eVCHIMWHS003

Work Health and Safety Procedures

Explaining WHS information

The aim of health and safety legislation is to secure the health and safety of workers and
workplaces through the elimination or minimisation of risks, fair and effective representation,
consultation, cooperation and issue resolution, and effective and appropriate compliance and
enforcement measures, among other matters. Workers and others are to be given the highest
level of protection from hazards and risks as is reasonably practicable.

Workers in Australia are protected by Commonwealth and state/​ territory health and safety
legislation. Regardless of whether someone is working full-time or part-time, has a permanent,
temporary or casual job—they are covered. This legislation also covers out-workers and
volunteers who work in connection with a trade or business. The legislation is designed to
protect people by establishing safe systems of work to eliminate or minimise the risks to health,
safety and welfare.

Health and safety laws also define:

 the roles and responsibilities of each person or group in the workforce

 what employers and workers must do to comply with the law
 the consequences of non-compliance

The employer (or other person in the organisation who is able to make executive decisions) is
referred to as a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU). They have distinct
obligations with severe penalties for non-compliance under health and safety legislation.

Explaining WHS information

Employees are referred to as workers. It is important to note that PCBUs can also be workers in
the eyes of the law.

Under health and safety legislation both employers and employees have responsibility for health
and safety in the workplace. Employers have the ultimate responsibility and a duty of care to
ensure the health and safety of workers and anyone else who might be affected by the work
activity.

PCBUs must ensure that:

 the workplace is safe

 there are safe systems of work
 machinery, equipment, tools and substances are in a safe condition
  information, instruction and training on health and safety is provided to workers
 supervision is provided

Workers are responsible for doing everything reasonably possible to protect their own health
and safety and that of others including:

 following all reasonable instructions

 not putting other workers or members of the public at risk of injury or illness
 using any protective equipment that is provided
 not working under the influence of drugs (including medication) or alcohol

Employers and employees who fail to comply with health and safety legislation can be
prosecuted, fined, have enforcement actions such as restoration and training orders applied, or
information relating to the nature and outcome of compliance and enforcement activities
published.

Explaining WHS information

Regulations

Regulations are the administrative aspect of legislation and relate how the law is to be applied.
For every Act, there is a set of regulations. They are legal documents that give more specific
details on how legislation is to be implemented. They must be followed unless an employer can
provide an alternative method which will demonstrably achieve an equal or better level of health
and safety.

Codes of practice/​ compliance codes

In addition to legislation, codes of practice provide documented advice on how to achieve the
minimum acceptable levels of safety performance to employers in various industries. They are
used to ensure compliance with legislation. They do not have the same legal enforcements as
legislation. However, if a breach of legislation occurs, the code of practice can provide evidence
to show that an employer or worker has breached the duty of care they are given under the
legislation. They might be used to provide evidence that the employer is not meeting minimum
requirements, or alternatively, if an employer is prosecuted, but can prove that they have been
following codes of practice, they are considered to be complying with their responsibilities.

Standards

Standards are designed to create national uniformity in regulations and codes of practice.
Standards are documents produced by national bodies, health and safety regulators or industry
bodies that prescribe preventative action to avert occupational death, injuries and diseases.
Standards are of an advisory nature only, except where a law adopts the standard and thus
makes it mandatory. Standards might be called up as evidence in court or other enforcement
action.

Explaining WHS information

Guidance material

Guidance material is advisory material that provides detailed information for use by unions,
employers, management, health and safety committees (HSCs), health and safety
representatives (HSRs), safety officers, manufacturers etc. Guidance material advises on what to
do and how to do it. While freely available, guidance material has no legal status.

The most obvious source of reliable, external information about legislation, regulations, and
requirements is the relevant workplace legislative body in each state or territory. These bodies
can provide information about the legislation pertinent to each state/​ territory and industry,
and about their applications. Each state/​ territory legislative regulator has a well maintained
website where information can be freely accessed.

Policies and procedures

Health and safety legislation requires organisations and employers to prepare policy and
procedure documents relevant to their health and safety activities and commitment. They
should be developed to reflect the application of health and safety legislation, regulations, codes
of conduct and standards in the workplace.

Each organisation will have a number of health and safety policies and procedures in place which
are designed to protect the health, safety and security of employers, employees and members of
the public. Individual organisations will have different health and safety policies and procedures
depending on the type of work done by the business and the related hazards.

A policy is a statement of action adopted by a business that guides and influences decision
making in the business.

Procedures are the particular way tasks are to be done. Procedures describe a logical sequence
of activities that must be followed every time to complete a task correctly and safely.

Explaining WHS information

Workplace policies and procedures help organisations to meet their legal obligations by
interpreting relevant legal requirements and then describing how these requirements will be met
in the workplace. Policies and procedures should be kept as simple as possible and must be
developed with input from employees or their representatives.

