CSG Posts
Free Event - contractor management
CSG members LinkSafe are holding a free event on 25 May 2022, 2:00 - 4:00pm on Contractor Safety Management - The Do's, Don'ts & Down Right Silly, Lessons in effective contractor management.
LinkSafe Legal Expert Sue Bottrell will walk you through the modern approach to contractor safety management and some of the outdated practices undertaken in the name of contractor safety management. They promise that the session will be entertaining and informative.
As it's a free event, it's bound to book out quickly, so make sure you register now via the link here.
Sue Bottrell is LinkSafe’s Legal Advisor and a leading expert in contractor safety management. You may remember her excellent video presentation during our CSG Talks short video series last year. She spoke about the legal implications arising from the tragic incident on the Eastern Freeway that resulted in the death of 4 Victorian Police officers. Of course that is being played out in the courts as we speak, so it’s timely to hear again what Sue had to say about the contractor management aspects of this incident. Her talk A very public tragedy – but who is really responsible? is available to members and non-members alike.
There is clearly a great deal of interest in this topic judging by the turnout. It was also invaluable to have Tracey speaking to us, because she was a representative for Ai Group on a working group that reviewed WorkSafe Victoria’s proposed OHS Amendment (Psychological Health) Regulations.
She expressed frustration that jurisdictions are forming their own codes rather than adopting the National Code. However, we have seen this occur with other hazards, so I suppose it is not that surprising.
Ai Group have a few concerns about the draft Victorian regulations. The first is about the heirarchy of controls, where information, instruction and training are the lowest order control. While this is appropriate for physical hazards, such as manual handling, it is not really applicable for psychological hazards in their view.
Another issue is the section on Prevention Plans: Ai Group has asked for much more detail to be given about those, because the draft code gives scant guidance on this topic.
They are also concerned about reporting requirements, including the need to report twice a year as well as the notion of notifiable incidents. While it is self-evident that Tracey is speaking on behalf of employers, I would love to hear the employees' and union perspective on this, as I suspect they would have very different views.
Public comment on the proposed regulations closed on 31 March, but you can read the initial proposed draft along with 79 submissions here: https://engage.vic.gov.au/proposed-psychological-health-regulations
During discussion after the presentation Tracey gave us a timeline for the legislation: penalties will not come into effect until 2024; the Regulations are due to be released in July 2022, while the Compliance Code is due in October 2022. For the latter there will be just 2 weeks allowed for public comment, so keep an eye out for that.
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It was another big turnout for our March event and it was great to see so many people staying on after the recording had finished to continue the discussion. As OHS professionals, attendees had much to think about during and following Pam's presentation.
Pam made it an interactive session by conducting a number of short polls throughout. The polls prompted us to contemplate our roles as well as the emergence of the concept of "wellness" and how that fits into OHS. The polls do not show up on the recording, but Pam does discuss the results and we have included a summary of the results in the presentation package.
While Pam began by analysing some of the challenges for OHS professionals, she also looked at the positives of how we can take control of our roles and "craft" them to improve both our own work and our organisations themselves. Pam also alerted us to a range of resources, including research, publications and the OHS Body of Knoweldge (BoK), which is a wonderful free resource under the auspices of the AIHS. See www.ohsbok.org.au
Pam also touched on some other topics that are currently being developed by AIHS in position papers and for future BoK chapters. The talk of a Code of Ethics certanly piqued attendees' interest and CSG will be looking to address this topic at an event later this year. As always, Central Safety Group is here to serve its members, so we always welcome your suggestions for future speakers and events.
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Do you want to be informed and challenged? If so, join Kevin Jones at his SafetyAtWorkBlog for award winning news, commentary and opinion on workplace health and safety.
To celebrate Central Safety Group’s 60th anniversary, Kevin Jones has provided a very generous offer for financial members: 12 months’ FREE subscription to his blog and its library of articles.
Kevin, a Life Member of Central Safety Group, has been writing and editing the SafetyAtWorkBlog for over 14 years, during which time the blog has achieved several Australian and US awards as an important source of safety news and analysis.
