Download BSBOHS 509A:Ensure A Safe Workplace

BSBOHS 509A:Ensure A Safe
Workplace
• Occupational health, safety, and security
programs make significant contributions to
the achievement of corporate goals by
reducing costs related to absenteeism and
workers’ compensation, building good will in
the community, protecting assets, and
improving productivity
Occupational Health And Safety (OHS)
• The physical, physiological and psychosocial
conditions of an organization’s workforce,
related to aspects of work and the work
context
Benefits of OHS
• The implementation of safety and health
standards reduces accidents and illnesses
which reduces the amount of production time
lost
• It increases the productivity, costing less to
produce products or services
• Cost savings – fewer claims for workers’
compensation
Benefits of OHS (Continued)
• Fewer injuries and illnesses lead to improved
productivity and employee morale
• While employees feel safe at work – more
productive and engaged
• Safety concerns – major motivation factor of
unionization
• Secure work environment can attract qualified
employees
Benefits of OHS (Continued)
• Effective security measures protect business
assets – physical assets such as buildings and
equipment, financial assets, or human assets
Operational Responsibilities
• Depending on the size and nature of the
organization, responsibility for health, safety
and security functions are assigned to
individual or entire departments
Workplace Health Issues
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Chemical Hazards
Physical Hazards
Biological Hazards
Substance Abuse
Hazards
• Circumstances, procedures or environments
that expose individuals to possible injury,
illness, damage or loss
Chemical Hazards
• A physical or health hazard to workers who
are in manufacturing processes
• For example, asbestos, corrosives, pesticides,
gas fumes, or solvents
• OHS administration requires to eliminate or
reduce the harmful effects
Physical Hazards
• Electrical current, excessive noise, too much
or too little light, radiation, and vibrations
• Exposure can have a long-lasting negative
effects on worker’s health and productivity
• Over-exposure can be fatal
• Use of computers can be ergonomic injuries
Biological Hazards
• Such as bacteria, molds, contaminated water,
and dust to cause illness
• Long-lasting effects or fatal
Substance Abuse
• Substance abusers – employees who come to
work under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Increased absenteeism and the cause to
accidents, injuries or deaths
• Can cause the employers lawsuits when they
endanger the lives of co-workers, vendors, and
customers
• Lower morale for employees who have to take
their slack
Job-related Stress
• Occurs when employees do not have the
capabilities and/or resources to accomplish
their job requirements and cannot control the
circumstances in which they must operate
Symptoms of Stress
PHYSICAL
EMOTIONAL
MENTAL
Headaches
Mood swings
Forgetfulness
Indigestion
Irritability
Inability to concentrate
Fatigue
Depression
Disorganization
Intestinal problems
Hostility
Poor judgement
Workplace Health Programs
• Health and Wellness Programs
- Depending on the size and financial
conditions of the employers, the services and
delivery vary
- Some include educational programs for
weight control, smoking reduction, and onsite
gym, and also gym memberships
Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)
• Cost effective benefits providing a variety of
counselling and support services
• E.g. Legal and financial counselling
Psychological counselling
Alcohol and drug counselling
Crisis support
• EAP is useful after violence or death and a
layoff
Drug Testing Programs
• Drug test – jobs such as the use of machinery,
equipment or vehicle
• Requires to begin after developing a
substance abuse policy
Workplace Safety Issues
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General Duty Standard
Hazard Communication Standard (HCS)
Occupational Noise Exposure Standard
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Lockout/Tagout
Blood-Borne Pathogens
General Duty Standard
• Employers have to provide a safety work
environment
• Employees also have to oblige all OHS
requirements
Hazard Communication Standard (HCS)
• Employers have to inform their employees of
the dangers of chemicals used in the
workplace
Occupational Noise Exposure Standard
• Allowable noise and identifies procedures for
measuring noise and audiometric testing for
employees in noisy environments
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Employers to provide appropriate garments
and equipments for dealing with different
types of hazards such as compressed gas,
radiation, explosive substances, and ammonia
• PPE also requires the employers to train
workers in the proper use and maintenance of
the equipment
Lockout/Tagout
• Designed to reduce injuries and deaths by
preventing machinery or equipment from
starting unexpectedly during repairs and
maintenance
Blood-Borne Pathogens
• A microorganism in human blood that can
cause disease.
• Health care workers are at risk by blood and
other body fluids (such as HIV)
• A written exposure control plan which advises
employees of the steps to prevent or reduce
the effects of exposures
Australian OHS Law
• Common Law – (judge-made law) duties one
individual or group owes to another
• Employers, employees, contractors,
manufacturers and suppliers all have common
law duties with regard to OHS
Criminal Law
• OHS incidents can lead to criminal law charges
• For instance, a workplace death may lead to a
charge of manslaughter
Civil Statue Law
• Known as ‘legislation’ made by an act of
parliament
• Individual statues – Acts
• E.g. the Occupational Health an Safety
(Commonwealth Employment) Act 1991
• OHS legislation covers issues relating to the
workplace environment, the work performed
and the people involved
Risk Management
• The process of identifying all hazards in the
work or workplace, followed by an assessment
of the associated risks and the
implementation of effective measures to
control those risks
• Risk – the potential outcome of injury, illness,
damage or loss resulting from a hazard
OHS auditing
• A systematic examination against established
criteria, conducted regularly to identify
deviations from the OHS management system
and determine whether these deviations can
compromise health, safety and productivity
References
• Bogardus, A.M. 2004, Human Resources Jump
Start Human Resources Basics, The Best First
Step Toward a Career in Human Resources,
SYBEX Inc., Alameda, CA 94501.