Purpose and Objectives
To provide guidance to our company work sites on how to prepare for and respond to emergencies.
Scope
Except for minor emergencies, our company personnel should immediately contact external emergency services (dial 000) when an emergency occurs.
If you are the first to a scene of an emergency incident and some response is necessary, the following criteria must be met:
- No person shall be placed in undue risk or take unnecessary risks;
- All our company safety standards will be adhered to the extent feasible during rescue operations – if possible, do a quick risk assessment (STOP-THINK-GO) to guide actions;
- Personnel shall only use equipment they are trained to use or use it under the direction of trained persons.
- All emergency operations will be under the direction of the Emergency Controller (the Person-in-Charge on site at the time of the incident).
Reporting an Emergency
Report the emergency incident via whatever communication method available (telephone, mobile phone, or radio).
When using the Radio, state: “Emergency…Emergency…Emergency”. All other radio users must then maintain radio silence until advised otherwise.
When reporting an emergency situation, be prepared to provide the following information:
- Your name;
- Your exact location and contact details;
- The nature and location of the emergency;
- How many people are affected;
- Are any persons missing;
- What assistance is required.
Remember – Remain calm and do not hang up or change radio channel until you are instructed to do so.
Only respond to the incident if you are trained to do so (eg if you are trained to administer first aid if you have been trained to use a fire extinguisher). If you assess the incident scene as being potentially dangerous, immediately evacuate to your designated Muster Point.
Planning and Preparing for Emergencies
When preparing an emergency plan, the PCBU must consider all relevant matters including:
- the nature of the work being carried out at the workplace
- the nature of the hazards at the workplace
- the size and location of the workplace
- the number and composition of the workers and other persons at the workplace.
Section 43 applies to all workplaces and is not related to the number of hazardous chemicals.
Under section 359 of the WHS Regulation, a PCBU must ensure the workplace is provided with fire protection and firefighting equipment that is designed and built for the types of hazardous chemicals at the workplace:
- in the quantities in which they are used, handled, generated or stored, and
- the conditions under which they are used, handled, generated or stored, having regard to:
- the fire load of the hazardous chemicals
- the fire load from other sources
- the compatibility of the hazardous chemicals with other substances and mixtures at the workplace.
Works/ Area/ Program Managers shall ensure that the following measures are adopted:
- An analysis of potential emergency situations and the resources required to effectively respond to realistic emergency scenarios.
- The availability of appropriate emergency equipment such as fire extinguishers, water, hoses, sand bunding, first aid kits and eyewash kits. The type and number of equipment will be determined by risk assessment.
Note: at remote sites, consideration may need to be given to the provision of additional first aid facilities, such as a stretcher and trauma kit.
- Material Safety Data Sheets are to be readily accessible and available to workers at the site.
- Each site shall clearly identify responsibilities in the event of an emergency and clearly display the responsibilities in a prominent location (refer Emergency Responsibilities Form).
- Each site shall have a list of Emergency Contact Numbers clearly displayed in a prominent location (refer Emergency Contact Numbers Form).
For sites where dangerous goods are used, the following additional measures are required:
- Inventories shall be maintained of dangerous goods stored on site. Quantities, type and location shall be readily available to emergency services in the form of an Emergency Manifest, maintained at the entrance to the site or other convenient location.
Note: Manifests are only strictly required for Large Dangerous Goods Locations (Large DGL). DGL’s are places, where a number of dangerous goods and combustible liquids, stored and handled, exceeds the prescribed quantities stated in Column 4 of Schedule 1 of the Dangerous Goods Safety Management Regulation 2001.
Buildings and areas shall be signed with the appropriate HAZCHEM signage, where applicable
Responding to Emergencies
Rapid and effective response to emergencies is essential if serious consequences are to be minimised or mitigated. For this reason, it is important that staff know in advance what actions are to be taken for the various emergency situations that may arise in the workplace.
The following emergency situations are addressed:
- Evacuation;
- Medical Response to Injury;
- Fire;
- Electrical Incident;
- Hazardous Substance Spill;
- Confined Space Rescue;
- Trench Rescue;
- Unexploded Ordinance
Works/ Area / Program Managers shall ensure that potential emergency situations applicable to their work sites are communicated to employees and contractors, including appropriate response actions.
When an emergency situation arises the following steps shall be taken:
- The Person-in-Charge of the workplace at the time of the incident will immediately assume the role of Emergency Controller and is responsible for managing the incident from the most efficient location.
- A nominated person (usually the first competent person able to attend the scene) will liaise with the Emergency Controller in relation to “on the ground” responses and recovery actions.
- The Emergency Controller is responsible for initiating the external emergency response (by dialling 000) and liaising with emergency services personnel during management of the emergency incident.
- The Emergency Controller hands over control of the emergency scene to the external Incident Commander for the duration of the emergency. The Incident Commander will typically be the QFRS person-in-charge or senior police officer attending the scene. The Incident Commander will hand back control of the scene to our company Person-in-Charge once the emergency has been dealt with to the satisfaction of the Incident Commander.
- The Person-in-Charge activates the Emergency Management Team of our company, if deemed necessary, and provides the team with up-to-date incident management information for the duration of the emergency.
Incident Termination and Return to Work
When the site has been deemed safe, the Person-in-Charge or relevant senior Manager or delegate will make an announcement. All personnel shall then return to routine work unless directed otherwise by their supervisor/ team leader. The incident will be investigated as per our company’s incident management procedures and a cleanup crew will be assigned to repair any damage.
Unable to return to work
If for any reason, the site is unable to recommence work, the relevant Manager or delegate will advise instructions.
Responsibilities
- Managers and Supervisors - Ensure that emergencies are prepared for, suitable equipment is available and relevant personnel are trained, implement site-specific emergency evacuation procedures and implement emergency drills on at least an annual basis
- Workplace Health & Safety Officers - Provide technical support and advice to managers and supervisors on appropriate emergency response equipment and emergency planning
- Employees - Maintain awareness of emergency procedures relevant to the site and follow all instructions given by the Person-in-Charge during an emergency.