HLTWHS002 Follow Safe Work Practices For Direct Client Care Resource InterCare

HLTWHS002
Follow safe work practices for direct client

care
Learner Guide
Student Name:
Integrated Training Solutions (Aust) Pty Ltd

T/A Intercare Training
205 Thomas Street
Dandenong Vic 3175
Phone: 1300 10 2273
www.integratedtrainingsolutions.com.au
info@integratedtrainingsolutions.com.au
Table of Contents
How to study this unit .............................................................................................................................. 4
Element 1: Follow safe work practices for direct client care ................................................................... 7
The Role of Safe Work Australia............................................................................................................. 8
The Work Health and Safety Framework.............................................................................................. 10
The Harmonisation model for work health and safety and key changes .............................................. 11
Changes to workplace regulations and codes of practice .................................................................... 11
Duty of care ........................................................................................................................................... 13
Workplace right and responsibilities ..................................................................................................... 14
Duties of other persons at a workplace................................................................................................. 15
Following workplace policies and procedures for safe work practices ................................................. 16
Identifying existing and potential hazards in the workplace, report them to designated persons, and
record them according to workplace procedures .................................................................................. 20
Step 1: Hazard identification — find the hazards.................................................................................. 21
Step 2: Risk Assessment ...................................................................................................................... 22
Step 3: Risk control ............................................................................................................................... 22
Hierarchy of control ............................................................................................................................... 25
Step 4: Evaluate the risk ....................................................................................................................... 26
Potential hazards in workplaces in the community service industry..................................................... 27
Biological and infectious hazards.......................................................................................................... 28
Reporting hazards in the work area to designated personnel .............................................................. 30
Identifying any client-related risk factors or behaviours of concern, report them to designated persons,
and record them according to workplace procedures ........................................................................... 35
Following workplace policies and procedures to minimise risk............................................................. 43
Basic fire safety..................................................................................................................................... 46
High Risk groups ................................................................................................................................... 46
Role of fire services............................................................................................................................... 48
Safety signs........................................................................................................................................... 51
Identifying and reporting incidents and injuries to designated persons according to workplace
procedures ............................................................................................................................................ 54
Injury procedures .................................................................................................................................. 60
Element 2: Follow safe work practices for manual handling................................................................. 61
Following manual handling procedures and work instructions for minimising manual handling risk.... 61
Anatomy and Physiology....................................................................................................................... 62
Body mechanics .................................................................................................................................... 63
Model Codes of Practice - Hazardous manual tasks............................................................................ 64
Identifying manual handling hazards and report in line with workplace procedures ............................ 65
Manual handling procedures for specific tasks ..................................................................................... 66
Training and supervision and Manual Handling.................................................................................... 70
Back care .............................................................................................................................................. 71
Applying control measures for minimising manual handling risk .......................................................... 74
Manual Handling Hazard identification ................................................................................................. 75
Element 3: Follow safe work practices for infection control .................................................................. 78
Following Standard Precautions as part of own work routine to prevent the spread of infection ......... 79
Standard infection control procedures .................................................................................................. 80
Methods of hand washing ..................................................................................................................... 80
Personal protective equipment (PPE)................................................................................................... 84
Processing of used equipment.............................................................................................................. 86
Disposal of sharps................................................................................................................................. 87
Blood and body substance spills........................................................................................................... 88
Infection control policies and procedures.............................................................................................. 90
Safe handling and disposal of potentially infectious materials.............................................................. 91
Recognising situations when Additional infection control procedures are required.............................. 95
Applying additional precautions when standard precautions alone may not be sufficient to prevent
transmission of infection........................................................................................................................ 96
Identifying risks of infection and report them according to workplace procedures ............................... 96
How infection can happen..................................................................................................................... 97
Chain of Infection .................................................................................................................................. 97
Types of infection risks........................................................................................................................ 100
Common Infections ............................................................................................................................. 103
Risk assessment and management.................................................................................................... 104
Element 4: Contribute to safe work practices in the workplace .......................................................... 109
HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care
Version 1 October 2015 ITS (Aust) Pty Ltd Page 2 of 146
Raising WHS issues with designated persons according to organisational procedures .................... 110
The roles and responsibilities of Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) and Health and Safety
Committees (HSCs) ............................................................................................................................ 111
Investigation procedure....................................................................................................................... 112
Health and safety inspectors............................................................................................................... 114
Participating in workplace safety meetings, inspections and consultative activities........................... 118
Employer’s obligations to employees regarding consultation on WHS matters ................................. 118
Benefits of consultation ....................................................................................................................... 119
Consultation mechanisms ................................................................................................................... 120
Formal consultative processes ........................................................................................................... 120
Consultation and risk management .................................................................................................... 121
Consultation action and feedback ....................................................................................................... 121
Raising issues at meetings ................................................................................................................. 121
Meeting process .................................................................................................................................. 122
The agenda ......................................................................................................................................... 122
Workplace inspections ........................................................................................................................ 127
Contributing to the development and implementation of safe workplace policies and procedures in
own work area..................................................................................................................................... 129
Element 5: Reflect on own safe work practices .................................................................................. 132
Identifying ways to maintain currency of safe work practices in regards to workplace systems,
equipment and processes in own work role........................................................................................ 132
Induction training................................................................................................................................. 133
Reflecting on own levels of stress and fatigue, and report to designated persons according to
workplace procedures ......................................................................................................................... 135
Stressors ............................................................................................................................................. 135
Workplace bullying .............................................................................................................................. 139
Participating in workplace debriefing to address individual needs...................................................... 141
Relationship between WHS and sustainability in the workplace, including the contribution of
maintaining health and safety to environmental, economic, workforce and social sustainability ....... 143
Environmentally sustainable principles ............................................................................................... 144
Sustainable workplaces ...................................................................................................................... 144
Environmental regulations................................................................................................................... 144
Bibliography ........................................................................................................................................ 146
Copyright © This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright
Act 1968 (Amendment Act 2006), no part may be reproduced by any process without prior
written permission of the author Andrea Kelly - Resource Learning:
www.resourcelearning.com.au

How to study this unit
You will find review learning activities at the end of each section. The learning activities in this
resource are designed to assist you to learn and successfully complete assessment tasks. If you are
unsure of any of the information or activities, ask your trainer or workplace supervisor for help.
The participant will be required to demonstrate competence through the following means:
Methods of assessment
 Observation in the work place
 Written assignments/projects
 Case study and scenario analysis
 Questioning
 Role play simulation
 Learning activities
 Class discussion and group role-plays
 Assessment tasks
Consult your
coach or trainer
Asking for help
If you have any difficulties with any part of this unit, contact your facilitator. It is important to ask for
help if you need it. Discussing your work with your facilitator is considered an important part of the
training process.
Name of facilitator: ________________________ Phone number: __________________

Welcome to the unit HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care, which
forms part of the 2015 Community services training package. This unit describes the skills
and knowledge required for a worker to participate in safe work practices to ensure their own
health and safety, and that of others in work environments that involve caring directly for clients. It
has a focus on maintaining safety of the worker, the people being supported and other community
members.
This unit applies to all workers who require knowledge of workplace health and safety (WHS) to
carry out their own work, in both centre-based and home-based service provision.
The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory
legislation, Australian/New Zealand standards and industry codes of practice.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
ELEMENT PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

