Workplace Health And Safety (WHS) Policy Essay Paper

Substance-Free Workplace Policy And Identification Of Hazards

Accident prevention is the single most important operation. To ensure that this succeeds, the policy advocates for a substance free environment. The use of alcohol or narcotics is strictly forbidden in the workplace. In the event that an employee is injured in the line of work, the institution will cater for medical expenses and rehabilitation so that the employee can return to work as soon as possible. To maintain safety however, all workers must follow the laid procedure for reporting hazards. Basic safety rules will also be issues explaining how to carry out specific tasks that may be prone to accidents. In case emergencies do occur, there is a laid-down procedure which will explain how these are to be communicated. Employees have the role of communicating this promptly to enable an adequate response.

WHS consultation and communication policy

Officers, managers and workers have mandates under the policy to ensure safety, and communicate instances where safety is seen as being compromised. In the policy, the communication is mainly done through three stages of audit: internal site inspection, internal audit and external audit. The health and safety committee should provide a forum for the resolution of safety and health issues. It should also give a chance for the discussion and analysis of relevant data, while providing the ideal environment for training and educating on WHS matters. Lastly, such a committee should identify, review and publish procedure manuals pertaining to health and safety.

In instances where hazards are identified, or near misses, they should immediately be reported to the relevant parties, who should be centralized and able to respond within the shortest time possible. First Aid procedures should be clearly laid down. First aid kits should b availed in strategic areas, especially those in which hazards are more. In the case of emergencies, the evacuation policy should be referred to, to enable safe and efficient evacuation of staff and others without endangering their safety. For every task that involves a significant degree of safety risks, there should be a separate and thorough explanation of tasks and the relevant safe work procedures.  Workplace Health And Safety (WHS) Policy Essay Paper

Session Plan

During this induction plan, two team members will be taken trough the WHS induction process. This is important in ensuring that the members internalize the laid out procedures, and that they are able to properly respond to issues of safety, while acting as ambassadors for the company to other employees in sensitizing them about safety issues, hazards and responses.

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WHS Consultation And Communication Policy

The session will start off by discussing the organization’s accident prevention plan, and safety provisions.

As a major requirement, it is expected that accidents be avoided at all costs, by minimising hazards. In instances where this is not possible, risk mitigation as laid down in the procedure should be applied. It is imperative that the relevant department come up with measures of training its members of on safety. The induction was a base from which team members should acquaint themselves with safety procedures. These include reporting hazards and accidents, or instances described as near misses. It is also important that such training is undertaken in line with the existing guidelines as set out in the policy.

The team members are to be issued with manuals on the various safety and operational equipment, and be given initial training on usage. This is expected to b transferred on to other team members in later instances. The team members are also to be given information about the first aid kit, and how to respond to emergency situations. Having acknowledged their understanding of the policy, as well as other regulations relating to safety, the induction session will be brought to close, followed by a quick evaluation by the facilitator of the team members’ understanding of pertinent issues.

Part A: the checklist

At the hotel, there are 10 cooks who are based in the kitchen. They face the constant threat of injury from the fire. They also deal with sharp things including knives, which can also cause serious injuries to them. As a result of this, the kitchen has a well-stocked first aid kit in close proximity. The first aid kit is administered by one of the chefs, who are charged with making sure it has all the required materials. In addition, there is firefighting equipment in the kitchen, and other areas in which fire hazard is a possibility. In each of these places, there is a fire marshal who is charged with directing members during evacuations, and sensitizing them on reporting of injuries or potential risks.

For the fire hazard, the departments concerned will be charged with ensuring that they have the appropriate firefighting equipment. They are also to have the number of the local firefighting department close on call, so that a fast response is possible. The necessary evacuation methods will be carried out. Drills to check compliance and understanding should be used.

WHS Induction Plan

Fire Marshals will be designated in every department. Their names will be made known to everyone for easier identification, so they should be employees who are well known, and able to command respect from their colleagues.

Implementation will be done through the assistance of a checklist. All materials lacking form the departments, including first aid kits, firefighting equipment and amenities such as emergency doors will be provided for, to ensure that the response to potential risks is adequate, and minimises injury to the greatest extent possible.

Risk Register

Assessment 4 Recommendations to improve safety at store

A meeting is to be convened, during which Toni and other members of the team will discuss a plan to help mitigate risks as the one Toni reported. The recommended plan of action will include some simple solutions. First, a shelf needs to be constructed immediately, of a size capable of holding the merchandise being stored. Having done this, the store keepers have the obligation of ensuring that materials are correctly labeled and stacked in the shelves. Additionally, there should be a proper register of what is to be stored in a specific place. Equipment to make work easier should be provided, in a manner to prevent injuries witnessed by Toni. Such equipment will be deliberated during the meeting, and viability of procuring them discussed. Toni will be placed in charge of raising risk awareness, while being the marshal of the centre. Additionally, Toni will play a key role in ensuring that the team members are well briefed on the recommendations.

Suggest ways of being involved

Toni should be involved as the leader of risk assessment and response at the store. To do this properly, he should acquaint himself with the provided manuals on risk responses, and ensure to pass on the information to others. Only then will he be able to properly respond to the issues he has raised during the meeting.

References

Bahn, S. ‘Work Health and Safety Act “due diligence”: Will our current safety systems be compliant?’ Journal of health and safety research and practice, vol. 4, no. 2, 2012, 8-13..

Bryne, J. , What Is A Workplace Induction?, 2016, https://www.whsconsultinghunter.com.au/whs/workplace-inductions/, accessed 9/2/2017.

Hassanain, M., ‘Approaches to qualitative fire safety risk assessment in hotel facilities’, Structural Survey, vol 27, no 4, 2009, 287-300.

Lyons, T. Best Practice Review of Workplace Health and Safety Queensland’. WHS Queensland, 2017, 1-105.

Middleton, W., Safety first. Australasian Leisure Management, no. 110, 2015, 66.

Patterson, F., & Neailey, K. ‘A risk register database system to aid the management of project risk’. International Journal of Project Management, vol 10 No. 5, 2002, 365-374.

Queensland Government, Work health and safety inductions, 2016, https://www.business.qld.gov.au/running-business/employing/taking-on-staff/inductions/whs, accessed 9/2/2018.  Workplace Health And Safety (WHS) Policy Essay Paper