Kelly J Wilson Assessment 1 HLTOHS300A

4140880602 Portfolio Contribute to OHS processes

1. Explain the responsibilities of both the employer and the employee as set out in this act.
o Employers have a broad duty of care under the act, this may include but is not
limited; examining each circumstance such as the nature of the job, skill levels
require, tasks being performed.

There are multiple divisions for the employer to consider:

 Duty to provide safe premises.
 Duty to provide a safe plant and equipment.
 Duty to provide a safe work system.

Employees have a duty under the workplace health and safety legislation to carry out
work in a skilful and competent manner and to exercise reasonable care. Employees
must display ability, care, obedience and good faith.

Employees need to:

 Work safely to protect themselves and others from injury.

 Report any workplace hazards.
 Obey all health and safety procedure.
 Report and workplace injury, illness or near misses.
 Be familiar with the emergency procedures and location of the first
aid kit of the workplace.
2. Consider these responsibilities. Describe 5 ways that you would address issues to ensure
you own health and safety.

 5 ways to address issues that would ensure ones health and safety
would be;
o Deciding what is the highest risk, what needs to be fixed and
how to go about having it fixed.
o Making sure that personal protective equipment (PPE) is used
where provided.
o Having specific training to do work safely.
o Read the label and MSDS and follow the relevant instructions.
o Organise work to reduce the physical force needed to lift,
carry, move, hold or restrain items such as positioning items
as close as possible to where work is done.
Kelly J Wilson Assessment 1 HLTOHS300A
4140880602 Portfolio Contribute to OHS processes

3. List three areas for which CHRISP provides detailed guidelines relating to infection
control:
 Air-born microorganisms
 Water-born microorganisms
 Blood and body fluids spills
4. Define the term Hazard:
 A hazard can be defined as a source of danger or a possibility chance
of incurring loss or misfortune.
5. List 6 specific classifications of hazards you would find in a health care facility and give
one example of each.

The six specific categories of hazards are:

 Physical – slipping on wet floor caused by a spillage.
 Chemical – hazardous substances such as acids, hydrocarbons and
asbestos.
 Ergonomic – poor work posture at the desk or incorrect lifting
techniques.
 Psychological – intimidation by work colleagues, violence, conflict or
time pressure.
 Radiation – like microwaves emitted from machinery and or
equipment and ultraviolet light.
 Biological – such as bacteria and viruses.

6. Define the term risk.

 Risk is the chance or likelihood that a person will be injured or
experience an adverse health effect to a hazard.

7. Describe 3 common safety signs used in the health care setting, and their meanings:

Three common safety signs that are found in a health care facility are emergency escape
or first-aid sign, warning sign, and a mandatory sign.
 Emergency escape or first aid sign – these are signs giving information
on escape routes or emergency exits or first aid or rescue facilities.
The signs are green in colour, for example fire exit sign.
 Warning Sign – this is a sign that gives warning of a risk to health or
safety or both. These signs are yellow or amber in colour with black
print, these signs indicate a hazard or danger about and you should
take care. For example a wet floor sign.
Kelly J Wilson Assessment 1 HLTOHS300A
4140880602 Portfolio Contribute to OHS processes

 Mandatory sign – These signs are blue in colour with white print and
they are signs that prescribe a particular behavior. The sign tells you
that you must do something in order to stay safe, for example; a type
of a mandatory sign would be a PPE sign telling you when and where
you must use this safety measure.

8. To assist in your ability to work safely, managing your stress and fatigue levels is
important. List 8 ways to control these. Eg. Healthy eating.
 Attend any stress management training courses arranged by your
employer, this will you to understand stress and how to deal with it.
 Don’t worry about things you cannot control.
 Exercise on a regular basis.
 Play patty cake with a toddler.
 Ask someone to be your “vent partner”
 Take up a new hobby or extracurricular activity.
 Buy yourself a flower.
 Ask a friend for a hug.
 Stop thinking that tomorrow will better than today, every day is
golden.
 Buy something old, cheap, useless and break it into pieces.