Element 1: Follow safe work 1.1 Follow workplace policies and procedures for safe work
practices for direct client care practices
1.2 Identify existing and potential hazards in the workplace,
report them to designated persons, and record them
according to workplace procedures
1.3 Identify any client-related risk factors or behaviours of
concern, report them to designated persons, and record
them according to workplace procedures
1.4 Follow workplace policies and procedures to minimise risk
1.5 Identify and report incidents and injuries to designated
persons according to workplace procedures
Element 2: Follow safe work 2.1 Follow manual handling procedures and work instructions
practices for manual handling for minimising manual handling risk
2.2 Identify manual handling hazards and report in line with
workplace procedures
2.3 Apply control measures for minimising manual handling
risk
Element 3: Follow safe work 3.1 Follow standard precautions as part of own work routine
practices for infection control to prevent the spread of infection
3.2 Recognise situations when additional infection control
procedures are required
3.3 Apply additional precautions when standard precautions
alone may not be sufficient to prevent transmission of
infection
3.4 Identify risks of infection and report them according to

Element 4: Contribute to safe 4.1 Raise WHS issues with designated persons according to
work practices in the workplace organisational procedures
4.2 Participate in workplace safety meetings, inspections and
consultative activities
4.3 Contribute to the development and implementation of safe
workplace policies and procedures in own work area
Element 5: Reflect on own safe 5.1 Identify ways to maintain currency of safe work practices
work practices in regards to workplace systems, equipment and processes
in own work role
5.2 Reflect on own levels of stress and fatigue, and report to
designated persons according to workplace procedures
5.3 Participate in workplace debriefing to address individual
needs

Element 1: Follow safe work practices for direct client care
Workplace injury is a concern for both employers and their employees. In all states and territories
there are laws that detail the ways workers’ health, safety and welfare are to be protected. Workers
in turn have Workplace health and safety responsibilities towards their employers, their workmates
and themselves. All workplaces have real and potential hazards and risks. The health and community
service industry sectors has its own particular hazards and risks as well as ones that are found in
other workplaces.
There are many definitions of Workplace health and safety, here are two examples:
 "The elimination or the minimisation of risk of harm to workers, or others, during the
course of work or employment"
 “The promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well-being
of workers in all occupations".
An employer does not have to eliminate all hazards; however, they must use all means practicable to
reduce the risk to employees and the public by implementing suitable controls.
How is this achieved?
Through the development and implementation of a systematic process of identifying, assessing,
controlling and monitoring workplace hazards. It must be kept in mind that good occupational
health and safety practice is more than just compliance with legislation. The model WHS legislation
is designed to establish a national framework for the states, territories and the Commonwealth. The
states, territories and the commonwealth are required to develop and implement their own WHS
legislation to commence at the same time as the model WHS laws.
All organisations that employ more than five members of staff are required to have a WHS manual
which documents the organisation’s policies and procedures for safety in the workplace. The main
aim when considering safety at work is to avoid incidents which can cause personal injury or even
death. WHS policies outline guidelines for responding to particular situations of risk, or to specific
hazards to safety.
Organisations are responsible for training their staff in WHS procedures and for ensuring that this
training is regularly updated to meet appropriate legislative standards. WHS policies also provide
guidelines for documentation of WHS incidents and for conducting regular safety audits, which assist
with minimisation of risk. When you work within an organisation, it is important to be aware of
these policies and procedures. If you are unsure at any point, consult your supervisor.

The Role of Safe Work Australia
Safe Work Australia is an independent statutory tripartite body which has been established to
improve occupational health and safety outcomes and workers compensation arrangements in
Australia.
The Safe Work Australia Act 2008 (Sec 6) sets out the functions of SWA as follows:
 Development of national policy relating to WHS and workers compensation
 Preparation and revision of a model Act and model regulations relating to WHS for adoption as
laws of the Commonwealth, each of the States and each of the Territories
 Preparation and revision of model codes of practice relating to OHS for adoption by the
Commonwealth, each of the States and each of the Territories
 Preparation and revision of other material relating to WHS
 Development of a compliance and enforcement policy for the approved model OHS legislation,
to ensure that a nationally consistent approach is taken
 Monitoring the adoption by the Commonwealth, States and Territories of the approved model
OHS legislation, codes of practice and compliance and enforcement
 Collection, analysis and publishing of data or other information relating to OHS and workers
compensation in order to inform the development or evaluation of policies
 Conducting and publishing research relating to WHS and workers compensation
 Revising and further developing the National WHS Strategy 2002-2012, as amended from time
to time
 Developing and promoting national strategies to raise awareness of OHS and workers
compensation
 Developing proposals relating to: (a) harmonising workers compensation arrangements across
the Commonwealth, States and Territories; and (b) national workers compensation
arrangements for employers with workers in more than one of those jurisdictions
 Advising the Ministerial Council on matters relating to OHS or workers compensation
 Liaison with other countries or international organisations on matters relating to OHS or
workers compensation, and
 Other functions that are conferred on it by, or under, the Act or any other Commonwealth
Act.

WHS (Model Health Work and Safety Bill, cl 3, Safe Work Australia)
The Work Health and Safety Act 2011 regulates workplace health and safety (WHS) for the
Commonwealth. The new Health and Safety (WHS) Act commenced on January 1, 2012. The WHS
Act is legislation passed by the NSW parliament and the parliaments in other states, territories and
the Commonwealth. The main object of the model WHS Act is: ‘to provide for a balanced and
nationally consistent framework to secure the health and safety of workers and workplaces.’
 The WHS laws take a preventative and proactive approach but also have provision for where a
breach of the law does occur. Penalties exist where these laws are breached including both
fines and gaol terms. Supporting materials, such as Codes of Practice, may be utilised as a
statement of knowledge to meet the requirements of the WHS laws. Industry standards may
also be utilised e.g. mining, transport standards.
The object of the model WHS Act is to be achieved by:
 Protecting workers and others from harm to their health, safety and welfare by elimination or
minimisation of risks arising from work (or specified substances or plant)
 Providing for fair and effective workplace representation (e.g. HSRS), consultation, co-operation
and issue resolution on work health and safety.
How the object is to be achieved
 Encouraging unions and employer organisations to take a constructive role and to assist in
achieving a healthier and safe workplace
 Promoting the provision of work health and safety advice, information, education and training
 Effective and appropriate use of compliance and enforcement measures.
Key changes to current OHS legislation includes:
 Work health and safety (WHS) terminology
 The relationship between the employer and employee to the broader relationship of ‘a person
conducting a business or undertaking’ (PCBU) and a worker
 A broadening of health and safety duties
 Consultation requirements for all duty holders
 OHS Representatives and OHS Committees change to Health and Safety Representatives
(HSRs) and Health and Safety Committees (HSCs) with changed roles and functions.

The Work Health and Safety Framework
Consists of:
 WHS Act
 WHS Regulations
 Codes of Practice
 Australian Standards
 Industry Standards
 Guidance Material.