For example, health and safety legislation requires employers to provide safe systems of work. A
restaurant business might develop a manual handling policy as one way to comply with this
requirement.

Manual handling is any activity involving the use of muscular force (or effort) to lift, move, push,
pull, carry, hold or restrain any object, including a person or animal. It covers more than lifting
heavy weights and affects more than the back.

An organisation’s manual handling policy might outline how the business intends to eliminate
manual handling incidents (for example by offering training and removing hazards) and the
different roles managers and workers have in helping to do this.

Other examples of health and safety policies include, but are not limited to:

 incident management
 consultation
 alcohol and drugs
 workplace bullying
 smoking

Explaining WHS information

Procedures are then developed to detail how manual handling should be done in the workplace.
There might be one procedure for lifting and one for repetitive work as both these functions fit
the definition of manual work. Procedures can include pictures or diagrams to help explain each
step.

An example of a lifting procedure might include step-by-step how-to instructions for:

1. Preparing to lift—clearing the lifting area and facing the direction required to go in.
2. Checking the load—working out if the load will be difficult to carry due to its size, shape,
or packaging.
3. Sizing up the load—checking for any weight indication and moving it slightly to get a feel
for its weight.
4. Lifting posture—correct position for feet, hands, knees and back.
5. Setting the load down—reversing the procedures.

Other examples of health and safety procedures include, but are not limited to:
  hazard notification
 incident/​ accident reporting
 evacuation
 first aid
 waste management
 workplace inspections
 use of personal protective equipment (PPE)

Policies and procedures should be in writing to provide clarity and certainty at the workplace and
assist in demonstrating compliance with legislation. They should be easily accessible to all
workers.

Explaining WHS information

Explaining health and safety information to personnel

Employers are legally obliged to explain relevant and current health and safety information to
employees. Information that will help workers understand the reason for policy, procedure or
change to work practices should also be explained.

Policies and procedures impact on the work practices or employment conditions of staff or
compliance requirements of the organisation so they should be explained to staff at appropriate
times to ensure they are aware of their roles and responsibilities with regard to organisational
and legislative requirements.

Sharing information is also an essential element of effective team work and helps to develop the
knowledge base of all staff within the organisation.

Health and safety information that staff might require includes:

 any health and safety policies and procedures

 roles and responsibilities of employers and employees in health and safety management
practices
 legal obligations and ramifications of failure to comply
 consultative arrangements for health and safety
 use of hazard identification and risk assessment template and reporting documents
 specific existing control measures, regulations and codes of practice relevant to the
workplace
 health and safety training information and updates
 location of the first aid kit and emergency evacuation plan

Explaining WHS information

Communication channels

There are a variety of communication channels employers can use to explain information to
employees.

Regular channels used to explain health and safety information to personnel include:

 induction programs
 training
 coaching or mentoring sessions
 discussions at workplace meetings or information sessions
 minutes of meetings
 reports
 email
 information packs/​ frequently asked questions (FAQs)/​ fact sheets
 internet or intranet sites
 posters on noticeboards in common access areas such as hallways or lunchrooms
 discussion with supervisors who can communicate the change to staff
 newsletters

Induction is the process whereby new workers, or workers moving from one area/job to another,
are made familiar with the business, the legislative environment, the workplace, the people, and
the job to enable them to become productive within a relatively short period of time.

Induction usually involves the new worker meeting and listening to different staff members talk
about various aspects of the business. For example, human resources staff might present
information on employment conditions and health and safety representatives (HSRs) would
discuss health and safety in the workplace. Induction can also include reading written
information including policies and procedures, watching videos or DVDs, and completing online
learning activities.

Explaining WHS information

In terms of health and safety compliance, new workers are extremely vulnerable. Policies and
procedures relevant to the new worker’s job role must form a strong component of induction so
that workers are aware of their rights and responsibilities and of the expectations and
obligations placed upon them. Various legislation places a requirement on employers to provide
effective induction and training for workers.

For example, information on health and safety in the workplace provided during induction
should include:

 introductions to health and safety personnel, eg HSR, first aid officer, fire warden, etc
  roles and responsibilities of employers, workers, HSRs and health and safety committees
 hazards and risks associated with the work
 risk control measures
 welfare facilities such as staff assistance programs
 emergency response procedures

It is also essential they be given clear instruction on how to operate machinery correctly, use
personal protective equipment and manage the other safety aspects applicable to their jobs.

Training activities are an ideal medium for explaining information to staff. Linking the
distribution of policies, procedures and legal information to training activities provides the
opportunity for staff to receive a detailed explanation of the information and enables them to
clarify their roles and responsibilities with the presenter.

Training can be instructor-led or self-directed. Instructor-led training is delivered by an internal

facilitator or by an external consultant or qualified person. Self-directed learning is where
individuals use online or written material and manage their own learning.

