Purpose
Our Company understands that hazard identification and risk assessment are essential steps in providing and maintaining a safe and healthy work environment. Hazard reporting enables hazards to be identified in all areas of the workplace to facilitate assessment and the selection of appropriate control strategies. Our Company aims to maintain a zero harm philosophy utilising hazard identification and risk assessment as the underpinning principle in this goal.
Scope
This policy and procedure govern the entire scope of activities and duties performed by employees of our company.
Policy Statement
Our company adopts a four-step process to manage health and safety at work.
The four steps are:
- Identify the Hazard (Hazard Identification)
- Assess the Risk (Risk Assessment)
- Action Controls (Risk Control)
- Monitor and Review (Review controls for efficacy)
Examples of workplace hazards include:
- frayed electrical cords (could result in electrical shock)
- working with the public (unpredictable and sometimes volatile)
- working beside roadways (traffic and sun exposure)
- hazardous substances (Asbestos, biohazards)
- Environments (working at heights, working in trenches or on roadways)
Procedure
Our company recognises that to ensure a safe workplace, risks must be reduced or controlled successfully. To achieve this, hazards must be identified, their associated risks assessed and everything practicable done to control the risk.
The following procedures and practices will ensure you are doing everything practicable to reduce hazards and control risks in the workplace:
- Conduct a workplace inspection using the Hazard Identification checklist or Site Inspection checklist provided to establish beginning guideline.
- Identify each hazard to which a person at the workplace is likely to be exposed.
- Inform and train employees through safety talks or RTO accredited courses to spot a hazard and assess risks.
- Assess the risk of injury or harm to a person resulting from each hazard, if any.
- Consider the Control Measures, in accordance with the Hierarchy of Controls, by which the risk may be reduced.
- Complete daily hazard inspections using the approved Company checklists. Any discrepancies identified will be promptly reported to relevant personnel.
- Checklists will be submitted to the relevant Manager for evaluation and recommend any action to be taken.
Amendments to Policy
Workplace inspection checklists will be reviewed on an annual basis and as new plant equipment and materials are procured.
Hierarchy of controls
Whenever you identify a hazard and perform a risk assessment, ensure that any and all control measures implemented to mitigate the risk are identified in accordance with the hierarchy of controls.
Responsibilities
Different people may have different responsibilities in a workplace, depending on factors such as company culture, the structure of the business, assigned responsibilities, shift-work, locations of work sites, and reporting structures.
The Workplace Health and Safety Regulations 2011 requires that a duty holder, in managing risks to health and safety, must identify reasonably foreseeable hazards that could give rise to risks to health and safety.
A duty holder is a:
- PCBU – person conducting the business or undertaking
- CEO – Chief Executive Officer
- Management – Officers for the PCBU
- Workers – Employees who work for the organisation. This group also includes trainees, volunteers, apprentices and contractors.
- Manufacturers and Suppliers – Where products are manufactured and subsequently supplied, the duty holders must ensure that all foreseeable hazards have been identified and mitigated and that all subsequent information regarding any residual risks is included upon delivery to the PCBU.
The CEO will:
- develop, publish and maintain procedures for the implementation of this policy;
- arrange specific training sessions for Supervisors, Managers and Health and Safety
- Representatives; and
- advise Supervisors and Managers in implementing the policy and related procedures.
Supervisors and Managers will:
- attend training sessions organised in relation to this policy and related procedures; and
- Health and Safety Representatives will:
- attend training sessions organised in relation to this policy and related procedures; and
- assist local Supervisors and Managers in identifying potential hazards as they arise.
- liaise with management and workers to disseminate information
- monitor the efficacy of controls implemented to mitigate risks
Contractors/employees will, upon request from their Supervisor or Manager, give details of the hazards relating to their activities, and of the measures they have adopted to control the risks.
Documentation
- Risk Management System
- Risk Matrix and calculator
- WHSMP
- SWMS
- ARCP
- DMAR
- Incident Report form
- SDS