Occupational Health and Safety System - Assignment Example

BSBOHS509A ENSURE A SAFE WORKPLACE ASSESSMENT WORKBOOK (Version 2015) STUDENT NAME: Contents Introduction 3 Assessment 3 Resources 4 Element 1 5 Element 2 7 Element 3 8 Element 4 11 Check Sheet 19 Introduction Overview Welcome to your studies of “Ensure a Safe Workplace”. Successful completion of this Unit of Competence will contribute towards your “Diploma of Management”. The main focus of this learning module is to expand your knowledge and skills so that you are both confident and competent in establishing, maintaining and evaluating SJGHC’s Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) policies, procedures and programs in your work area in accordance with OHS requirements. Learning outcomes On completion of this module you will have additional knowledge and skills in how to: 1. Establish and maintain an OHS system 2. Establish and maintain participative arrangements for the management of OHS 3. Establish and maintain procedures for identifying hazards, and assessing and controlling risks 4. Establish and maintain a quality OHS management system. Prior Knowledge and Experience There are no pre-requisites for this Unit. If you have prior knowledge of this subject you may be entitled to apply for skills recognition (previously called recognition of prior learning or RPL). This means you may not have to complete this entire Unit. If you believe you might fall into this category please seek advice from your Learning Coordinator. Resources Barclay, M. (1996), Occupational health and safety in the office, Addison Wesley Longman, Australia. Bohle, P. (2000), Managing occupational health and safety: a multidisciplinary approach, Macmillan, Melbourne. Cole, K (2001), Supervision: The theory and practice of first-line management, 2nd ed., Prentice Hall: Australia. Edwards, R. (1997), Occupational health and safety: an introductory workbook, AMES, Melbourne. Flanagan, N (2003), The Management Bible, Plum Press, Australia Stewart, M. (2003), Occupational health and safety, McGraw-Hill, Australia. Stone R (2002), Human resource management. John Wiley, QLD. Toohey, J. (2005), OH&S in Australia: A management guide, Thomson Learning, Victoria. Tovey, M.D. (2001), Managing performance improvement, Prentice Hall: Australia. Element 1: Establish and maintain an Occupational Health and Safety system Activities (2 pages) 1.1 What are the primary health and safety issues for your Unit/Department? As a Manager/Team Leader what have you done/has been done to reduce the impact of these issues? When providing care to the bariatric patients, the health and safety issues involve lifting the patients, manual handling and use of mechanical equipment when handling the patients. The activities can lead to sprains and strain of the joints, injuries to the spinal cord and muscles injuries. In order to reduce the impacts of the OHS problems, various measures have been put in place. The staff members have been trained on how to handle the equipment as well as the bariatric patients. Continuous training is also carried among the staff members. The staff members are also provided with equipment for handling the patients which enhances their safety. Each of the staff members is also provided with a personal alarm that they can use for emergency purposes. The care givers have also been provided with safety policy manuals to enable them carry out their activities effectively. 1.2 How have you contributed to maintaining an OHS system in your Unit/Department and your Division? What site OHS policies/procedures are available at your workplace? Where are they located? Measures have been put in place at the department to ensure that OHS system at the department has been maintained. The department usually has policies as well as workplace inspection tools. The workplace inspection tool is usually used for determining the site compliance with regards to the workplace health and safety. The hospital has an OHS policy that has been developed for managers and it is aimed at providing the procedures for dealing with the health issues. Different risks as well as hazards have been identified by the hospitals (St. John of God Healthcare, 4). The procedures for dealing with each of the hazards had been identified in the policy. Each of the caregivers has been provided with the OHS manual and they can use it whenever necessary. The manager also has the manual with the procedures and can be applied on the site when necessary. 1.3 Provide 2 examples of recent OHS procedures developed within your Unit/Department or Division and explain how they have been implemented. The department usually uses various equipment for handling the bariatric patients. Any equipment that is damaged or broken poses hazards to the caregivers as well as the patients at the department. When dealing with the damaged equipment, the first step involves removing the object out of service and tagging it. An engineering request is then made for the repair of the equipment. An FMS system is in place at the department for dealing with the engineering requests. A RiskPro Hazard report is then prepared and the department makes discussion on the issue. The record of the risk is then developed for safety purposes (St. John of God Healthcare, 14). Injuries are also common at the department due to the manual activities that the caregivers have to carry out. The first step involves making arrangements immediately for physical and psychological care for the caregiver. The incident is then investigated with the involvement of the other employees. The injury is then entered in the RiskPro and investigation outcome communicated to the employees. Appropriate measures are then put in place for the purposes of preventing a reoccurrence of the incident. 1.4 How can an organization ensure that its OHS system is operating effectively? What processes can be undertaken to ensure this and who should be involved? In order for an OHS to operate effectively, continuous training of the employees should be carried out. All the risks and hazards should also be identified in advance and preventive measures put in place. Efficient communication should also be put in place at the organization. The legal requires with regards to the OHS policies should be complied with in order to ensure that the measures are effective. The employees should also be involved in every step of the implementation. Supporting evidence Provide a copy of your recent OHS procedures developed within your division/department. St. John of God Healthcare. OHS guide for managers. SJGH, 2012. Element 2: Establish and maintain participative arrangements for the management of Occupational Health and Safety Activities (1 page) 2.1 Describe how you have established and maintained participative arrangements for the management of OHS in your Unit/Department and your Division? Participative arrangements are in place at the department for the purposes of promoting the health and safety of the employees. Training of the employees is usually carried out from time to time in order to ensure that they are fully aware of all the policies that are in place. Frequent consultations between the managers and the employees usually talks place during the identification and implementation of the risks and hazards. An injury management coordinator is also in place at the department for the purposes of providing a link between the management and the employees. The presence of the coordinator is important in terms of encouraging consultations between the employees and the management. This promotes the participation of the caregivers in the implementation of the OHS policy. 