WHS Overview

Health

The state of being free from illness or injury

Safety

Being protected from harm or risk, including security

Security

The state of being free from danger or threat

Social costs

Refer to the impact of the workplace accident on the injured person's family, affecting lifestyle and choices

Human costs

Permanent effects on the quality of the worker due to workplace injury, causing strain on family, friends, and co-workers

Organisational costs

Effects on the workplace after an injury, potential restrictions on operations, and increased workload for other employees

Economic costs

Financial burdens on the workplace, family, and health system, including medical costs, injury rehabilitation, and loss of wages

Duty of care

Mutual responsibility where the PCBU, workers, and visitors must ensure safe work practices to prevent harm

Participation and consultation

Employees duty to engage in discussions on safe work issues, understanding rights and responsibilities regarding WHS

WorkCover NSW

Oversees work health and safety, workers' compensation insurance, benefits, and return to work strategies in NSW

Safe Work Australia

Aims to improve health and safety, workers compensation arrangements, raise awareness, and regulate health and safety laws

Unions

Represent workers in various industries, providing advice on WHS issues and support

Professional associations

Organizations like the Australian Hotels Association, Restaurant and Catering NSW, and Clubs NSW providing information on WHS issues

Internal sources of WHS information

Workplace policies, emergency plans, and training documents

External sources of WHS information

WorkCover NSW, legislation, regulations, and codes of practice

Authority and responsibility for WHS

Working according to the employment level within the management hierarchy, taking initiative, problem-solving, and decision-making

WHS legislation

Includes the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) and Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (NSW) to protect workers' health, safety, and welfare

Codes of practice

Guidelines for workplaces to comply with WHS legislation, including hazardous goods, manual handling, and risk management

Manual handling

Tasks involving lifting, pushing, carrying, or moving objects that may pose risks of strain or injury, requiring risk assessment

Risk management

Process of identifying hazards, assessing risks, and controlling risks to ensure a safe workplace

WHS consultation

Employers seek advice from workers on safety matters

PCBU

Person conducting a business or undertaking with duty of care

Consequences of non-compliance

Financial, legal penalties for safety violations

Safety signs

Provide direction, warn of hazards, comply with legislation

Monitoring and reporting

Record injuries, report incidents to Safework NSW

Reporting protocols

Official procedures for reporting health and safety issues

Health and safety committee

Facilitates safety measures in the workplace

WHS inspection

Conducted by Safework NSW to provide feedback on safety policies

Security hazards

Threaten staff, guest safety, property, and valuables

Cash handling procedures

Secure handling, regular transfer of cash to safe

Document security

Secure electronic storage, limited access to sensitive information

Equipment theft prevention

Prevent theft through secure storage and guest verification

Key and access pass control

Restrict access, prevent unauthorized use of facilities

Staff security measures

Training to identify suspicious behavior, distinguish staff from guests

Customer security

Prevent disturbances, notify police if necessary

Visitor identification

Require visitors to sign in, show identification for access

Record security

Secure electronic records, shred paper copies

Stock and supplies security

Limit access, conduct regular stock takes

Building security

Restrict access to secure areas, monitor general access areas

Dealing with security breaches

Notify supervisor, follow protocols in case of breach

Observation (CCTV)

A security measure involving the use of closed-circuit television for monitoring purposes.

Evacuation

The act of moving people out of a dangerous or hazardous area to a place of safety.

Risk

The level of exposure to danger or harm.

Hazard

A situation that has the potential to pose a threat to life or health.

Hazard Identification

The process of identifying situations that can cause harm or injury in the workplace.

Biological Hazards

Risks related to exposure to bacteria, viruses, and molds, requiring infection control training for workers.

Human Factors Hazards

Risks associated with carelessness, bullying, failure to follow procedures, or lack of supervision or training.

Manual Handling Hazards

Risks related to lifting, pushing, pulling, or turning objects, especially when done hastily or unsafely.

Materials Hazards

Risks arising from the incorrect use or storage of materials such as chemicals, gases, equipment, or broken glass.

Tools and Equipment Hazards

Risks associated with the unsupervised or improper use of tools and equipment.

Work Environment Hazards

Risks stemming from hot, crowded, noisy, or understaffed work environments.

Work Processes and Practices Hazards

Risks related to procedures that expose staff to potential harm or injury, such as lifting heavy bulk ingredients.

Risk Assessment

A systematic process of evaluating the potential risks associated with a hazard occurring in the workplace.

Risk Control (Hierarchy)

A structured approach to managing risks, including eliminating, minimizing, or controlling risks through various methods.

Eliminate the Risk

Removing the hazard to completely eradicate the associated risk.