Kevin is regularly contracted to develop and refine discussion papers and has recently written the safety and risk chapter for a major Australian infrastructure project.
SafetyAtWorkBlog provides over 3,000 exclusive posts on occupational health and safety matters. Your CSG membership for 2022 provides you with full access to this library. Not only that, your subscription will last until 12 months from the date of creation.
Current financial members have been sent the access details. New and renewing members will also be sent details once their CSG membership for 2022 has been finalised.
Central Safety Group membership has always offered great value for money and now there is even more reason to join today. Membership costs just $75 for the calendar year.
Thank you Kevin for this wonderful offer in celebration of our 60th year!
On the 8th February 2022, Central Safety Group held its inaugural AGM as an Incorporated Association.
As there were no additional nominees for the committee, all office bearers were re-elected unopposed.
The financial statement shows that we had quite a number of costs during 2021, mostly related to the website and our 60th anniversary this year. While we are a not-for-profit organisation, it was agreed that our financial situation is a little bit precarious. At the same time, our website is our biggest asset with its ever-increasing resources for members and, therefore, it is worth the investment.
To this end, four proposals were put to members regarding fees and charges, all of which were carried unanimously. As a result, the following resolutions were passed:
Log in to view the Minutes, Annual Report and Financial Statement.
We recommend that you bookmark the Worksafe Victoria News https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/news in order to be alerted to the activities of our safety regulator.
While this site sadly has a strong focus on workplace fatalities and prosecutions, the media releases in January and February 2022 contained some valuable information, including:
Then there is the new UMM … is that safe? program, to help young workers speak up. https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/UMM
Young people created this social media campaign, and it uses a tall, orange, furry mascot called UMM to deliver the messaging. [UMM being that feeling you get when something is not right.]
In the first instance, young workers are encouraged to report unsafe work and injury to their manager, supervisor, or HSR. The next recommended action is to get their mum, a workmate (or other third party) to make a report on their behalf.
While CSG members may not be the target audience, we welcome your thoughts on the effectiveness of UMM on behalf of the young persons in your life.
On the 25 November 2021, WorkSafe Victoria gave a presentation on the 2021 Industry Standard on Elevated Work Platforms (EWPs). The presenters were Andy Taylor, Senior Engineer and Brian Chamberlin, Education Officer, WorkSafe Victoria.
There have been 10 fatalities associated with EWPs over the last 10 years in Victoria and there are 30 claims per year for incidents.
An EWP, where the industry standard applies, has a platform height that can be adjusted by: a powered scissor mechanism; a telescoping boom or tower; articulation or any combination of those.
An EWP is not:
The industry standard also does not apply to:
Selection
There are five types of EWPs:
Operators must select the right piece of equipment for the job, not just whatever is available on site. The first option that should be considered is the use of scaffolding in preference to an EWP. Other considerations are capacity of the machine, hazards at the worksite, emergency procedures etc.
Training
Training is required for:
If the EWP reach is less than 11m, proof of training and competency is required e.g. an EWPA yellow card.
The Safety Observer must have a line of sight to the working EWP, but cannot double as the Electrical Spotter. The Safety Observer can be used for more than one piece of equipment if they are all in the line of sight and the observer has been trained in the operation of all the types of equipment being operated. The Safety Observer cannot leave the area until the EWP has ceased operation and all is safe.
Safe systems of work
If the equipment is to be used on a slab, the slab must be able to take the weight of the EWP; if on the ground, it must also be suitable (hazard free).
When working on inclines, the ground conditions must be checked prior to setting up the EWP with checks for slippery surfaces. The brake wheels must be facing up the incline and the boom bucket must be on the upside of the base and the outriggers level.
A full body harness must be worn by all persons on the platform, and they must be secured to an anchor point.
Where working over water, a risk assessment must be completed, and the wearing of the safety harness may be exempted.
Considerations for the collection and delivery of the EWP include traffic management; lighting at the site as mornings and evenings are the usual times; harnesses to be worn; ground surface; overhead power lines etc.
