Electrical Safety Codes of Practice.

The Electrical Safety Office Queensland has announced the New Electrical Safety code of practice for Risk Management, which came into effect 1 January 2010. The codes of practice support the Electrical Safety Act 2002 and give practical advice on how to meet your electrical safety obligations.

The code was developed to assist employers and electricians alike in meeting their individual electrical safety obligations, both in the workplace and when working with live electricity.

It is important to note, the codes of practice do not cover everything you should do to meet your electrical safety obligations. However, electrical contractors and workers would fail to meet their obligations if they:

• -  went against or acted inconsistently with a code of practice.
• -  did not adopt a method as safe as, or safer than, the code.

Delivering the goods safely - Manual tasks in road freight.

The safe loading and unloading of trucks is an important step in preventing injury to workers and preventing damage to property. To encourage safe work practices the National Transport Commission has developed a Load Restraint guide for companies specialising in Freight Transport.

In addition to the Load Restraint Guide, Workplace Health and Safety Queensland has run a series of free workshops throughout Queensland to provide information and education about managing manual task risks in the workplace. Aimed at owners, managers, supervisors, WHSO’s, Safety Reps and Safety Professionals, the workshops focused on preventing muscular and joint injuries particularly from loading and unloading vehicles.

Manual tasks include any activity requiring the person to; grasp, manipulate, strike, throw, carry, move (lift, lower, push or pull) hold, or restrain an object, load or body part.  Such movements, if done incorrectly can cause a range of injuries, most commonly to the lower back, shoulders and knees.

Development and implementation of Manual Tasks Management Systems can prevent serious injury and help to eliminate risk. Training in correct Manual Handling techniques can help to educate workers in the dangers associated with these tasks. 

he Manual Tasks Code of Practice 2000 can also provide guidance on how to manage the risks associated with manual tasks and the obligations of employers to provide an equal or enhanced level of protection.

Contruction Induction now required in ACT.

As of 1st of October 2009, The Australian Capital Territory (ACT)  requires all persons to complete the unit of competency CPCCOHS1001A Work safely in the construction industry, also known as the white card, prior to entering or working on a construction site.

The changes come as part of the introduction of the Work Safety Act 2008 and the Work Safety Regulation 2009. This sees the ACT fall in line with other states including QLD, NSW, & Victoria which implemented the new program on 1st July 2009.

If a person holds a construction induction card issued in another State or Territory, there is no requirement to undergo further training, or to transfer the card to ACT.

For further information about this course or for training dates and prices, please refer to the course flyer and training calendar.

Frequently Asked Questions - G.I. Construction course

Can I still use my blue card?

Yes. You may still use your blue card to enter a construction site and conduct construction work. However, any new students completing the General Induction for Construction will now receive the new national competency CPCCOHS1001A Work safely in the construction industry White Card.

Will my Blue Card ‘run out’?  

No. There are no current plans to put expiry dates on blue cards. The will remain valid under the new scheme.

Will my blue card still be recognised in other states?

Yes. General construction induction training completed by construction workers in QLD is mutually recognised in SA, NSW and VIC. WA will also recognise a card as long as it is under 3years old. TAS, NT and ACT have no legal requirement for construction induction training.

What happens if I lose my blue card?

If your current Blue Card is lost, destroyed or stolen you will need to contact the RTO with whom you originally undertook the course and arrange for a replacement card to be issued.

If I have a Blue Card can I RPL the new white card?

RPL should not be required as the blue card is still valid. If for some reason RPL is required please enquire with the college. Charges will apply.

Where can I get a new white card?

ACHS offers public courses for the CPCCOHS1001A Work safely in the Construction Iindustry white card at our Training Rooms at Wellington Point. Courses are held fortnightly on a Wednesday morning from 8.30am – 2.30pm. For a full list of up-coming course dates please refer to the training program on the college website www.austchs.com. Group bookings can also be conducted on your site.

Rehab Goes National

Effective 1st July 2009 the existing Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator (WPR100) course will cease to be offered.  The WPR100 course is being superceded by the new nationally recognised course – 30782QLD Course in Functioning as a Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator, which will see participants gain 3 nationally recognised competencies in addition to the Q-Comp issued accreditation

The new course was accredited by the Queensland Training and Employment Recognition Council in November 2008. It was developed by Q-comp and a range of representatives from employer groups, training providers, unions, training consultants and self-insured employers. 

The course now consists of three nationally recognised modules:

FNSWCMP303A – Work within the workers compensation industry sector

• PSPIM405A – Develop return to work plans
• PSPIM406A – Implement and monitor return to work plans

These competencies can be used for RPL should further vocational education in injury management or worker compensation be undertaken. Further information regarding the competencies can be found on the National Training Information Service website.