The Harmonisation model for work health and safety and key changes
Harmonisation is desirable for both businesses and enterprises and workers for various reasons.
Areas such as:
 The nature of the workplace (anywhere where work activities are being undertaken)
 Employment arrangements (e.g. Contractors, labour hire, casual and part time arrangements)
 The tools used to undertake our work activities (e.g. Use of technology); and community
expectations and the business and economic environment have undergone significant changes in
recent times. This has necessitated the updating of work health and safety legislation to reflect
these changes and allow for any future changes
 Terminology that we are accustomed to has changed (e.g. ‘Work Health and Safety (WHS)’ in
place of OHS), the definition of employees (included as workers along with volunteers etc.) and
the employer, manufacturers, suppliers etc. (Person conducting a business or undertaking –
PCBU)
 The focus has shifted from the employer/employee relationship to being inclusive of all persons
involved in work activities and is now focused on the broader relationship between the Persons
Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) and workers (including employees, contractors,
visitors etc.)
 The duties imposed on persons under the WHS Act, intend to capture any person who can
impact on work health and safety and these persons and their duties have been expanded.
Changes to workplace regulations and codes of practice
Codes of practice may be used as evidence in legal proceedings to show that a person has failed to
meet a duty of care. Failure to follow a code of practice does not necessarily mean a breach of the
Act. If a person has not adopted the method described in the code, however, it is up to them to
show they have met their duty of care by alternative methods which are equivalent to or better than
those in the code.
National Codes of Practice that have been developed include:
 How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks
 How to Consult on Work Health and Safety
 Managing the Work Environment and Facilities
 Facilities for Construction Sites
 Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work
 Hazardous Manual Tasks
 Confined Spaces
 How to Manage and Control Asbestos in the Workplace
 How to Prevent Falls at Workplaces
 How to Safely Remove Asbestos
 Labelling of Workplace Hazardous Chemicals
 Preparation of Safety Data Sheets for Hazardous Chemicals
 Additional National Codes of Practice are under development.

Model Code of Practice - How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks
This Code of Practice on how to manage work health and safety risks is an approved code of
practice under section 274 of the Work Health and Safety Act (the WHS Act). This Code provides
practical guidance for persons who have duties under the WHS Act and Regulations to manage risks
to health and safety. The duty is placed on persons conducting a business or undertaking, including
employers, self-employed, principal contractors, persons with management or control of a
workplace, designers, manufacturers, importers and suppliers of plant, substances or structures that
are used for work.
Model Codes of Practice - Hazardous Manual Tasks
This Code of Practice on how to identify hazardous manual tasks and control the risks of workers
being affected by musculoskeletal disorders is an approved code of practice under section 274 of the
Work Health and Safety Act. This Code explains how to identify hazardous manual tasks, assess the
risks of musculoskeletal disorders and eliminate or minimise those risks. This guidance is also
relevant for designers, manufacturers, importers or suppliers of equipment, materials and tools used
for work, as well as designers of workplaces where manual tasks are carried out.
National Standard for Manual Tasks
"‘Manual tasks’ is physical work activity. In this national standard it is defined as any activity requiring
a person to use any part of their musculoskeletal system in performing their work. This National
Standard for Manual Tasks sets out the principles for the effective management of hazardous manual
tasks to avert musculoskeletal disorders arising from manual tasks in the workplace. It was released
in a draft form for public comment, in line with a decision by the ASCC on 1 March 2005."
Model Work Health and Safety Regulations
The function and purpose of regulations is to give details of requirements that must be observed in
the workplace. Regulations are the second tier of legislation. While they are subordinate to the Act,
they still represent legal requirements, and failure to comply will generally be an offence punishable
by a fine. The Model Work Health and Safety (WHS) Regulations were agreed to in principle by the
majority of the Ministerial Council on 10 August 2011 subject to approval of the Decision Regulation
Impact Statement (RIS) by the Office of Best Practice Regulation.
The Decision RIS was approved on 9 September 2011. The Model (WHS) Regulations and the first
stage Model Codes of Practice support the Model WHS Act agreed to by Ministers in December
2009. All Ministers have now been advised to implement the Model Work Health and Safety
Regulations and first stage Model Codes of Practice by 1 January 2012 in accordance with the
Intergovernmental Agreement.
Guidance material
Guidance can be specific to the health and safety problems of an industry or of a particular
process used in a number of industries.
The main purposes of guidance are:
 To interpret helping people to understand what the law says including for example how
requirements based on directives with those under the Workplace Health and Safety Act Bill
2011 to help people comply with the law
 To give technical advice.

Duty of care
The Work Health and Safety Act 2011, imposes a duty of care on a range of people. Having a duty
means that the duty-holder must, as far as is reasonably practicable, eliminate (or failing that,
minimise) risks to work health and safety at the workplace. The primary duty of care to ensure the
health, safety, and welfare of all employees and other people who are present at a workplace is given
to a ‘Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU)’. A PCBU may be an employer,
corporation, association, partnership, sole trader, or a voluntary organisation that actually employs
people (i.e. not one staffed only by volunteers). A person is not a PCBU if he/she is engaged solely as
a worker or officer.

Workplace right and responsibilities
The Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) outlines the responsibilities of the employer and the
rights and responsibilities of the employee in keeping workplaces safe.
Employer’s responsibilities
It is the employer’s responsibility to provide a safe workplace.
Employers are responsible for:
 Having safe processes and procedures in place to make sure work can be done safely
 Providing training and supervision to make sure employees know how to work safely and use
equipment, aids and chemicals properly
 Consulting and cooperating with employees about safety (the new WHS act states that an
employer must now include all workers in the consultative process, including indirect workers
such as contractors, sub-contractors, volunteers, trainees and students on work experience)
 The provision of required protective clothing or equipment, such as goggles and gloves.
The employer must also:
 Help with the election of a workplace health and safety representative (HSR) or health and
safety committee (HSC)
 Support the people chosen to be HSRS
 Provide information to the HSR about hazards that have happened or might happen in the
workplace
 Allow the HSR paid time to carry out WHS tasks they are responsible for
 Let the HSR know about any accident or dangerous incident that occurs
 Allow the HSR to attend a course of training in work health and safety within three months of
requesting it and pay all course fees and any other reasonable associated costs
 Pay the HSR for time to attend the course of training.
Employee’s rights
All employees have the right to:
 Have an elected HSR (this means employees choose someone to talk to managers
 About safety for them and to keep the workplace safe)
 Be protected from hazards at work
 Receive information, training and supervision to help them work safely
 Be provided with the right protective clothing and equipment
 Talk to managers about WHS problems (you can talk directly to the managers or ask The HSR
to talk to them for you)
 To stop work if you feel it is unsafe.

