Apply Occupational Health and Safety Procedures

reference : http://hsc.csu.edu.au/info_tech/core/apply_ohs/icaitu004b/ICAITU004B.html

ICAITU004B

Apply Occupational Health and Safety Procedures

On completion of this unit learners should be competent in supporting the organisations’ Occupational Health and Safety principles and practices.

They should have the ability to:

1. Determine Occupational Health and Safety (OH & S) issues relating to immediate work environment.
2. Document and disseminate Occupational Health & Safety requirements.
3. Provide basic ergonomic advice.

Glossary
Other Resources

Activities

Exercise 1 - Short Answer Questions
Exercise 2 - Multiple Choice
Case Study 1 - Reporting Procedures
Exercise 3 - Questions
Case Study 2 - Workplace Inspection
Sample Project

Glossary

OOS

Occupational Overuse Syndrome, also know as Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI). Caused by repetitive tasks and/or having poor posture.

Workstation

Includes the whole work area and positioning of – computer, monitor, keyboard, desk, chair, document holder and footrest.

Ergonomics

The study of the work environment in relation to the user.

Hazards

A situation or substance which could cause injury or illness.

Code of Practice

Guidelines which should be implemented to maintain safe work practices.

Manual Handling

Lifting or moving any equipment or other objects.

OHS Committee

A body of workplace employees committed to ensuring a safe work environment – attends regular meetings and carries out regular inspections.

WorkCover

The managing body for NSW Workplace Health & Safety

Accident Report

A document which should be filled out by anyone involved in workplace accidents/injuries, regardless of however minor they might be.

Worker’s Compensation

A special insurance-type payment made to any person who is injured or suffers a work related illness and needs time off work.

MSDS

Material Safety Data Sheets – specifies how to handle certain material and/or substances.

Other resources

K Burton & K Le Rossignol, 2000, Communicating in an IT Environment, Eastern House, Victoria

www.workcover.nsw.gov.au/ - is the NSW managing and monitoring body for health and safety, Worker’s Compensation, and injuries in the workplace.

www.ohs.com.au/sites.htm - Contains Products and services and other government sites relating to OH & S – Australian and international.

Video: Using Computers without Pain and Injury, 1993, Open Training and Education Network, (NSW) Film and Video Unit, Sydney.

OTEN Module – 3650F, Distance Education, Strathfield NSW

Activities

Exercise 1

1. An unhealthy work environment can lead to many problems, name some of these problems:
2. The study of the work environment in relation to the user is called ergonomics.
   TRUE FALSE
3. Name some of the common complaints in relation to ergonomics.
4. How often should you take a break when using a computer?
   every 3 hours once per day every 30 mins
5. Your eyes should be level with the top of the screen.
   TRUE FALSE
6. If your feet cannot comfortably reach the floor what should you use?
7. Repetitive Strain Injury is often referred to as OOS (Occupational Overuse Syndrome), is this correct?
8. If you suffer from eyestrain, what course of action should you take?
9. To be comfortable when you are working with the keyboard, your wrists should be resting on the desk.
   TRUE FALSE
10. Describe what kind of chair you should have at your workstation.

Suggested answers

Exercise 1

1. Stress, accidents, headaches, backaches, eye strain, low morale (anything else similar to these)
2. TRUE
3. Wrong type of chair – back and neck problems, stress on the body overall, Wrongly adjusted VDU – eye problems, headaches, glare problems, Environment – stuffy, too cold or hot, over air-conditioned, noisy, overwork Workstation arrangement – not practical, causes twisting or turning, cluttered or messy, frustrating and stressful
4. Every 30 minutes
5. TRUE
6. Footrest
7. Yes
8. Have your eyes checked, wear glasses if necessary, adjust brightness and/or positioning of monitor
9. FALSE
10. An ergonomic chair, with adjustable height and back support, 5 feet with castors, seat should be made of cloth and angled away from your upper thighs, preferable with no arms (or lower enough to fit under the desk) and in complete working order.

Exercise 2

Multiple choice

1. Stress can be related to:
1. An ergonomic, well-planned workstation
2. Job overload and poor work design
3. A happy work environment
4. None of the above

2. OOS stands for:
1. Occupational Overworked Syndrome
2. Often Occupationally Sick
3. Occupational Overuse Syndrome
4. Any of the above

3. A VDU is another term for:
1. RSI
2. Chronic Stress
3. Monitor or screen
4. All of the above

4. Which of the following is a hazard?
1. Chemicals
2. Poor work design
3. Electrical Problems
4. All of the above

5. When lifting any heavy weight you should:
1. Keep your back straight
2. Keep you knees straight
3. Hold the weight away from your body
4. Carry as much as you want

Suggested answers

Exercise 2

Multiple choice

1. b
2. c
3. c
4. d
5. a

Case study 1

You are an employee of Bits & PCs Computer Services Company and one of your tasks is to attend the helpdesk enquiries for two hours every day. There are three of you doing this during a normal day, but on this particular day one of your workmates is off sick and you are asked to do his two hours as well as your own.

Along with this you also have some urgent tasks that you feel you really need to try and do in between enquiries. The day begins quite well and you seem to be making progress, however, you start to get very busy on the helpdesk and you end up working through lunch.

