Transcription
[Music] so [Music] so [Music] Welcome to our workplace. The reason you are watching this induction program is because, as an organization, we are committed to providing a safe and healthy work environment for our workers and visitors. And as such, believe that no job should be performed that could compromise the safety of our people or our processes. To ensure these commitments are fulfilled, we have developed policies, procedures, and guidelines to address the main hazards present in our working environment. We take the health and safety of our workers and visitors extremely seriously. Many of these accidents, injuries, and diseases can occur when workers like yourself are new to the job.
Your first few weeks in a new job can be an exciting and challenging time, with new people to meet, new procedures to learn, and a new environment to become accustomed to. The first few weeks can also be a dangerous time unless you are aware of the hazards associated with your new working environment. Workplace health and safety legislation states that our organization has a duty of care and is legally obligated to: provide a safe and healthy working environment; provide safe systems of work; ensure plant and equipment are in a safe condition; provide facilities of a prescribed kind for the welfare of our workers; provide any information, instruction, training, and supervision reasonably necessary to ensure that each worker is safe from injury and risks to health.
Workers also have a duty of care to take responsible care for the health and safety of themselves and of any other person who may be affected by their acts or omissions. Workers are prohibited from intentionally or recklessly interfering with or misusing anything provided in the interest of health and safety, and they must comply with any health and safety matters relevant under the act. Failure to comply with these rules and regulations will result in disciplinary action being taken, which may include the termination of your employment. Do not change procedures, safe systems of work, or rules to suit yourself; rather, discuss any ideas for improvement with your supervisor. We believe that if you set a good example, others will follow.
Having an effective workplace health and safety program in place benefits everyone at work, and the health and safety procedures and we expect that the systems that we have put in place to form part of that program, becoming an integral part of your daily work routine from the very outset. You must be aware that no job in this workplace is so important or so urgent that it can't be done safely. Safety must be at the front of your mind in every task you undertake. At the end of this video, check to see how you can actively participate in our health and safety program. Whether you are an employee, a contractor or subcontractor, an employee of a contractor or subcontractor, an employee of a labor hire company, an apprentice or trainee, a student gaining work experience, an art worker, or a volunteer, the new WHS laws state that when you carry out work for us, you are regarded as one of our workers, and as such, there are mutual obligations.
We will provide you with a safe workplace, safe plant and equipment, adequate welfare facilities like lunchrooms and toilets, all relevant information, instruction, and training to ensure that you are aware of our systems for safe work and your own obligations. We require you to: take reasonable care for your own health and safety; ensure others are not put at risk by your actions or omissions; cooperate with our requirements by following the appropriate systems and procedures of work; participate in all appropriate training or inductions; report any identified hazards to your PCBU, supervisor, site contact person, or health and safety representative. The hazard should include near-miss risks, incidents, and health and safety concerns of which you are aware; and not misuse plant and equipment. You must also comply with all reasonable and legal instructions; are PCBUs; ensure honesty and fairness in dealings with the customers, clients, co-workers, company management, and the general public; maintain punctuality; observe health and safety rules.
Workers are prohibited from intentionally or recklessly interfering with or misusing anything provided in the interests of WHS; respect the organization’s property; dress in an appropriate manner and ensure that the appearance is presentable, clean, neat, and tidy. Behaviors that will not be tolerated include: aggressive or abusive behavior such as threatening gestures or actual violence or assault; fighting or swearing in the workplace; misuse of email or the internet; being under the influence of drugs or alcohol in the workplace; unsafe work practices or behavior which may harm the staff members or others; bullying, harassment, intimidation, or stalking; unwelcome physical contact including that of a sexual, intimate, or threatening nature; teasing, name-calling, or ridicule, or making someone the brunt of pranks or practical jokes; excluding or isolating individuals; undermining performance, reputation, or professionalism of others by deliberately withholding information, resources, or authorization, or supplying incorrect information; malicious or mischievous gossip or complaint; abusive or harassing notes, emails, telephone calls, text messages, etc., during or after working hours; belittling opinions or unreasonable and unconstructive criticism; offensive gestures and behavior; stealing or misuse of the organization’s resources; viewing inappropriate images or pornography in hard copy or electronically. It is important that you do not change procedures, safe systems of work, or rules to suit yourself; rather, discuss any ideas for improvement with your supervisor or site contact. Failure to comply with these rules and regulations will result in disciplinary action being taken, which may include the termination of your employment.
