SUBJECT 6 Safe Practices Safety Management System III (Steps 6-10) studymassage.com.au HLT50307 Diploma of Remedial Massage HLT40312 Certificate IV in Massage Therapy Practice Evolve College Pty Ltd, 2015 This document is copyright. No part of this document may in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, micro copying, photocopying, recording or otherwise) be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted without permission Subject 06 Safe Practices - Safety Management System III (Steps 6-10)v15.03
STEP 6 Inform, Train and Supervise The outcomes of the previous steps will establish what information needs to be communicated to workers so that they can do their jobs safely. Organisation and work procedures: Procedures should be in place so that employees know what to do regarding performance of their own work, and these should include: Consultation and participation in WHS matters (Step 2) Knowing the appropriate timeframes for raising WHS issues Hazard identification, so that employees know specific hazards that exist, and how to identify them or others (Step 3) Risk control (Step 5) Use of PPE and emergency response (Step 5) Reporting of hazards, incidents and injuries in accordance with organization procedures and in appropriate timeframes (Step 8) Human resources policies and procedures covering such areas as harassment and grievance procedures, induction programs, team meetings, alcohol and drug policies, and WHS issue resolution, which policies and procedures should be well known to employees and they should know how to readily obtain up to date copies. Quality system documentation, with someone or a team designated responsible for ensuring the documentation is complete and up to date with current requirements, as well as being communicated to all employees whenever there is a change implemented. Procedures also include: Standard operating procedures Batch specifications Operator or manufacturer manuals Procedures for selecting, fitting, using and maintaining personal protective equipment. WHS Housekeeping: Employees should know how to conduct WHS housekeeping, which includes workplace and personal routines designed to improve health and safety which may include, for example, routines for cleaning up spills, and keeping walkways, exits and traffic areas clear. This should be built into the regular routines of employees, so that WHS housekeeping is simply part of their everyday activity. Information and training can be provided using: Procedure manuals Equipment operating/maintenance manuals Subject 06 Safe Practices Evolve College 2015 Page 2
Material Safety Data Sheets for chemicals Written work instructions Safety notice board Training videos Managers or supervisors can provide on-the-job training in such things as: Induction of new employees use the Workplace Induction Checklist as a guide Specific hazards and risks associated with the job Safe work procedures Emergency procedures Use and maintenance of personal protective clothing and equipment Get an expert to provide on-site training in such things as: Safe use of new or specialised equipment Manual handling Workers may be sent on external courses for such things as: First aid Health and safety representative training Certification for plant users and operators Persons using or operating certain types of plant and equipment may require certificates of competency under WHS legislation or regulations. Training is obtained from a training provider or on-the-job under the direct supervision of an already certified operator or otherwise as required under legislation, regulations or official guidelines. Supervision Adequate supervision is an integral part of ensuring that workers have understood instructions and have the necessary skills to do their jobs safely. Supervisors and managers therefore need to know their responsibilities and be properly trained to supervise staff. The degree of supervision required will depend on each individual s knowledge and experience new and less skilled workers will need closer supervision. Evaluate the competency of your workers on a regular basis and if you notice any deterioration in their performance, provide refresher training to ensure they continue to operate in a safe manner. Mentoring and coaching Workers who are knowledgeable about WHS matters can provide valuable support to workers who are less experienced in relation to WHS. Workers who are trained in WHS (such as after studying this unit) should check and monitor the practices of less experienced members of their workgroup to support them in working safely. Such mentoring and coaching could be through: Providing guidance and explanation on implementation of work and organization procedures Subject 06 Safe Practices Evolve College 2015 Page 3
Providing feedback Providing encouragement Assisting with problem solving Support others to accurately record incidents and complete associated workplace documentation according to organization procedures. Responsibility and sustainability Take the opportunity to inform workers about the importance of WHS including in relation to waste minimisation, environmental responsibility and sustainable practice issues, bearing in mind that a clean, responsible, ordered and sustainable workplace is likely to lead to fewer injuries, accidents or incidents, plus creating a safer and better environment for all. Inform your workers that staying abreast of WHS issues is everyone s responsibility so they should take the initiative to address hazards and manage risks at a systemic level, with management s full cooperation and involvement. Access and equity considerations Workers should be informed of access and equity considerations that may apply in the workplace. For instance: All workers should develop their ability to work in a culturally diverse environment, which is something that can be encouraged and fostered by management Workers should recognize that particular communities or groups may face particular health issues and thus, for example, workers should be aware of cultural, historical and current issues impacting on the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Subject 06 Safe Practices Evolve College 2015 Page 4
Workplace Induction Checklist Subject 06 Safe Practices Evolve College 2015 Page 5
Training Plan In Step 5 you thought of some control measures for the risks identified in your workplace. Check your Risk Control Plan and use this information to identify the training needs at your workplace. Subject 06 Safe Practices Evolve College 2015 Page 6
