SAMPLE

FDFOHS2001A

Participate in OHS processes

FDFOHS2001A

Participate in OHS Processes

Contents

Introduction and Unit Details .......4

Element 1: Plan and prepare to work safely 7

Health and Safety Hazards......8

Hazard Identification .31

Control of Hazards ...37

Reporting Hazards ...80

Element 2: Conduct work safely .85

Personal Protective Equipment ...86

Incidents and Injuries ....92

Procedures and instructions for safe work ....96

OHS and housekeeping ..98

Element 3.Participate in OHS consultative activities. 102

Hazard Management ...... 103

OHS requirements, rights and responsibilities .. 113

OHS delegates ... 116

Element 4.Follow emergency response procedures ... 118

Emergency Procedures .. 119

Emergency Situations 122

Alarm Recognition . 128

Activity Answers. 130

Appendix 1 - Material Safety Data Sheet Example 132

Health and Safety Hazards

When referring to hazards in relation to occupational safety and health a commonly used definition is A Hazard is a potential source of harm or adverse health effect on a person or persons. A hazard more generally can also include damage to plant and equipment or the environment. The situation could involve a task, chemical or equipment used.

Safety Hazards are related to the physical characteristics of the hazardous situation such as a moving forklift, chemicals, electricity, working at heights, bullying and violence in the workplace.

The definition of a health hazard is less precise and more subjective. Health hazards can cause illness or death to employees, visitors or the general public. Health hazards can have an immediate effect but they usually take some time for the effects to show. Some examples of health hazards may be:

Dusts, for example, asbestosis

Gases

Chemicals, for example, vinyl chloride exposure causing angiosarcomas

Repetitive job

The identification of hazards is the first step in performing a risk assessment.

The terms Hazard and Risk are often (incorrectly) used interchangeably. A risk is the possibility that harm (death, injury or illness) might occur when exposed to a hazard. The example below demonstrates the difference between a hazard and a risk.

If there was a spill of water in a room then that water would present a slipping hazard to persons passing through it. If access to that area was prevented by a physical barrier then the hazard would remain though the risk would be minimised.

Hazard and risk are discussed in further detail in the chapter on Hazard Management.

Some typical workplace hazards are:

1. Noise.

2. Light and radiation.

3. Ventilation and air temperature.

4. Chemicals

5. Confined spaces.

6. Manual tasks (work postures and underfoot hazards)

7. Dust explosions.

8. Machinery and equipment.

9. Electricity.

10. Biological hazards

11. Psycho-social hazards

These are discussed individually in the following pages.

8. Machinery and equipment

Being hit by moving vehicles, or being caught by moving parts of machinery can cause fractures, bruises, lacerations, dislocations, permanent injuries or death.

Many machines involve moving parts, sharp edges, hot surfaces and other hazards with the potential to crush, burn, cut, shear, stab or otherwise strike or wound workers if used unsafely. Various safety measures exist to minimize these hazards, including guards for moving parts on machinery, lockout-tagout procedures during machine maintenance and roll over protection systems for vehicles.

Machinery and equipment include trucks, forklifts, other lifting equipment as well as fixed plant, machinery and hand tools.

a. Forklifts

Most problems with forklift incidents and injuries include:

Overturning poses the most danger to forklift operators in the workplace. When an operator jumps or is thrown from an overturning forklift, more often than not they end up trapped under the overturned forklift and a fatality occurs. A major cause of forklifts tipping over is when the forks are elevated with no load. This is made worse if the mast is tilted back. Forklifts tipping over contribute to a large proportion of forklift fatalities.

A forklifts brakes are less reactive than other vehicles, but they can still cause a tipover or loss of load when applied heavily in an emergency.

Slips, trips or falls getting on or off a forklift

Unauthorised lifting of people on forklifts (for example: falls from raised tynes)

Being run over or struck by a forklift - almost half of all people injured by a forklift are pedestrians.

Being crushed between a forklift and another object.

