Ensuring a Safe Workplace: Effectiveness and Limitations of OHS/WHS Policies in Primary Industries

This report discusses the effectiveness and limitations of OHS/WHS policies in primary industries, specifically in Allan Barnett Fishing Co. It covers policy statements, policies, and feedback from employees. The report also includes a role play session and a project report.

ENSURE A SAFE WORKPLACE

Table of Contents
Introduction 2
Effectiveness of OHS/WHS in Primary Industries 2
Policy Gap 3
Analysis 4
Conclusion 5
Assessment 2- Role Play 6
Feedback 7
Assessment 4- Project Report 8
Policy Statement 8
Policies 8
Allow for Induction 9
Details Dissemination and Implementation 9
Processes for Hazards Identification 9
Allows for Identification of Occupational Injury and Disease 9
References 10
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Assessment1- General Report
Introduction
The effectiveness of OHS/WHS policies which are supposed to distribute responsibilities and
legislate aiming for occupational health and safety, will be dealt as an issue in the following
report (Claxton, 2017). While it is the responsibility of the management, owner, workers,
suppliers to establish and maintain a safe and healthy working conditions, it also requires to be
administered by the provincial legislation according to the basic guideline along with improving
and finding flaws immanent in the guideline itself.
Effectiveness of OHS/WHS in Primary Industries
This part of the general report will deal with the effectiveness of OHS/WHS in Allan Barnett
Fishing Co, which falls under primary industries, dealing with wild catch fisheries in Tasmania
and producing for domestic and international market (Jennings, 2016). It involves health and
security issues of workers as well as the workplace. The acts require the employers to make their
workers aware about some basic tenets of the workplace to equip them to control the hazards
they may face in the concerned workplace, including:
● Placing restricted and prohibited areas
● What should be done in case of emergency fire;
● Direction for gathering first aid facility;
● Hazards that may occur in what places;
For instance,Theorganisation or you are entitled to review and provide the information regarding
the Chemicals that can be used to ensure safety with the workplace Thus the guideline
necessarily comes with basic workplace rights for the workers involved. The legislation gives the
worker three rights:
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● Preserved right of refusing certain work which one believes doobie dangerous to them
self
● Gathering enough opportunity to ensure workers are safe in their workplace
● Right to know the controlling process of hazard.
It is not a punishable offence for using of the right but an employer will always have the
responsibility of justification to any action taken against a Walker within the workplace in terms
of Health and safety act. This does not merely fall under the duties of the workers but extends to
the duties and accountabilities of the management officials. Executives and the officers that
include the directors of the company, the managers of the farm and the partners initiate towards
the development of the decisions that impact the substantial part or a whole part of business.
According to Hofmann, Burke & Zohar (2017), it is important to keep the officers in charge
totally informed regarding the management of WHS for ensuring the fact that the PCBU tends to
fulfill its responsibilities in relation to safety and health. Some of the responsibilities or the
duties of Officers includes some of the essential responsibility to
(a) keep informed with a cutting-edge information of WHS matters;
b) comprehend dangers and uncertainties significant to the homestead business;
c) guarantee the utilization of proper assets and procedures to dispose of or limit dangers to
wellbeing and security;
(d) guarantee a framework is utilized to get, consider and react to data on perils and dangers
timelily;
(e) guarantee they actualize forms for consenting to any WHS obligation (e.g. reports remarkable
occurrences, counsels with laborers, consents to sees, gives preparing and guidance and so forth)
(f) affirm that the majority of this is being finished.
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Figure 1: The WHS circle (Nankervis, Baird, Coffey & Shields, 2016)
Policy Gap
Now there can be undesirable gap between the policy and its effectiveness because in lots of
workplace accidents though the safety hazards and needed equipment were in place, it lacked the
implementation and effective use of them (Lundgren & McMakin, 2018). In Australian
countryside ‘A crew member who was a prawn trawler was not wearing any personal flotation
device (PFD). He fell while throwing the net on the sea and he drowned before any of his fellow
workers can initiate any of their helping hand to him In the case the organization has PFD’s in
case of the trawler, nothing was there in the place for any of the procedures that initiated the
requirement of the crew members to take up life jackets’ (Lower,2014). Although PFDs were in
place, the business management lacked the effective ordinance to regulate and monitor its
systematic uses according to the situation, depicting how sensitization is indispensable for the
success of the concerned policy. Thus training and sensitizing workers in using safety equipment
in relevant circumstances must be considered an imperative in WHS planning and action. To
provide another instance of workplace accident due to negligence of policy from harvesting of
cane:
‘A cane bin was overloaded by the harvesting contractor which caused it to derail when it
moved along the train line. The owner of the cane farm, who was well experienced in the
operation, was driving the tractor at the siding to move a cane bin back onto the lines.
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A second worker was at the siding, of which the tractor operator was not aware. When the bin
was moved back onto the rails, the second worker was hit by the bin. The worker received
severe injuries to their leg which required surgery and extensive rehabilitation’ (Lower 2014).