STEP 7 Put Safety into Purchasing Purchasing goods and hiring services for your business can raise significant health and safety issues. Through purchasing, hazards and risks can be introduced into the workplace. Purchasing goods When you buy new equipment or chemicals you probably consider such issues as cost, efficiency and reliability. Before deciding on a purchase, it is also important to check whether there are any inherent hazards associated with the item. Ask suppliers to provide information about the safety of their product. Information can be obtained from equipment manuals, Australian Standards and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS). A reference made to precautions for use tends to indicate that there is a hazard associated with the product. When buying second hand equipment or machinery, ask to see maintenance records. Discuss the proposed purchase with your staff. View a demonstration of the equipment in operation to assess things such as noise levels, manual handling requirements, effectiveness of machine guards. It is usually easier and cheaper to address health and safety issues before purchase rather than afterwards, when the need to modify equipment or implement costly control measures may be required. Use the Safe Purchasing Checklist below to help you decide how safe the item is. Hiring contractors A contractor is any person you engage to work for you who is not an employee. As the person in control of the work, you have a legal responsibility towards contractors that you hire. They have to work safely and also owe a responsibility to you. Select contractors with health and safety as one of your key conditions and specify your requirements. Ask questions and get evidence about their: Experience with the type of job you want them to do Health and safety policy and performance Training and competence Supervision arrangements Clearly, there is a need for communication and close co-operation regarding health and safety between you and the contractor. Plan all jobs involving contractors by defining the task and identifying the hazards associated with it. Decide how the job will be done safely and agree on safe work methods before the contractor starts work. Problems can arise when there is further subcontracting unless there are properly written up arrangements between all parties. You may wish to set down rules regarding subcontracting. Take care when you need someone in a hurry don t neglect health and safety in favour of just trying to get a job done. It certainly may not be worth it! Subject 06 Safe Practices Evolve College 2015 Page 7
Safe Purchasing Health & Safety Checklist Managing Contractors Health & Safety Checklist Subject 06 Safe Practices Evolve College 2015 Page 8
STEP 8 Manage Incidents & Injuries While your health and safety program aims to reduce the likelihood of an accident occurring, there may be times when things go wrong. Managing work-related incidents and injuries is a legislative requirement and is an important part of minimising loss and disruption in your business. Emergency procedures Plan for emergencies before they arise. Consider the type of emergency situations that your business could be exposed to: fire, explosion, chemical spill, flood, medical emergency, machinery or motor vehicle accident, robbery or violence. Develop plans and procedures on how to respond quickly and safely in such emergencies. Once you have developed your emergency plan, practice it regularly (every 6 months) to ensure that everyone knows how it operates and include it in the induction of new staff and contractors. First Aid The extent and type of first aid arrangements for your workplace should be based on the hazards and level of risk determined in the risk assessment process. Ensure that appropriate first aid equipment, facilities and trained personnel are available and readily accessible. Consideration should be given to: Type of activities, size and layout of the workplace Proximity to medical services Number and distribution of staff including arrangements such as shift work and overtime. Investigating and reporting incidents Accidents are not just bad luck or unpredictable in most cases they occur as a result of a chain of events and a failure of one or more links in that chain. Investigating accidents helps you find out what went wrong, why it happened and if a control measure was in place, why it failed. A near miss or dangerous occurrence should be treated as a warning sign and should also be thoroughly investigated. Workers should be encouraged to report these potential accidents in the same way that they are encouraged to report hazards. Identifying what went wrong and why and taking action to ensure that the same situation is not repeated, is an essential part of managing safety in your workplace. A PCBU is required to notify the relevant regulator as soon as they become aware of a death, serious injury or illness or dangerous incident that arises out of the conduct of the business or undertaking. Exact types of incidents that must be notified are set out in the section above on the WHS legislation and duties under it. It is important to offer counselling services to workers who have witnessed a serious accident or experienced a violent incident. Ensure your workers are looked after, and see Subject 06 Safe Practices Evolve College 2015 Page 9
them as people, not simply a mechanical cog in the chain. Respect and care for them, as an invaluable asset to your business. Workers Compensation Any person who operates a trade or business and employs workers must maintain a current workers compensation policy under the Workers Compensation Act. Policies must be obtained from an approved insurance company. Workers Compensation is addressed on a national basis by Safe Work Australia and, in addition individual states and territories have Workers Compensation authorities which administer Workers Compensation in their jurisdiction. Further information can be obtained from the Safe Work Australia website at: http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/swa/workerscompensation/authorities/pages/authorities. If you engage contractors/sub-contractors on a regular and systematic basis, you should contact Safe Work Australia, WorkCover or an approved insurer to discuss the employment arrangement, as these people may also be deemed workers under the workers compensation legislation. Early Intervention and Reporting Early intervention is an important concept in relation to work health and safety, and it assists to facilitate early and safe return to work for workers having sustained a workplace injury. The process involves early notification of injuries to the employer