Workplace Health & Safety Contractor Induction Program. April 2016 V3

Workplace Health & Safety Contractor Induction Program April 2016 V3

MEET THE TEAM The Council s corporate workplace health and safety (WH&S) team are also return to work coordinators. They are located in the Human Resource Branch, Level 3 of the Hayden building. Their telephone numbers are through your Supervisor or your Contact Officer for Ipswich City Council. Shona Barnes Workplace Safety and Wellbeing Manager Lloyd Langlands Workplace Safety and Wellbeing Advisor Craig MacKenzie Workplace Safety and Wellbeing Advisor Workplace Safety is their job but remember that it is everyone s responsibility. Aaron Brook Workplace Safety and Wellbeing Coordinator

Workplace Health and Safety laws Anyone who can affect the health and safety of people in a workplace has a role in protecting it. Below are some examples of legislation that applies to workplace health and safety (WH&S). Work Health and Safety Act and Regulations Workers Compensation and Rehabilitation Act and Regulations Electrical Safety Act and Regulations Various Codes of Practice

HEALTH AND SAFETY DUTIES The Work Health and Safety 2011 and Regulations 2011 covers anybody and everybody that has the potential to impact on health and safety in the workplace. This includes designers, manufacturers, suppliers, principal contractors, persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) workers all have been given legal duties. PCBU and its Officers, have duties under the law to provide: A safe working environment Safe systems of work Information, supervision and training Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as required A system to identify hazards A system to assess and control risks.

WORKERS DUTIES As a worker, it is important that you know what your DUTIES are under the WH&S Act. These DUTIES are: While at work a worker must: Take reasonable care for his or her own health and safety; and Take reasonable care that his or her acts or omissions do not adversely affect the health and safety of other persons; and Comply, as far as the worker is reasonably able, with and reasonable instruction that is given by the PCBU to allow the person to comply with the act; and Co-operate with any reasonable policy or procedure of the PCBU relating to health and safety at the workplace that has been notified to the workers. NOTE: Individual workers breaching their duties under the Legislation now face individual fines of up to $300,000, 5 years in jail or BOTH.

HAZARD & RISKS There are common hazards that exist in many workplaces. It is important to identify these hazards and learn how to control the risks or likelihood of injury. So lets look at what a hazard and risk is. A HAZARD means a situation or thing that has the potential to harm a person. Hazards at work may include: noisy machinery, a moving forklift, chemicals, electricity, working at heights, a repetitive job or bullying and violence at the workplace. A RISK is the possibility that harm (death, injury or illness) might occur when exposed to a hazard.

MANAGING THE RISK The WH&S Act tells us what steps we are to follow to manage risks. There are four steps involved in this process: 1. IDENTIFY the hazard 2. ASSESS the risk 3. CONTROL the risk 4. MONITOR & REVIEW controls Now lets go into this process for managing risks in a bit more detail.

1 - IDENTIFY THE HAZARDS Firstly, we need to identify what the hazards are in the workplace. Some ways we can do that are through talking to staff, workplace inspections and looking at incident statistics. There are a variety of Hazards that you might come across in a workplace. Some examples of hazards might include, but not limited to are: Slips, trips and falls Hazardous chemicals Infections Noise Electricity Heights Machinery Vibration Sun Heat stress and skin cancer We will cover some of these hazards in a little more detail later in this session.

2 - ASSESS THE RISK Likelihood How likely it is to happen? Impact / Consequence How severe is the loss, damage or injury if it happens? Minimal Low Moderate High Catastrophic Almost certain The event is expected to occur a number of times in the next year under most circumstances No injuries Discomfort First Aid treatment Medical treatment Medical treatment requiring hospitalisation Extensive injuries Permanent disabilities Single death Multiple deaths Likely The event will probably occur on one occasion in the coming year. 20-90% probability the event will occur in the next year. Possible Unlikely Rare The event should occur at some time, i.e. once every 3-5 years. 20% probability the event will occur in the next year. The event could occur at some time (every 10-20 years) but is not considered likely to occur. 5% probability the event will occur in the next year. The event may occur only in exceptional circumstances (every 50-100 years). <1% probability the event will occur in the next year. Examples of Impact/Consequence Explanation of Likelihood

