CSG Posts
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 Welding Fumes, which was presented by Dr Tim Driscoll, School of Public Health, University of Sydney and Alex Simovski, Senior Occupational Hygienist, WorkSafe.
Some tips for control:
WorkSafe Victoria will make an edited version of the webinar available on their website in late November.
For more information, please contact the project coordinator Dr Linda Shen on 0423 855 748 at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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 Dangerous Goods (Storage & Handling) Regulations, which was presented by members of the WorkSafe Dangerous Goods Strategic Inspection Team as well as one of their Senior Dangerous Goods Advisors.
The 2018 fire in West Footscray and the 2019 fire in Campbellfield resulted in a review of the DG Regulations, particularly around the notification to WorkSafe of the storage of large quantities. This resulted in an amendment to the regulations, which came into effect on the 1st July 2021. Prior to this, occupiers storing above ‘manifest’ quantities were required to notify WorkSafe every 5 years using the prescribed hard copy proforma. As of 1st July 2021, occupiers now must notify WorkSafe every 2 years. Importantly, occupiers must re-notify WorkSafe before the end of the 2021 calendar year despite what their current certificate states.
Notification can now only be made via the online proforma/portal located on the WorkSafe website https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/dangerous-goods-storage-and-handling-notification
Extra information required includes the packing group of the chemical, and information confirming the written advice from the emergency services (fire authority), as required by regulation 55. In addition, occupiers must submit a new notification when there are changes to the quantities stored (above manifest quantities).
The DG Strategic Inspection Team at WorkSafe was created to look after about 230 sites that store large quantities of dangerous goods, excluding Major Hazard sites. They include sites with a potential for an off-site impact, e.g. toxic release, and cover a range of industrial sectors, i.e. food manufacturers, cold storage sites and water treatment businesses.
There are 6 inspectors in the team and each is assigned a specific business. In a number of instances the have made joint visits to sites with Fire Rescue Victoria and the EPA. The main areas they examine are: the risks of the business; control of ignition sources; emergency planning; fire protection systems; waste storage; maintenance of equipment; permit-to-work systems; induction and training with respect to dangerous goods. There are also 4 senior DG advisors, who support the inspectors and authorised explosive offices. They also participate in various DG regulatory committees.
Information that came out of the Q&A session:
• Hard copies of Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) are still required for transport drivers.
• The chemical manifest (where required) must be displayed at the main entrance to a site, with multiple copies required for multiple locations.
• Quantities of waste chemicals must be included on the manifest.
• No on-the-spot fines (infringement notices) are currently applicable to this legislation.
• Emergency services require hard copies of SDSs in the red emergency box, especially those for high risk chemicals.
• Employees need to be trained to deal with emergencies.
WorkSafe Victoria will make an edited version of the webinar available on their website in late November.
We are proud to announce that, as of 16th October 2021, we are an Incorporated Association. Financial Members will recall that, at the 2020 Annual General Meeting in February this year, a resolution was passed to commence the process of incorporation, and now that is complete.
As a result there have been a few changes to roles within the Committee and these remain until the next Annual General Meeting to be held in 2022. The Committee comprises 4 office bearers and 3 ordinary members.
Office Bearers:
President - Nan Austin
Vice President - Frank Imbesi
Secretary - Heather Turner
Treasurer - Cameron Cranstoun
Ordinary Members:
Jane Loudon - Events Co-ordinator
Marina Milankovic - Membership Co-ordinator
Christina Rennick
The Constitution has been replaced by the Rules of CSG Inc. In addition there is a one-page Membership Policy. We urge all Financial and prospective members to read these documents.
This is an important step for the Association, and the Committee continues to work hard to provide value for members and our broader network.
CSG Member Jacqui Bloink has alerted us to the Crisis Intervention Management Australasia (CIMA) Biennial Conference titled “Pandemic Trauma- Person Place Environment”. It will be an interactive 3.5 hr Live Streamed event on Wednesday 10th November, 2021 at noon (AEST).
Jacqui runs the St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne (SVHM) STAR Peer Support Program, of which CIMA is the professional affiliate. CIMA is a not-for-profit organisation that provides education, training and support for workers in emergency services, health care and related agencies in managing the impact of psychological stress and trauma in their work.
The conference will offer insight into models of practice by leaders in the field, who have implemented change using critical response frameworks during the pandemic. Speakers include Patty Stewart McCord from Canada and Angela Lewis from the UK, both of whom will have specific lessons for health care workers as we plunge into the Wave 3 surge.
Dr Antony Tobin will be representing SVHM on the panel and his expertise as an Intensive Care Specialist & Epidemiologist and current experience as their Chief Medical Officer is a great drawcard.
For more information and to register, here is the link: https://www.cima.org.au/conferences/pandemic-trauma-2021-short-virtual-conference
As the flyer for the event says, the words Pandemic and Trauma were probably not seen together before 2020. It should be a fascinating session.
