Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 1 BSBWHS501Ensure a safe Workplace BSB51915Diploma of Leadership and Management Name: _____________________________________ Student ID: _____________________________________ Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 2 This workbook has been designed to be used in conjunction with information and materials to be provided at sessions. This workbook does not contain all subject information and students should attend all scheduled sessions and read and understand all materials provided at sessions. Publisher: Apex Institute of Education Pty Ltd (A.C.N. 38 130 193 207) trading as Apex Institute of Education Parramatta Campus: 2 Sorrell Street, Parramatta NSW 2150 Sydney CBD Campus: L2&3 22-26 Goulburn Street Sydney NSW 2000 Telephone: 02 8007 6261 (Sydney) 02 8007 6262 (Parramatta) www.apexaustralia.edu.au RTO Provider No: 91606 CRICOS Provider: 03156M ABN: 38 130 193 207 Edition: 1st Edition Release date: 11April2016 The publisher owns the copyright in this publication. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any process without the prior written permission of Apex Institute of Education Pty Ltd. Copyright© 2016Apex Institute of Education The publisher owns the copyright in this publication. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any process without the prior written permission of Apex Institute of Education Pty Ltd. Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 3 CONTENTS Subject Overview Page-4 Introduction Page- 5 Elements 1 Establish and maintain an WHS system Page-5 to 10 Knowledge test Page-11 to 12 Elements 2 Establish and maintain participative arrangements for the management of WHS Page-13 to 19 Knowledge test Page- 20 to 21 Elements 3 Establish and maintain procedures for identifying hazards, and assessing and controlling risks Page-22 to 30 Knowledge test Page-31 to 32 Elements 4 Select and implement treatments Page-33 to 36 Knowledge test Page-37 to 38 REFERENCE Page-39 Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 4 SUBJECT OVERVIEW This subject follows the sequence given below ELEMENT PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 1 Establish a WHS management system in a work area 1.1 Locate, adapt, adopt and communicate WHS policies that clearly define the organisation’s commitment to complying with WHS legislation 1.2 Identify duty holders and define WHS responsibilities for all workplace personnel in the work area according to WHS legislation, policies, procedures and programs 1.3 Identify and approve financial and human resources required by the WHS management system (WHSMS) 2 Establish and maintain effective and compliant participation arrangements for managing WHS in a work area 2.1 Work with workers and their representatives to set up and maintain participation arrangements according to relevant WHS legislation 2.2 Appropriately resolve issues raised through participation and consultation arrangements according to relevant WHS legislation 2.3 Promptly provide information about the outcomes of participation and consultation to workers and ensure it is easy for them to access and understand 3 Establish and maintain procedures for effectively identifying hazards, and assessing and controlling risks in a work area 3.1 Develop procedures for ongoing hazard identification, and assessment and control of associated risks 3.2 Include hazard identification at the planning, design and evaluation stages of any change in the workplace to ensure that new hazards are not created by the proposed changes and existing hazards are controlled 3.3 Develop and maintain procedures for selecting and implementing risk controls according to the hierarchy of control and WHS legislative requirements 3.4 Identify inadequacies in existing risk controls according to the hierarchy of control and WHS legislative requirements, and promptly provide resources to enable implementation of new measures 3.5 Identify requirements for expert WHS advice, and request this advice as required 4 Evaluate and maintain a work area WHS management system 4.1 Develop and provide a WHS induction and training program for all workers in a work area as part of the organisation’s training program 4.2 Use a system for WHS record keeping to allow identification of patterns of occupational injury and disease in the organisation, and to maintain a record of WHS decisions made, including reasons for the decision 4.3 Measure and evaluate the WHSMS in line with the organisation’s quality systems framework 4.4 Develop and implement improvements to the WHSMS to achieve organisational WHS objectives 4.5 Ensure compliance with the WHS legislative framework to achieve, as a minimum, WHS legal requirements Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 5 Element 1 Establish a WHS management system in a work area • Locate, adapt, adopt and communicate WHS policies that clearly define the organisation’s commitment to complying with WHS legislation • Identify duty holders and define WHS responsibilities for all workplace personnel in the work area according to WHS legislation, policies, procedures and programs • Identify and approve financial and human resources required by the WHS management system (WHSMS) _____________________________________________________________________________________ Introduction WHS is a critical area of focus for all organisations. At all levels within the organisation, WHS is the responsibility of managers and employees. Managers play a critical role in ensuring a safe workplace for all employees and visitors to theworkplace. They have a key responsibility to establish and maintain an effective WHS system.Importantly, they need to actively manage the development of WHS policies and procedures thatshow the organisation’s commitment to WHS. Employees play an important role in ensuring they carry out their required duties in a safe mannerand in a way that does not place other employers at risk of injury or disease. Organisations develop and implement a range of policies and procedures that enable themembers of the organisation to understand the requirements that apply to the organisation andthe individuals within the organisation, under the relevant WHS legislation. In Australia, every states and territories have their own health and safety laws. These laws are the amalgamation of acts and regulations and are further supported by codes of practice.As a business owner, you must meet the requirements set out on these laws to avoid any penalties for contravention.Acts, which provides the general overview of how to make workplace safe and healthy, outlines the legal responsibilities and duties as an employer and business owner. Regulations set out the standards you need to meet for specific hazards and risks, such as noise, machinery, and manual handling. They also set out the licenses you need for specific activities, the records you need to keep, and the reports you need to make. A WHS management system should be formally documented, and this can be done concurrently with implementation, or in advance of implementation. The risk with waiting to implement the system until