ICAITU004B Apply Occupational Health and Safety Procedures

ICAITU004B
Apply Occupational Health and Safety Procedures
On completion of this unit learners should be competent in supporting the organizations’ Occupational Health and Safety principles and practices.
They should have the ability to:
Determine Occupational Health and Safety (OH & S) issues relating to immediate work environment.
Document and disseminate Occupational Health & Safety requirements.
Provide basic ergonomic advice.
Glossary Other Resources
Activities
Exercise 1 - Short Answer Questions
Exercise 2 - Multiple Choice
Case Study 1 - Reporting Procedures
Exercise 3 - Questions
Case Study 2 - Workplace Inspection
Sample Project

Glossary
OOS
Occupational Overuse Syndrome, also know as Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI). Caused by repetitive tasks and/or having poor posture.
Workstation
Includes the whole work area and positioning of – computer, monitor, keyboard, desk, chair, document holder and footrest.
Ergonomics
The study of the work environment in relation to the user.
Hazards
A situation or substance which could cause injury or illness.
Code of Practice
Guidelines which should be implemented to maintain safe work practices.
Manual Handling
Lifting or moving any equipment or other objects.
OHS Committee
A body of workplace employees committed to ensuring a safe work environment – attends regular meetings and carries out regular inspections.
WorkCover
The managing body for NSW Workplace Health & Safety
Accident Report
A document which should be filled out by anyone involved in workplace accidents/injuries, regardless of however minor they might be.
Worker’s Compensation
A special insurance-type payment made to any person who is injured or suffers a work related illness and needs time off work.
MSDS
Material Safety Data Sheets – specifies how to handle certain material and/or substances.

Other resources

K Burton & K Le Rossignol, 2000, Communicating in an IT Environment, Eastern House, Victoria

www.workcover.nsw.gov.au/ - is the NSW managing and monitoring body for health and safety, Worker’s Compensation, and injuries in the workplace. www.ohs.com.au/sites.htm - Contains Products and services and other government sites relating to OH & S – Australian and international.
Video: Using Computers without Pain and Injury, 1993, Open Training and Education Network, (NSW) Film and Video Unit, Sydney.
OTEN Module – 3650F, Distance Education, Strathfield NSW


Activities

Exercise 1
1 An unhealthy work environment can lead to many problems, name some of these problems:
2 The study of the work environment in relation to the user is called ergonomics.
TRUE FALSE
3 Name some of the common complaints in relation to ergonomics.
4 How often should you take a break when using a computer?
every 3 hours , once per day , every 30 mins
5 Your eyes should be level with the top of the screen.
TRUE FALSE
6 If your feet cannot comfortably reach the floor what should you use?
7 Repetitive Strain Injury is often referred to as OOS (Occupational Overuse Syndrome), is this correct?
8 If you suffer from eyestrain, what course of action should you take?
9 To be comfortable when you are working with the keyboard, your wrists should be resting on the desk.
TRUE FALSE
10 Describe what kind of chair you should have at your workstation.

Answers

Exercise 1
1 Stress, accidents, headaches, backaches, eye strain, low morale (anything else similar to these)
2 TRUE
3 Wrong type of chair – back and neck problems, stress on the body overall, Wrongly adjusted VDU – eye problems, headaches, glare problems, Environment – stuffy, too cold or hot, over air-conditioned, noisy, overwork Workstation arrangement – not practical, causes twisting or turning, cluttered or messy, frustrating and stressful
4 Every 30 minutes
5 TRUE
6 Footrest
7 Yes
8 Have your eyes checked, wear glasses if necessary, adjust brightness and/or positioning of monitor
9 FALSE
10 An ergonomic chair, with adjustable height and back support, 5 feet with castors, seat should be made of cloth and angled away from your upper thighs, preferable with no arms (or lower enough to fit under the desk) and in complete working order.

