Development of Occupational Health and Safety Practices

Develop systems for occupational health and safety management practice

• Promporn Dokphutsa

Auckland Goldstar Institute

Task 1

Audit of health and safety systems and records

1. Determine organisational requirements for the access to and documentation of workplace health and safety systems and records.

Matatua Marae has health and safety documentation regarding to the organisational requirements for the purpose of maintaining and enhancing the safety and personal security of the marae:

• Identifying workplace information requirements
• Identifying legislative information requirements
• Identifying the gaps
• Identify legal requirements and reporting accidents to prevent risks and hazards that may cause harms or injuries.
• Identify the objectives in the environment which may cause harms or injuries.
• Plan and conduct an objective investigation.
• Define important areas to focus on during an investigation and documented it.
• Recommend controls to add regular hazard management process.
• Develop a policy which provides for the health and safety of employees and visitors
• Develop a procedure for reviewing the health and safety of employees and visitors
• Develop a procedure for responding to all health and safety issues raised by employees and visitors
• Develop a procedure for employees and visitors to report accidents, incidents and hazards in the Matatua Marae.

2. Document details of the records and information stored in these health and safety systems.

Accident records

There is no accident records placed in the marae because it has been sent to the head office in Wellington.

Standards

The marae has available standards in which they comply with. It located in the administration office which conveniently to review.

Procedures

The marae has provided clearly explanation procedures according to the health and safety systems.

Examples of management practices may include; plan, policies and procedures, staff qualifications and training, systems for identifying and eliminating or minimise risks and hazards.

Manuals

The marae is providing manual documentation for the employees / visitors to make sure that they work or using equipment safely. As well as checking equipment, regular contact and communication with people who relevance then reporting to the supervisor (if any).

Hazards register

The marae has provided hazard registers documentation such as Hazardous back injuries, Hazardous accidents register, Fire hazard register, Psychological hazards register and Drugs control in workplace register to maintain health and safety systems and promote the well-being of employees and visitors.

Policies

Any accidents, incidents or hazards should be reported as soon as possible to a staff member who will deal with the matter accordance with the Accident and Incident and Hazards Reporting Policies.

Job descriptions

The marae relevant qualifications (for example first aid) and/or experience for each role. Also they use an appropriate to select the staff and they will take responsible steps to make sure that the new staff member is suitable for the role assigned to him or her.

Training records

All the Matatua Marae employees will participate in orientation and on-going education/ training that is relevant to their roles.

Inventories

The marae had provided necessary inventories inside/outside or around the building to make sure that it easily to be found when needed such as First aid kits, Fire alarms are located in every building, the evacuation point is the car park and Emergency Contact numbers are positioned beside the telephone.

3. Establish and document your organisation’s standards for records and information for each of the health and safety systems.

• Accident records

Workplace safety management practices audit standards (ACC) (Source: ACC)

Safety signs for the occupational environment (NZS 1319:1994) (Source: Standards New Zealand)

When a work-related accident occurs that harms (or might have harmed) to any person, the information and situation must be documented in the accident register and the incidence must be investigated to define to prevent the future accidents and minimise hazards that may cause any harmed to any person. As part of the investigation, the contents of the accident register should review the accidents which were happened in the past.

• Standards

• Develop and implement a hazard management system for a selected business operation (Unit Standard 5616)
• Produce an occupational health and safety incident investigation (Unit Standard 17601)
• Manage hazard identification and control on plant and machinery (Unit Standard 18410)
• Explain the establishment and operation of a workplace health and safety committee (Unit Standard 19340)
• Explain the requirements on the Health and Safety in Employment (HSE) Act 1992 (Unit Standard 19521)
• Identify the roles and responsibilities of the health and safety representative in the workplace (Unit Standard 20198)
• Identify the causes of back injury and methods to prevent back injuries in the workplace. (Unit Standard 17592)
• Demonstrate knowledge of the prevention and management of Discomfort, Pain and Injuries (DPI) in the workplace.(Unit Standard 17591)
• Demonstrate knowledge of hearing conservation in the workplace.(Unit Standard 17594)
• Apply safe work practices in the workplace. (Unit Standard 17593)
• Apply hazard identification and risk assessment procedures in the workplace. (Unit Standard 17602)
• Demonstrate knowledge of fire and emergency warden duties in the workplace. (Unit Standard 18408)
• Demonstrate knowledge of workplace health and safety requirements. (Unit Standard 497)
• Demonstrate knowledge of the management of drug and/or alcohol- related problems in the workplace. (Unit Standard 22316)
• Demonstrate knowledge of drug hazard management in the workplace. (Unit Standard 22317)
• Demonstrate knowledge of employer responsibilities in relation to drug and/or alcohol in the workplace. (Unit Standard 22318)
• Demonstrate knowledge of fire and emergency warden duties in the workplace. (Unit Standard 18408)

• Procedures

• Hazards management
• Back injury and methods to prevent back injuries in workplace
• Safe work practices
• Fire and safety
• Food safety
• Duties and responsibilities
• Prevention and management of DPI in the Marae
• Incident investigation using a hypothetical incident
• Injury prevention

• Manuals

• The Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC)
• First Aid
• Fire evacuation
• Training in the application of workplace Health and Safety
• Hazards identification
• Accident records
• Manual handling
• Management regulations
• NZFS Guideline to Evacuation Schemes

• Hazards register

• Hazardous back injuries
• Hazardous accidents register
• Fire hazard register
• Psychological hazards register
• Drugs control in workplace register

• Policies

• Health and safety in Employment Act 1992
• Privacy act 1993
• The New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990,
• The Human Right Act 1993
• The New Zealand’s Misuse of Drugs Act 1975
• Fire Service Act 1975 (section 21 A Evacuation Schemes for Public Safety)

• Job descriptions

• Roles and responsibilities
• Safe work practice

• Inventories

• First aid kits
• Fire alarms are located in every building
• The evacuation point is the car park
• Emergency Contact numbers are positioned beside the telephone.