Incident hazard reporting is an integral part of our risk management system and the legislative requirement under the WHS Act. A key role you can take on to make a huge impact on safety in your workplace is to try and identify possible hazards and near-miss risks and report them to your PCBU, supervisor, site contact person, or WHS representative. A near miss is an event that does not cause injury, ill health, or property damage, but only because of chance or through timely intervention. Occasionally, workers are reticent to report a near-miss for a variety of reasons: they weren’t aware that they were supposed to report near misses; there could be peer pressure from work mates not to report an incident; they don’t know how to go about reporting it; there is sometimes a fear of a reprimand or some type of discipline for their involvement in the near-miss; they are new and don’t want to rock the boat; there could be a work culture that says “suck it up, don’t make a fuss”; others have downplayed or trivialized the incident; or simply it’s just too hard or too much trouble filling out those forms. Well, the reasons to report a near-miss outweigh all these reasons by a huge margin. Here is why: a recent study has shown that there is a direct correlation between near-miss risks and the occurrence of serious accidents causing injury or death in the workplace. It seems that for every serious or major injury, there are 10 minor injuries, 30 incidents of property damage, and 600 incidents that could have resulted in injury or property damage but didn’t—what is commonly referred to as a near-miss. In other words, for every serious or major injury, this study suggests that there are over 600 signposts—600 near-misses—that could have flagged that the incident was eventually going to occur. Often these signposts are ignored for some or all of the reasons we had just mentioned, or because, at the end of the day, well, no one got hurt and no damage occurred, so why worry? But by reporting these incidents and with management acting on the report, potential problems may be fixed before someone actually ends up getting hurt.
When you report accidents, incidents, near-misses, and hazards, you are: making everyone aware of the problem; allowing us to investigate the problem and learn from the issue; initiating immediate corrective action; meeting your legal obligation; making the workplace safer by improving work practices; and even possibly saving yourself or a workmate from injury or death. In the interests of health and safety of all workers in this workplace, it is a requirement that all staff come to work in a fit state. Drugs and alcohol must not be brought on site or taken at work. You must notify your supervisor if you are on medication that may affect your work performance. A drug is any chemical substance, natural or synthetic, which alters the structure or function of the body. Some examples of legal drugs include alcohol, tobacco, painkillers, antidepressants, stress relievers. Illegal drugs include heroin, cocaine, marijuana, ecstasy, and amphetamines, which are being used widely in our community. It is also a contributing factor to many of the accidents that occur in workplaces. The problems caused at work by drug and alcohol abuse include: absenteeism; increased risk of accidents to self and others; impaired reactions, timing, and judgment; reduced perception of danger; mood changes; conflict with work mates; reduced or poor work performance; lower quality and quantity of work; poor judgment; poor decisions; inability to concentrate; lack of coordination; and a decline in physical and mental performance. Look out for the warning signs and encourage fellow workers who have a problem to seek help. [Music]
Emergency evacuation of our site applies to all visitors, officers, and workers. There are many different reasons why an evacuation of your workplace may need to occur. These include: fire; explosions; major chemical spills; gas leaks; major accidents; bomb threats; or seizures. The evacuation may involve your particular work area, or it could involve the whole workplace. In either case, it is important that you are able to act in a way that is going to save your life and not put others at risk. Our workplace has developed procedures to deal with potential on-site emergencies. You need to be aware of these procedures so you can follow them calmly and confidently if an emergency occurs. Site emergency evacuation plans are posted in several places around the premises. These contain vital information for workers and visitors. They highlight exits, assembly areas, muster points, the location of fire extinguishers, emergency services phone numbers, and an emergency contact number for the site. Make sure you familiarize yourself with these plans so you can act calmly and confidently if an emergency occurs. If you hear the emergency alarm, you must remain calm, walk—don’t run—to the nearest exit, follow instructions given by the evacuation wardens, go straight to the designated assembly area nominated by the emergency warden, remain at your assembly area until you are directed to return to work. When you begin work at a new workplace, you need to find out: who your area warden and incident controller are; what the evacuation plan includes and where it is displayed; where first aid boxes are located and who the first aider for your work area is; how often emergency drills occur; and what the emergency contact number is for your site. If you discover an emergency, report it immediately to your site contact or an emergency warden.
We are committed to ensuring that all workers enjoy equal employment opportunity in our workplace. Equal opportunity is about giving everybody a fair go. This means that the worth of the individual be respected and that diversity, tolerance, and flexibility be valued. In other words, all workers are treated fairly and equally and have the opportunities to develop to their full potential regardless of sex, marital status, pregnancy, family responsibility or status, race, religious and/or political conviction, impairment, age, gender, history, and sexual orientation. People’s skills and abilities are measured equitably and balanced with experience. There is an equal access to training and development that lets you grow, be productive, and pursue a career path. You also have the responsibility to: work to your full capacity; respect cultural and social differences among your workplace and customers; treat people fairly; recognize and respect the skills and talents of others.