Exercise 2

Questions:
1. Stress can be related to:
a. An ergonomic, well-planned workstation
b. Job overload and poor work design
c. A happy work environment
d. None of the above

2. OOS stands for:
a. Occupational Overworked Syndrome
b. Often Occupationally Sick
c. Occupational Overuse Syndrome
d. Any of the above

3. A VDU is another term for:
a. RSI
b. Chronic Stress
c. Monitor or screen
d. All of the above

4. Which of the following is a hazard?
a. Chemicals
b. Poor work design
c. Electrical Problems
d. All of the above

5. When lifting any heavy weight you should:
a. Keep your back straight
b. Keep you knees straight
c. Hold the weight away from your body
d. Carry as much as you want

Answers

Exercise 2 Multiple choice

1 b

2 c

3 c

4 d

5 a

Exercise 3
1. In relation the Occupational Health & Safety Act what are the employer’s responsibilities?
2. What are the employee’s responsibilities?
3. What sort of injuries does the OH & S Law cover?
4. List some of the changes made to the workplace as a result of OH & S Laws.
5. Name some of the functions of the OH & S Committee.
6. Investigate what the following safety signs mean in the workplace.A red circle with a line through itA green triangleA yellow triangleA blue circle
7. Summarize the Hierarchy of Controls.
8. If you were asked to move a computer from one place to another, what safety precautions would you take?

Answers:

1. Employer’s responsibilities:o Provide training for the use of any equipment in the workplaceo Educate staff about occupation overuse syndromeo Outline correct lifting procedures for heavy weightso Establish a schedule of repairs and maintenance for equipmento Provide adequate lightingo Provide ergonomically designed furnitureo Outline procedures for reporting potential hazards

2. Employee’s responsibilities:o Adjusting equipment to suit themselveso Reporting potential hazardso Adhering to safety regulations regarding issues such as power, lifting, housekeepingo Considering the welfare of themselves and others in the workplaceo Taking frequent breaks when doing repetitive tasks

3. In relation to IT injurieso Being injured during a lunchtime game in the grounds of the organization/companyo An assault by another employeeo An accident in the office or workshopo An accident while traveling between job locations for work purposeso An accident at a social function held by the organization/company

4. Some changes to the workplace;o Safety signs warning of dangero Compulsory protective clothing where it is necessaryo Regular maintenance of air conditioning unitso Regular inspections of the workplace and follow up of hazard reportso Hazard controlo Emergency drillso Safety auditso Documentation for work-related incidents, accidents injuries and illnesses

5. Functions of an OHS Committeeo Investigate issues brought to its attention by employees or employerso Assist in the development of a safe work environmento Ensure there are appropriate recording procedures for accidentso Attempt to resolve issueso May have other functions relevant to the type of workplace

6. Safety signso Indicates something that must not be doneo Indicates where emergency equipment is kepto Danger warningo Indicates the need for some type of safety equipment

7. Hierarchy of controlso Elimination – removing the risk.o Substituting – replacing equipment or substance with a better or less risky oneo Engineering controls – designing or redesigning a better work area.o Administrative controls – training, job rotation, scheduling of work, risk control.o Personal protective clothing and equipment – to provide a barrier to any hazard.

8. Safety precautionso Turn off all components at the wallo Unplug all the power leadso Disconnect all cables from the computer components keyboard, printer, mouse etco Use a trolley if it is a fair distance to be moved to or,o Lift the equipment with bent knees, keeping the equipment close to your body and your back straight.

Case study 1
You are an employee of Bits & PCs Computer Services Company and one of your tasks is to attend the helpdesk enquiries for two hours every day. There are three of you doing this during a normal day, but on this particular day one of your workmates is off sick and you are asked to do his two hours as well as your own.

Along with this you also have some urgent tasks that you feel you really need to try and do in between enquiries. The day begins quite well and you seem to be making progress, however, you start to get very busy on the helpdesk and you end up working through lunch.

Later in the afternoon, you decide it is time to have a quick break. In your rush, you trip over the electrical leads hanging down beside the desk and land on an open PC case, cutting your hand and badly bruising both knees as you hit the floor!

You are not seriously hurt, but shaken and your hand will need some attention to stop the bleeding.
Fill out the information on the Injury/Investigation Report below, using all your own details and the relevant information from the above case study.

1 Fill out the information on the Injury/Investigation Report below, using all your own details and the relevant information from the above case study.

Sample Injury/Investigation Report

Surname: Kajornkeitpaisarn
Given Name: Theerasak
Address: 17/230 Elizabeth House. Elizabeth Street.
Suburb: Surry Hills , NSW .
Post Code: 2010
Home Phone: 0298765432
DOB:02/03/1882
Marital Status: Single
Age: 25
Job Title: IT Technical Support Officer
Time and date of injury: 2.30 p.m. (18/07/2007)
Cause of injury (in your opinion) : to trip over the electrical leads hanging down beside the desk and land on an open PC case
Nature of injury: hand cut and both knees bruised
To whom did you report the injury? : IT Technical Support Supervisor
Did you need medical attention?: Yes

If there were any witnesses supply their name and phone number : Note: I worked alone

2 What should you do with this report once it is completed?

Answer :
2. I should send this report to my supervisor .