Analysis
In this case a lack of systematic workplace relations endangered this incident as under further
investigation the fact of the second worker being unaware about necessary safety information
and negligence of policy, has been demonstrated. This particular case study necessarily
demonstrates the benefits and the importance of having some of the system in the place. Thus
though OHS/WHS can be a very effective system of ensuring safety in workplace, it gets
thwarted specifically for two reasons: firstly, due to the lack of sensitization and training to
use safety equipment in relevant circumstances and secondly, due to miscommunication
between workers or worker-employer and the resulting unawareness surrounding them about
the propensity of the work, they are carrying out. The third thing worth mentioning in relation
to the effectiveness and limitations of OHS/WHS policy is Code of Practice which ensures the
functioning of WHS in relation to the provincial jurisdiction in a state or territory by
identifying hazardous and risk-situation with certain readily available juridical codifications to
make it easier to be dealt in court (Claxton, 2017). World Health and Safety Act is supposed to
subsume these codes of practice under its juridical organization.
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Figure 2: Mechanism of injury(Barnett et al., 2016)
The following case study can illustrate the handiness of code of practice in WHS
implementation:
Employed in the mixed farming that is mixed grain sheep beef one, the employed worker fell off
a quad in case of travelling from one point to the another one and hit her head to death. The farm
consisted of the health and safety policy that have been revised in alternate six months by the
OHS manager. They furthermore take the risk assessment towards the wearing of the helmets
and the availability of it for the use of the staffs. The assessment of the risk projected that in case
of the quads for driving less aggressively, the helmet would not have been required.
The owner of the farm pleaded guilty for the charges of the risks from the usage of the quads that
furthermore includes deaths and the rate of the injury specifically known as the foreseeable.
Taking the helmet is one of the fundamental ways to assist in the management of the risks from
the quads which had been both feasible and available. A total amount of $80,000 was hugely
imposed with the magistrate with the notable fact aiming the reduction of the penalty. The
penalty was $550,000 for the factors of mitigation that furthermore includes the presence of the
policies related to health and safety (Lower, 2014)
This instance clearly points out how easier it becomes to ensure justice for the deceased worker
if there is a ready code of practice associated with the security measures.
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Conclusion
To conclude, following OHS/WHS is absolutely necessary due to various factors including
protection of human and natural resources, preservation of human and environmental rights and
emerging as a conscious and aware business force in international market. Critical analysis of the
implementation process must be conducted regularly in order to keep a check on its relevance
and effectiveness
Assessment 2- Role Play
The session undertaken on 23rd November concerns its participants with problems and their
possible solutions surrounding OHS/WHS program where the three new employees have been
encouraged to collaborate actively in ensuring an accident free workplace and to comply with the
responsibilities accorded to them. Besides sensitizations on workplace safety, usage of necessary
safety equipment and rights of the employees, they have been told of the risk factors involved in
primary production like this ranging from security issues surrounding confined space including
electrical safety, first aid, emergency plans to hazardous chemicals. The purpose of the induction
was clearly stated to them as to provide them with required knowledge to safely conduct work in
the concerned industry. Along with spoken session, they have been provided with the following
hand outs and learning aids where the guidelines and their procedural functioning are clearly
stated:
● Links to core WHS resources in corresponding states and territories along with ACTS,
NSW, NT and QLD.
● Health and safety manual samples.
● Model codes that are endorsed in current industries Lower 2014.( , )
Confined Spaces Confined Spaces ACT, NSW, NT, QLD,
SA, TAS
Consultation, co-
operation &
coordination
Work Health and Safety Consultation, Co-
operation and Co-ordination
ACT, NSW, NT, QLD,
SA, TAS, WA
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Electrical Managing Electrical Risks in the Workplace ACT, NSW, NT, QLD,
SA, TAS, WA
Excavation Excavation Work ACT, NSW, NT, QLD,
SA, TAS, WA
Feedback
Session 01, Date: 23/11/18
In your opinion, how effective was the OHS/WHS induction session for new employees?
The session has been very helpful in indicating the necessity to follow the safety protocols and in
making us aware about the impending dangers of carelessness or avoidance of safety protocols.
What would you do differently in if you were running this induction session?
I would rather have advised conducting a practical induction workshop where the threats of the
workplace will be practically demonstrated along with how and when using safety equipment is a
necessity.
Session 02, Date: 24/11/18
In your opinion, how effective was the OHS/WHS induction session for new employees?
It was more or less effective in determining the safety of the workplace but even despite of these
routine sessions, the threat of dangers and accidents persist.
What would you do differently in if you were running this induction session?
I would ensure a part of company’s funds to buy dispensable safety equipment in the process of
induction to assure our workers of a safe workplace. Along with that making workers
procedurally acquainted with certain juridical policies and codes of practices would be taken in
consideration by me.
Session 03, Date: 23/11/18
In your opinion, how effective was the OHS/WHS induction session for new employees?
We learnt a lot about WHS policies to use them at our disposal but it would have been better if
the session included a detailed discussion of their intersections with provincial and juridical
codes.
What would you do differently in if you were running this induction session?