Duties of other persons at a workplace
Other persons who are at a workplace, for example visitors, must take reasonable care for their
own health and safety and take reasonable care that their acts or omissions do not adversely affect
the health and safety of others. They must comply with any reasonable instruction given by the
person conducting a business or undertaking that allows it to comply with the model WHS Act or
model WHS Regulations.
Volunteer duties
The model WHS Act does not apply to ‘volunteer associations’, that is associations that are wholly
constituted by volunteers and do not have any employees attached to their business or undertaking.
The model WHS Act prescribes that volunteers are persons who work on a voluntary basis without
any kind of remuneration other than out-of-pocket expenses.
Volunteers in other kinds of businesses or undertakings have the same protections as other types of
workers under the model WHS Act. While volunteering, volunteers must comply with the same
work health and safety duties as other kinds of workers. Volunteers in ‘officer’ positions must also
comply with officers’ duties under the model WHS Act. Volunteers cannot be prosecuted for failure
to comply with a health and safety duty, except in their capacity as a worker or ‘other person’ at the
workplace.

Following workplace policies and procedures for safe work practices
As a support worker, you need to use practical strategies to reduce risks. You should always refer
to your workplace policies and procedures for guidance or ask your supervisor when you are
unsure.
The following steps outline a basic WHS strategy suitable for all workplaces to help
prevent injury at work.
 Identify the risk: Regularly review the workplace and the work practices to identify possible
sources of accident and injury.
 Change the environment: Make the necessary physical changes to the work environment,
including things such as lighting, noise levels, housekeeping, and equipment.
 Change the procedures : Identify the safest work practices and include these in the
organisation’s policy and procedures.
 Educate: Provide regular training in safe work practices and equipment usage and provide
information and visual reminders of safe practices.
 Participation: Get all workers actively involved in the process of identifying, reporting and
dealing with potential work hazards. Encourage an active WHS committee.
 Prepare for an emergency: Be aware that problems may still arise and be ready to deal with
them by having adequate first aid facilities, training staff in first aid, developing a standard
procedure for emergencies and including information on procedures in all staff training.
 Comply: It is imperative to comply with all WHS and workers compensation legislation,
maintaining appropriate records and actively supporting appropriate organisational policies and
procedures. Help others comply with occupational health and safety legislation. Organisations
will usually set up standard guidelines for staff to work by and these are commonly referred to
as safety rules.
 Safety rules: Appropriate safety rules will vary from one workplace to another but will
generally need to cover a range of areas:
 Housekeeping: Refers to the general tidiness and cleanliness of the work environment.
Housekeeping safety rules might include:
 Work procedures for putting items away in their appropriate place
 Checks for mobility hazards such as power cords, rugs, debris on floor
 Procedures for dealing with spills and other hazards
 Work hygiene practices.
 Disposal of contaminated materials
 Safe storage facilities for dangerous substances
 Ensuring fire exits are accessible.

Using protective equipment - Wearing sensible and safe work clothes.
Safety rules might include:
 Dress code or uniform
 Safety clothing such as gloves, aprons, facemasks, protective goggles, safety shoes and earplugs.
 Procedures for equipment use: Restrictions on who, when, where or how specific
equipment, substances or procedures may be used.
Standard operating procedures (SOPs): Standard operating procedures (SOPs) are written
instructions for tasks that outline the preferred method of undertaking an activity whilst emphasising
ways to minimise any risk(s) of harm. Other similar phrases used are safe work instructions, safe
operating procedures and standard working procedures.
SOPs provide:
 Information necessary to assist all staff and students to perform tasks safely
 Assistance in the training and orientation of health staff in the hazards of the tasks to be
performed
 The rules and procedures necessary to ensure all health personnel perform their work in a safe
manner.
Work procedures and employee behaviour codes: These are procedures for carrying out
routine daily activities, and inform workers of the restrictions on activities such as “horseplay” in the
workplace. These rules can be found in different places including policy and procedure manuals, safe
operating procedures and safe working practices guidelines.

One
Following workplace policies and procedures for safe work practices
1. Compare your workplace WHS policies and procedures with the Workplace Health and safety
Act 2011 and Regulations. Describe how your policies and procedures comply with the Act and
Regulations. Identify any areas not reflected in your workplace policies and procedures.
2. What are the responsibilities of the following people with regards to ensuring that the
appropriate health and safety needs of the work group are maintained?
The director of a community service

organisation
The manager
The worker

WHS framework components
3. Describe the following in a brief summary:
a. WHS regulations.
b. Codes of practice.
c. Australian standards.
d. Guidelines.

Identifying existing and potential hazards in the workplace, report
them to designated persons, and record them according to
Identifying hazards and the risk of them occurring is essential to prevent or reduce injury and illness
in the workplace.
What is a hazard?
A hazard is a source or situation with the potential for harm in terms of human injury or ill health,
damage to property, the environment, or a combination of these.
Risks: then, refer to the probability and consequences of injury, illness or damage resulting from
exposure to a hazard.
There are four steps in the process of hazard identification and risk management; they are divided
into four primary activities. This includes:

Step 1: Hazard identification — find the hazards
The first step in the risk management process is known as hazard identification. A hazard is anything
that can harm people. Risks to people’s health or safety arise from hazards. All the types of potential
hazards present in a particular job or task need to be considered, and the risks presented by these
hazards need to be assessed to work out how likely they are to cause harm, and how serious the
harm might be.
Methods of hazard identification
As we have seen, hazards arise from the workplace environment, the use of plant and substances in
the workplace, poor work design, inappropriate management systems and procedures, and human
behaviour. A set of procedures can be used in your organisation to enable workplace hazards to be
identified.
Safety audit: This is a systematic and periodic inspection of the workplace to evaluate the
effectiveness of the organisation's health and safety system. The audit may be conducted by a safety
consultant or workplace WHS professionals such as safety officers. An audit usually contains a
written report for management and is usually referred to any WHS committee.
Workplace inspections: These are regular inspections of the workplace by managers, supervisors
and safety committee members to determine by observation what hazards exist in the workplace.
Inspections involve consultation with supervisors and employees and a report to management and/or
the safety committee.
Accident investigations: Many workplaces have a set of procedures for investigating and
reporting on accidents (and near misses) to identify the hazards that contributed to the incident.
Many accidents that involve ‘lost time’ should be reported to the state authority (WorkCover VIC).
Details of reporting requirements are on the Accident Report form which is available from all
WorkCover offices.
Consultation : Employees are often more aware of hazards and the possible ways of controlling
them, than management. Consulting employees can improve the assessment process as well as
improving cooperation with control measure eventually put in place. If you have an WHS
Committee, make sure it's accessible to everyone.
Analysis of injury and illness records: Workplaces are required to keep records of injuries and
illness. Many workplaces also generate reports and statistics based on workers' compensation claims.
These statistics can be analysed to show the presence of hazards in the workplace.
Health and environmental monitoring: As with the WHS audits, monitoring may be done by
WHS consultants or safety officers to provide technical advice about suspected problems.
Monitoring may show that a substance or process is a hazard and its severity. In this way, monitoring
is associated both with hazard identification and workplace assessment and evaluation. A workplace
hazard can also be brought to management's notice outside the routine investigating and reporting
systems.
Complaints: Many workplace hazards are brought to the attention of a supervisor or manager
through a complaint being made by an employee.
Observation: A supervisor, manager or committee member, as part of his or her normal duties,
may observe a workplace hazard. Employers need to identify whatever hazards exist in the
workplace, and to do this they should consult workers, to find out workers’ views of any threats to
their health or safety. Workers need to be able to contribute to this process by telling their
supervisor of any potential health and safety problems they find.
Workers should note matters such as trip hazards, unsafe electrical installations, any type of unsafe
situation or dangerous work practice, or anything else they think might be a health or safety
problem, and bring these to the attention of their supervisor according to workplace procedure.
Supervisors should take action to rectify the problem. If the problem is not resolved, workers may
need to report the matter to the workplace health and safety committee or the WHS
representative. If the matter is still not resolved, workers could ask for advice from the state’s WHS
authority.
Management should also investigate all accidents and near misses to work out what could have been
done to prevent them, and workers should co-operate fully in these investigations, reporting
incidents according to workplace procedures.
Reviewing WHS information
Examples of workplace WHS information include:
 Manufacturers instruction book for a piece of machinery
 WorkCover guidance material
 WHS Regulation requirements
 Industry Codes of Practices
 Australian Standards
 Industry experience
 Material safety data sheets.
Step 2: Risk Assessment
Risk assessment involves identifying the:
 Hazards that might cause harm to an employee or other person in the workplace
 Likelihood of the hazard causing harm
 Likely severity of any injury or illness that might occur
 Methods that could be used to minimise or eradicate the risk of harm.
Employers should conduct regular risk assessments – processes whereby hazards are identified and
risks are assessed. They should access records and data related to identified hazards and identify
any factors that might contribute to the degree of associated risk.
Step 3: Risk control
Having identified and assessed the risk, strategies for managing the risk must be developed in
consultation with workers, and put in place so that all employees understand what the risk controls
are and how they operate. The control measures, themselves, should be evaluated to ensure that
they are effective, safe and create no new hazards. These controls are intended to prevent,
minimise or manage hazards that might cause or contribute to accidents, illness, injury and
workplace conditions.
Ideas on how to control risks may come from:
 Regulations or codes of practice which provide control measures for that hazard
 Workers, employer organisations and unions
 Government authorities
 WHS specialists.