Jacqui actually gave a great presentation to us in August 2017 outlining SVHM’s award-winning Peer Support Program, so I urge you to check it out here (log in first).
There was a lot of interest in this very timely and fascinating presentation. As Helen said, the current job scene in OHS is HOT and, as it is likely to stabilise next year, now is the time to pursue new opportunities if that has been on your mind. It's a candidate's market!
It was heartening to hear that the pandemic has had one positive effect in that the reputation of OHS has been boosted, making it a great career choice.
Helen shared some interesting national statistics on recruiting that showed the most sought-after job categories. She also offered valuable advice to both potential candidates and organisations looking to fill roles.
Helen conducts a regular podcast series where she talks to CEOs about OHS, which you can learn more about at https://www.hoktalentsolutions.com.au/podcast-webinars/
If you are interested in OHS job opportunities a bit further afield, check out Nan Austin's presentation from July 2020 about her experiences in New Zealand: Safety shake-up across the Tasman, which you can access here (log in first)
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WorkSafe Victoria is running Health and Safety Month again this October and the theme is "You learn something new every day".
As a part of the activities, free 45-minute webinars on a variety of topics are being run via zoom, so you can attend from the comfort of your own home!
A few of the highlights are:
October 20: Prosecution case studies; The infringement notice scheme; Work-related violence in community care
October 21: Workplace mental health; Safety within the multicultural community
October 25: Organisational culture; Systems thinking
October 26: A new approach to manual handling training; Tools for HSRs: prevent and respond to workplace gender violence
October 27: Tips for remote and flexible working; Predicting psychological safety
October 28: New Regulations for dangerous goods storage and handling and for silica; Welding fumes
October 29: The importance of HSRs to business; Improving return-to-work outcomes for mental injuries
Further details on the speakers and topics, as well as registration for the webinars, are available on the WorkSafe website here: https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/events
We had a great turnout this month as David Caple proved once again what a popular speaker he is. We really appreciate his access to up-to-date research along with the practical advice he offers in dealing with emerging health and safety risks. Not to mention an element of interactivity: not even the constraints of zoom could hinder his exhortation to us to try out some of the postures under discussion!
While David's presentation focussed on hospitals, many of the issues and solutions could apply equally in other settings. One is the role of design in both creating and mitigating risks, a topic that was prominent in the discussion after the formal presentation. Another is the notion of broadening risk assessment to encompass Associated Non-Technical Skills (ANTS), such as situational awareness and communication.
It was interesting to ponder some of the developments that have arisen over the last 18 months. For instance, the restriction on family members being able to visit in hospitals has led to a reduction in occupational violence. Conversely, new deep cleaning protocols can create extra workload and harmful repetitive postures for cleaners.
David's annual "State of the Nation" address is always keenly anticipated and this iteration was no exception. His style and knowledge are always greatly appreciated.
David's presentation complements the one given by David Trembearth in April this year, Musculoskeletal issues – what’s new in risks and prevention, which you can access here (log in first)
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Early this year, long-time member Les Auld said farewell to Central Safety Group, as he has moved to Far North Queensland –lucky man!
Les has been a valued member since the early 1990s and also served as Vice President from 2012 to 2014.
I asked Les to share stories from his life in Health & Safety and I think many of us can identify with the path he followed.
During the mid-1960s, he was working in the Catering Branch accounting office of the Victorian Railways when they advertised for a safety officer. He decided to apply and was successful. From there he gained his first OHS qualification at South Melbourne Tech.
His main duty was dealing with PPE. Safety footwear was supplied free to employees, but a fair percentage was being returned as a bad fit. Therefore, Les and a colleague would roam the state in a van full of safety shoes & boots in all brands and sizes to assist employees obtain the best fit.
Les says: “On one occasion we were in a station office, fitting track men, and a shoe came flying across the room. We said, “What did you do that for?” The guy came back, “Well, if I can kick it off, it doesn’t fit.” That was a lesson well learnt.”
He was sent off to expand his knowledge, which included doing the ACTU Safety Rep course. This led to him being asked to conduct safety training for staff. While it put him well outside his comfort zone, he appreciated the experience.
The job entailed him visiting and liaising with management and staff at various locations, ranging from the cafés at Flinders St to canteens at rail workshops to the Mount Buffalo Chalet, which was run by the railways back then.
Les worked on the implementation of a catering module for country trains, which is still in use. At the same time he gained a qualification in food safety from William Angliss College.
Eventually he became a Senior Safety Officer in the Transport Operations Division and remained there until he accepted redundancy in 1988.
A month later he began work as a medical orderly with Melbourne Health, his first “blue collar” job, which naturally involved a lot of manual work. This included stints in Emergency, X-Ray and the burns unit. After sustaining a back injury 5 years later, he was redeployed as an Assistant Safety Officer, due to his prior experience.
