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Occupational Health and Safety: Risks, Management, and Best Practices
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Added on 2019-09-30
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This guide covers the risks, management, and best practices of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS). It includes information on common workplace risks, key areas of OHS management, legislative requirements, control measures, and more. The guide also provides a checklist for conducting an onsite OHS inspection.
Occupational Health and Safety: Risks, Management, and Best Practices
Added on 2019-09-30
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Occupational Health and Safety Q.1. Depending on the workplace or environment where the operation is carried out, there are anumber of health and safety risks take place. Some of the common risks are-Risk with electricity- skin burn, shocks, disabilityAsbestos- Lungs failure on inhaling, mesothelioma (a type of cancer)Fire- skin burn, disability of personGas- Suffocation, air borne diseases, eye irritation etc.Noise- Permanent hearing loss, neurological disorder etc.Hazardous substances- Cancer, dermatitis and asthmaBullying- Depression, anxiety, loneliness etc. Working in confined space- breathe out, sensory damage, skin diseases etc. Q.2. Occupational Health and Safety Management is essentially put into practice in organizationswhich will lead the organization to be a safe and healthy workplace. Workplace Health andSafety (WHS) Act.2011 acts as a regulatory framework for this management system. Here aresome key areas-Incident notificationConsultation with workers.Issue resolutions Inspector powers and functionsOffences and PenaltiesThis Act covers workers or employees in a wider spectrum which includes- employees,contractors, subcontractors, outworkers, apprentices and trainees, work experience students,volunteers and employers who perform work. Now a days, this Act is covering protection forgeneral public. A person conducting business must get certificate of OHS under this act. Q.3. Obligations for Health and Safety requirements at workplace-If I am an employer then-Examine workplace conditions to make sure as per OSHA standard.
Making it sure that workers are using safety tools and equipment while dealing withhazardous things.Employees and workers are given safety training program.Provision is made for medical examination and emergency situation. Inspection and recording of injuries and accidents are reported.If I am an employee/worker-Take care of own health and safety.Take reasonable care for health and safety of others who may be affected by their acts ornegligence.Cooperate with anything that come under OHS requirement with employer. Don’t misuse or interfere provided under OHS.Q.4. Advisory standards requirements-Asbestos advisory standard-Create asbestos register to record asbestos presence at workplace.Provide access to asbestos register to those who engaged to remove asbestos.Inform contractor before entering workplace.Control the risk.Concrete Pumping Supplement- Reasonable practice has applied at workplace to follow OHS under its duty to exercise duediligence.Consultation with workersConsulting, coordinating and cooperating activities with other duty holders. Training and supervision at work. Risk managementFalling object advisory standard-Adequate protection is provided to minimise risk of falling.Use of isolation \at workplace.Training and subversion of workers.
Use of Personal Protective Equipment. Q.5. Key elements in best practices of OHS Planning-Establishment of protocols and distributed up-to date documents for health and safetyinformation across organization. Safety inspection check-listRisk assessment is done periodically.Emergency response servicesTraining program for Health and Safety measures to all workers. Internal safety audit Compliance with OHS guidelines Measurable performance matrix for health and safety Regular meeting and communication strategy where various risks and hazardous situation isaddressed. Q.6. Key elements within OHS Management System-Safety plan- It is a strategic action plan where management analyses current and future riskand hazards in relation to health and safety that can be managed and controlled over nextcalendar period. Policies, procedures and processes- It is the code of conduct for OHS in organization. Itincludes, safety behaviour, expectations, incident reporting and record keeping. Training and induction- Everyone goes through this process whether he/she is exposed tolow or high risk. Intensity of training differs according to level of risk.Monitoring, supervision and reporting- overviewing the OHS program effectiveness,watching personnel whether they are following OHS guidelines or not and finally reportingis done to make necessary changes in behaviour or people or in OHS program. Q.7. Roles and responsibility of Health and Safety Officer-Inspection of site to ensure workers are working in a hazard free environment. Enhancement of safety behaviour by representing project safety council. Verify accidents and injuries log report and submit to government agencies. Verify all tools and equipment are safe to use.