Hazard assessment tool or matrix
This matrix can be used as a tool to assess the levels of risk by assessing the probability of harm as
well as the likely severity of the injury and or property damage.
PROBABILITY/LIKELIHOOD DESCRIPTION PLEASE TICK

ONE
1. Highly likely/frequent Occurs repeatedly, (daily) can be expected to 
occur again within a few days
2. Probable Not surprising in the circumstances. 
Happens every few weeks
3. Possible Happens once in a few months. Could occur 
sometime
4. Remote Unlikely to happen, though conceivably it could 
happen
5. Improbable So unlikely that it is improbable 
NATURE OF INJURY/OUTCOME/DAMAGE COST DEGREE OF PLEASE TICK

SEVERITY ONE
Fatal/extreme trauma 1 
Major Injury/permanent disability/significant trauma 2 
Minor Injury/ trauma 3 
No injury 4 
When you have compared the probability with the severity or consequences then use the following
matrix to work out the risk rating.
RISK RATING MATRIX
Probability 1 2 3 4 5
Severity
1 A B B C *
2 B B C D *
3 C C D E *
4 D D E * *
 “A” grade risks are dealt with before “B” grade risks and an asterisk * in the matrix indicates an
acceptable risk.
 To estimate workplace exposure, note the number of people exposed to the risk over a normal
24-hour period against the rating. E.g. 16 people exposed to a “B” grade risk will result in a
rating of B16.
 In this way risks with a similar rating can be prioritised, e.g. B20 receives priority over B16

PRIORITY RANKING FOR ACTION TO BE TAKEN
A Very High - Some action should be taken within 24 hours.

B High - Some action should be taken within a week.
C Medium - Some action should be taken within a month.
D Low - Some action should be taken within 3 months.
E Very low-Some action should be taken within 6 months
In your risk assessment you will need to consider:
 Exposure: how frequently are employees and others exposed to the hazard, how severe is the
exposure and how long is the time of exposure (duration)
 Outcome: what are the consequences of exposure to the hazard or work task
 Human differences: individual employees will differ in the way a particular hazard affects them.
For example:
 Allergies: some workers experience allergic reactions when exposed to certain chemicals or
airborne particles, or latex rubber in gloves.
 Equipment controls: a person’s size and strength may affect their ability to safely use fixed
machinery controls. Machines designed for operation by right handed people may be awkward
for left- handed people to use
 A changing workforce means variation in the age, experience, skill and training of employees.
You will need to take these into account in assessing risks.

Hierarchy of control
If the risk cannot be eliminated, it should be minimised in whatever ways are most likely to be
practicable and effective.
This could involve:
1. Substituting the process or substance with a safer one.
2. Designing premises or equipment so that it is safer to use.
3. Engineering controls (altering tools, equipment or work systems to make them safer, e.g.
Enclosing or isolating the hazard).
4. Administrative measures (such as training workers in safe procedures, organising suitable
maintenance or housekeeping practices, job rotation or changing work organisation).
5. Using personal protective equipment (PPE - such as ear muffs, dust masks, gloves, etc.)
This list of types of strategies is known as the hierarchy of risk controls (or the hierarchy of hazard
controls), because risk control should be accomplished using strategies as close as possible to the
top of the list (these are more effective).
To decide on the best method of controlling rusks, you will need to ask:
 Is it possible to remove the risk at the design stage?
 Can the hazard be eliminated?
 If a machine or work practice needs to be substituted to reduce the risk?
 If the worker be isolated from the risk or the risk from the worker?
 If safer work practices be developed and put in place?
 If, as a last resort, personal protective equipment (PPE) can be used? (Note that PPE does not
address the hazard.)
In many cases it will be necessary to use more than one control method. PPE is the least effective
and should be the method of last resort, used only as an interim measure or if no other measures
are practicable.
This is because PPE often does not give as much protection as other types of controls. For example,
a dust mask will not give much protection if it is already clogged up with dust, or if there is not a
good facial fit for the wearer and dust can enter the worker’s lungs via the gaps between face and
mask. PPE can also be hot, awkward or uncomfortable, and workers may neglect to wear it for some
of the time they are exposed to the hazard. Adequate resources need to be made available to
ensure risks are effectively controlled. PPE may be cheaper, but effectiveness is a more important
consideration, as short-term cost savings are likely to result in higher costs in the longer term. Risk
controls which have been put in place should be monitored to check that the risk is adequately
controlled, and that the risk controls do not create new hazards. Workers’ feedback is an important
part of checking whether risk controls are achieving their purpose.

Hierarchy of control process
Step 4: Evaluate the risk

In deciding whether the risk controls you put in place are effective, consider the
following:
 Why did it happen?
 Did it work?
 Did it create another hazard?
Earlier we mentioned work-related stress as a factor in working within the Health and community
services industry. Consider work related stress as an area of risk. Once it has been established a
worker is suffering from stress and actions have been taken, there should be a method put in place
for regularly monitoring the effect of changes in the workplace over time. This should include
actions taken to reduce risks to psychological health from stress and possibly some training to
improve staff member’s personal management of stress. Consider whether the risk control process
addressed the identified hazard and the risk of it occurring. Additionally ascertain whether, through
this process, any additional hazards were created.

