Risk Assessment Assignment for Workplace Safety and Health

This assignment discusses safety policies and procedures, WHS consultation and communication policy, reporting and first aid, workplace hazard and risk assessment, and recommendations to improve safety at a store. It includes references and suggestions for involvement.

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Risk Assessment assignment
Assessment 1
Safety policy and procedures
Accident prevention is the single most important operation. To ensure that this
succeeds, the policy advocates for a substance free environment. The use of alcohol or narcotics
is strictly forbidden in the workplace. In the event that an employee is injured in the line of work,
the institution will cater for medical expenses and rehabilitation so that the employee can return
to work as soon as possible. To maintain safety however, all workers must follow the laid
procedure for reporting hazards. Basic safety rules will also be issues explaining how to carry out
specific tasks that may be prone to accidents. In case emergencies do occur, there is a laid-down
procedure which will explain how these are to be communicated. Employees have the role of
communicating this promptly to enable an adequate response1.
WHS consultation and communication policy
Officers, managers and workers have mandates under the policy to ensure safety, and
communicate instances where safety is seen as being compromised. In the policy, the
communication is mainly done through three stages of audit: internal site inspection, internal
1 T.Lyons, 'Best Practice Review of Workplace Health and Safety Queensland', WHS Queensland, 2017, 1-105

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audit and external audit. The health and safety committee should provide a forum for the
resolution of safety and health issues. It should also give a chance for the discussion and analysis
of relevant data, while providing the ideal environment for training and educating on WHS
matters. Lastly, such a committee should identify, review and publish procedure manuals
pertaining to health and safety2.
Reporting and First Aid
In instances where hazards are identified, or near misses, they should immediately be reported to
the relevant parties, who should be centralized and able to respond within the shortest time
possible. First Aid procedures should be clearly laid down. First aid kits should b availed in
strategic areas, especially those in which hazards are more. In the case of emergencies, the
evacuation policy should be referred to, to enable safe and efficient evacuation of staff and others
without endangering their safety. For every task that involves a significant degree of safety risks,
there should be a separate and thorough explanation of tasks and the relevant safe work
procedures3.
Assessment 2
Session Plan
During this induction plan, two team members will be taken trough the WHS induction process.
This is important in ensuring that the members internalize the laid out procedures, and that they
are able to properly respond to issues of safety, while acting as ambassadors for the company to
other employees in sensitizing them about safety issues, hazards and responses.
2 S. Bahn, 'Work Health and Safety Act “due diligence”: Will our current safety systems be compliant?' Journal of
health and safety research and practice, vol. 4, no. 2, 2012, 8-13.
3 J. Bryne, What Is A Workplace Induction?, 2016, http://www.whsconsultinghunter.com.au/whs/workplace-
inductions/, accessed 9/2/2017.

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The session will start off by discussing the organization's accident prevention plan, and safety
provisions4.
As a major requirement, it is expected that accidents be avoided at all costs, by minimising
hazards. In instances where this is not possible, risk mitigation as laid down in the procedure
should be applied. It is imperative that the relevant department come up with measures of
training its members of on safety. The induction was a base from which team members should
acquaint themselves with safety procedures. These include reporting hazards and accidents, or
instances described as near misses. It is also important that such training is undertaken in line
with the existing guidelines as set out in the policy5.
The team members are to be issued with manuals on the various safety and operational
equipment, and be given initial training on usage. This is expected to b transferred on to other
team members in later instances. The team members are also to be given information about the
first aid kit, and how to respond to emergency situations. Having acknowledged their
understanding of the policy, as well as other regulations relating to safety, the induction session
will be brought to close, followed by a quick evaluation by the facilitator of the team members’
understanding of pertinent issues6.
Assessment 3 Workplace Hazard and Risk Assessment
Part A: the checklist
Are workers sufficiently advised about hazards they
face
Do they have enough materials to respond to these
4 J. Bryne, What Is A Workplace Induction?, 2016, http://www.whsconsultinghunter.com.au/whs/workplace-
inductions/, accessed 9/2/2017.
5 Queensland Government, Work health and safety inductions, 2016, https://www.business.qld.gov.au/running-
business/employing/taking-on-staff/inductions/whs, accessed 9/2/2018.
6 W. Middleton, Safety first. Australasian Leisure Management, No. 110, 2015, 66.