Case study 2
Choose an appropriate office or workplace with at least one computer workstation and carry out the following tasks:
In the factory : Theerasak's company

Investigate the OH & S practices which are in place

In a factory should have OH & S practices for every 6 month such as the fire escape practicing , should have first aid practicing , should have safety first policy when they work at dangerous place or danger machine . In the factory should have good environment because it will be good for employee healthy

Identify any electrical hazards

The metal parts of electrical tools and machines may become “hot” if there is a break in the insulation of the tool or machine wiring. The worker using these tools and machines is made less vulnerable to electrical shock when a low-resistance path from the metallic case of the tool or machine to the ground is established. The effects from electric shock depend upon the type of circuit, its voltage ,resistance ,amperage ,pathway through the body , and duration of the contact. In addition to shock and burn hazards , electricity poses other dangers. For example ,when a short circuit occurs, hazards are created from the resulting arcs. If high current is involved , these arcs can cause injury or start a fire.

What OH & S reporting procedures are there?

The OH & S reporting should have the name, address, number phone , job position , cause of injury , time and date of injury , nature of injury and then when you fill the detail finish. You must send to your supervisor.

Is the furniture ergonomically designed?

Yes , because if you have furniture ergonomically designed that it will be suitable for worker.

In all these areas recommend any OH & S improvements you feel are necessary.

I think , In factory must have sick bay room and some first aid because the factory is very large area and a lot of worker in there that it is necessary if it can improve for worker safety.



Workstation Ergonomics

- material obtained from Workcover NSW, Feb 2001

Recommendation Install the RTA computer in the office facing the door. Install another light above the computer. This would comply with the requirements of the WORKCOVER guidelines for environmental factors. For ergonomic requirements an additional ergonomic chair is purchased. The computer system is installed based on the WORKCOVER guide lines for the following:The angle of the screen to the eye is max 30 degrees to horizontal. This is to protect the neck.The key board is positioned to reduce stress on the risk.

The back rest is adjusted to ensure the back is vertical when seated.Refer to http://www.acay.com.au/~mkrause/workstation_ergonomics.htm for additional information on Workstation Ergonomics.The basic setup is given in Figure 1. Basically this includes the setup oft he following: Chair, Desk screen, Documents Layout, Keyboard, Mouse, Environment, Telephone Operations and Headsets and Work Organisation.

Figure 1


Figure 2



Figure 3


Additional requirements for posture are given in the following reference.

http://www.acay.com.au/~mkrause/posture.htm

Sample project

This scenario involves a Public School with a student enrolment of approximately 99. Recently a new family moved to the area increasing the enrolment by 3. Schools that have an enrolment of more than 100 become entitled to a full time clerical officer and a computer system, i.e. a PC and a laser printer.
The Principal of the school only has one area where she can locate the new clerical officer and the computer. It is a small room that used to be the sick bay (see plan attached).

While school funds are limited there may be some money available for some minor office renovation.
The school does have an OH & S Committee so the Principal asks that the committee members examine the proposed new office as to its suitability under the OH & S Act. She also informs the committee that there is a table and an old office chair in the room, which she thinks will do for the time being.

The new staff member will be starting work at the commencement of the next term in 8 weeks time. The computer and printer have already been delivered.
Your task as an OH & S representative is to:

1. Consider all the facts before giving a recommendation to the Principal and outline all these facts and why they should be taken into consideration.

Answer

I think the store room is too large so it make the sick bay room too small. In this room has just one window. The air can’t flow around the room. The lights don’t have the power (Watt) enough for sick bay room.

2. What recommendations would you make to the Principal as to the set up of this new workstation in the new office?

Answer

1. The principle should take the wall out and to build the new store room . The new store room should be small room because the store room is not more necessary for sick bay room and to build at some corner.
2. The principle should build one more window and to put the beds near the windows because it good for the patient and then should to add the air conditioner too.
3. The principle should change the new lights . It should be 100 Watt because it comfort for clerical officer to work .
4. The principle should locate the clerical officer desk at some the corner of sick bay room.The computer desk should suit for clerical officer.
You should use the Internet, text books or any pamphlets/leaflets you may have obtained to help you with this report.