2 ASSESS THE RISK Consequences & Likelihood Once we ve worked out what the hazards are we need to assess the RISKS what is the likelihood of that hazard resulting in something harmful. Below is the standard Risk Assessment Tool used by Ipswich City Council to calculate Risk. Likelihood How likely it is to happen? Impact / Consequence How severe is the loss, damage or injury if it happens? Minimal Low Moderate High Catastrophic Almost certain 2-Medium 3-High 3-High 4-Very High 4-Very High Likely 2-Medium 2-Medium 3-High 3-High 4-Very High Possible 1-Low 2-Medium 3-High 3-High 3-High Unlikely 1-Low 1-Low 2-Medium 2-Medium 3-High Rare 1-Low 1-Low 2-Medium 2-Medium 3-High

3 - CONTROL THE RISK Now that we have identified the hazard and assessed the risk, the risk needs to be controlled. When selecting the appropriate control measures, it is always best to eliminate the hazard altogether if possible. Otherwise, good control measures can be achieved by minimising the risk. This can be achieved by following the basics steps below in the Hierarchy of Control. HIERARCHY OF CONTROL 1. Elimination The best option! Eliminate the hazard altogether if you can. A permanent solution by eliminating the process, material or substance completely. 2. Substitution Replace the process, material or substance with a safer one. 3. Isolation Isolate the person or persons from the process, material or substance. 4. Engineering Redesign or modify the process, material or substance or the way the job is done. 5. Administration Limit the exposure to the risk by job rotation, procedure, training use of signage. 6. PPE Use Personal Protective Equipment.

4 - MONITOR & REVIEW The last step in the risk management process is to monitor and review the effectiveness of the control measures. Monitoring should ensure the at Hazard / Risk registers remain current. Monitoring and review practices are to occur at three levels: Continuous monitoring through day to day/routine checks these types of checks should be embedded into place and methods of work. Generally supervisors are in the best for continuous monitoring. Management review/self assessment Periodically management should review processes, systems and activities to ensure that new risks have not arisen and treatment strategies are still effective and appropriate. Audit Audits can be conducted internally or by an external party. Audits focus on compliance with standards, procedures or legislative requirements and generally are able to indicate systemic weaknesses. Priority should be given to monitoring high risks and risk related activities that change frequently.

REPORTING ALL INCIDENTS MUST BE REPORTED IMMEDIATELY TO YOUR SUPERVISOR or Council Contact Officer (the person that Engaged your services)! WHY REPORT? Workers have an legal duty to report ALL incidents. It also helps in controlling the risk of hazards that may be experienced in the workplace and it also assists in developing our safety program. WHAT IS AN INCIDENT? Any Work caused/related injury, damage, illness or near-miss. Your supervisor or Council Contact Officer will record the details of any incident, including near-misses, onto a data collection sheet, or electronically straight into our system. You supervisor or Council Contact Officer will investigate the incident to determine the cause and look at putting appropriate corrective actions in place. PCBU s undertaking work for Ipswich City Council are required to report incidents to the relevant Supervisor / Contact Officer and provide a copy of their incident report and investigation findings as soon as possible in accordance with your general contract terms.

INJURY TREATMENT When you commence work in your area or located to a new area, it is important to find out where the first aid kit is kept. Ensure that you record the details of treatment and equipment used in the notebook provided and inform your supervisor of your injury, if anything is out of date or needs replacing in the kit. Council offers first aid training to Council employees. If you require medical treatment for an injury, an ambulance may need to be called or your supervisor may offer to take you to Ipswich City Council s preferred Industrial Medical Centre. Ensure the treating Doctor is informed that it is a Work Caused or Related Injury / Illness REMEMBER REPORT ALL INJURIES, INCIDENTS AND NEAR MISSES IMMEDIATELY TO YOUR SUPERVISOR / Contact Officer