1. What is your immediate concern?

The immediate concern would be with Mary as she had slipped on the floor; Mary may
have some serious injuries as a result from slipping on the wet floor.

2. What are the hazards?

The hazards are the wet floor.

3. Hazards can be classified under six headings. What classification would you give the
hazard?

The classification for this particular incident would be a physical hazard.

4. What are three effects of the hazard? (consider human, social, economic and
organisational costs)
Kelly J Wilson Assessment 1 HLTOHS300A
4140880602 Portfolio Contribute to OHS processes

Three effects of the hazard would be:

 Mary would be sent to the hospital for treatment of possible injuries
sustained by the fall.
 Mary may lose her self confidence as her ego might be a bit bruised.
 The facility will have to pay for Mary’s medical treatment costs.

5. Was it a low, medium or high risk?

 The risk level for this particular hazard is a high risk.
6. Could you think of a workplace policy and procedure that could have been
implemented?

Queensland Health Integrated Risk Management Policy (13355)( Policy IRM 13355)
OHSMS 2#21 Queensland Health Occupational Health and Safety Policy

7. Photocopy and complete the attached incident report in relation to this – who would you report
this incident and hazard to?

The incident would be reported to the senior RN on duty and the NUM and it would also be
reported on PRIME (Clinical Incident Management Information System)

Refer to attached document OHSMS 1.7-2#38

1. As an employee of a large organisation, identify four (4) key people you approach in order to
discuss issues in relation to OH&S issues.

Four people that are approachable in relation to OH&S are:

 OHS representative.
 A member from the OHS committee.
 Your local supervisor.
 Line manager.
2. Describe why they would be the most appropriate people:

These people are from the same workplace as you, having people from the same workplace
where you work makes the OHS policy development relevant and they would have some
understanding of what you are talking about when you make suggestions related to the OHS
policies and procedures regarding your workplace.

Discuss how and when you could go about raising and issues:
Kelly J Wilson Assessment 1 HLTOHS300A
4140880602 Portfolio Contribute to OHS processes

You can attend the annual OHS meetings within the organisation you work at and put forward
any concerns or suggestions regarding OHS, or you can simply either informally or formally see your OHS
representative on matters that you are concerned with, if it is an urgent matter your line manager or
supervisor can be sufficient as they are responsible for putting in place the OHS policies and procedures.

HAZARD RISK PROCEDURE

Loose wheel. Wheel may come Policy that faulty equipment is to be
off and cause injury recorded in maintenance schedule and
tagged “Do Not Use”
Plant &
Equipment Flat battery Equipment may fail Ensure that all batteries are checked and
to function. charged regularly.
Essential bolts are Bolts may come Ensure maintenance is scheduled and
very loose undone and cause tagged “Do Not Use.”
injury.
Flickering lights Eyestrain and Report faulty light to local supervisor
irritability. and record in the maintenance schedule
for repair.
Work-related
Slippery walkway Personal injury to Policy that all spills are to be cleaned at
Environment
body point of discovery.
Poor ventilation Illness to the Policy to ensure there is adequate
person. ventilation available.
Repetitive tasks Muscle strain, back Change work practices to ensure correct
injury. procedure are followed.
Overweight person. Strain on the body. Policy that 2 to 3 staff is to assist all
Manual
manual handling tasks and mandate the
Handling
use of hoists.
Heavy object Back injury Provide adequate training to staff on
safe manual handling tasks.
Resus trolley not Delay of critical Policy that regular checks are to be
fully stocked. treatment. made on a shift by shift basis.
Fire exit is People can become Policy that all emergency exits are to be
obstructed. trapped. kept clear at all times.
Emergency
Procedures Inadequate number Confusion caused Change work policy and practice to
of trained and by lack of clear ensure staff are trained in emergency
appointed staff to instruction and procedures relevant of the organisation.
oversee safe authority.
evacuation.
Hazardous Smokers. Impedes the health Designate an area that is segregated for
Substances of others. smokers where the secondhand smoke
cannot impede the health of others.
Cleaning agents. Exposure to Policy that all bottles are to be clearly
hazardous fumes labeled and accompanied with a
and fluids. Material Data Sheet. (MDS)
Kelly J Wilson Assessment 1 HLTOHS300A
4140880602 Portfolio Contribute to OHS processes