4. Establish and document the main legislative requirements for each of these systems.

• Accident records

• Accident Compensation Act 2001

To prevent the person in workplace from specific event or a series of events which cause harms or risks that may lead by any solid, liquid, gas, or foreign object on a specific occasion. Also burn, or exposure to radiation or anything that cause results in any restriction or lack of ability that prevents the person from performing an activity in the manner or within the range considered normal for the person or causes death.

• Public Records Act 2005
• Official Information Act 1982
• Privacy Act 1993
• Health Information Privacy Code 1994
• Health (Retention of Health Information) Regulations 1996

• Standards

• Specific industry standards relating to health and safety must be followed by those working – in the industry.
• Health and safety in employment Act 1992 (HSE)
• Health and Safety in employment (HSE) Regulation 1995
• Machinery Act 1950
• Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996.

• Procedures, Manuals and Policies

The organisation must provide procedures and policies specific to the organisation to maintain the health and safety of employees and visitors in the workplace. However, policies and procedures should be developed regularly to make sure that the workplace is safe and be without any hazards.

Also evacuation procedures must be developed by the health and safety officer of buildings and followed by the organisational requirements

• Fire Safety and Evacuation of Buildings Regulations 2006
• Health and safety in employment Act 1992 ( HSE)
• Food Act 1981
• Fire Service Act 1975
• Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996
• Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Compensation Act 2001
• Building Regulations 1992
• Misuse of Drugs Act 1975
• Health and Safety in Employment Regulations 1995
• Human Rights Act 1993
• Smoke-free Environments Act 1990
• Hazard registers
• Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 Health and Safety and Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996
• Health and Safety in Employment Regulations 1995
• Building Regulations 1992 (The Building Code)

• Job description

All employees must have their job description as well as any health and safety expectations clearly described in their employment contract. Employees must hold a relevant qualification for their position. It may help them to have a responsibility to do their job safely.

• Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992
• Health and Safety and Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO)

• Training records

All employees should be effectively trained to complete their work safely according to the Health and Safety in Employment Act. However, the organisation should be aware of update the training in workplace as require from national or ISO standards.

• Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992

• Inventories

• Health and Safety and Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO)
• Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992

5. Compare the records and information you documented on each of the systems with the organisational and legislative requirements. Document the gaps identified.

and

6. Provide an explanation of the degree to which each system covered by the audit meets organisation standards and legislative requirements. (Recording only whether or not requirements were met does not meet the requirements for the audit)

Task 2

Develop a plan for improvements to occupational health and safety systems

1. Identification and prioritisation of systems not meeting organisational standards.

Prioritisation must be completed based on

• The degree of compliance with relevant legislation and standards
• Assessment of the significance of hazards
• Costs-benefits analysis

2. Proposed strategies and corrective actions for each of non-compliant systems in line with the organisational culture of your workplace. When considering the type of corrective action needed you must take into account

• Size and location of the work place
• Financial viability of the organisation
• Existing management systems
• Commitment to ISO or other quality management

Strategies and corrective actions

• Accident records

Matatau Marae is a public place with a few numbers of staff; it is the benefit for training programs easily to organise the regular meeting to discuss and filled up the accident records.

– In house training cost small budget and save the time.

– The accident forms should keep safely and confidentiality in the computer systems or folders. Therefore, information can be always at the place when needed and more organised.

– In line with a commitment to quality, the organisation intends to implement the standard: AS/NZS 4804:2001

– Follow the occupational health and safety management systems

– Workplace safety management practices audit standards (ACC) (Source: ACC)

– Safety signs for the occupational environment (NZS 1319:1994) (Source: Standards New Zealand) may help the marae to eliminate/ isolate/ and minimise incident/accidents of the employees/ visitors.

• Standards

– The cost of trainings/ establishing and printing their standards are affordable.

– All organisational standards can be printed out into handbook for employees/ visitors so that they are able to review conveniently.

– AS/NZS 4804:2001 – Occupational health and safety management system – General guidelines on principles, systems and supporting techniques (Source: Standards New Zealand). The Marae would follow the standard and base on it establish their own standards which are more specific and practical for them.

• Inventories

– Purchasing fire blankets is affordable.

– Fire blankets will be put on the list of fire fighting equipment

– AS/NZS 4804:2001 – Occupational health and safety management system – General guidelines on principles, systems and supporting techniques (Source: Standards New Zealand) will be the guideline for the marae in organising their inventories supplement.

• Hazard registers

– As the marae are not responsible to look after the children which were bring by the visitors. Therefore, warning signs should be provided to encourage awareness among the parents and children about hazards and risks that may cause the injury.

– Printing these signs may cost some money. However, the marea can print it out internally to save the money.

– These warning signs are put on hazard register documentation.

– AS/NZS 4804:2001 – Occupational health and safety management system – General guidelines on principles, systems and supporting techniques (Source: Standards New Zealand) will be the guideline for the marae in performing hazard registers work.