Work Health & Safety Think Tank Initiatives 2013

Work Health & Safety

Think Tank Initiatives 2013

Today’s Topics

Safety Pledge

Investigations

Hazard Reporting

Compliance Calendar



SAFETY PLEDGE

Safety Pledge

Personal Safety CommitmentI will always act to ensure the safety of our employees, our customers,

the public, contractors, my family, my friends and myself.

I will do everything I can to promote a safety culture throughout IRT.

I will proactively strive to improve safety performance.

I will do everything I can to ensure that IRT has systems, processes and opportunity for employees to actively speak about safety issues.

I will listen to advice on safety by employees.

I will contribute to wider company safety initiatives.

Craig Hamer

Chief Operating Officer

Employee Safety Pledge – Example

I will work safely to look after my residents and fellow workers

I will look for and report hazards

I will cooperate with IRT to reduce risks

I will share my safety concerns and ideas for fixing them



HAZARD REPORTING

Hazard Reporting

1800 number for reporting hazards

Either ring or complete Hazard Report Form

Eliminate paperwork

Number will operate during business hours and will be answered by HWS Team

HR Database (Preceda) will generate email to relevant manager

Hazard Reporting Flowchart



INVESTIGATIONS

What we see ...Incident Risk Action

I was bending down to put coffee pot on trolley and felt something pop in my back

Insignificant Education to staff member on correct manual handling procedures

Lifting bucket of water onto trolley Moderate Advised staff to use proper manual handling techniques while lifting

Was pushing a water chair with a resident in it, turned around the corner and my back twisted

? ?

Co-worker and I used the slide sheet to manoeuver resident up the bed

Significant Informed staff to use correct equipment and use proper manual handling technique

Continued ...

Incident Risk Action

Just doing normal duties, but then my back started to ache. Turning and bending are just painful.

Low Employee advised to pace themselves and change workload if possible. Correct manual handling techniques reinforced.

Pain in lower back / left leg during and after cleaning toilets.

Moderate Manual handling training

Was cleaning bathrooms, bent down to clean behind toilet bowl, on standing felt severe pain in lower back, getting worse by the end of shift

Moderate Manager to review manual handling technique and provide further education if required

Why Investigate?

Find causes

Prevent recurrences

Minimise risk

Legal Duty

KEEP PEOPLE SAFE

When to Investigate?

Low risk – no injury, Risk Rating of 1, 2 or 3Find Primary Cause

High risk - LTI / MTO / Risk Rating of 4 or 5Find Root Cause

Use WHS Incident Investigation Report form

Incident Investigation (#087d)

How to Investigate

Gather the factsTalk to people

Photographs / diagrams

Document other conditions (e.g. Weather)

Other factors (start / end of shift, busy period, short-staffed)

Look beyond the immediate cause

Don’t blame the individual

Look for “System Errors”

What to Look For

1. Personal Factors

2. Supervision

3. Plant and Equipment

4. Safe Work Practices

5. Environment

6. Other factors?

There is likely to be more than one cause!

1. Personal Factors

Lack of training

Lack of competence

Failure to observe Safe Work Procedures

Fail to follow policy / procedure / training

Inappropriate behaviour / poor judgement

Peer pressures

2. Supervision

Failure to orient or coach

Supervisor failed to tell why

Supervisor failed to listen

Honest error. Action or inaction turned out to be wrong

Disorder of confusion in the work area

Practice out of step with training

3. Plant and Equipment

Insufficient, unavailable, deficient, inoperative equipment

Poor design

Deficient inspection, reporting or maintenance

Inadequate training?

4. Safe Work Procedures

Non existent

Contradictory instructions

Violation by individual - “I knew I was doing the wrong thing but ...”

Violation by group – “No-one does it that way” or “that’s the way we were shown”

5. Environment

Clutter

Lack of things needed

Poor design

Inadequate repair / wear and tear

Heat / noise / lighting / vibration / dust / fumes / chemical

Flooring / unstable ground

6. Other?

Conflicting directions / priorities

Training need not foreseen

Previous controls not properly communicated

Poor team morale

Unclear directions / confusion in work area

Controls – How do we fix it?

Develop safe work procedures?

Is it one-off or across the team / site / organisation?

Buy more suitable equipment?

Design better facilities?

Engage your employees!

Talk to your colleagues

Talk to HWS Team



COMPLIANCE CALENDAR

Compliance Calendar

11 topics over 12 months (Dec – Jan combined)

Covers major risk areas

Targeted activitiesHow-to guides

Checklists

Promotional material for noticeboards

Information for employees about the risks

Activities

Topics

Equipment Electrical

Housekeeping Handwashing

Heat / Cold Equipment First Aid

Slips, Trips & Falls Chemicals

Manual Handling Hot Conditions / High Temperatures

WHS Noticeboard

Example Activity

HousekeepingList storeroom, pantry, office, cleaners room

Check each area Neat and tidy

Trip hazards removed

Rubbish removed

Things stored properly

Check it off the list

Improvement Ideas

Let us know!

Do your homeworkCost

Risk Reduction

Consider alternatives

Submit to HWS

Operations Working Party Review

COO Approval for funding

Implement your ideas

If funding is approved, make your changes

Recognition in IRT newsletterProblem

Solutions

Cost and benefits

Learn from each other

Spread the word!

Questions?

Documents

Work Health & Safety Think Tank Initiatives 2013