Crushing hazards
These have been involved in a number of fatalities and can occur where:
Controls in these circumstances could include secondary guarding, pressure sensors remote controls with the operator on ground level, etc.
Emergency procedures and resources
These need to be in place to rescue the operator(s) of an EWP should they become sick, injured, stranded or trapped at height due to malfunction or misuse of the EWP. Other emergency situations can occur when the operator has fallen outside the platform of the EWP and is suspended by a harness. No one should operate an EWP alone and the rescue person / observer must understand all the ground controls on the EWP. These controls must be checked prior to operation.
Inspection and maintenance
EWPs must be regularly inspected and maintained to ensure that the risks associated with their use are controlled. This may be achieved by adhering to the inspection and maintenance recommendations supplied by the manufacturer or from relevant Australian Standards. Log books, pre-start checklists, preventative and breakdown maintenance, and tagging systems all need to be part of the safe work process.
The WorkSafe Victoria Industry Standard on EWPs is available on their website and contains further information. https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/resources/elevating-work-platforms-industry-standard
You can also view an introduction to the new Standard on the WorkSafe Victoria Youtube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNGxuAAM0sE
Over the last two weeks of Health and Safety Month 2021, WorkSafe Victoria ran free 45-minute webinars on a variety of topics. The theme for the month was “You learn something new every day”.
For the above topic the presenters were all from WorkSafe Victoria: Sarah Hellwege, Senior Psychological Health & Safety Specialist; Samantha Harrison, Principal Ergonomist; Renee Walsh, Program Officer; and Lucas Kowalski, Return to Work Manager.
All presenters agreed that the current conditions regarding return to work were challenging.
Sarah Hellwege stated that resilience and coping skills have taken a hit and that psychosocial hazards include the design and management of work. Isolation and family responsibilities have caused extreme pressure along with return to work employees dealing with an increased client load, longer hours and dealing with stressed clients.
Organisational support is often missing and, with changes taking place at a quick rate, this leads to uncertainty. To overcome this, she recommends that there be regular catch-ups with Managers as well as meetings with teams and other sections in HR.
Managers need to know what to do if they see that someone is struggling, not motivated or not their optimal self:
Renee Walsh recommended a review of job roles so that safety could be ensured for both working spaces (at home and in the office) for those working in hybrid roles. With this becoming the “new normal”, organisations must re-think the way their employees work. Good work design is the key and must include environmental considerations.
Renee’s recommendations:
Samantha Harrison reiterated that contact and consultation with employees is essential for both their physical and psychosocial safety. However, employees have responsibilities to report problems to their team leader for early intervention. Resources are available on the WorkSafe website including information on COVID, mental health guidance material, fact sheets and the WorkWell Tool Kit.
Lucas Kowalski stated that return to work fundamentals still apply in the current situation. Communication with the injured person is still important and visits to the workplace should still take place. The injured person still requires regular updates to stay informed about what is happening at the workplace.
The Manager should be aware of secondary mental injuries in instances where the injured person was working from or recovering at home. The transition to the larger office or workplace can be stressful for many people. Consider what they will be doing when they return on the first day, first week etc. Re-training or up-skilling can take place outside the workplace.
Information that came out of the Q&A session:
The webinar is now available on the WorkSafe Victoria Youtube channel here.
The February event was a great start to our 60th anniversary year with Life Member Kevin Jones presenting to the group. Kevin always has interesting perspectives on current OHS issues to stimulate our thinking. Some provocative ideas to start the year inspire and revive us after the last two years of dealing with the pandemic.
I was particulalry taken with Kevin's assertion that OHS practitioners can become very insular and narrow-focussed whilst fulfilling the needs of a particular employer; that there is little OHS activism as well as a failure to see OHS within a broader social context. It was also challenging to ponder the limitations of the catch cry of taking "reasonable care".