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I would have invited public lawyers to illuminate us on using those codes of practice in the favor
of a safe workplace. Also the legal consequence following injuries and health hazards would
have been dealt by me extensively.
Assessment 4- Project Report
Allan Barnett Fishing Co operates in Tasmania’s wild catch fisheries and produces for both
domestic and export market. The Company follows a set of OHS/WHS policies and procedures
that are extremely essential for the occupational safety of Australian employees. The national
model legislation is responsible for all work and health related laws and are widely accepted as
necessary forms of controls all over Commonwealth and Australian states (Drummond,
Sculpher, Claxton, Stoddart& Torrance, 2015). An effective policy statement not only
encourages healthy and safe OHS practices, but also demonstrates commitment towards human
rights.
Policy Statement
The OHS/WHS policy statement clearly identifies the need to adhere to health and safety
legislation in order to reflect the specific needs of an organization. It makes a strong commitment
to health and occupational safety of the human resources utilized by the particular organization.
Policies
● Work Cover: Accident Insurance Policy provides specific insurance covers for injuries
and accidents in the workplace.
● Manual Handling: The Occupational Safety and Health Regulation prevent manual
handling or the use of force on a person or animal, in a working environment.
● Emergency Procedures: Emergency Preparedness Policy maintains the emergency plans,
which contain detailed information regarding specific emergencies at specific
workplaces.
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● Fire Safety: The Fire and Safety Regulations assures that employees in the construction,
renovation and repair sector are aware of the hazards and their consequences.
● OHS/WHS representative functions: The functions of the OHS/WHS representatives
include identifying and analyzing hazardous risks, control risks, making decisions
regarding prevention facilities, monitoring employee health, monitoring OHS guidelines,
etc.
● Smoking Policy: Smoke Free Workplace Policy allows smoking practices only during
periodic breaks and outside the office premises.
● Sexual Harassment: Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition
and Redressal) Act initiate the protection of the women from any kind of sexual
harassment at their workplace.
● Risk Management: The Financial Audit Committee is responsible for the management
and repair of risks.
Allow for Induction
The Company will allow an effective induction process that would help the employees to work
in a safe and hazard-free way (Osibanjo, Gberevbie, Adeniji&Oludayo, 2015). Adequate
information and training would be provided to the employees and other stakeholders before
functioning on-site.
Details Dissemination and Implementation
All stakeholders of the organization would be made aware regarding the existing acts,
regulations and codes of practice of their profession, e.g. Safe Work Australia works for the
development of work health and safety of workers and as a business owner it is necessary to
meet all the OHS/WHS requirements, across Australia (Drysdale, 2017).
Processes for Hazards Identification
The organization will implement formal processes to carry out a thorough and periodic
investigation and identification of new or existing risks and hazards (Chow, Ramirez &Keiler,
2018).
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Allows for Identification of Occupational Injury and Disease
As working in wild catch fisheries, the organization is prone to several kinds of water-borne
diseases or other occupational injuries and the Company emphasizes on the identification and
remedy of such occupational hazards.
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References
Claxton, G. G. (2017). Occupational Health and Safety: Generating regulatory perceptions to
encourage compliance (Doctoral dissertation, Curtin University).
Hofmann, D. A., Burke, M. J., & Zohar, D. (2017). 100 years of occupational safety research:
From basic protections and work analysis to a multilevel view of workplace safety and
risk. Journal of Applied Psychology, 102(3), 375.
Lundgren, R. E., &McMakin, A. H. (2018). Risk communication: A handbook for
communicating environmental, safety, and health risks. John Wiley & Sons.
Barnett, A., Abrantes, K. G., Baker, R., Diedrich, A. S., Farr, M., Kuilboer, A., ...&Stoeckl, N.
(2016). Sportfisheries, conservation and sustainable livelihoods: a multidisciplinary guide to
developing best practice. Fish and fisheries, 17(3), 696-713.
Nankervis, A. R., Baird, M., Coffey, J., & Shields, J. (2016). Human resource management:
strategy and practice. Cengage AU.
Drummond, M. F., Sculpher, M. J., Claxton, K., Stoddart, G. L., & Torrance, G. W.
(2015). Methods for the economic evaluation of health care programmes. Oxford university
press.
Osibanjo, A. O., Gberevbie, D. E., Adeniji, A. A., &Oludayo, A. O. (2015). Relationship
modeling between work environment, employee productivity, and supervision in the Nigerian
public sector. American Journal of Management, 15(2), 9.
Drysdale, J. (2017). Safety outcomes associated with new employee classification: the impact of
expectations and experience.
Chow, C., Ramirez, J., &Keiler, M. (2018).Application of Sensitivity Analysis for Process
Model Calibration of Natural Hazards. Geosciences, 8, 218.
Jennings, S. (2016, February).Provisioning wild catch seafood in Australia’s ocean economy:
opportunities and challenges.In 2016 Conference (60th), February 2-5, 2016, Canberra,
Australia (No. 235338).Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society.
Lower, Tony (2014). Work health and safety legislative. Health and safety material , Canberra,
2014
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