and by the employer to their insurer. As an employer, you must: Ensure first aid is provided to the injured worker Call an ambulance if emergency medical treatment is required Ensure the injured worker attends a doctor for treatment in circumstances where it is not an emergency but where treatment or medical assistance is required. Report all notifiable injuries to the relevant Work Cover (or workers compensation) authority. (Note that what must be reported is detailed in the section above on notification requirements, in the part on WHS legislation.) Notify your insurer of the insurer as soon as possible but this must be within 48 hours in the case of any significant injury claim. Provide compensation claim forms on request from the injured worker. Lodge the completed claim form with your insurer within 7 days of receiving the form from the worker. The insurer will then advise you of whether they accept or deny the claim. Keep a Register of Injuries that is readily accessible to the workers and which records every injury regardless of whether or not a claim is made. Rehabilitation and Return to Work Workplace rehabilitation for injured workers is an important requirement which employers must follow. Workplace rehabilitation helps injured workers achieve an early and safe return to the workplace. As an employer, you should: Subject 06 Safe Practices Evolve College 2015 Page 10
Develop a Return to Work Program in consultation with your workers, an approved rehabilitation provider and any industrial union representing the workers Display the Program and a copy of the Information Summary to the workers Take all reasonable steps to provide suitable duties to a worker returning from injury or illness Injury Management Checklist Subject 06 Safe Practices Evolve College 2015 Page 11
STEP 9 Keep Records It is important to document your health and safety activities and keep these records for the sake of: meeting legal requirements providing information to workers and monitoring the health and safety performance of your business Keeping records of the activities in your workplace makes managing health and safety easier. WHS Information It is important to keep ordered and clear information relating to WHS. WHS information includes such things as: Hazard, incident and investigation reports Workplace inspection reports and checklists Incident investigation reports Minutes of meetings Job Safety Analyses (JSAs) and risk assessments Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and registers Employees handbooks Manufacturer s manuals and specifications Information from Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) Reports from Health and Safety Committee (HSC) Job checklists and schedules of work Information from external sources on hazards and risk relevant to the work group. Details of records you should keep Hazard identification, risk assessment and control process These records include checklists, risk assessment information and risk control plans. They provide evidence of your health and safety activities and help you review and improve the health and safety performance of your business. Maintenance of plant and equipment These records enable you to schedule regular inspections and provide evidence of maintenance carried out. Keep them with manufacturers specifications and operators manuals. Maintenance records also improve the resale value by providing a complete history. Subject 06 Safe Practices Evolve College 2015 Page 12
Accidents and injuries These records enable you to identify hazards, monitor trends and take the appropriate action to prevent recurrence. Near misses or dangerous occurrences should also be recorded, since these are often a warning signal of a future, preventable accident. Employers are required to maintain records of accidents and injuries. Hazardous Substances Register This is a list of all chemicals used at the workplace including a collection of Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), which can be obtained free from the chemical supplier/manufacturer. Use the Sample Hazardous Substances Register over the page. The register should be kept as an accessible source of information for workers using the chemicals. If you store or handle dangerous goods you may also need to keep records relating to these activities. Training records It is essential that you have a record of the training that has been provided to every employee, which should include details of the training content, who conducted it and when it was provided. Personnel records These include a workers relevant experience, qualifications, personal details and emergency contacts. All records need to be kept up to date to be of the greatest benefit. Subject 06 Safe Practices Evolve College 2015 Page 13
Hazard Substance Register Subject 06 Safe Practices Evolve College 2015 Page 14
Incident/Hazard Report Subject 06 Safe Practices Evolve College 2015 Page 15
Training Record Subject 06 Safe Practices Evolve College 2015 Page 16
STEP 10 Monitor, Review and Improve Managing health and safety is an ongoing process that should form part of the way you do business. After you have established your Safety Management System you need to find out how well it is working by regularly checking and evaluating each step. Consider the following questions: How effective are the control measures? Are they working as intended? Ensure that the control measures have not created new hazards. How accurate is the risk assessment process? Are all hazards being identified? Are workers actively involved in your health and safety program? Are they openly raising health and safety concerns and reporting problems promptly? Have new work methods, new equipment or chemicals made the job safer? Are safety procedures being followed? Is personal protective equipment being worn as instructed? Has instruction and training provided to workers on how to work safely been successful? Are the frequency and severity of incidents causing injury reducing over time? Are safety records accurate and up-to-date? Go back to the 12 Questions you need to ask yourself when developing a Safety Management System - find out whether you can now answer YES to all questions. Your processes, operations and staff may change over time and so may the risks. Make sure you continually review your Safety Management System to ensure it still addresses any workplace or legislative changes. You should do this at least annually, along with reviewing your WHS Policy and Procedure. Subject 06 Safe Practices Evolve College 2015 Page 17
Safety Improvement Plan Subject 06 Safe Practices Evolve College 2015 Page 18