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As an employer, it is your responsibility to provide a safe work environment for all employees, free from any hazards, and complying with all state and federal laws. Health and safety in the workplace is about preventing work-related injury and disease, and designing an environment that promotes well-being for everyone at work. Knowledge is the key ingredient in providing a safe work environment – if everyone knows the correct procedures then accidents and injuries will be kept to a minimum. Employees with Disability Employees with disability have the same rights and responsibilities as employees without disability when it comes to creating and maintaining a safe work environment. Employees with disability may require reasonable adjustments to ensure safety in the workplace. Reasonable adjustments may include changes to work processes or equipment, or adjusting work schedules. Some employers believe that people with disability can be a safety risk in the workplace, however employees with disability are actually a lesser risk. A 1998 study by Deakin University showed that employees with disability had only 16% of the recorded occupational health and safety incidents of employees without disability. Steps to Ensure Safety Health and safety legislation can be different in each state, and specific industry sectors may also have precise requirements. Check your relevant state legislation for more specific guidelines. Organisations should develop an Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S) Policy to meet the following standards:
· Ensure that the way work is done is safe and does not affect employees’ health
· Ensure that tools, equipment and machinery are safe and are kept safe
· Ensure that ways of storing, transporting or working with dangerous substances is safe and does not damage employees’ health
· Provide employees with the information, instruction and training they need to do their job safely and without damaging their health
· Consult with employees about health and safety in the workplace
· Monitor the work place regularly and keep a record of what is found during these checks.
Policies should be developed in consultation with employees, both with and without disability. It may be necessary to organise support persons or interpreters so that all employees may participate in the consultation. Employer Responsibilities OH&S procedures must be implemented wherever the work is being conducted, be that in an office, factory, construction site or home. As an employer, it is your responsibility to ensure all employees have access to information about safety procedures, and for any reasonable adjustments to be made. New employees · Brief all new staff on OH&S policy at induction
· Provide a training session on all safety procedures, including evacuation and other emergency procedures
· Provide access to information about safety procedures, in appropriate formats, eg. Braille, audio, enlarged font, etc.
· Ensure reasonable adjustments are made if required, eg. desk height adjusted to accommodate a wheelchair, screen-reading software installed on computer for vision impaired worker, etc. Existing employees · Ensure that existing employees have access to information in appropriate formats, eg. Braille, audio, enlarged font, etc
· Provide regular information updates and re-training sessions
· Provide access to information about safety procedures
· Conduct relevant training on any new equipment or machinery. Employees returning to work after an injury · Modify the job procedures if required
· Re-train the employee on all procedures, including safety and evacuation procedures. Safety Checklist Ventilation/temperature
· There must be adequate ventilation in a workspace
· Temperature should be kept at a level that most people find comfortable, without making others particularly uncomfortable.
Noise
· The national standard for noise in the workplace is 85 decibels, averaged over an eight hour day
· Noise in the workplace must never exceed 140 decibels
· Hearing protectors should always be worn in noisy areas.
Lighting
· Lighting must be sufficient for the work areas and tasks performed
· Too much or too little light can lead to eye strain, headaches and blurred vision.
First Aid
· All workplaces must provide access to First Aid facilities
· Facilities should meet the needs of your workplace, eg. First Aid kit, sick rooms, chemical showers, etc
· A qualified First Aid Officer (i.e. holds a current Senior First Aid Certificate) should be designated for each workplace.
Manual Handling
· Includes lifting, carrying, holding, pushing, pulling
· Follow the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission’s “Code of Practice for Manual Handling” available online at http://www.nohsc.gov.au/PDF/Standards/manualhandling_cop2005_1990.pdf
Prevention of Occupational Overuse Syndrome (OOS)
· Also known as Repetition or Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)
· Employees should be trained about safe work practices, including correct work methods and postures, and use of tools, machinery and other equipment
· An employee with disability may require reasonable adjustments to ensure they can conduct the job tasks safely
· Training in keyboard skills and use of ergonomic furniture can reduce the risk of OOS.
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