stay safe @ work

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stay safe _at_ work
Vocational Education in Schools D I R E
C T O R A T E

• For students in NSW government schools and TAFE
  NSW institutes

August 2004
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Occupational Health and Safety
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OHS trends in NSW

• The incidence rate of employment injuries has
  dropped from 28.6 per 1000 workers in 1994/95 to
  20.3 in 2000/01.
• Since 1994/95 permanent disability cases have
  declined.
• A total of 1,713 fatalities were reported during
  the ten year period 1991/92 to 2000/01.

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OHS Australian statistics

• In 2000/2001
• 30 billion was spent on payments to workers due
  to workplace injuries
• 200 workplace fatalities occurred
• 14,000 work related injuries were reported

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Which group of workers are greatest at risk?

• Young workers under the age of 25
• New workers including those
• entering the workforce for the
• first time
• re-entering the workplace
• employed for less than 12 months
• transferring to a new job
• Male employees

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Why?

• Lack of experience
• Eagerness to please
• Lack of training in OHS
• Lack of supervision

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Youth statistics in NSW

• In 2000/2001
• 13 workers under the age of 25 were killed in the
  workplace.
• all of these workers were male.
• this represented 9 of all fatalities.
• of these, seven were killed by vehicle accident
• Approx 4,500 workers under the age of 25 were
  injured.
• Some of these injuries were minor, allowing rapid
  return to work. Others were major and more
  incapacitating. Some of the young people will
  never be able to go to work again!
•  
• (Statistical Bulletin 2000/2001, WorkCover NSW)

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Top 5 critical injuries to young workers

• Broken bones
• Severe loss of blood
• Head injuries
• Amputation
• Severe burns or scalds

WorkCover, NSW
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Top 5 causes of injury to young workers

• Manual handling
• Slips, trips and falls
• Being hit by moving objects
• Falls from a height
• Hitting moving objects

WorkCover NSW
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Consequences of workplace injuries

• Financial costs
• Human costs
• Social costs

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Workplace injuries in NSW

• In 2000/2001
• The total number of employment injuries was
  53,797.
• There were 139 workplace fatalities.
• The gross incurred cost of employment injuries
  was 1,138 million.
• Time lost for temporary disability cases was
  398,838 weeks.
• The most common workplace injuries were sprains
  and strains (64) accounting for a cost of 565
  million.
• Back injuries accounted for over 30 of workplace
  injuries and cost 270 million.
• (Statistical Bulletin 2000/2001, WorkCover NSW)

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What is a hazard?

• Anything or any action that can lead to someone
  developing an illness or being injured
• Hazards can 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

• Types of hazards
• physical eg. noise, radiation, light, vibration
• chemical eg. poisons, dusts
• biological eg. viruses, plants, parasites
• mechanical/electrical eg. slips, trips and falls,
  tools, electrical equipment
• psychological eg. fatigue, violence, bullying.

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Common workplace hazards

• Manual handling e.g pushing, pulling, carrying,
  lifting
• Work environment e.g. floor surfaces, noise,
  temperature
• Machinery
• Heat e.g. burns and scalds
• Electricity e.g electrocution

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Common workplace hazards2

• Harassment e.g. bullying and/or violence
• Hazardous substances e.g. chemicals, fumes
• Biological waste
• Noise
• Confined space
• Skin penetrating injuries e.g. knife or syringe
  injuries

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Identifying hazards

• Workplace inspections
• Consultation
• Monitoring injury and illness records
• Recording complaints
• Observation

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Dealing with hazards

• Eliminate the hazard
• Change the equipment or materials
• Change work methods
• Use personal protection equipment (PPE)

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Risk management

• Identify the hazard
• Assess the risk
• Eliminate or control the risk
• Monitor and improve the workplace

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1. Identify the hazard

• Know what the dangers are in the workplace.
• Keep records of accidents and injuries
• Conduct safety inspections of the workplace
• List all plant and hazardous substances.

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2. Assess 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.

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3. Control the risk

• Implement measures to prevent injury or illness.
• eliminate the risk if possible
• minimise the risk using substitution,
  modifications, isolation or engineering controls
• personal protective equipment (PPE) should only
  be used as a last resort.

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4. Monitor and improve the workplace

• Control measures should be reviewed to maintain
  their effectiveness and further refine the
  process.

