Workplace EssentialsWorkplace Essentials20142014

WHS Essentials – Work Safe. Home WHS Essentials – Work Safe. Home SafeSafe

WorkCover EssentialsWorkCover EssentialsLive Well Farm WellLive Well Farm Well

SuperannuationSuperannuation

Work Safe. Home SafeWork Safe. Home SafeThe reason to be safe at work, is sometimes

not about work at all….

Fatalities on Farm – Startling StatsFatalities on Farm – Startling Stats

• From 1 July 2003 to 30 June 2011, 356 agriculture workers died while working on a farming property Australia wide

• This represents 17% of all worker fatalities.

• Nearly one-third of the worker fatalities on farms were workers aged 65 years or over.

• 93 workers (26%) died in incidents involving a tractor, 48 (13%) in aircraft incidents, 28 in incidents involving a car or utility and 27 (8%) in incidents with quad bikes.

• 93 tractor-related fatalities equates to 11 workers being killed each year (compared to 25 in 1989-92)

Ag sector workers’ compensation claims: proportion Ag sector workers’ compensation claims: proportion and incidence rate by sector and year and incidence rate by sector and year

Industry Sector 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 Total

Number of claimsGrain, sheep, beef 33% 36% 37% 35%

Horticulture and fruit growing 37% 34% 35% 35%

Other livestock farming 11% 12% 11% 12%

Dairy Cattle 6% 6% 6% 6%

Other crop growing 7% 6% 6% 6%

Poultry 5% 5% 6% 5%

Total Agriculture 100% 100% 100% 100%

Workplace Injuries – the Workplace Injuries – the realreal cost to business cost to business

A farmhand fractured his clavicle and fractured three ribs when thrown from motorbike

TOTAL Cost to Employer: $21,725 Incident costs – transport and lost productivity of worker Investigation costs – time taken to investigate injury, and

complete paperwork Damage costs – replace motorbike, fence to avoid repeat Replacement worker and training time Productivity costs – lost productivity Took 30 days of trading to recover incident cost Increase to WorkCover premiums

WHS ComplianceWHS Compliance

WHS Act Duties of parties

WHS Regulations

Procedural/Admin matters How duties are met

Codes of practice Practical guides to achieving the standards

required under the Act & Regs

Fact sheets & other guidance material

WHSQ, WorkSafe Australia, Growcom

So…… Managing risks to H&SSo…… Managing risks to H&SEmployers must:• identify all reasonably foreseeable hazards,• Conduct risk assessment • apply a control measure that is reasonably practicable

after working through a hierarchy of risk control measures, and then

• maintain and review these risk control measures

Code of Practice (included in kit)• How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks

Principle of “reasonable practicability”Principle of “reasonable practicability”

There are two elements to what is ‘reasonably practicable”:

• A duty-holder must first consider what can be done - that is, what is possible in the circumstances for ensuring health and safety. They must then consider whether it is reasonable, in the circumstances to do all that is possible

• A duty-holder must meet the standard of behaviour expected of a reasonable person in the same position and who is required to comply with the same duty.

Hierarchy of Risk ControlHierarchy of Risk Control

When considering the control measure, use the Hierarchy of Risk Control

Level 1- Eliminate the hazard?Level 2- Substitute with something safer?- Isolate hazard from people?- Reduce risks through engineering controls?Level 3- Use administrative measures to reduce hazard?- Use PPE - as a last resortHow to manage Work, Health and Safety Risks

Code of Practice 2011

Employers to demonstrate Employers to demonstrate due diligencedue diligence

• Acquiring knowledge of health and safety issues• Understanding operations and associated hazards and

risks• Ensuring that appropriate resources and processes are

used to eliminate or minimise risks to health and safety• Implementing processes for receiving and responding to

information about incidents, hazards and risks• Establishing and maintaining compliance processes• Verifying the provision and use of the resources

mentioned in 1-5.

Key Messages / ActionsKey Messages / ActionsBusiness OwnersBusiness Owners

• Strong management commitment to a safety culture where workers see their employer is committed to their health and safety - live it and demonstrate your commitment daily

• Include WHS in all aspects of organisational planning – not as an add-on or afterthought

• Success depends on strong relationships between owners, managers, supervisors and staff

• Support training and development of managers and staff

• Ensure you meet your duty of care to workers

Key Messages / ActionsKey Messages / ActionsManagers and SupervisorsManagers and Supervisors

• Establish and implement WHS policy and procedures• Demonstrate active and visible leadership• Establish practice of regular discussion about WHS with

staff• Conduct risk assessments of hazards• All workplace hazards are promptly identified and

associated risks assessed and controlled• Promptly address issues that are brought to you• Information, training and supervision for all

employees

Key Messages / ActionsKey Messages / ActionsEmployeesEmployees

• Duty for care for their own health and safety and that of colleagues

• Duty of care for what is reasonably expected – take into account degree of control or work/environment

• Comply with reasonable instructions of Manager

• Comply with policies and procedures

• Inform management about hazards, injuries, accidents, and near-misses

• Cease work if reasonable concern that the work would expose them to risk

• Be proactive and actively involved in WHS programs

Key MessagesKey MessagesHealth and Safety Health and Safety AwarenessAwareness

• Encourage employees to support each other and ‘keep an eye out’ – esp for younger/inexperienced workers

• Demonstrate your commitment– Be available during induction

– Be vocal and visible in your commitment

– React to all issues promptly

– Promote and attend safety sessions

• Use and wear protective equipment

• Ensure children are supervised at all times

Key MessagesKey MessagesInduction and TrainingInduction and Training

• Ensure ALL workers have proper WHS induction at beginning of employment

• Involve experienced workers in training• Assess worker competence• Keep records of induction and training• Ensure all are aware of safe work procedures – plan

and document SWPs if you don’t have them• Maintain grounds to minimise presence of snakes,

spiders etc.

