.
Team/unit meetings—These are often informal meetings held within a unit/team
when a need arises. These meetings can be used for discussion of issues and to
provide information about safety issues. Good management is placing OHS on the
agenda for each meeting.
Employee feedback—Use employee surveys and suggestions boxes to let
management know what is happening and to give feedback.
Information giving—Give feedback and provide OHS information to employees
through flyers, circulars, website or intranet pages, notice boards and video
announcements.
Establishing consultative procedures
Employers must establish consultative procedures as follows:

through an OHS Committee—if an employer has 20 or more employees and
the majority of them request that a committee be formed

through OHS representative/s—when requested by one or more employee(s).
Where a workplace is not required to establish an Occupational Health and Safety
Committee or elect an Occupational Health and Safety representative, the employer
and employees can agree on other arrangements for consultation to occur.
WorkCover NSW can also direct the establishment of an OHS Committee or an OHS
representative. (Sections 16 & 17 of the OHS Act 2000 cover the legislative
requirements for establishing an OHS Committee and OHS representatives.)
OHS committees must be representative of the workforce. For example, in a
workplace which employs mainly young women, it would not be consistent with
legal requirements to have an OHS committee consisting entirely of middle-aged
men. Workers from all areas of the organisation should be able to have their say
through the committee, and the committee should be chaired by an elected employee
representative (not someone appointed by management). It is most important that
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workers’ OHS representatives and committee members are competent to fulfil their
role effectively and are given training to enable them to do so.
OHS representatives must be elected by the employees, not appointed by the
employer. The employees may elect more than one OHS representative if the
employer agrees.
An important principle of the new health and safety legislation in NSW is that OHS
committees or representatives are now elected to workgroups rather than workplaces.
A workgroup consists of all the employees of an employer rather than just those
employed in one location. So if the employer employs 20 or more people, even if
there are only a few in any one location, the employees still have the right to elect an
OHS committee, if a majority of employees request it.
Functions of OHS
committees/representatives
The OHS Act sets out the basic functions, powers, rights and duties of OHS
committees and OHS representatives. The functions of committees and
representatives are essentially the same:
1
to keep under review the measures taken to ensure the health, safety and welfare
of persons at the place of work
2
to investigate any matter that may be a risk to health and safety at their place of
work
3
to attempt to resolve the matter but, if unable to do so, to request an investigation
by an inspector for that purpose.
Chapter 3 of the OHS Regulation creates some additional functions for committees
and representatives:

to accompany an inspector on an inspection that affects the workgroup

to be an observer during any formal report by an inspector to the employer
concerning the workgroup

to accompany an employee of the workgroup (if requested by the employee)
during any interview by the employer regarding an OHS issue

to be an observer during any formal in-house investigation of a notifiable
accident concerning the workgroup (a notifiable accident means one that has to
be notified to WorkCover NSW)

to assist in the development of arrangements for recording workplace hazards
and accidents
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
to make recommendations about the training of OHS representatives or
members of OHS committees.
Once a consultative mechanism is established, the next step is to have agreed
procedures for its operation. This could include procedures for:

meeting protocols

communication within the workplace

functions and roles of the employees involved

the training of employees involved in consultation

resolving OHS issues and disputes

role of the union

any other matter that may be necessary.
Training
Scenario
You work in a large Information Technology section of a city-based organisation
and you have just been elected a health and safety representative. You don’t know
what you are supposed to do, or how to do it. What should you do?
In the first instance you should seek out several members who have been on the
committee for a while and talk to them about your new role.
You also have the right to the same training as that received by an OHS committee
member. Clause 31 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 2001 provides
details on training that must be provided to OHS members and representatives. The
training must be undertaken as soon as possible after the election of committees or
representatives, unless approved training has already been undertaken. The Code of
Practice recommends that training should be held within three months of election.
Training should be completed within two months. The employer must consult about
the arrangements for training of OHS committees and representatives (and members
in other agreed arrangements), with regard to:

training needs

when training will occur

who should deliver training

how the training should be delivered (ie. should all members and
representatives be trained together).
The OHS Regulation provides that training must be conducted either by a trainer
accredited by WorkCover or a Registered Training Organisation.
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Consultation in action
Consultation and risk management
To participate constructively in the consultative process for managing OHS,
employees need information and training on work hazards they may face, and in
relevant strategies for protecting health and safety. Without this information and
training, workers will not be able to play an effective role in identifying, assessing
and controlling OHS risks.
They also need to be given information on the employer’s duty of care in
maintaining a working environment and work practices which do not present risks to
workers’ health or safety.
Another important pre-requisite for participation in consultative procedures is that
workers must be assured that they will not be dismissed or otherwise disadvantaged
by exercising their functions as OHS representatives or committee members, or for
reporting health and safety problems to their supervisors.
Consultation action and feedback
To ensure the ongoing effectiveness of consultative arrangements employees must
receive feedback to the issues they raise and the suggestions they make. If this
doesn’t happen, the whole process can lose credibility and lead to a reduction in
commitment to the consultative arrangements.
For effective consultation, it is essential that:

relevant information is shared

employees have the opportunity to express their views, and

the employer takes those views into account.
Monitoring and reviewing consultation
arrangements
Clause 22(4) of the NSW OHS Regulation 2001 requires consultation arrangements
to be reviewed as occasion requires. Consultation is to be undertaken if requested by
a majority of employees in the workgroup or if there has been a significant change in
the composition of the workgroup that is not reflected in the existing arrangements.
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Summary
Effective consultation is a key to successful management of OHS risks. Employees
need safe systems of work and a work environment which will not put their health or
safety at risk. By participating in consultative procedures, workers can support the
process of identifying, assessing and controlling risks of injury or work-related
illness.
Employees need adequate information and training so that they can play a
meaningful role through whatever consultative mechanisms exist at their workplace.
By providing such information and training and establishing systems for consultation
and communication, employers can ensure that they meet legislative requirements in
this regard.
Check your progress
ACTIVITY
Answer the following questions …
1. Summarise the legislative requirements regarding consultation on OHS
issues.
2. List the conditions under which workplace communication is effective.
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3. List three different communication strategies that can be put into place
in the workplace.
4. Suggest procedures that will ensure OHS feedback to employees.
5. When do you complete a Register of Injury form?
6. What should be included on a contingency plan for emergency
evacuations?
7. List five things HAZCHEM codes show.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you have completed the learning guide for Follow Workplace
Safety Procedures. You are now ready for your assessment. Good luck!
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