The average adult needs around seven hours of sleep every night to allow the body and mind time to recover from the stress and body demands that have been placed on them the previous day. The body needs time to recover from long and/or heavy workloads or being kept in the one position for any length of time. Insufficient sleep will put your health at risk in many ways. Firstly, it will decrease your immune system’s ability to fight off infections and sickness. Insufficient sleep will also cause a loss of alertness, which in turn will affect your judgment, reactions, skill levels, and safety. There are other factors that can cause fatigue. These include: working long hours; taking drugs or alcohol; insufficient rest breaks; poor rosters; poor levels of health and fitness; and when you’re driving, delays in loading and unloading and driving at night when your body clock is telling you it’s time to sleep. Many safety incidents are directly attributed to fatigue. If you are feeling exhausted or tired; if you are reacting slower than normal; your coordination feels off; not judging things correctly; then chances are you are fatigued. Other warning signs that you are fatigued include: drowsiness and blurred vision; constant yawning; poor concentration; heavy or sore eyes; head begins to nod; lack of concentration; feeling irritable and restless; when your neck is struggling to keep your head erect; and when you’re driving, missing road signs, not remembering the last few kilometers of your trip, and when you are having difficulty staying in your lane. The only cure for fatigue is sleep; however, exercise, diet, and a healthy lifestyle will certainly help with reducing fatigue. If you have been driving, when you do stop, get out and stretch your legs or go for a quick walk. Try to develop a routine that provides you with regular doses of sleep, relaxation, exercise, as well as regular and sensible meal times. Drink plenty of water and eat sufficient fresh food, including fruit and vegetables. Caffeine will perk you up for a short time, but too much of it will dehydrate your body, can bring on headaches, can cause digestive, cardiac, and other problems, and becomes progressively less effective because your body adapts to it. Remember, the only cure for fatigue is sleep, but as we have mentioned, exercise, diet, and a healthy lifestyle will certainly help.
We are committed to continuously improving our environmental performance. You should remain aware that everything we do every day contributes to our overall environmental footprint. As such, we see environmental protection as everyone’s responsibility, including all PCBUs, officers, operators, drivers, office staff, workers, and visitors. Our collective actions can and will make a difference. Your responsibilities towards our environmental performance include: following induction training, policies, and procedures; minimizing the use of resources (for example, fuel, power, water, and paper, etc.); reporting all incidents, issues, improvements immediately to the appropriate officer; being prepared for emergencies (for example, spills). There are environmental laws and regulations that apply in this country. Hefty fines and strict penalties exist for individuals and the company when these laws are broken. Being environmentally conscious is not only good for our planet, it helps create a healthier, safer workplace for us all and can be advantageous for our organization’s bottom line. Just the little things that are done or not done by individuals can make a great deal of difference when looked at collectively. Think about recycling, reducing, and reusing. Ask yourself, “Can I avoid generating this waste in the first place?” Let’s halve much of our paper consumption by using both sides of the paper if it’s for personal or internal use, and if it has to be printed, print in draft mode to conserve ink. Does it have to be printed in the first place? Could it be emailed? Can the manuals, policies, internal memos, and other documents also be emailed or stored online rather than adding used ink cartridges to landfill? Think about having them refilled. Think before you throw it out. Can it be reused? For example, can we recycle the cartons, packaging, and packing that comes into our workplace from other suppliers? Can we purchase in bulk to reduce packaging as well as the need for deliveries? You can minimize energy usage by turning off lights that aren’t needed. Think about how much light you need to illuminate a particular area to do the job. Using energy-saving bulbs will burn far less electricity than the traditional incandescent bulb. Screen savers on computers save the screen but not energy. Where possible, keep your computer on energy-saving mode and unplug it when you are leaving for the day or if it isn’t going to be needed for an hour or so. Can any of our meetings be held online instead of face-to-face? This can save not only fuel but precious time. Water is another precious resource that we need to look after. You can do your bit by turning off taps quickly and reporting any leaking taps or connections to your supervisor. Let’s remain vigil and keep looking out at our processes. Replacing hazardous and harmful substances where possible with less toxic ones is not only safer for our workers and visitors, it is more environmentally friendly. Remember, just a little done by a lot can make a huge difference on our workplace and the environment. [Music] [Music] You