SERIOUS INCIDENTS PCBUs also have a legal duty to report Notifiable (serious) incidents to the Regulator (Workplace Health and Safety Queensland) immediately. Notifiable Incidents include: The death of a person; or A serious injury or illness of a person; or A dangerous incident As the definition of Serious Injury and Dangerous Incident are quite extensive, WHS Unit will make the decision on Notifiable or not. This is why you must contact WHS Unit as early as possible for all incidents. It is the responsibility of the PCBU to undertake the Notification Process. If you are involved in a NOTIFIABLE INCIDENT you must ensure that: The area is safe and notify appropriate emergency services (police, ambulance, fire) The scene is not to be interfered with Do not move, relocate or touch anything unless there is immediate danger to persons or property Notify WH&S Unit of Ipswich City Council as soon as possible

WH&S Policy & Procedures There is a variety of WH&S policy and procedures here at Ipswich City Council that cover a range of areas. They are available under Council s corporate documents on the intranet. It will be important to make yourself familiar with them during the course of your employment with us. Some examples you will come across include: Smoking Drug and Alcohol Personal Security Bomb Threat

EMERGENCY EVACUATION There are Emergency Evacuation Plans on display in every work area to help in the safe removal of staff from buildings in the event of an emergency. If you become involved in an emergency evacuation from a building: Follow instructions given to you by the Fire Wardens Leave the building by the designated exit Go directly to the assembly area Do not re-enter the building unless directed by the Chief Warden or Emergency Services Fire exits are clearly marked throughout Council s buildings and must be kept free of obstructions as a clear passageway at all times.

SIGNS & SYMBOLS There are a variety of signs and symbols that you may see whilst at work. Below is a description of what the colours mean. Safety Signs and Signals are one of the main means of communicating health and safety information. Yellow - Cautionary sign A cautionary sign means be careful; take precautions; examine. Red, Black and White Danger sign A danger sign means stop; shutdown; emergency cut-out devices. Blue and White Mandatory A mandatory sign means that a specific behaviour or action must be followed in this area. Green and White - Information sign Examples of information signs include Emergency escape or First Aid station or kit.

MANUAL TASKS Manual tasks means any activity or task requiring force by a person to lift, lower, push, pull, carry or otherwise move, hold or restrain any object. There are 6 simple steps to remember when you are lifting. Step 1 Plan for the lift Decide where the load is to be placed and make sure your path of travel is clear. Step 4 Start the Lift & Lift Bend your knees and ensure a firm grip. Lift with your legs and let the leg muscles do the work. Maintain your natural back shape and lift smoothly. Step 2 Prepare for the lift Assess the weight of the load and decide how it is to be handled. Step 5 Moving Keep the load close and maintain the natural spine position. Don t twist your back, move your feet. Step 3 Determine the technique Stand close to the load; adopt a balanced stance and avoid twisting, bending and reaching. Step 6 Lowering the load Use the leg muscles to lower the load. Keep your back as natural as possible this applies whether you are lifting or lowering a load. Bend in a semi squat, don t twist your body.

WORK STATIONS Office based staff can spend significant amounts of time sitting at a computer workstation. It is imperative that work stations are set up ergonomically. There are a few things to consider when setting up your work station. Click on the red boxes below to find out more. Back Chair Screen Keyboard/Mouse Feet Your back should be straight or slightly retracted (pulled back) Refer to instructions when adjusting your chair. Your feet should be able to rest flat on the floor and the backrest should be adjusted to your height. Your screen should be at or just below eye level. It should be at arms length from your eyes. The mouse should stay on the mat for as much as possible. Keep the mouse as close to the end of the keyboard as possible. Use the feet of the keyboard to reduce strain on your wrists. Ideally your feet should rest flat on the floor. Use a footrest if necessary. Avoid sitting for long periods of time. Some form of break from sitting every 30 minutes is helpful. Even getting up to go to a printer or standing while talking on the telephone will provide some relief. Council has an Occupational Therapist who can assist you to set up your workstation correctly. Should you request assessment, please contact WHS Unit to Book.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE PPE is the method used to protect workers when the risk can not be completely eliminated or removed. There are 6 (six) Rules for PPE: EQUIPMENT - PPE Workers must: 1. Make sure you ve got it 2. Make sure you know how to use it 3. Make sure you use it 4. Monitor the condition and cleanliness of the PPE 5. Report damage of the PPE to your supervisor so it can be replaced 6. Ensure damaged PPE is disposed of accordingly Before purchasing safety gear, check with your supervisor to make sure that the equipment has the appropriate Australian Standards approval. It is your responsibility to monitor the condition of your provided PPE. You must report damage to any PPE to your Supervisor so it can be immediately replaced if required. Where a risk assessment or a management policy or procedure indicates that PPE is to be worn, it will be issued, you will be instructed in its proper use and you must then use it as directed.