it is fully documented is that health and safety risks may not be adequately controlled, resulting in injury or more serious outcomes while documentation is being developed. Due diligence in relation to WHS Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 6 HS duty holders The WHS Act sets out work health and safety duties for PCBUs, officers, unincorporated associations, government departments and public authorities including municipal governments, workers and other people at a workplace. • People who carry out work in any capacity for a person conducting a business or undertaking including employees, contractors, subcontractors, self-employed persons, outworkers, apprentices and trainees, work experience students and volunteers who carry out work. • Other people at a workplace like visitors and customers at a workplace Duties of a PCBU Primary duty of care (section 19) The WHS Act requires all PCBUs to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of: • workers engaged, or caused to be engaged by the person, and • workers whose activities in carrying out the work are influenced or directed by the person, while workers are at work in the business or undertaking. WHS makes it clear that where duties are held by an organisation (such as a company), there is an obligation on the officers of the organisation to exercise due diligence to ensure that the organisation complies with those duties. In other words, those who make decisions about how an organisation is run have their own individual obligation to contribute to it being run in compliance with WHSlaws, for example, restaurant managers / secretaries. The reasonable steps officers must take to ensure they are exercising due diligence includes, but is not limited to: • Acquiring up to date knowledge of WHS matters • Gaining an understanding of hazards and risks of the establishment • Officers ensure that the establishment has and uses appropriate resources to eliminate or minimise risk. • Officers ensure that the establishment has and uses appropriate processes to receive and consider information about OHS / WHS. • Officers ensure that the establishment has and implements processes to comply with duties • Officers verify that the above steps happen Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 7 This primary duty of care requires duty holders to ensure health and safety, so far as is reasonably practicable, by eliminating risks to health and safety. If this is not reasonably practicable, risks must be minimised so far as is reasonably practicable. PCBUs owe a similar duty of care to other people who may be at risk from work carried out by the business or undertaking. A self-employed person must ensure his or her own health and safety while at work, so far as is reasonably practicable. Primary duty of care, ‘upstream’ duties and duties of ‘officers’, workers and other persons (sections 19-28) Under the primary duty of care a PCBU must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable: • the provision and maintenance of a working environment that is safe and without risks to health, including safe access to and exit from the workplace • the provision and maintenance of plant, structure and systems of work that are safe and do not pose health risks (for example providing effective guards on machines and regulating the pace and frequency of work) • the safe use, handling, storage and transport of plant, structure and substances (for example toxic chemicals, dusts and fibres) • the provision of adequate facilities for the welfare of workers at work (for example access to washrooms, lockers and dining areas) • the provision of information, instruction, training or supervision to workers needed for them to work without risks to their health and safety and that of others around them • that the health of workers and the conditions of the workplace are monitored to prevent injury or illness arising out of the conduct of the business or undertaking, and • the maintenance of any accommodation owned or under their management and control to ensure the health and safety of workers occupying the premises. Duty to consult, cooperate and coordinate (sections 46-49) Duty to consult with other duty holders The WHS laws require duty holders with shared responsibilities to work together to make sure someone does what is needed. This requires consultation, co-operation and co-ordination between duty holders. Reasonably practicable is defined as what could reasonably be done at the time to ensure health and safety, taking into account: • The likelihood of the hazard or risk occurring and the degree of harm it could cause; • What the business knows or ought to know about the hazard or risk and the available and suitable ways of eliminating or minimising it; and • After assessing the above, the cost associated with available ways of eliminating or minimising the risk, including whether the cost is grossly disproportionate to the risk Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 8 For example there may be a number of different duty holders involved in influencing how work is carried out (that is suppliers, contractors and building owners). If more than one person has a health and safety duty in relation to the same matter, they must consult, co-operate and coordinate activities so far as is reasonably practicable in relation to the matter. Each must share health and safety-related information in a timely manner and cooperate to meet their shared health and safety obligations. The duty to ‘consult’ does not require agreement, although each duty holder retains responsibility for discharging their health and safety duty. Duty to consult workers and their representatives Each PCBU must, so far as is reasonably practicable, consult with workers and HSRs (if any) about matters that directly affect them. This duty extends to consulting with all kinds of workers not just the PCBU’s own employees, including any contractors and their workers, employees of labour hire companies, students on work experience, apprentices and trainees. Duty of PCBUs with management or control of workplaces A PCBU with management or control of a workplace must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that the workplace and anything arising from the workplace does not put at risk the health or safety of any person. Duty of PCBUs with management or control of fixtures, fittings or plant at workplaces A PCBU with management or control of fixtures, fittings or plant at a workplace must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that the fixtures, fittings and plant do not put at risk the health and safety of any person. A PCBU that installs, erects or commissions plant or structures must ensure all workplace activity relating to the plant or structure including its decommissioning or dismantling is, so far as is reasonably practicable, without risks to health and safety. Duty of officers (section 27) Officers of corporations and other organisations must manage corporate risks—including work health and safety risks. Under the WHS Act an officer of a PCBU must exercise due diligence to ensure the PCBU complies with its