Volume 8 August 2013

People and Performance Solutions We listen We ask We simplify

Q&A
Entry permits have been defined in both the Fair Work and the Work Health and Safety Act. Q: According to the legislation, what is an entry permit? A: As per the Fair Work Act and the Work Health and Safety Act, union officials are entitled a right of entry to a workplace for a specified purpose. To apply this right, the union official must have a valid and current right of entry permit and be entitled to represent workers in the workplace. Additionally, under the WHS Act the official must also hold a valid and current Work Health and Safety permit.

Health and Safety News Review

Factors in Safety: Cold and Heat

There are so many factors that affect safety in the workplace. One element that is common in all workplaces regardless of the type of industry is the temperature in the work environment. Our mind and body have a low tolerance for working in extreme temperatures. As an example, in the office environment there can be a significant work disturbance depending on the control of the cooling or heating. For the office environment it is crucial that there is an office temperature that is comfortable to the staff. Otherwise beware you will have disgruntled, not to mention unproductive, employees. Be aware though that people have different perceptions of what they consider to be too warm, just right or chilly. In which case it is essential that office workers learn to adjust and take practicable personal measures to ensure their comfort, for example by wearing an extra cardigan if feeling cold or using a portable electric fan if feeling too hot.

HR Divisions message for the month of August

August is never a dull month for extremes of weather. In the southern hemisphere theres bristling cold; whilst in the north heat waves abound. No matter where you are, extreme temperatures can be a concern.

In this edition of HR Divisions health and safety news review we discuss cold and heat as important On the other hand, there are workplaces where extreme temperature is factors in safety.

clearly part of the work element that generates the income for the As always, dont hesitate to contact company.
HR Division to discuss removing Unnecessary Risks from your organization.
PO Box 4060 Balwyn East Victoria 3103 Tel: (03) 9948 2401 Fax: (03) 8677 1863 AC Corp Pry Ltd ATF MFT info@hrdivision.com.au www.hrdivision.com.au

People and Performance Solutions

Continued from page 1 In these instances, the extreme cold and heat temperatures are hazards in the workplace. As the extreme temperature can cause an injury, it is important that there accurate and timely identification of the hazard and that there is a robust risk management in place to handle the extreme temperature. No room for complacency In my experience I have seen both business owners and workers take the extreme temperature for granted. This is especially so among workers and business owners who have been working in the same work environment for several years. This type of complacency around extreme temperature can be a recipe for disaster. Extreme temperature can result in horrific accident from burns to frost bite. Respect the extreme temperature in your workplace. Disrespecting the heat or cold can be the factor that can cause serious injury or fatality in the workplace. Injuries and incidents I am sure we have seen the repercussions of fire in the workplace. Fire can result in burns or detrimental smoke inhalation. Musculoskeletal injuries can happen easily in the workplaces where there is extreme cold temperature. Heat and cold are elements that contribute to incidents that can result in injuries. Taking an active stance to identify extreme conditions in your workplace and then promoting measures to minimise the negative effects of extreme heat or cold is essential to protecting the safety of workers.

What are the factors that influence the risk to a person working in a very hot or cold environment?
Image from D. Hester WorkCover New South Wales has published a useful guide to assist in understanding the basics of risk that are prevalent to workers when undertaking work in an environment with extreme heat or cold. It is recommended that work should be carried out in an environment where a temperature range is comfortable for workers and suits the work they carry out. It is an opportunity for Companies to remove Unnecessary Risks by controlling for environmental factors, work and job flow design and personal p rotective equipment.

Sleeping on the job

huge risk. Yet in Natalie Skinner and Jill Dorians survey of about 970 workers and self-employed business people they found that about 30 per cent often felt fatigued. This fatigue was detrimental to the extent that work and sleep habits ''are likely to place significant strain on workers' capacity to be effective and engaged workers, parents, partners, friends and community members''. In a 2012 report by the Australia Institute and BeyondBlue, their research suggests that more than 2.2 million Australians report that they go to work each morning unsure of what time they will finish their job for the day. This, and working overtime of excess of 45-hour weeks had negative outcomes on fatigue and sleep deprivation. Accordingly, it was recommended that an upper limit be set for 'reasonable' hours no more than 38 hours weekly.

Source: Natalie Skinner and Jill Dorian, University of South Australia

fatigued. In an environment where there is machinery, high traffic or hazardous substances fatigue on the job presents a

Is sleep a luxury or a necessity?

No matter what your thoughts are on that question, there is no doubt that when it comes to work, there is no room for sleep on the job. Past research has shown that insufficient sleep can significantly increase the risk of workplace and road accidents. Especially as decision making is impacted when the individual is

Research to put you to sleep

Source: Safety Institute of Australia Ltd, 29th January 2013

According to research commissioned by the Australian Sleep Health Foundation the total cost of sleep disorders to workplace productivity has been estimated at $954 million. The majority was attributed to insomnia and the significant costs associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
In 2010 sleep disorders accounted for 9,584 people having a workplace incident (1,155 due to OSA and 8,586 due to insomnia). The average cost of each incident was a staggering $131,912. With statistics such as these, youll want to make sure that your family and colleagues get a good night sleep everyday. 3

Responsibilities to be Licensed
the appropriate licenses to see you through the work activity. The strict guidelines regulating high risk work include a pertinent need for all workers engaged in high risk work to have an updated license for the work. All jurisdictions across the country strictly monitor the engagement of licensed individuals to engage in high risk work as per the model WHS regulations or the National Standard for licensing persons performing high risk work. Furthermore, the Authority reinforce the need for holding appropriate licenses to do high risk work as per prosecutions results. For example, in Western Australia KEP Management Services, an engineering Company was charged and prosecuted for allowing unlicensed dogging work. On the site the investigator found that no-one in the workplace held a dogging licence, and subsequently fined the company $10,000. While licences issued are recognized in all states and territories, the fee for a new licence or adding classes to an existing licence varies per jurisdiction. Additionally, check that your licence has been converted to the appropriate format, for example in Queensland existing licence holders for high risk work were required to convert their licence to a renewable photographic licence by 30 June 2013. In the ACT, for persons who hold a certificate of competency for work under the National Standard for licensing persons performing high risk work, issued between July 2009 to June 2011, then you must transfer your certificate to a high risk work licence before it expires, or by the 30 June 2014.

Fast results and safety compliance do not usually go hand-in hand. In fact, there is often a stigma that safety in the workplace is coupled with slow processes dogged by bureaucracy. In safety there are certainly no quick short cuts that you can take. In fact, for high risk work you must make sure before you go anywhere near it that you have

Worker deaths in first six months of 2013

25 20 15 10 5 Agriculture, Electricity, gas, Administrative & Health care & social Arts & recreation Transport, postal & Information media Accomodation & Construction Other services Wholesale trade Manufacturing Professional, Public Financial & Government 0 Mining Retail trade Education & training Industry unknown Worker deaths in first six months of 2013

Source: Safe Work Australia, 19 June 2013, Year-to-date 2013: worker deaths by industry of workplace