Created by Dr Andrea North-Samardzic, Deakin University
Activity 5
Redesigning workspaces (Occupational Health & Safety)
Learning Objectives:
1.Understand what is Occupational Health & Safety and its importance to all workplaces
2.Describe the steps taken to identify workplace hazards
3.Identify areas of risk in the workplace
4.Explain why a safety action plan and a register of injuries are important
Everyone has a duty of care in the workplace. Employers must ensure that all reasonably practicable measures have been taken to control risks against all possible injuries in the workplace. Employees have the responsibility not to put others at risk. It is your job as manager to ensure that the organisation and your team are aware of any risks and help them be addressed. Here is your workplace.
An email comes from your boss. The email is on the next page.
Fantastic! Another thing for you to do on this busy day! But admittedly, your boss makes a strong point. It is a key issue and one that you don’t pay much attention to. Make sure you reply quickly to your boss. Your email is on the next page.
The importance of OH&S
Occupational Health and Safety is an important issue and one that you don't spend a lot of time on. You struggle to remember the last time you thought about OHS and you work in HR! This is a problem; talking about OH&S is a legal requirement.
Teaching note: Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S) requirements can affect businesses differently depending on which industries they operate in. Additionally, standards can differ according to the State. So it is important to ensure you apply the right rules and regulation in the right context.
Since CAROZ is in Victoria,should be a good starting point. Click on the link to visit the site. The other State websites can be found at the following link:
However the principles of all OH&S legislation are similar:
- To promote and secure worker's safety and health
- To protect workers from hazards
- To ensure safe, hygienic working conditions
- To promote awareness of OH&S
In Victoria, the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 requires employers to provide such training to employees as is necessary to enable the employees to perform their work in a manner that is safe and without risks to health.
Various regulations made under the Act (eg Hazardous Substances Regulations, Plant Regulations) require employers to provide training to employees on:
- the nature of hazards
- the processes used for hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control
- the need for, and proper use, of measures to control risk
- safety procedures
- the use, fit, testing and storage of personal protective equipment.
After a cursory examination of the website you realise that a good first step is to lead by example. Is there anything you can do to improve the safety of your team? By following three basic steps, you can do your own inspection to improve safety.
Step 1: Find the hazards
The first step of conducting a workplace inspection is to 'Find the Hazards'. You work in financial services, which is not known to be hazardous to one's health a work but this does not mean it is as safe as it should be.
Question: Tick the topics that are relevant to your current workplace
* Manual handling
* Chemicals
* Bullying
* Stress
* Falls
Answer:
Manual handling - You may not be in a manual labour job but manual handling even includes things such as moving a box or using your keyboard. Did you know that using a computer is classified as 'manual handling' in Victoria? So this does apply to you.
Chemicals - Unless you are printing your own money for the bank, it is unlikely this applies to you right? But there may be chemicals in the kitchen. What about the toner for the photocopier? This means that chemicals are in the vast majority of offices. So you were cautious yet correct in choosing this.
Bullying - Bullying is persistent and repeated negative behaviour directed at an employee that creates a risk to health and safety. This includes mental health. Bullying is a common workplace problem that cuts across industries so it is relevant to everyone.
Stress - The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines stress as “the reaction people may have when presented with demands and pressures that are not matched to their knowledge and abilities and which challenge their ability to cope.” This is undoubtedly relevant to all contexts. Well done.
Falls - While falls can occur in all industries, they are most common in construction, manufacturing, community services, trade, communications, transport and storage. It is unlikely this would apply to you as the law in Victoria looks specifically at falls over 2 metres. If your team is kept off ladders, you should be ok. But it may be a consideration for your maintenance staff. Remember to minimise falls, remove trip hazards and keep the floor space clear.
Question: Addressing which of these could you make the most immediate impact?
* Manual handling
* Chemicals
* Bullying
* Stress
* Falls
Answer: Manual Handling. Addressing stress and bullying requires dedicated efforts to identify sources and long-term initiatives to minimise their impact. It should be a key area of priority but they are not the easiest things to address quickly. Looking at workspaces to ensure people are working in a safe and ergonomically sound way can immediately start improving OH&S.
Question: Refer to the picture of your open plan section. Which of the following do you think can apply to your team?
* Workstations
* Equipment layout and operation
* Computer systems
* Noise
* Lighting
* Thermal comfort
* Maintenance tasks performed on plant items e.g. photocopier
Answer:
- Workstations - They appear to have adequate space and facilities to sit and stand. This looks to be ok.
- Equipment layout and operation - There doesn't appear to be too much clutter and everything appears to be in easy reach.
- Computer systems - Actually the screens do appear to be at a good height. The keyboards also seem to be ergonomically sound.
- Noise - Hmmm. It is lunch so not many people are around but an open-plan office can be quite loud. Maybe this is something to consider.
- Lighting - Everything appears to be well lit and fully functioning.
- Thermal comfort - No extra scarves on seats is a good sign. But it's tough to judge without asking.
- Maintenance tasks performed on plant items e.g. photocopier - This one you do need to ask about.
Question: Which of these items can you address without needing to consult your team for specific feedback?
Answer: None. You should be gathering feedback from employees on all of these before addressing them properly and using the opportunity to get them on board.
After you've made your list of possible hazards you need to make a judgment about the seriousness of each hazard, and decide which hazard requires the most urgent attention.
Step 2: Assess the risks
Teaching note: After you have created a list of hazards, take a close look at each item on your list. What is the possible outcome if things go wrong? Is it an everyday thing, or something that only comes up now and then, giving you more time to find a solution? Are there things you can do right now, as a short-term fix, while you work out a permanent solution?
Luckily in your industry there are fewer workstation hazards that have great potential to cause injury or disease, or are a risk to public safety. You should put your ‘high priority’ hazards at the top of the list and then rank them. As there is nothing critical at the moment a discussion with colleagues is the next step. Just because you haven't identified anything problematic doesn't mean they won't. As you have yet to talk to anyone, you cannot finish Step 2 and may need to go back to Step 1.
Alex wanders back after lunch and sits at her desk. Your eyes are immediately drawn to her. Check to see if she is adhering to the correct and safe posture for desktop work.
There's a small problem. Alex is a little shorter than average in height. So her feet are flat, she's hunched down in her chair which means she doesn't have the correct height on her monitor - which is already at the lowest level. So you will need to move on to Step 3.
Step 3: Fix the problem
You should buy Alex one of these, an adjustable footrest- it is an easy and common way to ensure people have the correct posture at work. This is a small thing that can make a difference to someone at work. Having an ergonomically sound workplace improves worker health.
Teaching note: Even though this may not be the most important priority on your list of hazards, it is a quick way to affect change without talking to your colleagues. But once you have done this and prioritised your hazards you need to start immediately on the most important step of all - fixing the problems.
Your first aim should be to totally remove the risk. If there is a slipping or tripping hazard in your workplace, see if it can be removed. If a task is dangerous, look for alternative ways to complete the task.
If it's not possible to totally remove a risk, you need to find ways to control it. You might have to alter the way certain jobs are done, change work procedures, or perhaps provide protective equipment
Remember: you are required to by law to be vigilant. This includes creating a safety action plan and a register of injuries. The toolkit for creating a register of injuries in Victoria can be found at:
See the safety action plan on the next page.
It is important to not only involve your team to address your own OH&S issues but you are also now responsible for putting together the scoping document for the HR Director. You senda meeting requestto your team for tomorrow morningso you candiscuss it further.
END OF ACTIVITY 5 AND ALL SIMULATION ACTIVITIES