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Important notes
The Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 (NSW)
- lays the foundation for providing a safe and healthy workplace
-
has introduced two new important concepts
- Every employer must consult with employees regarding workplace safety regardless of the size of the business
- All employers must implement a systematic risk management process
- states that employers must ensure the health, safety and welfare of all employers/employees at work plus other people like contractors and labour hire staff
- includes requirement that the Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) system keeps up with changes in technology
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lists the absolute duties of the employer as
- any premises controlled by the employer are safe and without risks to health
- ensuring that any plant or substance is safe from risks when properly used
- ensuring that systems of work and the working environment are safe and without risks to health
- providing such information, training and supervision as may be necessary
- not exposing people to health risks
- not contracting out responsibilities
- states that employers now must consult employees regarding risk assessment and control to enable employees to contribute to decisions regarding their health, safety and welfare at work
- requires employers, through consultation with employees, to examine work practices or systems of work and to identify all risks associated with each particular work process, in order to identify risks and either eliminate or control them.
Risk management
-
The Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 2001
identifies the following steps involved in the risk
management process
- Identification of any foreseeable hazard: anything in the workplace that could cause harm to anyone present in the workplace
- Assessment of the risk from the hazard: how significant is the risk, if someone can be harmed by the hazard and the likelihood of injury occurring
- Elimination of the hazard or strategy to control the risk if the hazard cannot be eliminated
- Review of the risk: to monitor and improve control measures and find safer ways of doing things.
Occupational Overuse Syndrome (OOS)
- Also known as RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury)
- Generally shows up as pain, swelling or numbness in or around muscles, tendons or soft tissue.
- Commonly affects the neck, back, shoulders, elbows, wrists and hands.
- Is associated with movements and postures that are repetitive and/or sustained over long periods of time.
- Is often a problem for keyboard operators.
In an office, if the desk height is fixed, then an adjustable chair and footrest should be provided.
To minimise the risk of OOS, office employees should mix repetitive and non-repetitive tasks or take frequent, short rest breaks and be supplied with ergonomic furniture which can be adjusted to suit the needs of each employee.
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