Potential hazards in workplaces in the community service industry
There are many potential hazards involved in the Health and community services industry, and it is
important to think about how and where the work is done, when identifying things that could go
wrong. Some items are hazardous by nature, while others only become hazardous if used
inappropriately or carelessly. Often, accidents don’t just happen – they are a result of workers
neglecting or ignoring hazardous situations.
There are two basic categories of hazard:
Acute hazard: Acute hazards are those that have an obvious and immediate impact.
Chronic hazard: Chronic hazards have a more hidden, cumulative, long-term impact.
An example of an acute hazard is a slippery floor where there is an immediate danger of someone
slipping and being injured. A chronic hazard could be workplace bullying, where the long-term
impact may result in stress or other psychological injury.
Hazards generally fall into one of six groups:
1. Physical
2. Chemical
3. Ergonomic
4. Radiation
5. Psychological
6. Biological.
Physical hazards
The most frequently occurring physical hazards in the majority of workplaces are also likely to occur
in your work as a support worker.
These include:
 Electrical hazards: frayed cords, missing ground pins, or improper wiring
 Spills on floors or tripping hazards, such as blocked aisles or cords running across the floor
 Physical hazards may not always be obvious and assessment needs to be carried out to make
sure that all potential clients of the organisation are safe. Additional WHS issues that need to be
accommodated so that all potential clients are safe can include:
 Walkways and ramps with tolerances for wheelchairs
 Stairs edged with white paint for the partially sighted, and signage that contains clear images for
clients who find it difficult to read English.

Biological and infectious hazards
Workers may encounter clients with infectious diseases in the home environments visited. The
transmission of infectious diseases, such as Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C, human immunodeficiency
virus (HIV), tuberculosis may be a risk as there is potential for workers to acquire the disease
themselves or transfer the disease from clients to others.
Exposure to biological hazards may occur as a result of:
 Direct contact with blood and body fluids: for example, through broken skin, splashes to mucous
membranes and from skin penetrating injuries
 Ingestion: for example, via contaminated hands, food and surfaces; and
 Inhalation: for example, inhalation of infectious aerosol droplets from coughing and sneezing.
 Sharp instruments: such as needles, knives or sharp edges can cause skin penetrating injuries so
they should be handled with care at all times
 Clinical and related waste: other than hypodermic needles, that is generated in a person’s home
(such as bandages) may be disposed of in the general waste disposal system. Hypodermic needles
must be placed into a rigid-walled, puncture-resistant container prior to disposal
 Biological hazards: such as rubella (German measles), cytomegalovirus and Varicella zoster virus
(chickenpox/shingles) may also pose risks to non-immune pregnant workers.
Ergonomic hazards
Below is an example of a worker at risk of an ergonomic injury.
If a job requires muscular-skeletal strain then it may be a potential ergonomic hazard. The most
common types of ergonomic hazards are repetitive movement over long periods of time and manual
handling. Long term repetitive movement can cause muscle and tendon strain. This can be painful
and even require surgery. An injury of this kind is called Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) or
Occupational Overuse Syndrome (OOS). It generally shows up as pain, swelling or numbness in or
around muscles, tendons or soft tissue. It commonly affects the neck, back, shoulders, elbows,
wrists and hands, and is associated with movements and postures that are repetitive and/or
sustained over long periods of time. The kinds of jobs that can be affected by this hazard are
process workers, keyboard operators’ packers and so on. Equipment design, workstation
design/layout and good task planning can help when ergonomic hazards are likely to occur.

Chemical hazards
Several factors can affect the injuries caused by chemical hazards in the workplace. These factors
include the toxicity and physical properties of the substances, work practices, the nature and
duration of exposure, the effects of combined exposure, the routes of entry to the body, and the
worker’s susceptibility.
Psychological
Occupational violence
This situation refers to physical attacks or threats of violence in the workplace.
High-risk situations may include:
 Working with clients who are in distress or have psychological conditions that could result in
violent behaviour
 Denying someone a service or dealing with frustrated clients, and working alone, at night or in a
client’s home.
Work-related stress
People may become stressed when faced with work demands and pressures, which they do not have
the capacity or capability to deal with. Stress can worsen if support is not evident from colleagues
and supervisors. The risk of negative effects from stress can worsen over time and can be stimulated
by other hazardous incidents such as bullying, occupational violence and trauma.

Reporting hazards in the work area to designated personnel
Every workplace should have a clearly defined hazard reporting system, set down in writing and
readily available to all staff. The purpose of such a system is to identify hazards as soon as they are
found or noticed. These hazards can then be controlled by the most appropriate method. The more
hazards that are removed from the workplace, and the more promptly they are removed, the safer
workers will be. We have used the term ‘system’ but what does this mean? A hazard reporting
system is one in which there are processes and mechanisms in place, not only to report the hazard,
but also to follow up both the report and the actions taken to control associated risks.
The system for reporting may include:
 Informal, verbal reports to an immediate supervisor, eg: face-to-face or via phone/intercom
 Informal, written reports to a supervisor or manager, eg: via email or fax
 Completion of specially designed forms for hazard reporting and lodging that form with a
nominated staff member
 Reporting (either verbal, or written), to an elected Health and Safety representative
 Reporting (either verbal or written) to the Health and Safety Committee.
The hazard report is an important legal document and will be the primary source of future legal
reference if legal action results from the incident.
Hazard reports can take a number of different forms but should include the following:
 What happened, when and where
 How the accident or injury happened
 The type of illness or injury
 The part of body affected.
Accident and incident reports should be lodged, ideally, within 24 hours of the time the incident
occurred. Appropriate hazard reporting, along with accident/incident reporting systems provide a
mechanism ensuring all issues can be addressed at the appropriate level in the command chain of any
organisation.
A typical hazard report requires the following points to be documented in assessing
infection control hazards:
 The hazard identified
 Location / Person reporting
 Date hazard identified
 Action required
 By when
 Written request given to
 Signature of person reporting
 Action taken
 Comments
 Signature of person responsible.
The report is given to the appropriate person to action and sign. Signing by a higher authority
demonstrates the problem has been acknowledged and is being resolved. Staff education and training
is important to assist staff in identifying any problems and following the correct procedures in
managing any problems. Taking corrective action to minimise an infection risk recurring is a means
of helping to prevent future accidents.