2.2 When changes are to be made to processes and procedures within your Division who should be consulted and why? Incase changes are to be made to the processes and procedures the employees have to be consulted. This is because the changes will have a direct impact on the health and safety of the employees. The employees have to give their opinions regarding the changes so as to ensure that it does not impact negatively on the operations on the health and safety of the employees (St. John of God Healthcare, 19). The changes employees need to fully understand the changes so as to carry put their activities in accordance to the changes that takes place. The health and safety of the employees may be compromised if they are not consulted. The implementation process may also face some difficulties if the employees are not consulted. A sense of belonging is usually created among the employees when they are consulted and hence impacting positively on the implementation process. Element 3: Establish and maintain procedures for identifying hazards, and assessing and controlling risks Activities (1 page plus completed documents) 3.1 Describe a time when you or a member of your team identified a hazard. What happened? What did you do? Explain the hierarchy of controls methodology using examples. How do you ensure all hazards are identified and controlled within your department? One of the hazards that were identified by a team member was faulty equipment that would have led to injuries to the caregivers when providing care to the patient. The team member immediately labeled the equipment and reported the incident to the manager. The first step in the hierarchy control involves attempting to eliminate the hazard with an example being putting in place prevention measures. This is followed by substituting which may involve making changes. A solution can then be engineered which involve a complete overhaul of the process. Training the employees is the next step. The final step involves using the protective equipment like gloves. This method is also used at the department to deal with the risks. 3.2 Carry out a risk assessment (using the template provided at the workshop) in your Division for a hazard which has been identified as high risk. From this risk assessment develop a safe operating procedure as one of your controls – provide copies of the completed risk assessment, and a copy of the developed safe work procedure. The main risk at the department involves physical as well as spinal cord injuries due to lifting of heavy equipment. The lifting limits for the care giver should first be identified. All the obstructions and hazards should be removed at the workplace. Ergonomic design equipment has to be put in place at all the workplace. The correct equipment should be used at all times when carrying out different activities. 3.3 Carry out a workplace hazard inspection of a Unit/Department within your Division and develop an appropriate action plan. Provide a copy of the completed inspection document and the completed action plan. Hazard Probability Effects Remedies Sprains and strain of joints High High Use of mechanical aids. Equipment should have handholds to improve on grip. Ensuring that the patients fit well on the mechanical tools. Spinal cord injury High Very high Avoid too much of manual handling. Use of powered tools and equipment. Supporting evidence Provide copies of the completed risk assessment, and a copy of the developed safe work procedure. Provide a copy of the completed inspection document and the completed action plan. St. John of God Healthcare. Workplace inspection Tool Burwood. SJGH, 2015. St. John of God Healthcare. OHS guide for managers. SJGH, 2012. Element 4: Establish and maintain a quality Occupational Health and Safety management system Activities (2 pages) 4.1 How do you ensure caregivers in your Unit/Department are adequately trained in OHS procedures? What should be included in the OHS component of the orientation program for all new caregivers? How do you ensure your caregivers are assessed as competent to undertake their duties? In order to ensure that the caregivers at the department are adequately trained, coordinators have been employed on a full time basis for the purposes of enhancing the training of the employees. Adequate time for training is also provided to the employees for the purposes of ensuring that the training is carried out effectively. Experts are also involved in the process of training the employees in order to ensure efficiency. The new caregivers should be provided with the OHS policy of the organization (Stewart, 12). This is for the purposes of ensuring that they are aware of policies. A feedback mechanism should be put in place for the purposes of assessing the competency of the caregivers. 4.2 Why should an organisation establish, implement and maintain documented OHS objectives and targets at all levels within the organisation? An Organization should implement and maintain the documented OHS objectives and targets at all levels of the organization for the purposes of promoting safety and health of the employees throughout the organization. Establishing, implementing and documenting the OHS objectives is a legal requirement. Each organization has to put in place OHS policy as a mandatory requirement by law. The failure of the organization to establish, implement and maintain documented OHS policy may lead to legal problems for an organization. The working conditions and environment within the organization is improved through the process of establishing, implementing and maintain the OHS policy. 4.3 What is your Division’s current Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR) and Serious Lost Time injury Frequency Rate (SLTIFR)? What does this information mean? At the hospital, the Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate is 4%. The serious Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate is 0.96% (St. John of God Healthcare, 2). The target of the hospital for the SLTIFR IS Read More