Current registered Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinators are not required to complete the new course to maintain their accreditation.

Changes in Qld Construction Landscape

2009 will see several changes in the workplace, regarding legislation and certification.

Changes that will have the greatest effect in our industry will be the introduction of National Licensing Standards. Many people have operator certificates in various high-risk work categories but there are a number of inconsistencies regarding cross-state recognition. The Standards, which will ultimately ensure that workers and their qualifications can be recognised throughout Australia, commenced in July 2008. They have been progressively introduced but other major changes will be evident this year. Please refer to DEIR website for information.
www.deir.qld.gov.au

Another change which will be noticed is the amended role of the Workplace Health and Safety Representative (WHSR). From July 2009 WHSR’s will be able to issue Provisional Improvement Notices (PINs.) after undergoing training by an approved RTO – course 30630QLD. They will then be known as a recognised WHSR. Existing WHSRs will need to attend extra training in the issuing of PINs before becoming qualified, this is likely to be a 3 hour module. There will be strict compliance deadlines placed on employers who receive a PIN although provisions will be in place to prevent unreasonable or frivolous notices.

The General Construction Induction, or “Blue Card”, is being revamped as a national competency and will become nationally recognised.

Don’t forget that the WHS Act and Regs will continue to be upgraded so ensure that you always have current copies
Recent changes include:

• high risk work
• certificates
• trainees in high risk work
• asbestos containing material handling .
• 

Singing from the same song sheet?

The Federal government is in the process of reviewing national OHS laws with harmonisation the required outcome. This harmonisation has a target date set for June 2011. Various meetings have been taking place through 2008 and a second major review is due on the 30 Jan 2009. It is likely that rather than an Australia wide OHS Act and Regs being implemented, a model Act and Regs will be in place for each state to enact. During the first review the major sticking points were:

persons conducting business or undertaking (QLD) v employer/employee relationship (all other  States)                                                                              

• absolute duty of care with reasonable practicability as a defence (QLD/NSW) v reasonably practicable duty of care (other States)

Offences - 3 categories of offence proposed with highest being indictable offences (permitting trial by judge and jury) v offences being determined by Magistrate or Industrial Court (QLD).

Maximum fines to be increased to $3million for a corporation and $600k for an individual with imprisonment up to 5 yrs for highest category offences. Keep watching this space for the next step

Power tools for Reps

The WHS Act will shortly be amended to allow Qualified Safety Reps (QWHSR) to write Provisional Improvement Notices (PINS) to hand to their employer.

A QWHSR has to have undertaken course 30630QLD AND another, as yet unspecified (prob 3hr), course in writing notices. Ordinary WHSRs who have only undertaken the 30630QLD course will not be able to write PINS until they complete the additional top up course. This short top up will eventually become part of the 30630QLD course.

Constructive delays

Due to delays in getting VET Ministers approval for the CPC08 General Construction Industry training package (which will contain the new national induction competency) the General Construction Induction course 30125QLD course has been extended to 30 June 2009.

Additionally, the mutual recognition of interstate construction induction training courses has also been extended by the addition of South Australia and Western Australia to the scheme that now encompasses SA/WA/QLD/NSW & VIC.

WA does have a 3 yr time expiry on its GI tickets and so will only accept cards from other States if they have been issued in the previous three years.

New BFSR - 2008

You may, or may not, be aware the new Building Fire Safety Regulations 2008 came into affect in Queensland on 1 July 2008.

A couple of key points that readers will need to act upon at some stage.

 S34 (1) Appointment of fire safety advisers for high occupancy buildings

“the occupier of a high occupancy building must appoint a person who holds a current building fire safety qualification as the Fire Safety Adviser for the building.”

This regulation uses the QLD WHSO criteria, so it is now a requirement that any business with 30 or more workers in any building is required to have a Fire Safety Advisor. This person will have to undergo a three day training course, the syllabus of which is yet to be approved by QFRS. ACHS will be applying for scope to conduct this course when the syllabus is released. FSA’s will need to be appointed and trained within the next twelve months.

Another section to note is S 36 regarding first response fire training. The old regulation stated a requirement for 12 monthly re-training. That requirement has been extended to 24 months.

Should you have any questions please contact us.

Psychosocial Behaviours in Injured Workers

The catch cry in rehabilitation is recognizing psychosocial behaviour in injured workers, in order to do this; first you must understand the two personality types with regards to rehabilitation. The first type of personality is the anxious types, these are typified by:

• Also known as experts and complainers they are often competitive and known as fighters
• Characteristics - will listen to whoever confirms their anxiety (watch your body language!)