Types of training include:

 formal workshops and accreditations

 ongoing refresher courses and skills updates
 presentations at meetings
 coaching, mentoring and buddy systems
 online learning
 reading documentation

Explaining WHS information

The choice of training will depend on what information the employer needs the workers to learn
and the number of workers that require training. For example, coaching enables an individual to
receive information and/or learn specific skills with assistance from their team leader or a more
experienced colleague.

Training activities should be coordinated to ensure information is delivered in a timely manner

and with minimal impact on the day-to-day operation of the business. Material to be presented
must be reviewed for relevance, accuracy and currency.

Workplace, team, or health and safety meetings are an effective means of providing information
as they provide a forum for workers to question and clarify the information presented.
An effective meeting is a meeting that:

 has been planned

 has agreed procedures
 has an agenda
 allows everyone to participate
 remains focused on the agenda and its outcomes
 has clear outcomes
 has clear responsibility for actions

The agenda is the meeting plan. Before the meeting, someone, usually the chairperson, is
responsible for preparing a draft agenda. Other meeting participants should have an opportunity
to review and add agenda items as required. Ongoing issues from previous meetings must be
included on the agenda and enough time must be allowed to fully discuss agenda items.

The agenda for a meeting should be distributed to all participants prior to the meeting to give
participants enough time to prepare for the meeting.

The agenda might be made available to all participants via:

 email
 displayed on noticeboards in common areas such as hallways or lunchrooms
 intranet
 presented at team meetings

Explaining WHS information

Example of an agenda:

AGENDA

Health and Safety Committee Meeting

Date: 4 OctoberTime: 9:00 am

Location: Meeting Room 2

 Meeting opening
 Apologies
 Minutes of the previous meeting
 Business arising from the minutes of the previous meeting
 Correspondence
 Business arising out of correspondence
 Decision items:
 o Selection of new PPE for kitchen staff
o Priority for rollout of new health and safety training program

 Discussion items:
o Induction training program
o Control measure implemented in front bar
 Other business
 Meeting close

Distribution list:

Bob, Joan, Terry, Alice, Tom, John, Harry, Sonya, Tan

Minutes of meetings are the instant written record of a meeting. They typically describe the
events of the meeting, starting with a list of attendees, a statement of the issues considered by
the participants, and related responses or decisions for the issues.

Minutes can be created during the meeting by the minute-taker who might take notes during the
meeting and then prepare the minutes and issue them to the participants afterwards. The
meeting can also be recorded electronically and minutes prepared later.

Minutes begin with the name of the group holding the meeting, place, date, list of people
present and the time that the chair called the meeting to order. Minutes then record the
discussions and decisions in the order they occur on the written agenda, regardless of the actual
chronology. Minutes also record if a task or action has been assigned to a specific person for
completion. The deadline for the task may also be included in the minutes. Minutes should end
with a note of the time that the meeting concluded.

Explaining WHS information

Minutes should be accurate, concise and only include a summary of discussions and decisions.
There could be legal implications for businesses if the information included in minutes is
incorrect or incomplete. Minutes of some meetings, such as health and safety meetings, must be
stored, as they are important legal documents.

Example of minutes of a meeting:

Minutes of health and safety committee meeting

Date: 4 October

Present: Bob, Joan, Tom, John, Harry, Sonya, Tan

Apologies: Alice, Terry

Meeting Opening
  Meeting opened 9:35 am

Apologies

 Alice and Terry could not attend

Minutes of the Previous Meeting

 The minutes of the previous meeting were read. Sonya moved and Bob seconded they
should be accepted as a true and accurate record of the meeting held 6 September.
Carried

Business Arising from the Minutes of the Previous Meeting

 Nil

Correspondence

 Nil

Business Arising out of Correspondence

 Nil

Decision Items:

 Selection of new PPE for kitchen staff: The aprons and work boots presented by
‘Chefstream’ were deemed most suitable by the affected work groups. Action: Sonya to
order sufficient stock to issue all affected workers with the new aprons and work boots.
 Priority for Rollout of New Health and Safety Training Program: Front of house have
requested they are first for the new health and safety training. It was decided that
would be a good place to start on the implementation, followed by back of house,
housekeeping and front office. Action: Bob to liaise with Training and Development.

Discussion Items:

 Induction Training Program: As Terry did not attend the meeting there was no report on
the new Induction Training Program. Action: Deferred to next meeting.
 Control Measure Implemented in kitchen: The new extractor system is working well—
monitoring shows the airborne contamination is well below the minimum levels
required by the specification. Action: Monitoring to continue.

Other Business
  Nil

Meeting Close

 Meeting closed 10:45 am

Explaining WHS information

Reports might be used to communicate updated health and safety information. A report aims to
inform, as clearly and succinctly as possible. It should be easy to read and professional in its
presentation.