health and safety duties. This duty relates to the strategic, structural, policy and key resourcing decisions—that is, how the place is run. Due diligence includes taking reasonable steps to: • acquire and keep up to date knowledge on work health and safety matters • understand the nature and operations of the work and associated hazards and risks • ensure the PCBU has, and uses, appropriate resources and processes to eliminate or minimise risks to work health and safety Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 9 • ensure the PCBU has appropriate processes to receive and consider information about workrelated incidents, hazards and risks, and to respond in a timely manner • ensure the PCBU has, and implements, processes for complying with their duties and obligations (for example reports notifiable incidents, consults with workers, complies with notices, provides appropriate training and instruction and ensures HSRs receive training entitlements), and • verify the provision and use of the relevant resources and processes. An officer may be charged with an offence under the WHS Act whether or not the PCBU has been convicted or found guilty of an offence under the Act. Duty of workers (section 28) While at work, workers must take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions or omissions. They must also: • comply, so far as they are reasonably able, with any reasonable instruction given by the PCBU to allow the PCBU to comply with WHS laws, and • cooperate with any reasonable policy or procedure of the PCBU relating to health or safety at the workplace that has been notified to workers. Duties of other persons at the workplace (section 29) Similar duties apply to other persons at a workplace. Any person at a workplace, including customers and visitors, must take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions or omissions. They must also comply, so far as they are reasonably able, with any reasonable instruction that is given by the PCBU to comply with WHS laws. Volunteers (section 34) Volunteers that owe duties under the WHS laws cannot be prosecuted except in relation to their worker’s duty. Legal the ramifications of failure to observe the WHS legislation • Obligations on clubs under WHS Laws are in the nature of “Strict Liability” obligations, that is, they do not require proof of any mental element (such as wilfulness or negligence) on the part of the clubs. • In addition, employers and controllers of work premises, workers, directors, committee members and officers concerned in the management of a corporation may also be prosecuted for offences under WHS Laws. • A prosecution by Work Cover for offences under WHS Laws may be instituted within two years after the offence or, generally speaking, where a coronial inquest has been held, can be two years from the date of the coronial inquest. • Prosecutions under WHS Laws are criminal prosecutions. The financial penalties which may be imposed for a breach of WHS laws can be significant and are outlined in detail in the Act. Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 10 • Most offences under WHS Laws fall under a new category system as follows: o 1. Category 1: Reckless conduct - it is an offence under the WHS Act to recklessly engage in conduct that exposes an individual to a risk of death or serious injury or illness, without reasonable excuse; o 2. Category 2: Breach of primary duty - it is an offence under the WHS Act to fail to comply with a health and safety duty owed, exposing an individual to a risk of death or serious injury or illness; and o 3. Category 3: Breach of regulatory duty - it is an offence under the WHS Act to fail to comply with a health and safety duty owed. Following exclusion in the legal ramifications: Identify and Approve Resources: Depending on your level of responsibility, you may need to identify and approve resources needed to implement the Occupational Health and Safety standards. Resources mainly include: ▪ Physical such as equipments or training needs ▪ Human such as trainers, WHS advisers or employees ▪ Financial Once the resources are identified, you will need to follow organisational policies and procedures to procure resources, and approve or seek approval for expenditure. Training Expenses constitutes a large part of the WHS implementation. This may involve paying fees to external trainers and consultants to deliver the training. It may also require buying or leasing equipments and training rooms. o Injury, illness or death to self o Injury, illness or death to others o Worker backlash such as strikes o Customer backlash such as not attending establishment o Private litigation from workers or customers Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 11 ✓ TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE Trainer must give 1 mark for each right answer. 1. How can you achieve a safe workplace? Give at least 5 reasons. 2. What are the different legislations relating to workplace safety? 3. What are the purpose of the above mentioned legislations and regulations? 4. What are the different sources of WHS Policy? Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 12 5. List Key WHS responsibilities of Employer, Line Managers and Employee. 6. List the various forms of WHS Communication. Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 13 ELEMENT 2: Establish and maintain effective and compliant participation arrangements for managing WHS in a work area: • Work with workers and their representatives to set up and maintain participation arrangements according to relevant WHS legislation • Appropriately resolve issues raised through participation and consultation arrangements according to relevant WHS legislation • Promptly provide information about the outcomes of participation and consultation to workers and ensure it is easy for them to access and understand. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Introduction: Essentially within a workplace the WHS Policy needs constant improvements and updates. This improvement can only happen when there is a smooth flow of information between the employer and the employee. The information is gathered and channeled through respective representatives. Manager needs to establish and maintain effective and compliant participation arrangements for managing WHS in a work area. Establish and maintain effective and compliant participation arrangements: In order to fulfil your duty of care, you must know how to participate in workplace health and safety management according to the procedures of your own work setting. You must also know how to do this within the scope of your own responsibilities and knowledge. Some of the ways in which you can contribute to participative arrangements could include: • Reviewing policies and procedures • Consultation and issue resolution procedures • Critical incident debriefing • ‘buddying’ new staff or volunteers • Taking up a formal role relating WHS arrangements. Also, section 46-49 of WHS require duty holders with shared responsibilities to work together to make sure someone does what is needed. This requires consultation, co-operation and