Minimising the Risk

Reducing the risk level through methods like substitution, modification, isolation, or engineering controls.

Other Controls

Additional risk management measures such as administrative policies, procedures, and training.

Safe work practices

The risk is minimized by requiring workers to conduct their job following workplace procedures.

PPE

Equipment required under policy for safety reasons.

WHS induction training

Program introducing new employees to the workplace, highlighting potential risks, hazards, and emergency procedures.

Standard operating procedures (SOP's)

Step-by-step instructions aiding workers in processes, machinery operation, with a focus on safety.

Workplace documentation

Stored electronically for at least 7 years, includes qualifications evidence and incident reports.

Work instructions

Relate to job descriptions, outlining WHS responsibilities, often displayed near the workplace.

Workplace policy

Distributed during induction, available in hardcopy or electronically, covering WHS, PPE, cash handling, and shift staffing.

Selection, use, and maintenance of PPE

Under WHS law, PPE must be provided, including protection for various body parts, with proper sizing and maintenance.

Manual handling techniques

Involves tasks like bending, lifting, and carrying, with precautions to avoid strain injuries.

Factors adding to the risk of injury from manual handling tasks

Include repetitive movement, poor posture, excessive vibration, and awkward postures.

Recommended weight limits

Provided by the National code of manual handling, specifying weight limits for sitting and standing.

Ergonomics and posture

Considered for workplace safety, focusing on the physical environment's impact on workers' bodies.

Correct placement of equipment

Adjusting equipment placement for operator comfort and safety, including chair height, lighting, and temperature.

Sitting and standing positions

Emphasize correct posture to reduce strain injuries, with guidelines for foot placement and body alignment.

Task rotation

Prevents overuse injuries and accidents by rotating tasks among workers.

Use of adjustable furniture

Adjustable chairs and computers prevent muscle and eye strain, with lighting adjustments to reduce eye strain.

Hazardous substances and dangerous goods

Include flammable or toxic materials, requiring proper handling, labeling, and storage.

Safety data sheets (SDS)

Detailed documents about chemical substances, safety procedures, and emergency information, supplied with chemicals.

Tools and equipment selection appropriate to work task

Choosing the correct tools for safety, as using the wrong equipment can lead to injuries.

Pre-operational checks and correct use

Checking appliances for defects before use and following operating procedures for safety.

Regular maintenance and correct storage

Proper maintenance extends equipment life, while correct storage prevents hazards and ensures availability.

Electrical tagging

Annual safety testing of appliances, tagging safe ones with the next inspection date, and disposing of unsafe ones.

Liquid petroleum gas

Commonly used for outdoor heating and barbecues, should never be used indoors, with regular cylinder checks for leaks.

Inert gases

Includes gases like CO2 used in beverage systems, with precautions against leaks due to their danger.

Housekeeping clean-up procedures

Routine and emergency cleaning tasks, with routine tasks scheduled daily, weekly, or monthly.

Wet floor sign

A sign that must be displayed to warn of a wet floor and prevent slips and falls

Biological waste

Includes items like a serviette used to treat a bleeding nose and requires the use of gloves for safe handling

Manual handling hazard

Risk created by waste in garbage bins that can be reduced by regularly emptying bins to prevent difficulty in lifting

Incident

An occasion where something has happened

Accident

An unfortunate, unexpected, and unintentional incident resulting in injury or damage

Emergency

A serious, unexpected, or dangerous situation requiring immediate action

First aid

Initial help provided until full medical treatment is available

Manageable first aid

The first help given until full medical treatment is available and can be provided by trained first-aid officers

Sprains and strains

Caused by poor manual handling, poor ergonomics, or trips/falls and require rest, ice, and compression as first aid

Burns and scalds

Caused by steam, lack of PPE, or chemical burns and require cold running water and medical attention

Cuts

Caused by using sharp utensils/equipment and require applying pressure and covering with a bandage

Allergic reaction

Caused by contact with an allergen and requires identifying symptoms and calling emergency services

Electric shock

Caused by faulty appliances and requires turning off power and calling emergency services

Strategies to reduce workplace accidents

Include adopting safe work practices, providing PPE, maintaining premises/equipment, providing training, and supervising staff

Emergency contact numbers

Include 000 for fire, ambulance, or police, and other numbers as per the quick guide

Emergency signals and alarms

Use code words to avoid panicking customers, have different alarms for different emergencies, and ensure clear emergency exits with signage

Procedures to follow in emergencies

Include notifying a supervisor/manager, following workplace policy/procedure, evacuating safely, securing property, and reporting incidents

Basic process of fighting a fire

Involves contacting emergency services, using a fire blanket for small contained fires, a fire extinguisher for clear pathways, and a fire hose for larger fires