SAFETY FOOTWEAR Safety Footwear Type 1 Safety General Footwear Type 2 General This footwear shall be worn by all Local Government Employees and Council employees and/or visitors / contractors who work in or visit areas that involves construction, maintenance, alteration, repairs, gardening, mowing and any activity which has a high risk of injury to the feet. Safety Footwear will be in accordance with A S/NZ S 2210. Footwear that completely covers the feet and protects the feet from injury. ie. Footwear that covers both toes and the heel, heels if worn shall be broad based. Footwear type 2 is appropriate for Office Based work only.

HAZARD Slips, Trips & Falls Slipping, tripping or falling is one of the top three ways people hurt themselves at work. It can happen anywhere in the workplace including outside areas and car parks. Slip, trip and fall risks are usually due to a combination of factors. Controlling the risks from skips and trips requires more than just changing footwear. Practical things everyone can do to reduce slips, trips and falls in the workplace include: Reporting leaks Regularly cleaning up rubbish around work areas Stopping waste from getting onto the floor (i.e. use drip trays) Dealing with spills immediately Using appropriate floor cleaning methods

HAZARD Hazardous Chemicals All hazardous chemicals used in your work area should be clearly labelled and stored in a safe manner. You should be instructed on the safe use of these substances before you start work. When handling or using hazardous chemicals and dangerous goods you should: make sure you have read the Safety Data Sheet and have a copy on hand Follow the correct safe working procedures for using the chemicals Wear the appropriate PPE Maintain hygiene with washing hands & exposed areas Safety Data Sheets (SDS) let you know: The chemical Associated health hazards Safe handling and storage How to use the chemical safely Emergency and first aid procedures

HAZARD Infection Control Due to the nature of your work environment there may be a risk of occupational disease. Appropriate actions for the following would include: Handling sharps wear appropriate PPE, do not recap needles, only use approved sharps containers, dispose of gloves appropriately and report to your supervisor Personal hygiene - cover cuts, washing hands, food storage, PPE Hepatitis immunisation for high risk areas First aid provisions If you suffer a needle stick injury: Bleed the wound and rinse thoroughly Retain the needle if possible Seek medical advise (same day) your employer will arrange this

HAZARD NOISE Noise is unwanted sound which may cause damage to hearing. The amount of damage caused by noise depends on the total amount of exposure received over time. Measurement of excess noise exposure is expressed as any noise level above 85 decibels. Workers are to: Follow any reasonable instruction given to them for health and safety in relation to noise and the use of noise management tools. Wear any PPE provided by their Supervisor or the Council, provided they have been properly trained in its use. Appropriately monitor condition PPE that has been provided to them for use. Obey the blue "Mandatory Signs" where installed. Always be aware of other persons in the near vicinity when using noisy tools and equipment and make them aware of the protective equipment to be used. Inform the supervisor if they have any concerns/problems. Report hazards/risks in relation to noise management to your supervisor

Hazard Housekeeping and General Workplace hazards A clean workplace is a safer workplace. Council requires all workers to maintain safe housekeeping practices. General points to consider are: Keep amenities such as lunchrooms clean and tidy. Put rubbish, scraps etc. into bins. Wipe up all liquid or powder spills. Keep passageways, stairs and fire exits clear of obstructions. Safe and clear access to and from the workplace. Adequate space for the storage of materials and plant. Adequate number of safety signs that are kept in good condition. Signs can include directional signs, first aid signs, signs to tell you when certain PPE is compulsory and slippery when wet signs. Personal Listening Devices / Mobile Phones Use of equipment such as Ipods, MP3 players and other personal listening devices are not allowed in the workplace (unless used as part of a work training program or other official work related function). Personal Mobile phones are not permitted to be used in the workplace during working hours. In Construction and maintenance work locations, work phones / devices can be used provided the worker has removed him/herself clear from any Hazards.