Kevin demonstrated the way in which lateral thinking can enhance one's perspective on OHS by discussing some recent publications, some of which are not straight OHS books. He shared with us his methodology for finding books that are relevant to OHS practice even when there is no mention of safety in the title. His curious mind is a real boon for us, as he is able to discover interesting publications that we might otherwise be unaware of.
Kevin also discussed publications that are on OHS topics, including an article providing a new definition of a "safe system of work" that sounds fascinating. Details of the books he discussed can be found in his presentation notes as well as in the Further Reading section of the website (log in first). Kevin also pointed out that a very valuable resource is the WorkSafe library in Geelong.
There are plenty of other past presentations by Kevin on our website, including his discussion of some other publications in a short video as part of our free CSG Talks series in 2020, A look at some new thinking.
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Over the last two weeks of Health and Safety Month 2021, WorkSafe Victoria ran free 45-minute webinars on a variety of topics. The theme for the month was “You learn something new every day”. I attended the session about Building Leaders under the auspice of WorkSafe's WorkWell program. It was an interview style format featuring Siusan MacKenzie, CEO Emergency Services Victoria; Dr Stephen Carbone, CEO Prevention United; and Tom Ruijs, Senior Consultant, AP Psychology and Consulting Services.
Each presenter was interviewed about their organisation, focussing on mental health wellness tools they had developed for training leaders.
Emergency Services Victoria (ESV) has 14 agencies within their network. They identified that Team Leaders, who are next in line to staff working with the public, required leadership development. In a number of instances they had been promoted due to their technical rather than leadership ability. ESV developed a course that was a meld of mental health first aid and management skills. The course included information on understanding the problems their team faced in day-to-day work as well as what it took to be a good leader.
Normally the different agencies work in silos, but it was recognised that leadership is a shared issue. Fifty two people from 11 agencies were involved in the project, including paid and volunteer staff, with plans developed to implement the findings.
ESV is now working on phase 2, taking lessons from the initial work and developing further training with single agencies. This phase will focus on older workers and those approaching retirement, asking “What do they know now that they wished they had known earlier?” An important quality is to listen to people’s stories about the problems they had faced in their job. With respect to retirees, it was found that they needed support after they left the job; talking to ex-colleagues was good for debriefing, offering support and communication.
Prevention United (PU) are working on a project collaborating with universities and residential aged care with the aim of improving the work environment. The project allows staff to rate their workplaces, nominate key psychosocial issues and make suggestions for improvement. Resources were provided to assist.
Unfortunately, residential aged care was badly affected by COVID and the Royal Commission. Face-to-face contact was impossible, making remote and virtual contacts the only options. This, along with time and work pressures, led to low morale. Psychosocial issues identified included culture, fairness and lack of teamwork. The PU team have finished the formal part and are now looking at ways to implement the findings.
It was found that you can’t rely on self-directed learning; there is a need for face-to-face conversation. A digital tool has some advantages, but joint training sessions have the best results. There is also a need to address the perceived stigma of the word “mental” in mental health.
AP Psychology and Consulting Services also worked with five universities to gain an insight into their risk profile and psychosocial issues. Both staff and leaders were involved and the aim was to develop training programs and practical solutions.
It was found that leaders need to interact with each other, as well as their direct reports, and they need to empower the workforce to work together. There needs to be an understanding of what leaders can do and what they can actually control. All were encouraged to look for signs and symptoms of stress in others and to have a conversation with them. Leaders need to know what supports are available and how to provide the right guidance.
AP has developed a tool that 1,000 people are currently working through. They are monitoring the program to identify which modules are the most useful so that they can expand the information and assistance available. They also determined that a multipronged approach is best that includes communicating directly with people.
Information that came out of the Q&A session:
The webinar is now available on the WorkSafe Victoria Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_74K_n1F6Sk
CSG had a relaxed finish to the end of the year with an informal zoom event on December 14th.
The results of our recent survey on topics for 2022 seminars were discussed, with the top five listed below. Interestingly, the least popular topic was COVID. I wonder why?
There is a clear preference for continuing recorded zoom sessions, though there is still a demand for face-to-face networking opportunities. The committee has already been considering how to offer hybrid events to meet these needs.