Key MessagesKey MessagesAmenities and EnvironmentAmenities and Environment

• Ensure first aid-accessible and workers trained

• Ensure appropriate toilet facilities

• Provide hand and face washing facilities and access to potable, clean and cool drinking water

• Maintain grounds and buildings to minimise presence of dangerous animals (spiders, snakes) and reduce fire loads

• Ensure appropriate environment for rest pauses and lunch break

Key MessagesKey MessagesEmergency PlansEmergency Plans

• Employers required to develop procedures to deal with workplace emergencies including:– Clear and well understood evacuation procedures– Trained and authorised staff to assist– notifying emergency service organisations – who?– medical treatment and assistance– effective communication (e.g. 2-way radios, mobiles)

– especially for remote workers– testing of the emergency procedures - e.g. frequency

of testing information, training and instruction to relevant workers

Key MessagesKey MessagesPersonal Protective Equipment [PPE]Personal Protective Equipment [PPE]

• Select appropriate PPE for work to be performed– Gloves, footwear, safety or sun glasses, hearing

protection, respirators, masks, hats and helmets, sunscreen

• Ensure workers trained in proper use of safety equipment

• Ensure workers use/wear protective equipment if supplied and if instructed

• PPE is a last resort mechanism under the Hierarchy of Control risk matrix

Chemicals/hazardous substancesChemicals/hazardous substances

• Ensure Safety Data Sheets (SDS) are available for all hazardous substances and that they are utilised

• Store chemicals safely and securely

• Minimise exposure to workers through limiting access and use, and/or via safe handling techniques

• NEVER store in food/drink containers

• Ensure all are correctly labelled – including WHS information and what to do in a case of poisoning

Plant and MachineryPlant and Machinery

• Supply correct plant and equipment for the task and their intended purpose

• Ensure safety guards are installed and in safe working condition

• Keep vehicles and plant in good working order

• Train and instruct workers in safe use and maintenance of equipment

• Train workers about falls from heights

• Ensure ‘no go’ areas clearly signposted

• Quad Bikes a major issue in Ag- know what’s what

Key MessagesKey MessagesHazardous Manual TasksHazardous Manual Tasks

• Employer must manage risks to health and safety relating to a musculoskeletal disorder associated with a hazardous manual task

• Muscular skeletal – backs, shoulders, elbows, knees, etc

• In determining appropriate control measures to implement, employer must have regard to all relevant matters that may contribute to a musculoskeletal disorder– Postures, movements, forces and vibrations; duration and

frequency, work area design/layout, systems of work

– Hierarchy of control – potential solutions: Eliminate? Replace? Administrative? Engineering?

Key MessagesKey MessagesRemote or isolated workRemote or isolated work

• Definition:– work that is isolated from the assistance of other

persons because of location, time or the nature of the work

• Employers to establish communication system for remote and isolated work.

• Must provide system of work that includes effective communication with the worker.

Key MessagesKey MessagesNoiseNoise

• Applies to workers who are frequently required to use PPE for noise

• Employer who provides PPE as a control measure must provide audiometric testing for the worker:– within 3 months of the worker commencing the work; and– at least every 2 years.– If worker hired in 2012, employer has 12 months from the date

they were employed before being required to have worker teste

• WHSQ Fact sheet Hearing Protection

Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work Code of Practice 2011

Key MessagesKey MessagesAsbestos Management PlansAsbestos Management Plans

• Where asbestos is present (or believed to be present), employers must have an Asbestos Management Plan (AMP)

• Plan must contain– Identification of asbestos or ACM– Decisions/reasons about management of asbestos – eg safe work

procedures and control measures; procedures dealing with incidents/accidents

– See factsheet Identifying and recording asbestos and asbestos containing materials in the workplace

Code of Practice – What is an AMP, reviewing & accessing an AMP

How to Manage and Control Asbestos in the Workplace Code of Practice 2011

Useful Resources to assist with compliance

• Codes of Practice - download from: http://www.deir.qld.gov.au/workplace/law/legislation/codes/index.htm

• WHSQ Small business unit’s Compliance pack (with online safety benchmarking tool)

• Rural guide (also contains info on workers comp, incident notification requirements)

• Rural Fact sheets (e.g. forklifts, asbestos)

• eSAFE Rural – online rural safety newsletter http://www.vision6.com.au/em/message/email/view.php?id=1012624&u=19329

Useful website linksUseful website links

Workplace health and safety Qld website• www.worksafe.qld.gov.au • download resources (e.g. templates), factsheets, codes

of practice, information on licensing, registrations, best practice guides, risk assessments

Safe Work Australia website www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au

• Download a copy of the Worker Representation and Participation Guide

• Industry information