Hazard - Smoking Smoking is prohibited in all Council workplaces as per the definition of workplace and the following guidelines: No smoking within the bounds of any Council Depot and within 4 metres of the entry gate or fence. For other unenclosed workplaces, no smoking within 4 metres of any other worker who is not smoking. Workers who wish to smoke during the course of the working day may do so in their own time (morning tea, lunch break) as per the provisions of the Smoke Free Workplace procedure.

Lock Out and Tag Out Isolation procedures are necessary to maintain a safe working environment. This involves the isolation of electrical switches and circuits, mechanical controls, liquid and gas valves before starting repair or maintenance work. These controls are to be isolated, locked out and tagged before commencing work. DANGER Do Not Operate - is to be used for the protection of a person working on the controls or system. DANGER Out of Service - indicates that the plant, equipment or system is faulty or not operating. DANGER Do Not Start indicates equipment is faulty and requires repair. Never operate a switch or control that has a Danger Tag attached. A person who installs the Danger Tag should be the person to remove the tag. Refer to Procedure Lockout Procedure

HAZARDS Electricity Electrical work can be extremely dangerous, even to people who know what they are doing. Electrical work can only be carried out by a licensed electrician. This protects everyone from injury or death, and property and equipment. No work within 3m of overhead power lines, unless you are an Authorised or Instructed Person Electrical equipment for construction work must be tagged and tested every 3 months. Council office areas do not require testing & tagging subject to the building being protected by a fixed safety switch. Kitchen and other service areas however require testing and tagging every few years. You must always use a portable RCD (safety switch) on the job site. Must not use double adaptors or piggy back plugs. REPORT DAMAGED EQUIPMENT OR CABLES

HAZARD Height Safety For any work at heights, the person must before the work starts ensure that each hazard that may result in a fall or cause death or injury if the person were to fall is identified, the risks assessed and control measures implemented. Cannot work over 2 metres when doing construction work unless you use protection to prevent or arrest a fall. This includes: Travel Restraint Systems, Fall Arrest Systems, Edge Protection or an Industrial Safety net. Work less than 2 metres requires a risk assessment before proceeding and still requires some type of protection to prevent a fall Ensure you are appropriately trained before using Ladders. All Ladders used must be rated Industrial and have minimum safe working load on 120kg.

DRIVING COUNCIL VEHICLES To drive a council vehicle you must: hold a current and relevant drivers license Be authorised to drive the vehicle Be held responsible for the vehicle at all times Not to drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs including some prescription medications Report any defects within vehicles to the workshop immediately Report any accident immediately to the workshop, Police if applicable and Workplace health and Safety Unit. NO LEARNER DRIVERS ARE PERMITTED TO DRIVE COUNCIL VEHICLES

HAZARD Machinery and Plant Some examples of Machinery and Plant includes: major plant, minor plant, vehicles, power tools and equipment, hydraulic and pneumatic to name a few. Some tips to ensure safe work practices while operating machinery is: Must have relevant licence to operate vehicles and specified high risk plant (eg EWP, Forklift) Must have relevant competency to operate other machinery (eg. Earthmoving) Never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs Regular safety inspections of plant and machinery must be done Report any defaults or problems to your supervisor immediately and tag as Out of Order until it is repaired. NEVER remove machine guarding unless you are an authorised maintenance person or have proper authority Ensure you have been trained in the safe and proper use of the machinery and plant.