Later on he became Safety and Fire Officer at Northwest Hospital near the zoo. One day, while conducting fire extinguisher training, he turned his attention to the fire blanket. He says: “We had a square metal pan with water and a small splash of petrol. The fire blanket was a bit old in the tooth and had a hole in it. We placed it over the lighted pan and it also burst into flames. I saw the irony of this!”
During this time Les was involved with presenting Safety Rep courses and laser safety courses, and he also formalised his own on-the-job training and initial education with a Diploma of OHS from RMIT.
Les worked on a number of projects, including contamination reduction in the Nuclear Medicine Dept and addressing manual handling issues in the Catheter Lab, where cumbersome monitors and heavy protective aprons posed risks.
When Les retired he did pro bono work for not-for-profit organisations during the period of OHS Act harmonisation. He maintained his membership of CSG, because he found the speakers informative and valuable, not to mention our great Christmas luncheons!
With amazing foresight, he left Melbourne in March 2020. We thank him most sincerely for his many years of loyalty to the group and wish him all the best for his new life up north.
Alison Hunt-Sturman took us through the full and detailed journey of how her team faced the challenges of COVID-19 during 2020. During the discussion afterwards, Alison suggested that perhaps she should have issued a trigger warning before her presentation, because it certainly brought back many memories for those present!
We could certainly identify with their experience that began with a naive thought that the situation would be short-lived and that their existing systems were able to keep everything under control. However, as the full impact began to unfold, it was clear that Alison's early warnings, which had been considered overdramatic by some at the time, were justified. As Alison outlined the many developments in the pandemic and the accompanying body of knowledge, it was quite starling to realise how much changed just in the short period between March and May.
One of the stand-outs for me was Alison's discussion about the challenge of boosting the workforce. There was not only the obvious need to replace clinical staff on furlough, but they needed to boost staff in other areas as well. One example was in the IT department to handle all the technological changes. Another big issue was in aged care, where the restriction on family members visiting had a huge impact, because these carers make such a big contribution to the daily workload.
While the current experience is looking more and more like a replay of 2020, the positive side is that practices that were developed last year, and are in a continual state of review, are now putting Alison and her team in good stead for dealing with it.
Alison's presentation complements the talk by Christina Rennick from St Vincents Hospital earlier this year, Hospital Safety during the Pandemic, which you can access here (log in first)
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The committee has begun to meet regularly under the direction of new President Nan Austin. Once a month we catch up in the days following the zoom presentation and discuss future speakers, our financials, membership, website resources and other topics to benefit and promote the organisation.
Financial members can access the minutes via Quicklinks in the footer on our Home page. Go to About Us - Meeting Minutes or click here (log in first). They are posted after they have been accepted at a subsequent meeting, so the first one there is for June 2021. It is your opportunity to see how we are working on your behalf. We welcome your feedback!
In other news, Adrian Glaubert has resigned from the committee as he has moved away from the sphere of health and safety and has secured a role as Head of Enterprise for a large retail operation. We wish him all the best and thank him for his valuable contributions over the last two years.
I recently attended an information session held by WorkSafe Victoria about the new infringement notices scheme. Held via zoom, the session was very informative and professionally presented and, with approximately 2,000 viewers, it was clearly important to business.
Infringement Notices (or on-the-spot fines) commence on 31 July 2021 and will be an additional tool to existing notices, such as improvement notices, prohibition notices and non-disturbance notices.
The notices will be issued by an Inspector to relevant persons who have obligations under the OHS legislation (employers, employees and self-employed persons). Some other key points:
As the session was only for an hour, not all viewer questions could be addressed, but here is some of the additional information that came from the Q&As:
More information, including the presentation, will be available on the WorkSafe website in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, check out what is there already:
https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/introducing-infringement-notices-workplace-safety-breaches
Keeping up-to-date with contractor management
Earlier this month CSG members LinkSafe alerted us to a webinar they are hosting on August 24, featuring Sue Bottrell on the topic of contractor safety management. Well, the webinar became fully booked within 30 minutes! If you missed out, don’t worry, they told me that they are hoping to do another later in the year, so we’ll let our mailing list know about that as soon as we know more.
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.
This was a very informative session that consolidated many of the issues we learned about throughout the last 18 months that affect vulnerable workers. Dominic highlighted a number of areas where the essential workforce was exposed to risks. In particular, he spoke about aged care, the quarantine frontline, supply chain and meatworks. In the case of the latter, while WorkSafe acted quickly to produce guidance, some of it was not practical and needed to be modified.
Dominic and his team have developed an extensive program to assist Health & Safety Representatives (HSRs) and workers, with resources that are readily available via two of their websites: www.covidsafeworkplace.org and www.ohsrep.org.au. Resources include checklists for auditing and free 2-hour training sesssions.
Dominic also spoke about those who worked from home and how the rush to implement this new way of working has resulted in its own challenges. In our December 2020 presentation by David Caple, he went into this issue in greater detail and you can access it here (log in first)
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