coordination between duty holders. The areas in which employees must be consulted about include the following aspects related to WHS: Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 14 • The identification and assessment of hazards and risks; • Decisions regarding the control of risks; • Decisions regarding employees facilities; • Any changes proposed by the employer that may impact on WHS; • Decisions regarding the policies and procedures for the resolution of WHS issues, consultation processes for monitoring activities for WHS purposes and for providing information and training for WHS; • Decisions regarding the membership of any WHS committee. Elements of Effective Consultative Structure: Under the WHS Act the following there are the elements of effective consultative structure: ▪ Work Group ▪ Health and Safety Representative ▪ Health and Safety Committee Work Groups: A work group is a group of workers in an organisation who share similar workplace health and safety interest and conditions. It may be made up of workers in one or more workplaces operated by a single employer or workers of multiple employers at one or more workplaces. With respect to the WHS Act, work groups are formed to elect health and safety representatives. The following factors need to be taken into consideration to ensure the establishment of a workgroup is appropriate for the requirements of the employer and employees: ▪ Number of employees in the workplace; ▪ Nature of the work to be undertaken; ▪ Number and groups of employees that perform the same or similar work roles; ▪ Nature of any hazards in the workplace, any overtime and any shift work arrangements; ▪ Languages spoken in the workplace. When an agreement has been reached, the employer must advise the employees in writing. Any changes to the arrangements must also be advised in writing to the employees. Health and Safety representatives (HSRs) Health and safety representative is an employee representative who has been elected for a term of three years by the staff in a designated work group. Any worker or group of workers may ask the employer to facilitate the election of HSRs. The employer must than facilitate the determination of one or more groups of workers within 14 days of request. Employer with more than 20 employees must have an elected WHS committee to identify and help resolve WHS issues. Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 15 The main role of a health and safety representative includes the accountability to look after the interests of the designated workgroup in the organisation. When a representative is elected, the organisation must enable that individual to attend initial WHS training. Each year, health and safety representatives must also undertake refresher training. Typically, HSR has the power to: ▪ Inspect a workplace where a member of the designated workgroup operates if there is an incident or a risk is identified; ▪ Work with an WHS inspector during a workplace inspection that includes the designated work; ▪ Issue a provisional improvement notice; ▪ Request that an WHS committee be set up; ▪ Attend interviews about WHS matters within the consent of the employee who is involved; ▪ Request assistance from others when appropriate. Health and Safety Committee (HSC) Under Section 75-79 of the WHS Act, an employer must establish a health and safety committee (HSC) within two months of being requested by the HSR, or by five or more workers, or if required by the regulation to do so. At least half of the members of the health and safety committee must be employee and the committee must meet at least once in three months. The functions of health and safety committee are to: ▪ Facilitate cooperation between the employer and employee in instigating, developing and carrying out measures designed to ensure the health and safety at work of the employees. ▪ Formulate, review and disseminate to the employees the standards, rules and procedures relating to WHS that are to be carried out or compiled with at the workplace. ▪ A health and safety committee must meet at least quarterly as stated in the WHS Act or at any time if at least half of the member requires a meeting to discuss matters related to WHS in the workplace. WHS Issue Resolution Process The objective of the consultative structure is to facilitate communication and coordination of activities to improve safety within the organisation. The more people involved in the discussion, the more the system is likely to address the widest possible sources of risk, and gain the support of those people needed to implement solutions. Generally there are 7 main steps involved in issue resolution: 1. Identify the issue and the problem or impact that is being caused by the issue; 2. Agree on what is expected to happen to resolve the issue; 3. Research and analyse the issue to determine its cause; 4. Look for solutions to the issue and generate alternative possible solutions; Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 16 5. Evaluate the alternatives and determine the best solution that will resolve the issue; 6. Take action to implement the resolution; 7. Monitor the outcome and results of the resolution – evaluate if the resolution has been effective and successful. The resolution process may include following steps: Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 17 Worker Identifies WHS Issues Worker raises issues with the line manager/supervisor Line Manager/Supervisor consults with the worker and implements a plan, process and procedure for resolving the issue Resolved? No Assistance sought from Health & Safety Rep (HSR) HSR discusses issue with Worker and management. Plan, process or procedure identified and agreed upon Resolved? No WHS Grievance Resolution Processes (Initiated by any party involved) No WHS Unit contacts WorkCover NSW for assistance Issue is Resolved Worker notified of resolution No Yes Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 18 Communication of Information: In all organisations, employees have an expectation that they will be communicated with regarding the outcome of participative arrangements and consultation that exist to support the WHS system. Under legislation, employers have a responsibility to inform their employees of WHS requirements and safety information, and to convey their expectations of employees with regards to WHS. Employers should establish regular meetings with employees to inform them of WHS and promote their understanding of the WHS system, and how it operates in the workplace. Typically, if an organisation’s employees will be made aware of the consultation and participative arrangements that are in place in the workplace. The guidelines for the consultation and participative arrangements with employees will be provided in the WHS policy of the organisation. Effective communication can be achieved through a number of methods suitable to the needs of workers and the conditions of the workplace. These methods could include: • WHS meetings • Notice boards • Bulletins • Other communication means Providing information about outcome of Consultation Manager should always promptly provide