EXAMPLE OF A HAZARD REPORT FORM
 Hazard Number:
 Date Received:
 Person reporting hazard:
 Customer name:
 To be completed by/or in conjunction with the person reporting hazard.
 Type of Hazard - Tick the appropriate box.
Manual Handling Environment
 Postures & Positions  Trip hazards
 Lifting, pulling, pushing  Clutter/space
 Carrying or holding  Unsuitable work height
 Repetitive action  Ventilation
 Type of load e.g. heavy/awkward  Lighting
 Task organisation  Pets/vermin
 Repetitive action  Ultra-violet e.g. sunlight
 Slippery/uneven surfaces
Physical Psychological
 Chemical  Customer behaviour
 Viral/bacterial  Sexual harassment
 Work pressure
Mechanical/Electrical
 Ultra-violet e.g. sunlight
 Electrical fields
 Overloaded power points
 Frayed power cords
 Position of power cords
 Equipment
Other (please specify):
Description of hazard: (include work area, task, furniture, equipment, tools, persons involved, etc.)
Possible Solutions: (any suggestions e.g. modification, maintenance, new equipment, lifting aids, training,
revised work procedures, etc.)
Action Taken: (Include action taken at local level and referral to other sources)
Date By Whom Action
Review
 Hazard report filed in Register - immediately upon report.
 Hazard controlled by employee/supervisor within one week.
 Unresolved hazards to Branch Manager after one week. Branch Manager two days to control hazard or
seek assistance from WHS Committee/Unit.
 Hazard Report actions and solutions signed off by Branch Manager and feedback given to employee
reporting the hazard.
NAME OF SUPERVISOR: ---------------------------------

DATE:
PERSON REPORTING HAZARD: -----------------------

Two
Identifying existing and potential hazards in the workplace, report them to designated
persons, and record them according to workplace procedures
1. Write down the definitions of ‘hazard’ and ‘risk’. It is important that you know what the
differences are.
a. Risk:
b. Hazard:

Identifying hazards in the work area, and take action to control risk
Read the following case and respond to the questions.
Case study
Dr Briggs who has gone home has told his assistants they can leave early providing they complete all
their duties. Emma who feels intimidated by Tatiana rushes through her tasks so that they can both
leave together. She quickly washes the dirty instruments without using heavy duty gloves because
Tatiana is telling her to hurry up. She removes a needle from the syringe and places it on the sink
because the sharps container is in the surgery, bags the instruments straight from being washed,
goes to turn the autoclave on and notices that the electric socket where the autoclave plugs in
seems a bit loose. Unsure whether to turn it on or not, she decides she should ring Dr Briggs and
let him know. She can hear Tatiana saying she’ll lock the door on her if she doesn’t come now.
The incident
As Emma rushed to get her bag she slipped on water spilt from washing the instruments and broke
her wrist. Tatiana tells her she’s sure that it is only a sprain and she should have someone bandage it
for her when she gets home. Because she is in so much pain, Emma forgets about ringing Dr Briggs.
Tatiana, who sees that Emma has not turned on the autoclave, efficiently flicks the switch. That night
fire breaks out in the practice and it was ascertained by investigators that the fire originated from a
faulty switch where the autoclave was plugged in.
2. What are the main hazards you can identify from the above case study?
3. What information could you use to identify the risks?

Reporting hazards
4. Describe an urgent hazard that could occur in your workplace. This can be a hazard that has
already been reported and controlled, or one that could occur in future. Describe how you
would report the hazard according to your workplace policies and procedures.
Urgent Hazard:
5. Procedure you will use to report this hazard, and why you chose this method:
6. Role/title of person the hazard will be reported to:

Identifying any client-related risk factors or behaviours of concern,
report them to designated persons, and record them according to
Identifying risk factors
As a support worker, you need to understand the difference between a hazard, which is something
with the potential to cause harm; and a risk, which is the likelihood of harm occurring and an
estimate of the severity. In your role, you will encounter various hazards and associated risk factors.
It may be part of your job to identify these factors. This is the first step in preventing or minimising
the risk.
Risk types
In your role, you may encounter risks such as:
1. Work environment risks.
2. Workplace situation risks.
3. People risks.
Work environment risks
HAZARD WHY ITS A RISK

Dark work areas It is difficult to see in dark areas and this increases the risk
of an accident occurring.
A dark area at the front of a client’s home increases the
risk of falls.
Trips and slips Slippery and uneven surfaces increase the risk of falls and
injury.
Work areas with equipment and personal property on the
floor also increase the risk of tripping and injury.
Poorly designed or uncomfortable furniture or Furniture or equipment that is not well-made or designed
equipment increases the risk of strains and muscular aches.
Chairs that are not adjustable or do not support
Unsecured (unlocked) houses Unsecured homes increase the risk of intruders.
Homes with pets A client’s dog may bite strangers or workers they don’t
know.
Houses that are deadlocked (locked from the Many clients are very security conscious and keep the
inside) doors deadlocked at all times. If they carry the keys with
them, you may not be able to get out in an emergency.
Unsuitable equipment Equipment that is not maintained can break or work

incorrectly and cause injury to you.

Fire hazards Piles of newspapers, magazines or books in a room
or in hallways can be a fire hazard.
Very hot weather Some clients may not have or use air-conditioning.
This can make the work environment very hot. To
avoid the risk of overheating or dehydration, you
should drink plenty of fluids and take short breaks
between tasks.
Work situation risks

Some of the risks to personal safety due to workplace situations are outlined in the following table.
Conflict between clients Workers may become involved in the conflict and
may be harmed. Clients may harm each other as a
result of the conflict.
Effects of drugs and alcohol Drugs and/or alcohol may cause people to be
aggressive – verbally or physically, which may result
in harm to other clients or workers.
Violent and abusive behaviour Violent or abusive behaviour may result in harm to
clients or workers.
Violent and abusive behaviour from visitors Violent or abusive behaviour from visitors may
result in harm to clients or workers
People risks
The people you work with may present a risk to your personal safety. The following table shows
how a client’s behaviour might be a risk.
The client is unwell They may have an illness that makes them aggressive
and strike out against others.
The client is fatigued or tired. They may lose patience with you and hit you.
The client is afraid. They may think you are a danger to them and act
aggressively to protect themselves.
The client is restless, uneasy or impatient during They may push you away or hit you. They may fall
personal care. and pull you down with them.
The client has dementia or other diseases. Their behaviour might become aggressive.

