Simple Safety Update - Issue 8 August 2010

OHS News

Generic Systems Not the Way to Go.

A New South Wales employer who implemented a generic OHS management system has been fined $60,000 after the death of an 18 year old employee. Justice Kavanagh found the employer's "generic" safe work method statement "contained little, if any, information relevant to the task [of] repairing a tyre that was in a two piece composite frame".

It is vital that employers conduct job safety analysis for themselves and involve workers in the process. This will ensure that conditions and practices at the workplace are considered. SOS TELLS YOU HOW BELOW.

Your Simple Safety Schedule

Let SOS guide you through the steps you need to manage workplace health and safety and meet legislative obligations in the Simple Safety Schedule.

So far in your schedule you have;

1. Developed and OHS Policy
2. Developed a plan for managing safety including allocating responsibilities and budget
3. Developed specific OHS roles and responsibilities which allocate tasks to all levels across your workplace for safety
4. Identified what skills you need in your organisation to manage safety and thought about what training people nee
5. Established ways of consulting and communicating with workers about safety to get their ideas and input
6. Established ways to identify hazards such as developing hazard inspection checklists
7. Identified risk control using the hierarchy of control 

Step 8 – Safe Work Instructions
An important part of consistently controlling risks is to ensure that people understand how to do work safely. An important part of this is to have clear instructions. These might include safe work method statements (SWMS) or safe operating procedures (SOP).

Whilst we don’t want to teach people how to suck eggs it is important that high risk tasks have clear documented instructions which anyone can follow and create consistency in how we control risk. For example forklifts must not be operated without a seatbelt or there must be a 3 metre pedestrian exclusion zone around forklifts.

To Do:

1. Conduct job safety analysis to identify the steps in a task or job and the hazards
2. Draft safe work procedures outlining the task steps and risk controls in consultation with employees
3. Get any specialist advice on specific hazards
4. Get the draft SOP or SWMS reviewed by employees, health and safety representatives and or the OHS committee
5. Get the SWMS or SOP approved by management
6. Train employees in the SOP or SWMS
7. Include SWMS and SOP’s in inductions

When developing safe work method statement or safe operating procedures make sure you talk to people who do the job and GET THE RIGHT ADVICE – SIMPLE OHS SOLUTIONS CAN HELP CONTACT US ANYTIME.

Simple Safety Stuff Ups

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OHS Events

The 22nd Annual WorkSafe Awards

Location: Peninsula, Shed 14 - Central Pier, 161 Harbour Esplanade, Docklands
Date: Thursday 28 October 2010
Time: 7.30pm - 11.00pm (Pre-dinner drinks will be served from 7pm)

WorkSafe Awards finalists will be announced at the WorkSafe Awards Dinner. Don’t miss your chance to be there – surrounded by hundreds of cheering workplace safety supporters. View full event details

 

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