information about the outcomes of participation and consultation to workers and ensure it is easy for them to access and understand. This can be done following ways: WHS Meetings: WHS Meetings, such as health and safety committee (HSC) meetings, for example, usually comprise a representative group of employers and employee representatives who meet in a cooperative way to improve systems for managing health and safety in the workplace. WHS meetings can take place on any level of the organisation, but are usually more formal in nature. Effective WHS meetings rely on: ▪ Planning ▪ Agreed procedures ▪ Agreed agenda ▪ Participation ▪ Writing the minutes of meeting Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 19 ▪ Review of agenda and previous matters listed for action ▪ Focus on resolving WHS issues ▪ Display of minutes of meeting in the workplace as a consultative measure. Formal records of consultation are not required under the WHS Act, but records should be kept for the purpose of review. WHS meetings should be conducted on a regular basis – monthly, bimonthly or quarterly. Meeting duration may be one or two hours per meeting. Notice Boards: Another means of communicating WHS effectively is via a workplace notice board. Notice boards are usually located in a common staff area where there is high traffic of employees – like a lunch room or near the staff roster or near the reception. Notice boards usually highlights: ▪ Common WHS issues in the workplace or industry ▪ Meeting minutes from WHS and HSC Meetings ▪ Safety Alerts ▪ New Procedures Bulletins: Safety notices, also known as safety memos, safety bulletins, safety alerts or safety information notices, are another great way to communicate WHS matters to employees. Safety notices can be issued by an employer, manufacturer, supplier or the state safety regulator about the risk associated with: ▪ A hazardous substance ▪ A process or a procedure ▪ Incidents that have occurred in the industry ▪ Incidents that have occurred in the workplace ▪ Changes to legislations ▪ Weather conditions Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 20 ✓ TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE Trainer must give 1 mark for each right answer. 1. What are some of the ways in which you can contribute to participative arrangements? 2. What areas related to WHS should the employees be consulted about? 3. Explain the three different elements of effective consultative structure. Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 21 4. What are the steps involved in WHS issue resolution? 5. Explain the different means of an effective communication. Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 22 ELEMENT 3: ________________________________________________________ Establish and maintain procedures • Develop procedures for ongoing hazard identification, and assessment and control of associated risks • Include hazard identification at the planning, design and evaluation stages of any change in the workplace to ensure that new hazards are not created by the proposed changes and existing hazards are controlled • Develop and maintain procedures for selecting and implementing risk controls according to the hierarchy of control and WHS legislative requirements • Identify inadequacies in existing risk controls according to the hierarchy of control and WHS legislative requirements, and promptly provide resources to enable implementation of new measures • Identify requirements for expert WHS advice, and request this advice as required ____________________________________________________________________________________ Introduction: Every organisation must establish and maintain procedures for effectively identifying hazards, and assessing and controlling risks in a work area provide a safe and healthy workplace for their people and for visitors to the workplace. Organisations must: ▪ Develop procedures for hazard identification; ▪ Develop procedures for risk assessment and control; ▪ Incorporate WHS considerations into any workplace changes to ensure new hazards are not created; ▪ Develop procedures that enable the organisation to select and implement risk control measures in accordance with the hierarchy of control; ▪ Maintain and update risk control measures to address any inadequacies; ▪ Support the provision of resources to execute hazard identification and risk management processes; ▪ Identify when expert WHS advice is required and access that advice at the appropriate level. Identifying hazards Identifying hazards involves finding all of the things and situations that could potentially cause harm to people. Hazards generally arise from the following aspects of work: Hazard could arise from: Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 23 ▪ Work premise including structures and building, access ▪ Work practices and systems used ▪ Plants and machines used ▪ Movement of people and vehicles in the workplace ▪ Hazardous chemicals ▪ Working conditions – including lighting, workstation design, airborne contaminants ▪ Hazardous ergonomics ▪ Confined space ▪ High risk work ▪ Violence, harassment, bullying, intimidation and aggression Types of hazards: WHS legislation or Codes of Practice has outlined following types of hazards: Physical environment, for example: • electrical items • equipment • flooring • hot and cold environments • lighting • noise levels • working space of any workers plant, for example: • appliances • equipment • machinery • tools working practices, for example: • length of time spent at certain tasks and allocation of breaks • opening and closing procedures • rostering of staff and shift allocation • security procedures • standard operating procedures for work-related tasks Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 24 Useful tools in the identification of hazards: ▪ Workplace inspection templates which may be modified to specifically suit your workplace or process ▪ Consultation with workers, health and safety representatives or committees ▪ Internal and external audit reports ▪ Standards and Codes of Practice which are relevant and applicable ▪ Industry groups, conferences and professional associations ▪ Communication across an organisation operating at multiple sites ▪ Accident, injury, incident reports and investigations ▪ Near miss reporting, and ▪ Relevant websites Assess likelihood of risks occurring • The first step in risk analysis is to determine the likelihood refers to the probability that a risk will occur • It also assessing the probability of harm actually occurring • There are many hazards in workplace but only fraction of them will pose a significant risk of occurring on a regular basis. • Therefore, a manager should attempt to determine how often a hazard is likely to cause a harm and concentrate on those that are most likely to cause harm on regularly if not controlled • Control those hazards firm which are frequent and cause major harm in the workplace rather than others which are less likely to happen • That is why risk assessment is important Determine likelihood of risk-It’s also called as Probability criteria and the risk probability can be measured in following scale: • Rare/remote: May occur only in exceptional circumstances/unlikely to happen(1-10%) eg. Death of an employee at work • Unlikely: Event is unlikely to occur but is possible, e.g. an employee crashing a company car (1120%) • Possible: Event could occur e.g. rain on the day of an outdoor event ( 21-50%) • Probable/likely: Event likely to occur once or more during the life of the project, e.g. first aid injury (51-80%) • Frequent/very probable: Event will occur many times during the life of the project e.g. small machines damages Assess impact or consequence if risks occur • The next step in risk analysis is to assess the potential consequence or impact of the risk on the organization and its objectives. Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 25 • Those hazards that will cause serious harm should be dealt with ahead of any matters that will cause minor harm • The general level of consequences are called as follows: 1. Catastrophic: revenue loss, multiple deaths, long term environment, Damage, damage to reputation at international level 2. Major: revenue loss, medium term environmental damage, damage to reputation at national level, breach of licenses, legislations and regulations 3. Minor: Breach of internal procedures or guidelines, net revenue loss or asset damage, adverse news in local media, environmental. Damage (small) 4. Insignificant: No breach of licenses, standards, guidelines, very less revenue loss, there is little public concern, negligible environmental impact Based on the degree of above consequences, hazards can be ranked and should be dealt with in the below order: 1. Hazards that may occur regularly and causes serious harm 2. Hazards that may occur rarely and cause serious harm 3. Hazards that may occur rarely and cause harm Evaluate and prioritize risks for treatment • After determining the likelihood and consequence of risk, the two can be combined to determine the rating. • The most effective method of risk analysis is to generate a risk matrix or is called as Probabilityimpact (PI) table. • This matrix involves looking at best, worse and most likely scenarios and planning what the impact of each is. • For each risk you establish two major criteria: 1. Probability/likelihood criteria and 2. Impact/consequence criteria: which could be low , medium and high • A risk matrix is shown below: RISK MATRIX Rare/remote Possible Probable/likely Very probable Impact/ consequences High Requires management as risk could materialize with an impact This requires immediate management of risks via controls to ensure it is mitigated and objective delivered Medium Should be considered for management after first two risks Includes: acceptable risks low Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 26 • Acceptable risks are those risks which are smaller or more tolerable risks that a business may decide to accept because the risk is of such a low level that the cost to manage it will clearly outweigh the benefits. There no defined way of treating this risk as it is very low and is acceptable by the business • Risk exposure: is the likelihood of a risk threatening the daily operations of a business where as • Risk consequence: is the impact or outcome of a risk • Risk evaluation and prioritization:So Risks treatment can be planned by the organization on the basis of following risk analysis steps: 1. Considering and analyzing the likelihood of the risk occurring 2. Analyzing the impact/consequences of the risk 3. Determining the significance of each risk 4. Ranking/prioritizing the risks for treatment Hazard control in the workplace To ensure a safe workplace, hazards must be controlled using a range of methods. Hierarchy of hazard controls The hierarchy of hazard controls is a list, in order of preference, which can be considered in hazard control. It emphasises controlling a hazard at the source. Following WHS Hierarchy of Control can be used by an organisation Elimination (The most desirable option) - If you eliminate a hazard you completely eliminate the associated risk Substitution - You can substitute something else (a substance or a process) that has less potential to cause injury Isolation/engineering - You can make a structural change to the work environment or work process to interrupt the path between the worker and the risk Administrative - You may be able to reduce risk by upgrading training, changing rosters or other administrative actions Personal protective equipment (The least desirable option) - When you can't reduce the risk of injury in any other way, use personal protective equipment (gloves, goggles, etc.) as a last resort Administrative Controls Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 27 o Establish appropriate Administrative Procedures such as: ▪ job rotation to reduce exposure or boredom, or timing the job so that fewer workers are exposed ▪ routine maintenance and housekeeping procedures ▪ training on hazards and correct work procedures. Personal Protective Equipment o Provide suitable and properly maintained Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and training in its use. Risk Management Risk management is introduced to control workplace hazards and so reduce the risk of an injury or illness occurring. Employers need to develop a risk management policy so risks in the workplace can be controlled or eliminated. o Identifying the hazard • Administrative controls and PPE should only be used: • when there are no other practical control measures available (as a last resort) • as an interim measure until a more effective way of controlling the risk can be used • to supplement higher level control measures (as a back-up). • Regulation 44-47: The WHS Regulations include specific requirements if PPE is to be used at the workplace, including that the equipment is: • selected to minimise risk to health and safety • suitable for the nature of the work and any hazard associated with the work • a suitable size and fit and reasonably comfortable for the person wearing it • maintained, repaired or replaced so it continues to minimise the risk • used or worn by the worker, so far as is reasonably practicable. • A worker must, so far as reasonably able, wear the PPE in accordance with any information, training or reasonable instruction. According the WHS Regulations a review is required: • when the control measure is not effective in controlling the risk • before a change at the workplace that is likely to give rise to a new or different health and safety risk that the control measure may not effectively control • if a new hazard or risk is identified • if the results of consultation indicate that a review is necessary • if a health and safety representative requests a review. Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 28 ▪ Know what the dangers are in the workplace. Keep records of accidents and injuries, conduct safety inspections of the workplace and list all plant and hazardous substances. o Assessing the risk ▪ Determine what the risk is that someone may be injured. Assess how likely it is that a hazardous event will occur and what the consequences are likely to be. o Controlling the risk ▪ Implement measures to prevent injury or illness. First try to eliminate the risk. If this is not possible, the risk should be minimised using substitution, modifications, isolation or engineering controls. Back-up controls such as personal protective equipment should only be used as a last resort. o Monitoring and improving the workplace Control measures should be reviewed to maintain their effectiveness and further refine the process. If elimination of the hazard is not possible, then the risk still exists and should be minimised by using the most effective method, using the following hierarchy of control: o substituting the system of work or machinery with something safer o isolating the hazard o minimising the risk by introducing engineering controls eg. guard rail, scaffolding o minimising the risk by adopting administrative controls eg. warning signs, safe work practices, job rotation, training o using personal protective equipment eg. safety glasses, ear muffs. If no single control is sufficient, a combination of the above controls needs to be put in place to minimise the risk to the lowest level that is reasonably practical. The measures at the fourth and fifth levels are less effective, and require more frequent reviews of the hazards and systems of work. Organisation Change: Organisations operate in highly competitive and dynamic marketplaces and there is a constant need for them to improve and change in order to remain competitive, retain good employees, increase market share and profits and maintain a positive organisational image. Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 29 There are many reasons why organisations will seek to change and improve their practices and the product or service offerings they have. While the process of change may be difficult to undertake for organisations and their employees on such a rapid basis, the impacts of not responding to change may be significant and include: ▪ Loss of talented employees; ▪ Loss of customers; ▪ Reduction in demand for product or service; ▪ Increasing costs associated with core business activities; ▪ Non-compliance with legislation or regulations; ▪ Out-dated equipment or technology that results in increasing maintenance or replacement costs; ▪ Workplace accidents. Taking a proactive approach to evaluating the WHS impacts of a change helps to ensure that the organisation is able to take action and avoid introducing a new hazard to a workplace as a result of a workplace change It is good business practice for an organisation to plan and implement change to the organisation using an effective change management process. An important part of this process is the evaluation of the change and of any risks associated with the change. Because an organisation will invest time, money and resources into change activities, there needs to be a process to ensure that there is benefit to the organisation. Many organisations will undertake a formal evaluation of changes to ensure the costs are appropriate for the level of benefit the organisation expects to achieve, and also to ascertain the impact of the change on the employees of the organisation. Changes will be evaluated to ensure any legal or regulatory impact is identified and managed, to ensure ongoing compliance with legal obligations. From WHS perspective, risk analysis must also be performed on changes to ensure that new hazards are not introduced to the workplace, and to ensure that the health, safety and wellbeing of employees are not impacted by the change. Taking a proactive approach to evaluating the WHS impacts of a change helps to ensure that the organisation is able to take action and avoid introducing a new hazard to a workplace as a result of a workplace change Review of Risk Management Monitoring and review are integral to the risk management process. It is important to review and monitor the risk management process on timely basis for following reasons: 1. To ensure that the risk management goals have been achieved 2. Any discrepancies in the process can be found and improvement can be made accordingly 3. The goals of the risk treatment plan should be compared to the achieved outcomes 4. Risk management plan has to be reviewed at least annually as a part of the business cycle for the organization WHS Advice: The process of managing hazards and risks in the workplace may require the engagement of WHS experts for advice and direction. This expert advice will enable the organisation to achieve optimal outcomes in the provision of a healthy and safe workplace. Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 30 Several resources may be used as an expert advice, including: ▪ Codes of practice ▪ Safety alerts issued by State Authorities ▪ Safe work Australia provides guidance on WHS alerts ▪ Unions ▪ Industry groups and association Specialist advice may also be needed to enable the organisation to control risks and implement control measures. The organisation may require a specialist to undertake research and analysis in response to anWHS hazard that has been identified in the workplace. Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 31 ✓ TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE Trainer must give 1 mark for each right answer. 1. List what causes hazards. 2. What are the useful tools used in hazard identification. 3. What is a risk matrix? Draw a sample Risk Matrix for a restaurant business owner. Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 32 4. What are the impacts of not responding to organisation changes? 5. What are the sources of expert advice on WHS issues? Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 33 ELEMENT 4: ________________________________________________________________ Evaluate and maintain a work area WHS management system: • Develop and provide a WHS induction and training program for all workers in a work area as part of the organisation’s training program • Use a system for WHS record keeping to allow identification of patterns of occupational injury and disease in the organisation, and to maintain a record of WHS decisions made, including reasons for the decision • Measure and evaluate the WHSMS in line with the organisation’s quality systems framework • Develop and implement improvements to the WHSMS to achieve organisational WHS objectives • Ensure compliance with the WHS legislative framework to achieve, as a minimum, WHS legal requirements _____________________________________________________________________________________ WHS Induction and Training: Australian organisations under WHS legislation are required to provide training to workers to enable their health and safety at work. Basic requirement of training and induction exists regardless of size, however, requirements are more specific where construction works are carried out or hazardous chemicals are used. The topics that need to be covered during anWHS Induction include: ▪ Overview of WHS Act ▪ Duties of all the parties ▪ Workplace policies and procedures relating to: ▪ Bullying/harassment ▪ Reporting hazards, incidents, injuries, near misses, ▪ Equal Opportunity ▪ Hazardous Substance ▪ Designated