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hazards
What has been done to mitigate risk severity?
How familiar are workers with the safety policy?
How many accidents have occurred, and how were
they reported?
Are there adequate emergency procedures at the
workplace?
Part B: Comprehensive risk assessment
At the hotel, there are 10 cooks who are based in the kitchen. They face the constant threat of
injury from the fire. They also deal with sharp things including knives, which can also cause
serious injuries to them. As a result of this, the kitchen has a well-stocked first aid kit in close
proximity. The first aid kit is administered by one of the chefs, who are charged with making
sure it has all the required materials. In addition, there is firefighting equipment in the kitchen,
and other areas in which fire hazard is a possibility. In each of these places, there is a fire
marshal who is charged with directing members during evacuations, and sensitizing them on
reporting of injuries or potential risks7.
Part C: Appropriate WHS controls
For the fire hazard, the departments concerned will be charged with ensuring that they have the
appropriate firefighting equipment. They are also to have the number of the local firefighting
department close on call, so that a fast response is possible. The necessary evacuation methods
will be carried out. Drills to check compliance and understanding should be used.
7 M. Hassanain, 'Approaches to qualitative fire safety risk assessment in hotel facilities', Structural Survey, vol 27,
no 4, 2009, 287-300.

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Fire Marshals will be designated in every department. Their names will be made known to
everyone for easier identification, so they should be employees who are well known, and able to
command respect from their colleagues8.
Implementation will be done through the assistance of a checklist. All materials lacking form the
departments, including first aid kits, firefighting equipment and amenities such as emergency
doors will be provided for, to ensure that the response to potential risks is adequate, and
minimises injury to the greatest extent possible9.
Risk Register
Risk
probabili
ty
impact
significan
ce
risk
score
resolutio
n plan
person
in
charge
remar
ks
Fire
equipment
injury
slips and
falls
Assessment 4 Recommendations to improve safety at store
A meeting is to be convened, during which Toni and other members of the team will discuss a
plan to help mitigate risks as the one Toni reported. The recommended plan of action will
include some simple solutions. First, a shelf needs to be constructed immediately, of a size
capable of holding the merchandise being stored. Having done this, the store keepers have the
8 T.Lyons, 2017
9 F Patterson and K. Neailey, 'A risk register database system to aid the management of project risk'. International
Journal of Project Management, vol 10 No. 5, 2002, 365-374.

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obligation of ensuring that materials are correctly labeled and stacked in the shelves.
Additionally, there should be a proper register of what is to be stored in a specific place.
Equipment to make work easier should be provided, in a manner to prevent injuries witnessed by
Toni. Such equipment will be deliberated during the meeting, and viability of procuring them
discussed. Toni will be placed in charge of raising risk awareness, while being the marshal of the
centre. Additionally, Toni will play a key role in ensuring that the team members are well briefed
on the recommendations10.
Suggest ways of being involved
Toni should be involved as the leader of risk assessment and response at the store. To do this
properly, he should acquaint himself with the provided manuals on risk responses, and ensure to
pass on the information to others. Only then will he be able to properly respond to the issues he
has raised during the meeting.
10 T. Lyons, 2017

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References
Bahn, S. 'Work Health and Safety Act “due diligence”: Will our current safety systems be
compliant?' Journal of health and safety research and practice, vol. 4, no. 2, 2012, 8-13..
Bryne, J. , What Is A Workplace Induction?, 2016,
http://www.whsconsultinghunter.com.au/whs/workplace-inductions/, accessed 9/2/2017.
Hassanain, M., 'Approaches to qualitative fire safety risk assessment in hotel facilities',
Structural Survey, vol 27, no 4, 2009, 287-300.
Lyons, T. Best Practice Review of Workplace Health and Safety Queensland'. WHS Queensland,
2017, 1-105.
Middleton, W., Safety first. Australasian Leisure Management, no. 110, 2015, 66.
Patterson, F., & Neailey, K. 'A risk register database system to aid the management of project
risk'. International Journal of Project Management, vol 10 No. 5, 2002, 365-374.
Queensland Government, Work health and safety inductions, 2016,
https://www.business.qld.gov.au/running-business/employing/taking-on-staff/
inductions/whs, accessed 9/2/2018.