Overloading and unstable loads can damage the forklift as well as present additional health and safety risks to operators and pedestrians in the workplace. Together with the weight, the shape and size of a load affects the way it should be lifted.

In addition to these personal injuries, there is also damage to structures, plant and equipment.

Hazard Identification

Danger Signs

Danger signs are for warning when a hazard or a hazardous condition is likely to be life threatening. The word Danger is featured inside a red oval which in turn is inside a black rectangle. [footnoteRef:1] [1: (Seton Australia, 2006)]

Prohibition Signs

Prohibition signs specify behaviour or actions which are not permitted. The annulus and slash should be depicted in red over the action symbol in black. Prohibition Sign wording, if necessary, is in black lettering on a white background.

Meaning: DO NOT. YOU MUST NOT. STOP IT IF YOU ARE.

Mandatory Signs

Mandatory signs specify that an instruction must be carried out. Symbols (or "pictograms") are depicted in white on a blue circular background. Sign wording, if necessary, is in black lettering on a white background.

Meaning: YOU MUST DO. OBEY.

Warning signsWarning signs are to warn of hazards or a hazardous condition that is not likely to be life-threatening. The hazard symbol should be black on a yellow background and a triangle should be depicted around the hazard symbol. Warning sign wording, if necessary, is in black lettering on a yellow background. Meaning: YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED, BE CAREFUL, BE AWARE.

4. Chemical Control

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) / Safety Data Sheets (SDS) [footnoteRef:2] [2: The vernacular currently used by Work Safe Australia is SAFETY DATA SHEET (SDS), however MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET (MSDS) is still widely used. This guide uses both interchangeably. ]

The MSDS contains information on the identity of the product and any hazardous ingredients, potential health effects, toxicological properties, physical hazards, safe use, handling and storage, emergency procedures (including first aid) and disposal requirements specific to the chemical. An example of a safety data sheet has been included in Appendix 1.

Before using any chemical, the operator should read the SDS to understand the hazards associated with the chemical and recommended controls. As this is an important document it should be accessible to workers using the chemical/s.

Activity 4

Read the MSDS in Appendix 1 and identify the following:

What are the hazards / risks associated with this chemical?

If swallowed what do you do?

What is the chemical?

How should it be handled?

What engineering control measures are recommended?

What PPE control measures are recommended

Register of hazardous chemicals

The register is a list of the product names of all hazardous chemicals used, handled or stored at the workplace accompanied by the current SDS (one that is not more than five years old) for each hazardous chemical listed. It must be updated as new hazardous chemical is introduced to the workplace or when the use of a particular hazardous chemical is discontinued. [footnoteRef:3] [3: (Safe Work Australia, 2012)]

b. Manual Handling

Musculoskeletal disorders are avoided by the employment of good ergonomic design and the reduction of repeated strenuous movements or lifts.

It should be noted that the ASCC (Australian Safety and Compensation Council) Manual Handling Code of Practice for Manual Tasks concentrates on an employers duties to provide training as part of a safety system, specifically focusing on tasks and skills and lightening the load and does not focus on or advocate general manual handling techniques. It has been recommended that resources for the prevention of back injuries are better used on more cost effective interventions than general training, such as safe design, reducing bio-mechanical loads and reducing cumulative loads.[footnoteRef:4]. Controls for manual handling risks include: [4: (Safe Work Australia, unknown)]

i. Manual handling equipment

Manual handling aids can reduce the physical effort needed to lift and move objects, making it safer. Generally these are:

Powered trucks and trolleys, winches etc E.g. Fork lifts, hoists, winches,

Non-powered trucks trolleys and aids E.g. Star wheeled trolleys, drum trolleys, wheeled bins, pallet jacks, drum lifts, back braces

Tracks conveyors, slides, chutes, roller balls E.g. Van loading boom, mobile conveyor

ii. Layout of storage areas

Store materials most frequently used and heaviest items at waist height

Leave the lowest shelf unused if necessary.

Use bi