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Hierarchy of control

• If elimination is not possible then
• substitute
• isolate
• minimise risk using engineering controls
• minimise risk using administrative controls
• PPE

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The Legal Framework
OHS Act 2000
An Act of Parliament
OHS Regulation 2001
Regulations give details on how certain sections
of the Act are to be implemented. The Regulation
calls on various Australian Standards and other
standards and codes of practice to establish
guidelines for particular OHS issues. Everything
in the Regulation is law and must be followed.
Codes of Practice
Codes of practice give practical guidance on how
the required standard of health, safety and
welfare can be achieved in an area of work. They
are approved under the OHS Act by the Minister
for Commerce. Sometimes Codes of Practice are
called up in Regulations and in these
circumstances have the same legal force as the
Regulation itself. Otherwise, Codes of Practice
should be followed, unless there is an
alternative course of action which achieves the
same or better standard of health in the
workplace. They can be used in support of the
enforcement provisions of the OHS Act or as
evidence to support a prosecution for failing to
comply with or contravening the OHS Act or OHS
Regulation.
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The Legal Framework

• The new revised Occupational Health and Safety
  Act 2000 came into effect September 2001
• The Occupational Health and Safety Regulation
  2001 replaces
• all existing OHS regulations
• the Construction Safety Act 1912 and regulations
• Part 3 of the Factories, Shops and Industries Act
  1962

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The OHS Regulation 2001

• Areas covered by the new regulation are
• Identification of all workplace hazards
• Implementation of measures to control risks
• Provision of training, instruction and
  supervision
• Workplace consultation between employers and
  employees
• Control of high risk hazards including plant,
  hazardous substances and hazardous processes
• Certification of operators of equipment
• Licensing of businesses
• Notification notices to WorkCover NSW

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Development of Legislation
Workers Compensation Acts Occupational Health and Safety Acts
Workers Compensation Act 1926 Construction Safety Act 1912
Workers Compensation Act 1987 Factories, Shops and Industries Act 1962
Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998 Dangerous Goods Act 1975
Workers Compensation Legislation Amendment Act 2001 Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983
Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000
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Workers Compensation

• Under the Workers Compensation Acts
• workers are entitled to compensation for injuries
  sustained in the course of employment
• compensation is extended to any injuries
  occurring while travelling to and from work and
  during lunch breaks
• work related diseases contracted by an employee
  is covered by compensation
• the employee must prove the injury arose during
  the course of employment

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Workers Compensation2

• compensation is paid to family members in the
  case of death
• compensation will not be granted if the worker is
  involved in wilful misconduct unless death,
  serious injury or permanent disability occurs
• employees must make all effort to return to work
  and the employer must provide suitable employment
  for injured workers

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Responsibilities of the Employer

• Provide a safe working environment
• Provide a safe system of work
• Provide proper training and information
• Identify hazards, assess the risks and
• eliminate or control the risks
• Provide supervision
• Supply personal protective equipment and clothing
• Consult with employees

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Responsibilities of the Employer..2

• Provide amenities
• Provide first aid facilities and personnel
• Provide for emergencies
• Ensure OHS committee members and representatives
  are trained
• No victimisation or unlawfully dismiss of an
  employee is allowed
• No charge to employees for things done

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Responsibilities of the Employee

• Take reasonable care for the health and safety of
  people who are at the place of work
• Co-operate with the employer or other person
• Notify the employer or supervisor of any risk to
  health and safety
• Not to interfere with or misuse things provided
  for health, safety and welfare
• Not hinder aid to an injured worker
• Not to refuse assistance in either receiving aid
  or giving aid
• Not to disrupt the workplace by creating health
  or safety fears

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Occupational Health and Safety Committees and
Representatives

• Continual review of measures to ensure health and
  safety
• Investigate any matter that poses a risk
• Attempt to resolve a heath and safety issue
• Request an investigation by a WorkCover inspector
• Consult with a WorkCover inspector and accompany
  them on an inspection

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Responsibility of a WorkCover Inspector

• To investigate any suspected breach of the
  Occupational Health and Safety Legislation in a
  place of work

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Tips for young workers

• Take responsibility for your own safety
• Know what to look for when entering a new or
  different workplace
• Know what questions to ask about the job
• Report any health and safety concerns
• Follow all safety procedures

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Ask your supervisor.

• What are the dangers of my job?
• What are the hazards?
• Should I have any job safety training?
• Do I need any personal protective equipment?
• Should I be trained in how to use my PPE?
• Where are the first aid facilities?
• Who is the first aid person?

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Ask your supervisor.

• What do I do if I get injured?
• Where are the fire extinguishers?
• Where are the emergency exits?
• How will I know if there is an emergency?
• What should I do in an emergency?
• Who do go to in the workplace if I have a health
  or safety question?

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Interactive web sites of interest

• Safety Zone, WorkCover NSW Government
  http//workcover.cadre.com.au/index_1st.html
• Interactive Café, Workplace Health and Safety
  Queensland Government
• http//www.whs.qld.gov.au/cafeonline/index.html
• Living Safely with Electricity, Workplace Health
  and Safety Queensland Government
• http//www.eso.qld.gov.au/electricity/index.html
• Hunt for Hazards, Workcover Corporation South
  Australian Government http//www.workcover.com/lea
  rning/school/schhazardhunt/default.asp