Later in the afternoon, you decide it is time to have a quick break. In your rush, you trip over the electrical leads hanging down beside the desk and land on an open PC case, cutting your hand and badly bruising both knees as you hit the floor!

You are not seriously hurt, but shaken and your hand will need some attention to stop the bleeding.

1. Fill out the information on the Injury/Investigation Report below, using all your own details and the relevant information from the above case study.
2. What should you do with this report once it is completed?

Sample Injury/Investigation Report
Surname Tesarik	Given Name David
Address 1/137 Anzac Pde
Suburb Kensington	Post Code 2100
Home Phone 0410159013	DOB 21.09.1978
Marital Status single	Age 28
Job Title Help desk technical support officer
Time and date of injury 2.00pm
Cause of injury (in your opinion)
Not secure electrical leads hanging down beside the desk and land on an open PC case
Nature of injury: left hand cut and badly bruising both knees while hitting the floor
To whom did you report the injury? Helpdesk supervisor
Did you need medical attention? Attention to stop the bleeding.
If there were any witnesses supply their name and phone number
Name No witness	Phone Number
Your signature	Date 17.7.2007

Exercise 3

1. In relation the Occupational Health & Safety Act what are the employer’s responsibilities?
2. What are the employee’s responsibilities?
3. What sort of injuries does the OH & S Law cover?
4. List some of the changes made to the workplace as a result of OH & S Laws.
5. Name some of the functions of the OH & S Committee.
6. Investigate what the following safety signs mean in the workplace.
1. A red circle with a line through it
2. A green triangle
3. A yellow triangle
4. A blue circle
7. Summarise the Hierarchy of Controls.
8. If you were asked to move a computer from one place to another, what safety precautions would you take?

Suggested answers

Exercise 3

1. Employer’s responsibilities:
• Provide training for the use of any equipment in the workplace
• Educate staff about occupation overuse syndrome
• Outline correct lifting procedures for heavy weights
• Establish a schedule of repairs and maintenance for equipment
• Provide adequate lighting
• Provide ergonomically designed furniture
• Outline procedures for reporting potential hazards
2. Employee’s responsibilities:
• Adjusting equipment to suit themselves
• Reporting potential hazards
• Adhering to safety regulations regarding issues such as power, lifting, housekeeping
• Considering the welfare of themselves and others in the workplace
• Taking frequent breaks when doing repetitive tasks
3. In relation to IT injuries
• Being injured during a lunchtime game in the grounds of the organisation/company
• An assault by another employee
• An accident in the office or workshop
• An accident while travelling between job locations for work purposes
• An accident at a social function held by the organisation/company
4. Some changes to the workplace;
• Safety signs warning of danger
• Compulsory protective clothing where it is necessary
• Regular maintenance of air conditioning units
• Regular inspections of the workplace and follow up of hazard reports
• Hazard control
• Emergency drills
• Safety audits
• Documentation for work-related incidents, accidents injuries and illnesses
5. Functions of an OHS Committee
• Investigate issues brought to its attention by employees or employers
• Assist in the development of a safe work environment
• Ensure there are appropriate recording procedures for accidents
• Attempt to resolve issues
• May have other functions relevant to the type of workplace
6. Safety signs
• Indicates something that must not be done
• Indicates where emergency equipment is kept
• Danger warning
• Indicates the need for some type of safety equipment
7. Hierarchy of controls
• Elimination – removing the risk.
• Substituting – replacing equipment or substance with a better or less risky one
• Engineering controls – designing or redesigning a better work area.
• Administrative controls – training, job rotation, scheduling of work, risk control.
• Personal protective clothing and equipment – to provide a barrier to any hazard.
8. Safety precautions
• Turn off all components at the wall
• Unplug all the power leads
• Disconnect all cables from the computer components eg keyboard, printer, mouse etc
• Use a trolley if it is a fair distance to be moved to or,
• Lift the equipment with bent knees, keeping the equipment close to your body and your back straight.

Case study 2

Choose an appropriate office or workplace with at least one computer workstation and carry out the following tasks:

• Investigate the OH & S practices which are in place
• Identify any environmental breaches
• Identify any electrical hazards
• What OH & S reporting procedures are there?
• Is the furniture ergonomically designed?
• In all these areas recommend any OH & S improvements you feel are necessary.

Sample project

This scenario involves a Public School with a student enrolment of approximately 99. Recently a new family moved to the area increasing the enrolment by 3. Schools that have an enrolment of more than 100 become entitled to a full time clerical officer and a computer system, i.e. a PC and a laser printer.

The Principal of the school only has one area where she can locate the new clerical officer and the computer. It is a small room that used to be the sick bay (see plan attached).

While school funds are limited there may be some money available for some minor office renovation.

The school does have an OH & S Committee so the Principal asks that the committee members examine the proposed new office as to its suitability under the OH & S Act. She also informs the committee that there is a table and an old office chair in the room, which she thinks will do for the time being.

The new staff member will be starting work at the commencement of the next term in 8 weeks time. The computer and printer have already been delivered.

Your task as an OH & S representative is to:

1. Consider all the facts before giving a recommendation to the Principal and outline all these facts and why they should be taken into consideration.
2. What recommendations would you make to the Principal as to the set up of this new workstation in the new office?

You should use the Internet, text books or any pamphlets/leaflets you may have obtained to help you with this report.