Updates and changes to health and safety information might be circulated to staff via email or
other internal communication processes such as newsletters. For example, an email might be
sent to all staff requesting that they read an updated policy stored on the organisation’s intranet
or they might receive a paper-based copy of the policy which they are required to read and pass
on to other staff members.

Where workers are directed to read written documentation they might be asked to sign a
document stating they have read and understood the information provided. This document can
then be stored and used as evidence of compliance with legislation.

Information kits provide an overview of relevant policies and procedures. These can be designed
in a fact sheet or question and answer format with links to specific policy documents and useful
resources. Information kits can be targeted to different audiences.

Supporting documentation such as frameworks, forms, checklists, instructions and templates

can also be developed to explain health and safety information to personnel.

A combination of communication methods can be used. Workers might be advised of updated

policies or procedures verbally at team meetings and provided with handouts or referred to
intranet or internet sites for additional information.

Explaining WHS information

Explaining information to personnel

Regardless of the method of communication used, the information shared should include:

 any background to the updated information such as the reason for changes
 the key points or changes
  the effective date of changes

When selecting the appropriate method of communication, presenters should consider:

1. The target audience—who will receive this information? What are the literacy levels of
the target audience?
2. The medium for communication—what is the most cost-effective and timely way to get
this information to the target audience, eg email, posters, etc?
3. Workplace procedures—what are the minimum standards?
4. Legislative requirements—are there any legal obligations to communicate the
information?

The most appropriate communication method should be the one that enables all workers to
access the required information in a timely manner. It should also provide workers with the
opportunity to provide feedback to the employer on the information.

Communication should be concise, complete and accurate, regardless of the method of

communication used. Wherever possible, the information provided should highlight the benefits
of the information and detail how it will assist workers in their jobs.

Explaining WHS information

Most organisations will have policies or procedures that set out the guidelines or minimum
standards for the business for appropriate communication between workers (internal
communication) and between workers and customers/​ suppliers etc (external communication).

Those guidelines might include instructions for:

 the appropriate use of email, including suitable language and response times
 the layout and formatting of written documents, including minutes of meetings
 the use of standard templates
 the standard greeting to use when answering the telephone
 the use of professional telephone techniques, including call transfer
 preferred methods of communication—email, fax, intranet etc

Information about policies, procedures and expectations is often communicated to workers in

writing. For example, reports, emails, minutes of meetings, or posters. People responsible for
preparing the documentation must be able to communicate effectively in writing. This includes
using correct spelling, grammar, sentence structure and punctuation, and also being able to read
quickly, use email, attach documents, and send and respond to messages in an appropriate time
frame.
Making WHS information accessible

Health and safety information should be readily accessible to staff. Shared information creates a
greater sense of ownership.

Significant changes to information that impacts how staff perform their work activities or behave
in the workplace should be communicated immediately. Less critical information should be
distributed in a timely manner.

Many workers in the hospitality, travel and tourism industries work as casual or part-time
employees and might be shift workers. Distribution methods must be mindful of being inclusive
of all staff.

Information on health and safety matters can be provided as:

 PowerPoint presentations and notes

 instruction/​ training manuals
 policies and procedures
 web pages on intranet sites
 e-learning experiences
 bulletins, newsletters
 posters

Health and safety information should be easily identified, and filed and stored electronically or in
hard copy according to the organisation’s records management procedures.

Many organisations retain health and safety information on their intranet site. This enables staff
to access the information whenever they are logged onto a computer in the workplace. Other
workplaces might retain hard copies (paper-based) of the information in a central area in the
workplace for all staff to access.

Managers, team leaders or HSRs might update all staff on health and safety information at team
meetings, via email, or through other common communication methods. They might provide
them with a summary of the information and refer them to the organisation’s website or paper-
based health and safety resources such as policies, procedures and manuals for more
information. This ensures staff have the opportunity to develop their understanding of the
information presented by accessing more detailed information available from a variety of
resources, at a time that is convenient to them.

Making WHS information accessible

Formatting health and safety information

Formatting information effectively ensures that it is accessible and understandable for the
reader.

The information presented must be:

 clearly written so it is easy to read

 written in plain English language so it is easy to understand
 grammatically correct
 formatted so that the information follows logical steps or sequences

A good balance between the amount of white space and the amount of text or diagrams on a
page encourages readers to read the information. Too much text or too many diagrams can
overwhelm some readers and they will quickly lose interest in the information provided.

Formatting text functions include using bold, italics, shading, spacing, and headers and footers in
written communication. These functions draw the reader’s attention to the highlighted
information.

Graphs, tables, lists, charts, diagrams and posters are also effective ways to format information
so that it is easily understood by readers.

Formatting features should be used sparingly as they can distract the reader from focusing on
the message.