The zoom attendees were invited to share their workplace experiences over the past year. Cameron spoke about his work with a national recruitment business that includes electrical drafting. As an essential service, business has continued as usual under COVID, except for the challenges of site visits and new rules, such as mask wearing and vaccinations.
As Bryce is based in Albury/Wodonga working for a global company, he has spent most days dealing with multi-jurisdiction COVID issues rather than core business.
David shared his experiences in a national role with Coles, with 120,000 team members across 850 stores. Like many businesses, Coles has had to develop new COVID-safe ways of working.
This forum was a great opportunity to hear from our members and share some personal experiences.
We hope you all enjoy a wonderful safe Xmas and will join us in our 60th Anniversary year.
If you would still like to particpate in our VERY SHORT survey, the link is below. We are always keen to hear your views on which topics and types of events are of interest to you. CSG Network Survey
Over the last two weeks of Health and Safety Month 2021, WorkSafe Victoria ran free 45-minute webinars on a variety of topics. The theme for the month was “You learn something new every day”. I attended the session about the new Silica regulations, which was presented by Bryan Monch and Meryll Ashton from WorkSafe, and Dr Ryan Hoy, Respiratory Physician & Senior Research Fellow, Monash University, Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health.
Both engineered and natural stone contain significant amounts of crystal silica (SiO2), with engineered stone having the higher content. Inhalation of silica dust can lead to the disease silicosis. There are three types of silicosis – chronic, accelerated and acute – based on the level of dust and the length of exposure. It is a scarring disease and effects range from shortness of breath and wheezing to lung cancer, kidney disease and auto-immune disease. Smoking exacerbates the effect of silica inhalation.
The new Regulations were introduced in 2019 and come into effect in May 2022. They aim to address a lack of information on the hazards of silica across the supply chain, many of whom are small businesses or sole traders.
These Regulations will mainly affect manufacturers and suppliers of engineered stone, who will be required to be licensed and have controls in place that will be assessed by specialist WorkSafe Inspectors. For those organisations working with non-engineered stone, they will be required to have controls in place such as Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS).
A transition period for both the engineered and non-engineered stone work commenced on 15 November 2021. WorkSafe Victoria has created a Silica Field Team of Inspectors, who will visit workplaces to assist employers comply with the new requirements.
Some key controls:
There is now a specialist screening clinic at the Alfred Hospital.
Information that came out of the Q&A session:
WorkSafe Victoria will make an edited version of the webinar available on their website in late November.
As Central Safety Group approaches the impressive milestone of its 60th anniversary in 2022, the Committee is busy planning the year's speakers and events.
We are seeking your input via a VERY SHORT survey -just 4 questions. Please click on the link below and take a few minutes to tell us which topics you want to hear about next year and the types of events you'd be interested in attending.
Thank you in advance and we will share the results at our networking event on December 14th.
We had an amazing turnout for our last presentation of the year, which was not surprising considering the topic and the calibre of speaker. Natasha Lazareski's presentation covered some interesting ground that included the inherent contradictions one must face as we all venture back to work post the latest phase of the pandemic.
One such contradiction is within our reactions to situations, where our instinct can be in conflict with a more rational response. Natasha advised organsiations to normalise the fact that we all have different responses to COVID, but still to establish clear guidelines for the workplace that all must follow. Another aspect of this balancing act is to ensure that you don't give out mixed messages, because this can erode trust. We only have to think of how that played out in the community when authorities communicated ever-changing rules and information.
With communication being such a key to successful return to work, Natasha said she believes that workplace Health & Safety Representatves will become the new frontline heroes. That was a great way to emphasise the importance of those roles!
Natasha's presentation went at a cracking pace with a lot of information in her slides, some of which were skipped over due to time constraints. Therefore, do check out the powerpoint slides as well as the video itself.
If you'd like to hear more from Natasha, you can also take a look at her short video as part of our free CSG Talks series last year, Workplace safety in pandemic times.
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