Work Groups and who WHS Representatives are ▪ Potential Hazards, effects and how to identify them ▪ First aid arrangements ▪ Emergency evacuation process ▪ Workers rights The following procedure could help in holding an effective WHS Induction: 1. Prepare pre-induction checklist and take actions to cover items like: pre-employment medical assessment, relevant departments being notified, work place organised and other relevant items 2. Hold an induction on the day of commencement Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 34 3. Include a discussion session as in classroom environment as well as showing first aid location, evacuation process, meeting with WHS Reps and supervisor and a basic tour of work area. 4. Induction must be carried out by a person who has strong knowledge of the work. 5. The contents must be sufficient enough to cover areas as specified in above paragraph 6. Assessment at the end of the induction must be carried out to determine the person’s understanding of the induction 7. Records of the induction must be maintained. WHS Record Keeping: Every organisation need to use a system for WHS record keeping to allow identification of patterns of occupational injury and disease in the organisation, and to maintain a record of WHS decisions made, including reasons for the decision.WHS documentation and record keeping is important for the success of safety management system allowing for consistency and uniformity in applying health and safety in the workplace. Typical documents include: ▪ Audit reports ▪ Incident reports ▪ Risk registers ▪ Records of consultation ▪ Hazardous chemical registers ▪ Induction and training records ▪ Plants and Equipments maintenance and testing reports Benefits of record keeping: ▪ It Provides basis for preparing safe work procedures ▪ It allows to review risk following any changes to legislation ▪ It allows you to make decision about controlling risk ▪ It helps to comply with regulatory requirements What record should you keep in relation to hazard and risk assessments? Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 35 • There are specific record-keeping requirements in the WHS Regulations for some hazards, such as hazardous chemicals. If such hazards have been identified at your workplace, you must keep the relevant records for the time specified. Measure and evaluate the WHS Management system: The aim of measurement and evaluation is to establish whether the objectives of the WHSMS system and its components are being met.For the monitoring and evaluation process to be effective it requires WHSMS objectives to be established, performance measures developed, relevant information collected and results analysed. Continuous Improvement: Continuous improvement is a progressive step-by-step review and improvement at every stage of work. Some of the areas that would typically be reviewedin the process of continuous improvement of Health and Safety performance include: ▪ Review of business operations, structure, existing safety systems and training of employees ▪ Review of current WHS policies and procedures to ensure they are in line with current legislation ▪ Strategic planning activities including responsibilities, management commitment and review cycles ▪ Review reporting systems and analysis of statistics The objectives of continuous improvements are to: ▪ Improve safety through the removal of hazards and risk posed in the workplace ▪ Enhance safety systems regularly Continuous improvement processes involve the following important features: ▪ Prevent error rather than correction ▪ Identify the needs ▪ Focus on improvement at every step ▪ Identify variation and inconsistency ▪ Involve all the staff ▪ Employee participation and empowerment Compliance • The detail and extent of recording will depend on the size of your workplace and the potential for major work health and safety issues. It is useful to keep information on: • the identified hazards, assessed risks and chosen control measures (including any hazard checklists, worksheets and assessment tools used in working through the risk management process) • how and when the control measures were implemented, monitored and reviewed • who you consulted with • relevant training records • any plans for changes. Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 36 To ensurecompliance it is very important to ensure that all documents, such as procedures, forms, policies and WHS objectives and targets are reviewed and revised on a regular basis to ensure that: ▪ Any requirements under legislative amendments are incorporated into the organisation’s safety management systems ▪ Any requirements under new legislation are incorporated into the organisation’s safety management system ▪ Safer procedures are developed to ensure continuous improvement ▪ New safety achievement standards are incorporated into policy to ensure continuous improvement ▪ Best practice is adopted at all times. Compliance monitoring activities may include inspections, audits and other verification activities with the aim of enhancing work health and safety management practices and achieving sustainable compliance with work health and safety laws. Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 37 ✓ TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE Trainer must give 1 mark for each right answer. 1. What is Induction? What are the topics addressed in Induction? 2. What are the different types of documents maintained in Recordkeeping? 3. What are the record keeping requirements for the following: a. Monitoring air-borne contaminant levels b. Confined spaces c. High Risk Work d. Electrical equipment and electrical installations e. Hazardous chemicals Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 38 4. What is continuous improvement? 5. What does compliance ensure? Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 39 REFERENCE 1. http://WHSpolicy.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/workplace_WHS_policy.pdf 2. http://workplaceWHS.com.au/risk-management/whs-management-system/documentation 3. https://swsi.moodle.tafensw.edu.au/pluginfile.php/535180/mod_resource/content/1/Lesson%2 001.pdf 4. http://www.australianbusiness.com.au/whs/resources/managing-WHS-risk-in-your-workplace 5. http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/SWA/about/Publications/Documents/717/Guide-tothe-WHS-Act.pdf 6. http://etraining.communitydoor.org.au/mod/page/view.php?id=240 7. http://workplaceWHS.com.au/risk-management/identify-hazards 8. http://workplaceWHS.com.au/workplace-training/induction/induction-program 9. http://www.WHSrep.org.au/training/WHS-induction-training 10. http://australianbusiness.com.au/ABSG/media/ABCS-Downloads/WorkplaceWHSRecordkeeping-Apr14.pdf Copyright © 2016 Apex Institute of Education BSBWHS501 Ensure a safe Workplace Page | 40 Apex Institute of Education Pty Ltd trading as Apex Institute of Education Parramatta Campus: 2 Sorrell Street Parramatta NSW 2150 Sydney CBD Campus: L2&3 22-26 Goulburn Street Sydney NSW 2000 Telephone: 02 8007 6261 (Sydney) 02 8007 6262 (Parramatta) RTO Provider Code: 91606 CRICOS Provider Code: 03156M ABN 38 130 193 207