Dust Inhalation of dust Ensure adequate supplies of dust masks

particles. are available.
Soiled linen. Spread of infection Remove all soiled linen by placing the
and bacterial linen in the relevant soiled linen skip.
growth.
Infection Infectious person. Transmission of Isolate the person in own room with
Control infection to others. own bathroom facilities and policy
mandatory use of full PPE procedures.
Used needle. Needle stick injury. Ensure that the sharps container is in
close proximity.

Briefly discuss your actions as an EEN, if you were involved in the following three situations in a
medical facility. Please include the standard emergency signals used.

1. Medical emergency:
 In a medical emergency a code blue would be called, as an EEN the
responsibility that the person would have, depends on where they
are situated. If the nurse is situated by the bedside the
responsibilities may include but are not limited to:
o Lay the bed flat.
o Insure the patient is in a supine position ready for the
response team.
o Immediately call for help and press the appropriate call alerts.
o Act on instructions from response team when arrive.
2. Bob threat:
 In a bomb threat situation a code purple would be called, the
responsibilities may include:
o Try and get as much information as possible from the caller or
person.
o Try and attract a co-worker’s attention for them to notify a
supervisor, or failing that, to contact security. Security will
contact the police.
o Follow exactly all directions given.
o Fill in the bomb threat information as soon as possible while the
information is fresh in your memory.
3. Fire:
 In a fire the responsibilities of the nurse may include:
o Contact security, advise of situation and act on any instructions
given.
Kelly J Wilson Assessment 1 HLTOHS300A
4140880602 Portfolio Contribute to OHS processes

o Assist any person in immediate danger—only if safe to do so.

o Raise the alarm (if the building alarm hasn’t operated) by
activating a “Break Glass Fire Alarm” call point.
Kelly J Wilson Assessment 1 HLTOHS300A
4140880602 Portfolio Contribute to OHS processes

Books:

ACGIH 1994–1995, Threshold Limit Values and Physical Hazards Booklet.

Worksafe Australia (NOHSC) 1989, Guidance Note for the Prevention of Occupational Overuse
Syndrome in Keyboard Employment

Grantham, D.L. 1992, Occupational Health and Hygiene Guidebook for the WHSO, Brisbane

Pheasant, S. 1991, Ergonomics, Work and Health, The MacMillan Press, London

Websites:

Clinical Incident Management Information System (n.d). Retrieved March 07, 2010 from
http://www.health.qld.gov.au/patientsafety/im/webpages/prime.asp

ELEMENTS OF INFECTION CONTROL. (n.d). Retrieved March 08, 2010 from

http://www.health.qld.gov.au/chrisp/ic_guidelines/sect2_elements.pdf

Hazard and Risk. (n.d). Retrieved March 07, 2010 from

http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/hazard_risk.html

Hoban, R. (n.d). The best ways to deal with stress, Herald Sun October 28, 2009 12:24PM
Retrieved March 07, 2010 from http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/learn/the-best-ways-to-
deal-with-stress/story-e6frf7nf-1225792062598

Key health and safety tips for nursing (n.d). Retrieved March 08, 2010 from
http://www.deir.qld.gov.au/workplace/documents/showDoc.html?WHS%20Fast
%20Facts/healthcommunity%20-%20nursing#general

Memory jogger for emergency procedures. Retrieved March 08, 2010 from
http://www.griffith.edu.au/ofm/emergencies/pdf/memory_jog_eme_procedures5_web.pdf

MONITOR A SAFE WORKPLACE BSBCMN411A (n.d). Retrieved March 08, 2010 from
http://www.aspirelearningresources.com.au/pdf/Chapter_4_CMN411.pdf

Towart, N. (n.d). What are the major OHS responsibilities of employers and employees? Retrieved
March 08, 2010 from http://unionsafe.labor.net.au/faqs/responsibilities/1037684078_26771.html