ASSESSMENT TASK 1

Q: 1: Access the current WHS legislation in your state or territory and describe the obligations of each of
the parties below?

Employees
Supervisors
Managers/Business Owners

Answer:

As per the current WHS legislation in our state the obligations are as follows:

For Employees:

The person should be fit & healthy to do the job and need to follow the instructions of his/her
boss until it is reasonable and safe. Do not use alcohol or any illegal drug while at work, and also dont try
to hurt yourself or anyone else at work.

For Supervisors:

The supervisor should provide protective equipment to the subordinates. Every job required
special type of safety equipment like hard hat, goggles, safety eye glasses, gloves, boots aprons or ear
muffs. Also supervisor needs to provide the safe and clean work place and reasonable workforce to
manage the project.

For Managers / Business Owners:

The manager / Business owner should have a valid license/ right to work on a designated area or
site. The manager should be well informed about regulatory requirements for particular work, have
adequate knowledge about first aid and general disaster management process in a case of any incident.
Also the wages should be provided in time without any biasness.

Q: 2: How would you provide WHS information to staff in your workgroup and how would you manage
adherence to associated policies and procedures?

Answer:

There are different ways to communicate information about WHS to staff in a workgroup. It
includes internet and intranet websites, morning and evening meetings on workplace area, placing
noticeboards and posters on workplace, sending emails and newsletters to supervisors etc. These policies
and procedures are managed and implemented by WHS Manager who is responsible for overall
management of project related to WHS. The supervisors should also remain strict to follow all these
policies and train the staff and lower level worker by providing repetitive information and continuous
monitoring.
Q: 3: Workplace information systems are employed in workplaces to help control and manage work risk
hazards? Identify at least five.

Answer:

The workplace information systems are very useful to control the risk hazards. The details are as
follows:

The workplace information system identifies the risks and hazards from a place and disseminates
the information how to manage that hazard. For example: Noise hazards, or mechanical hazards.
It helps to identify any unusual activity on the workplace, so that it can be secured.
It reduces the chances of theft, loss, or any mishandling of objects, tools and equipment.
It provides detailed information about the progress of work, capacity of workers and their
adherence to WHS code of conduct.
Workplace information system is also helpful to minimize risk hazards and increase the well-being
and capacity to work.

Q: 4: In the area of WHS risk management define the hierarchy of control and describe how you would
use these control measures.

Answer:

The hierarchy of control can be seen in the list given below:

1- Re-design the workplace to control the hazard from workplace: ( by adding innovative designs)
2- Remove or minimize the hazard ( Remove hazard with substitute)
3- Adopting a safe approach (Alteration of tools and equipment )
4- Isolating the hazard ( by using guards )
5- Providing effective ventilation system ( Engineering control )
6- Administrative tasks ( Job rotation, routine maintenance )
7- Personal protective equipment (gloves, earplugs, helmets etc.)

Q: 5: Aside from the WHS act, identify at least 3 other acts, standards or code of practices that guide your
actions in relation to workplace safety.

Answer:

There are following other three acts related to workplace safety.

Model WHS Act

Work Health Safety Act
Occupational health and safety Act
Q: 6: In your state or territory, when are organizations are required to establish a health and safety
committee? Explain your answer?

Answer:

The committee can be made if you have a large business and need to consult on health and safety
matters on regular intervals on different workplaces. It can be made on the request of HSR (health and
safety representative or demand of four to five workers at a workplace. A committee can also be made
on the request of workers who carry out work on more than one place and they do not have fixed
workplace. The constitution of health safety committee may be agreed between business and workplace.

Q: 7: True or false health and safety requirements do not require formal training. They simply use
common sense when making decisions. Explain your answer?

Answer:

It is true that health and safety decisions are mostly base on common sense, while the formal
training is not mandatory at all. Most of the workers are usually aware about the general practices, e.g.
dont use lift in a case of fire, using of hard caps, safety shoes and ear plugs on most civil constructions
sites, avoiding the chemical and mechanical hazards etc.

Q: 8: True or false- when health and safety policies and procedures have been written, they should never
be altered, even if they are ambiguous and confusing. Explain your answer?

Answer:

In my opinion, the health and safety rules and policies are well written, and can be altered if there
is any ambiguity or confusing statement is there. Because these rules are made for the betterment of the
human beings which is the most important assets of an organization. If the rules are creating any problems
or confusion, the workers should give suggestions for their improvement.

Q: 9: Apart from legislative requirement, describe in your own words why you believe it is important for
organizations to adopt a collaborative and consultative approach to managing occupational health and
safety?

Answer:

It is very important for organizations to effectively manage the occupational health and safety in
order to avoid from injuries and provide a better and safe work environment for all workers. The safer
work environment not only help to increase the efficiency of workers which leads to employees retention
and loyalty towards organization.
Q: 10: How would you suggest that organizations who are required to establish a health and safety
committee, set about?

Providing information to work teams on identified hazards and risks.

Recording and addressing safety issues raised by the staff.
Communicating to staff members the outcomes of issues raised.

Answer:

There are following suggestions, for the organizations who are setting up health nad safety
committees:

1- Working in teams is also beneficial to identify the hazards and risks. Effective teams have ability
to manage the risks of day to day routine matters which are helpful for better and safer work
environment.
2- All the issues raised by the staff should be well taken care by committee members/ supervisors.
Confidentiality and critical thinking are two major requirements to handle these issues and
prompt action should be required to resolve these issues.
3- The committee members should have a good liaison with the workers so that they can provide
outcome /feedback of their queries.

Q: 11: Describe at least two instances where you have personally delivered training or coaching to
colleagues or team members in the area of occupational health and safety, in your description please
include:

The training/coaching need and how it was identified.

The approach taken to deliver training/coaching.
The outcome

Q: 12: a) When should incident and accident forms be completed, and how do these records contribute
to the identification, and possible prevention of workplace incidents and accidents?

Answer:

The Accident/ Incident Forms are used in a case of any damage, loss, injury or any unforeseen
incident other than routine work. In this form, all the details should be mentioned which are related to
loss or injury and kept as a record for that particular incident. This record will be help to take steps in
order to minimize the risk and to avoid for further such incidents in future.

b) What other WHS records should be kept (List at least three).

Answer:

The other WHS record which need to be kept is as follows:

1- List of hazardous chemicals and equipment.

2- Medical information and privacy.
3- Employees record.
Q: 13: Consider the need for a fire and emergency system evacuation procedure in a workplace, identify
the key content you believe should be included.

It is necessary to have a fire and emergency system for a building which has no special emergency exit
and it can be fatal if such equipment is not provided.

Q: 14: Explain how you keep up to date with changes to WHS legislation, WHS policies and procedures
and other WHS matters.

By communicating with other staff members we can track changes in this regard.

Q: 15: Sometimes it is not possible to eliminate all risk. What action should be taken to report residual
risk?

We can identify that portion of the risk which is not eliminated so in the residual report the second
personnel dealing it may eliminate the risk.