Promote safe practice at job site.Trains and carries drill in case of emergency situation like fire breakout. Conduct job hazard analysis. Q.8. Legislative requirements for OHS auditAuditor’s requirement- He is required to have WHS management system training,qualification and relevant work experience.Audit program- This program is normally prepared with a 3 year cycle outlines accordingto WHS verification audit schedule. Audit methodology- It should involve the date and scope of audit, meeting withmanagement and key personnel, audit conducted interviews and records, closer meetingand detailing drafting of report. Reporting of results- The report will go to WHS committee who will give confirmation ofOHS standard. Corrective action plan- If any deficiency is there in audit, here it will be rectified. Review and evaluation- Every period, the OHS guidelines would be complied withorganizational guidelines. Q.9. Types of documentation required in determining potential risk-Observation by H&S OfficerMaterial Safety Data Sheet.Hazard and risk survey reportRecord of accidents and injuries Legislative requirements under OHS standardSystem failure reporting Health report of workers.Training report on OHS.Policies, procedures and guidelines for OHS.Q.10. It is the Occupational Health and Safety Officer and Medical representative in theorganization who will help in OHS inspection and risk analysis. At first, the Health and Safetycommittee will do health and safety hazard identification analysis where they will find the type
of hazards, seriousness of hazard and how control mechanism can be established. The first parti.e. what type of hazard will be conducted by OHS officer. The intensity of hazard is measuredby the OHS committee after preliminary report submission by OHS Officer. Finally, the riskanalysis and further actions will be done by the committee itself with OHS Officer andsometimes help from government or medical representatives are taken. Q.11. Key consideration while conducting workplace safety inspection-At first listen to the concerns of workers and their representatives.Analyse the workplace hazards and incident reporting Identifying the potential hazards and the causes that are responsible for such hazards.Reviewing effectiveness of previously implemented hazard control.Inspection schedule will be prepared prior to inspection conduct.The inspector will check the frequency of inspection to adjust schedule. Before inspection starts, an inspection team will be formed where alongside the inspectora local manager or supervisor or worker representative will be there. Inspection checklist will be prepared.Whenever the inspection is done, the inspector will tick the point in checklist to ensureall stages are gone through.Q.12. Contents of inspection report-Details about the contractor and his roles and responsibility for OHS.Project detailsConfidentiality and distribution details alongside internal health auditor details.Administrative requirements in OHS.Training, risk management and other general requirements Safe work method statementWork environment safetyFalling objects and public protectionFalls Ladders and platform supported by ladders Scaffolding Demolition
Welding and hot workElectrical Hazardous substances and dangerous goodsAsbestos management General traffic managementManual taskNoise and other hazardous risks.Q13. Consultation regarding OHS compliance issues and statutory requirements-This type of action takes place when the existing OHS policies and procedures don’t fulfil therequirements. In this case, consultation is done with workers and other duty holders at theworkplace. The WHS Act.2011 requires that where more than one person has a duty of samematter, each person has the responsibility for their duty and they must discharge their duty to thatextent which he/she can control or influence. The Act. Also says that each duty holder will shareinformation in a timely manner to meet health and safety obligation. Overall, any health andsafety issue is addressed at worker level first, then it goes to the H&S Officer who further reportsto OHS committee. They do evaluation and revision in OHS guidelines take place. In anystatutory case, reference is taken from representatives of OHS at government level.Q.14. Control measures goes in this way-After risk assessment is done, OHS committee decide what are the hazards, the level ofhazards, how likely to happen, frequency of happening, who will face, skill, experienceand knowledge of people about hazard facing and working condition.- IdentificationImplementation- 1. Design or reorganize materials, machines or work system to eliminatehazards 2. Removal of hazard substances if possible 3. Isolate the hazard 4. Minimisethrough engineering control 5. Minimise risk through administrative control 6. PPEimplementation.Review- Risk assessment checklist is carried and then the checklist is evaluated by theOHS Committee to bring further changes. Q15. Examples of OHS Communication Strategy-
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