The other personality type is the depressed personality type these are typified by:

• Also know as victims – they are not competitive and are not fighters
• Characteristics - reclusive and cynical.

Managing both these types of personalities is paramount in preventing an injury escalating into a psychological injury. You must support your injured worker throughout the process and you need to think outside your comfort zone. Some of the ways we can support both these types are:

Inform them of possible setbacks, but explain the low odds of setback actually happening.

Carefully manage setbacks if they occur

• Be careful to avoid couching advice in terms that may feed their anxiety; e.g. “don’t overdo things” or “stop when it hurts”
• Focus on capability; e.g. discuss what they can do
• Encourage and acknowledge small gains
• Promote trust – don’t promise what can’t be delivered

Remember be empathetic and don’t make promises you can’t keep!

Workplace Health & Safety - Making it Work!

An employer must work with the Workplace Health and Safety Officer to ensure that legislative requirements are met and proper procedures and policies are implemented.   This is often a complex and time consuming task resulting in; development of a safety management system, safe work procedures, risk and hazard management, task and site specific training, maintenance of plant and equipment registers, accident and reporting procedures, just to name a few.

The process of developing these procedures can often be viewed, by some, as a waste of time, the time utilized to prevent workplace injuries and accidents far outweighs the cost to employers relating to increased WorkCover/Insurance costs, Common Law Injury Claims and Public Liability Claims, not to mention the penalties involved when someone is injured in the workplace and little or no procedures are in place.

The old adage “It won't happen to me” should be viewed as a warning to employers to utilize the full potential of those appointed to Health and Safety roles to reduce the possibility of workplace incidents having an impact on all processes of the business.

Fatigue Management

Yawning? Rubbing your eyes? Have heavy eye lids?… these are all signs and symptoms of fatigue. Fatigue occurs when an individual does not obtain adequate rest or recovery from previous work periods. With society now living ‘24/7’, when you are heading home from work today, someone is off to work.

Fatigue is not something new, but if identified as a hazard in your workplace, it needs to be managed.

Did you know…?

• That if you work longer than 17 hours continual, your co-ordination and concentration is the same as having a .05 BAC (Blood Alcohol Concentrate) ….. Think about it, you can’t drive at that level, should you be at work?
• If you work 17-23 hours continual, you are equivalent to .1 BAC… well, I know where I would like to be, in bed!
• 8 hours sleep will ‘buy’ approximately 16 hours of wakefulness, so that’s 1 hour sleep for every 2 hours awake
• Fatigue is often implicated as a contributory factor in many workplace and commuting deaths especially after the 9th hour of work

Employers, employees, the union/s and the government all have a shared responsibility for managing the risks associated with fatigue.

Don't Forget - 30th June 2008

Holders of QLD old style paper certificates have until this date to notify DEIR if they wish to continue to have authority to carry out the work after 1st July 2008. (does not include demolition , explosive power tools, welding, slinging, crane chasing, aircon classes, refrig classes)

To notify DEIR visit their online notification service at: http;//www.deir.qld.gov.au/Tecs-LC/Index.do

Legislation Changes…

From the 1st of May 2007 it is now a requirement of the Workplace Health & Safety Amendment Regulation (no.1 2007) for Workplace Health & Safety Representatives to undertake the new nationally accredited “Functioning as a Workplace Health & Safety Representative Course” (30630QLD). (Refer Regulation s229B Workplace Health & Safety Training Course).

The course runs for 3 days with an additional practical course assessment. This course is a must for all workers with an interest in workplace health and safety, particularly those who have been elected as Workplace Health and Safety Representatives or members of a Health and Safety Committee.

The Safety Representatives course introduces representatives and committees to the requirements of the Workplace Health and Safety legislation, risk management concepts, consultation mechanisms and methods for improving safety at the workplace.

On completion of the course, participants will be able to…

• Identify and apply relevant Workplace Health & Safety information relevant to workplace or area of representation
• Apply OHS information to issues in the area of representation
• Identify workplace hazards and risks
• Assess workplace hazards and risks
• Identify and recommend control measures to manage exposure to hazards and risks
• Represent workers in workplace health and safety consultation mechanisms
• Represent workers within workplace health and safety consultation arrangements
• Prepare and present reports
• Review circumstances surrounding workplace incidents

The Australasian College of Health & Safety regularly run the Safety Representatives course, see our Training Calendar and Courses Page  for futher details, or call us on 3822 3228.