HAZARD Vibration Overexposure to Vibration can lead to: Reduced blood and oxygen circulation in the fingers Nerve and muscle disorders, bone and joint deformities and damage to tendons Motion sickness, fatigue, irritability, headaches. To minimise the risks: Limit the length of time you are exposed to this vibration Wear special protective padded work gloves; and Report any difficulties relating to vibration Limit exposure to no more than 4 hours over a day

HAZARD Heat Stress Heat stress occurs when your body overheats. This may be the result of a heatwave, or a constant source of heat at the workplace. Symptoms of heat stress are general discomfort (the mildest symptom), fatigue, loss of concentration, dizziness, headache, disorientation, muscle cramps and decreased coordination. At its most severe, heat stress can result in heatstroke, a life-threatening condition, though this is rare. If you are suffering heat stress, rest in the coolest available place, and drink cool (not cold) fluids. Seek medical advice if you don t improve.

HAZARD Skin Cancer Queensland has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world over 2500 Queenslanders diagnosed with melanoma each year, of which almost 200 die from the disease. If working outdoors in your role or for long periods of time, look at ways to reduce your exposure to the sun. To reduce the affects of skin cancer Councils position is while working for or on behalf of Ipswich City Council you shall; Wear long sleeved shirt, long trousers, broad brim hat, apply and reapply sunscreen and wear sunglasses. Have your skin checked regularly by a qualified practitioner

CONSTRUCTION WORK Construction work is work to a structure of part of a structure including its: Erection, construction, extension or structural alteration Conversion, fit-out, renovation, repair or refurbishment Disassembling or decommissioning Construction work also includes: any work connected with site preparation any excavation or landscaping work done in connection with construction work assembling or installing prefabricated components for use in construction work taking apart a structure or part of a structure into its prefabricated components demolition work or asbestos removal work All employees involved in Construction Work must have a General Construction Induction Card on them at all times and have been involved in Construction work during the last 2 years. WHS Management Plan & Site Specific Induction is required for construction work over $250,000.

CONSTRUCTION High Risk Construction Work Some examples of High Risk Construction Work include but is not limited to: Where a person is required to enter a trench 1.5m or deeper Where a person is using a confined space Where a person is using a hazardous substance A prescribed activity or demolition work The movement of powered mobile plant at the workplace Work on, or adjacent to, a road or railway Where the principal contractor reasonably believes the activity could result in death or bodily harm. For full list of High Risk Construction Work refer to QLD legislation or visit Workplace Health and Safety Queesnlands website : (https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/) If you are performing a high risk construction work, you must have a documented Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS). The SWMS will outline what the high risk work is, what the specific control measures are, how the work is to be performed and how the effectiveness of control measures will be monitored and reviewed.

HIGH RISK WORK Excavation & Trenching Excavation means a hole in the earth, or a face of earth, formed after rock, sand, soil or other material is removed (eg. a trench, ditch, well, tunnel, pier hole, cutting, caisson, cofferdam or a hole drilled in the earth). Prior to any excavation work being commenced, the relevant information about underground services must be obtained by the service provider; including the type of service, location, depth and any restrictions that may be required. (http://www.1100.com.au/#) is a helpful service to assist you in identifying any underground services. When working in this type of area, it is important to remember that you must not enter a trench deeper than 1.5m unless: Shoring or shielding has been installed; or The trench has been benched (not higher than it is wide and no vertical face exceeding 1.5m); or The trench is battered (angle not exceeding 45 degrees and bottom vertical face not exceeding 1.5m); or A Geo-technical Engineering has certified in writing that it is safe to enter.

HIGH RISK WORK Confined Spaces A confined space is a place that may have limited means of entry or exit, is not intended as a regular workplace, may have poor ventilation and a dangerous atmosphere or risk of entrapment or engulfment. It is important that: You always ask your Supervisor to assist in identifying a Confined Space. ONLY trained and authorised staff can enter confined spaces. You must use a permit to enter system and appropriate safety equipment. You must NEVER enter a confined space when working by yourself. You must work in accordance with the Workplace Health and Safety Regulations 2011 and Confined Space Code of Practice 2011

HIGH RISK WORK Traffic Management All Traffic Management must comply to the Traffic Management Code of Practice 2008. All Traffic Control Devices must comply to the Manual Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) part 3. For example signage, barriers and speed restrictions. The MUTCD part 3 prescribes what signs must be used, how far apart and other technical information. You must be appropriately trained and competent in installing roadwork signage. Ipswich City Council only use accredited Traffic Controllers if required on job sites.