WHS in your workplace

Your organisation should provide you with information based on the legislation to promote 0 HS in
your workplace. This is usually provided during your induction training, as well as in policy and
procedure manuals.
Induction training is the training you receive when you start with a new organisation. Indtlction
training is usually designed to introduce you to the organisation and give you the information you
need to start working in your job. This could include general information about the organisation and
your conditions of employment. You should also receive basic information about WHS in your
induction training.
It is important that your induction training includes the information you need to maintain workplace
health and safety. This also applies when you have been transferred or promoted from a different
position or section of the organisation. This is important to help you understand any WHS issues that
are specific to your new role.
The topics covered in your induction will vary depending on the specific role you are going to
perform. You can expect to receive information about:

duty of care
employer duty of care
employee duty of care
fire and emergency procedures
first aid facilities
general work instructions
health and safety rules
WHS committee and health and safety officers
WHS training programs that are available in the workplace
the organisation's health and safety policy
risk management
personal protective equipment.

You will find information throughout this workbook that relates to each of these topics.

Duty of care
One of the most important principles that you need to understand in relation to WHS is duty of care.
You may have heard this term used by the media when they are describing high-profile breaches of
workplace health and safety guidelines.
Duty of care describes the legal obligation that individuals and organisations have to anticipate
possible causes of injury and illness that may exist in their work environment or as a result of their
actions. A person or organisation must do everything they possibly can to remove or minimise the
possible cause of harm. You, your employer and your colleagues have a duty of care towards
customers, visitors and each other.

Employer duty of care

Your employing organisation has a duty of care that extends to customers, visitors and employees.
Your organisation has a responsibility to provide all employees with a safe and healthy work
environment.

There is a range of federal and state legislation, regulations and guidelines that establish the
responsibilities of organisations in specific industries. You will find more detailed information about
this range of legislation and regulations later in this workbook.
Your employer's duty of care in regard to you and your colleagues requires them to do the following:

provide reasonably competent staff to manage and supervise The business

provide sufficient numbers of staff to carry out the work safely
provide and maintain a safe working environment and equipment
provide information, instruction, training and supervision so you can perform your role
safely.

Your organisation must also implement a program to make sure all employees
understand their own responsibilities for maintaining workplace health and safety.

Employee duty of care

This same range of legislation, regulations and guidelines establish a duty of care on behalf of
employees towards customers, visitors to the workplace and members of the wider community.
Your specific responsibilities may vary depending on the type of work performed by your
organisation; for example, workers in a childcare centre may have responsibilities that relate directly
to working with small children.
You should clarify your duty of care with your supervisor. You may find it involves some or all of the
following:

being careful and look after your own safety

cooperating with your employer in their efforts to comply with their WHS responsibilities
ensuring customers and visitors are aware of any special WHS requirements
following all safety regulations and procedures in your workplace
never putting the safety of colleagues and others at risk
reporting hazards, incidents and injuries
taking care not to interfere with health and safety equipment
taking care not to deliberately endanger another's safety
wearing personal protective equipment as required.

The following example shows duty of care in the workplace.

Example
Bronwyn is employed as an administration officer in the accident and emergency department of a public
hospital. Bronwyn's supervisor, Ron, explained during induction training that
Bronwyn has a duty of care to:

her colleagues, including other administration staff, doctors, nurses, ward staff and
visiting specialists
patients
patients' family and friends.

Lesson task 5a

To complete this activity, think about the training you received when you began employment or
commenced the school year.
If you don't have recent employment experience, think about the training you received as a classroom
based learner.
On the following table record which aspects of workplace health and safety were covered in your training
and which areas you need to know more about.

Competency (knowledge and skill)

I know about this

I need to learn about this

Duty of care (my obligations)

Fire and emergency procedures
First aid facilities
General work instructions
Health and safety rules
WHS committee and health and
safety officers
WHS training programs that are
available in the workplace
Organisation's health and safety policy
Risk management
Using personal protective equipment

Checking systems and equipment

Your work role may require you to use a range of technology and equipment. Each piece of
technology and equipment poses a risk to health and safety if it isn't in correct working order or it
isn't used correctly. When you use the same equipment every day it is easy to become complacent
and not use the right precautions to make sure the equipment has been regularly maintained and is
operating properly. This section provides you with the opportunity to learn about:
equipment and systems safety checks
documenting equipment and systems safety checks
equipment start up and operation procedures.

Equipment and systems safety checks

An important part of your daily work routine is to check the various systems and equipment you
will use during the day and make sure it is in correct working order.
Your workplace policies and procedures may include advice on the steps you should follow. You
may need to perform this checking procedure at the beginning of your working day or at
specified intervals during the day.

The following table is a checklist you could use to make sure the equipment in your immediate
work area is ready to use.
Seating

Make sure you are positioned in front of your computer and you can reach your
keyboard comfortably

Computer

The monitor should be positioned out of direct sunlight. Maintain a monitor dust-free
environment

Dust

Equipment shouldn't be dusty. Dust can cause problems in the monitor or central
processing unit of a computer.

Cables.

Make sure cables are secured so no-one trips over them

Sunlight

Use blinds and window coverings to reduce glare and heat at your workstation.

Temperature

As a general guide, temperatures should not exceed 26 and humidity should be

maintained in the range of 40 % to 60 %.

Documenting equipment and systems safety checks

If you are working with specialised equipment, you may have to record the results of regular
equipment safety checks; for example, keeping records of the sterilisation of medical
instruments if you work in a medical office. Your medical office will have developed policies and
procedures that describe what you should do to maintain
accurate records.
Maintenance records are kept for the equipment that is used to sterilise instruments. These
records would usually document such information as:
model and serial number of each steriliser
date of servicing
reason for the service request
maintenance performed and a description of the parts that were used.

Equipment start up and operation procedures

You may work in an environment where you have to use plant or machinery for at least part of the
day. Your workplace policies and procedures should include detailed information on how to clean,
start and operate machinery. Your supervisor should provide you with the right training so you can
safely operate the equipment. You will be required to wear appropriate PPE. This could include
goggles, gloves, hairnets, safety boots or shoe covers. If you will be exposed to heat, you may need
to wear a uniform made of flame-retardant fabric. It is your responsibility to make sure you wear the
PPE correctly.

Lesson task 5b
To complete this activity you will need to read the following scenario and then describe the actions
you would perform to be ready to complete your supervisor's request.
You are employed as an administration officer in a sales and marketing department. Your supervisor
is responsible for coordinating the annual sales conference. The conference is being held next week.

Your supervisor needs you to accompany her to a meeting with the events manager at the
conference venue tomorrow. She will meet you there. She asks that
you set yourself up in the meeting room at the venue with a laptop ready to record the minutes of
the meeting.
What will you do at the venue to make sure your equipment is set up correctly and ready for you to
perform your work safely?