Aggression between clients
Sometimes there can be aggression (anger and violent behaviour) between your clients. They might
be angry with each other. They might get violent. It may be due to something simple, like one person
sitting in another’s chair. One client may have a medical problem that causes them to become
aggressive. You may have to sort these issues out, and there is a risk you might become the focus of
the aggression. Care plans and workplace manuals will tell you how to deal with these types of
problems. Your supervisor can also help you.
Aggression between family, clients and staff
There can also be aggression between family members and staff or clients and staff. Family members
may feel their relative is not getting the level of care they expect. This can make them angry and
they might become aggressive. Getting your supervisor to speak to the person and explain things will
usually help to solve the issue.
Identifying behaviours of concern, report them to designated persons
Your clients may have had a great deal of life experience. They may have interesting stories and
wisdom to share. Interacting with your clients can be very enjoyable. But like all of us, they also feel
pain, anger and fear. As a support worker, you need to know how to deal with concerning
behaviours.
What are concerning behaviours?
You may find yourself in a situation of conflict or tension with a client because they are angry or
experiencing pain. You may need to support clients who are:
 In pain
 Confused
 Frightened
 Angry.
These feelings may be expressed aggressively as:
 Verbal, physical or psychological abuse
 Threats or intimidating behaviour
 Intentional physical attacks such as hitting, pinching or scratching
 Aggravated assault
 Threats with an offensive weapon
 Sexual harassment or sexual assault.
Other challenging behaviours include:
 Self-injury and self-mutilation to the head, face or body
 Violent or dangerous behaviour with the potential to cause physical injury or emotional trauma
to others
 Refusal to follow necessary treatment procedures for medical conditions that, if not treated,
will further endanger the person’s health
 Refusal to participate in agreed activities
 Absconding from the home and/or creating a nuisance in public
 Offensive behaviour.
Your workplace will have policies and procedures for managing concerning or challenging behaviours
and to ensure issues are dealt with promptly and appropriately, while upholding the rights of the
client and others affected by the behaviour.
A risk-management approach
Your employer’s risk-management approach to challenging behaviours will include hazard
identification. This means the workplace will have implemented procedures to ensure potential
sources of aggression and violence are identified early, and assessed, in order to prioritise
prevention activities. This may include assessing a client’s history of aggression so appropriate care
strategies can be implemented and communicated to employees and others.
You may work with your supervisor to conduct a walkthrough of your workplace to
check:
 If safety duress alarms are in place for potential trouble spots
 Current security arrangements.
The risk of challenging behaviours may be greater in specific areas of the community services sector;
for example, mental health services or home and community care services.
Risk assessment
Your workplace policies and procedures will describe how to conduct a risk assessment of an
individual client.
A risk assessment of a client should consider:
 The client’s history of aggression, violence, verbal abuse, self harm or substance abuse
 Goals identified through an individual plan
 Relationships between the client and others
 Communication difficulties
 Age and mental status
 Living arrangements
 Information provided by family and health professionals
 Disability or illness
 Emotional state
 History of the client’s interaction with the agency.
The risk factors should be noted and highlighted in care plan or pathway documentation developed
for the client. It may be more difficult for a person with a disability to communicate effectively and
to understand some ideas or concepts. You may find it helpful when discussing a person’s difficult
behaviour to focus on the behaviour causing the problem, and not the person exhibiting the
behaviour. You must maintain a professional approach, treat the person with dignity and listen to
what they say. You should acknowledge any threats to self-harm , or to harm other people or
property. If the threat is not overt, you should clarify with the client their intentions. Always inform
them you are obliged to report this type of behaviour to the appropriate health professionals, police
or government agency. You should follow your workplace policies and procedures when reporting
challenging behaviours.

Intervention strategies
Your organisation may have developed intervention strategies that describe the response to be
taken to eliminate or minimise the risk of challenging behaviours occurring and their impact.
Techniques and strategies used in behaviour management programs fall into two
categories:
1. Positive strategies encourage the development of appropriate behaviours through modelling
techniques, prompting, reinforcement and environmental supports.
2. Restrictive strategies are used as consequences for behaviour and may involve removing
something a client finds pleasant or giving verbal reprimand.
Your workplace policies and procedures will advise you about the approaches that are implemented
in your workplace.
Regardless of the approach that is adopted, intervention strategies need to be:
 Carefully planned and documented
 Designed around the individual’s circumstances, needs and preferences
 Focused on positive and measurable outcomes
 Properly resourced
 Carefully monitored.
When developing an intervention strategy to manage challenging behaviour, it is essential to involve
the client, staff members, key family members (where appropriate) and behavioural consultants
(where required). The intervention strategy should include a thorough analysis of the potential risks;
an agreed model for intervening and measurable behavioural goals for the client. The strategy must
fully document the individual support plan and a copy must be provided to key stakeholders. It is
important that a formal review is conducted at a later date to evaluate the effectiveness of the
strategy.
Reducing the risk
To reduce the personal safety risks associated with aggressive or threatening clients, you must be
kind and gentle in your approach. As you get to know your clients better, you may notice early signs
of anger or aggression, etc. Sometimes talking to clients about how they feel can help to defuse
potentially harmful situations. It is also important to be aware of the possible risks and have a plan to
deal with them. Your supervisor can guide and support you to protect your own safety while still
caring appropriately for the client.
There are three steps that will help you to reduce the risk of workplace aggression.
Step one: hazard identification
Identify situations where employees or visitors to the workplace may experience workplace
aggression.
Step two: risk assessment
Work out which aggressive situations are more likely to cause injury or harm to employees
or visitors and the seriousness of the injuries or harm.
Step three: risk reduction
Take action to prevent the injuries and harm.

Protecting personal safety
Your workplace will have policies and procedures for managing risks posed by challenging
behaviours. As a support worker, you need to know:
 What to do in an emergency
 Emergency phone numbers
 Where the exits are located
 Evacuation assembly points
 Relevant security policies and procedures
 How to respond if a co-worker or client is threatened or abused by another person.
Dealing with aggressive clients
In your role, you need to learn how to deal with aggressive clients. You need to understand the
different types of aggression and how to respond to them; in particular:
1. Verbal aggression
2. Physical aggression
Verbal aggression
Verbal aggression is when a person uses words to abuse, scare or intimidate you; for example, they
might yell at you, criticise you or use obscene language. This may occur as a result of physical
changes that affect their thinking or language. It may be part of their medical condition and they
might not have control over it.
If the client is verbally aggressive, it is important not to respond with harsh words. There may be a
good reason for the client’s behaviour. You must always report aggressive behaviour to your
supervisor or the most appropriate person. If you are unsure, ask your supervisor how to manage
the situation. There may be instructions in the client’s care plan, which explain how to respond to
this person if they become verbally aggressive. If you are caring for this client for the first time, ask
your supervisor if they have a history of aggression. It is easier to respond if you are fully aware of
the client’s history. Remember, the client is responding to their own difficult situation. It is not
necessarily about you personally.
If an incident of significant verbal abuse occurs, you should:
 Request the individual to stop
 Diffuse the situation by removing either the abusive person or the person being abused
 Explain to those involved what you are doing and why.
If this does not stop the verbal abuse:
 Remove the individual from the area
 Give them time to cool down
 Get a staff member who is familiar with the person to speak to them after they have calmed
down
 Inform your supervisor
 Complete an incident report.

Physical aggression
Physical aggression is when a person uses their body to abuse, scare or intimidate you; for example,
they might stand very close to you, lean over you or raise a fist at you. People can become physically
aggressive if they feel under pressure to do things they don’t want to do. If a support worker tries to
encourage or force a person to have a shower or change their clothes when they don’t want to, the
person may hit out. This is a natural response to a threat.
If a client feels others are patronising them, they may become hurt and angry and express their
feelings by physically hitting out at staff. Avoid insisting that clients do things they don’t want to do.
If you observe aggressive behaviour, do not judge them. There may be a very good reason for this
behaviour.
If a client becomes physically aggressive, you should:
 Move away from the client so they don’t feel threatened by you
 Tell other staff if possible
 Keep yourself and others safe
 Move them away if necessary; however, it is usually easier to move others than to move an
aggressive person
 If the assault has resulted in injury, seek medical help
 Inform your supervisor, who may decide that police or other authority needs to be involved
If you are ever concerned about your safety, talk to your supervisor. If there is an incident that
affects your safety, you must report it. You must also fill in an OHS hazard form to ensure hazards
and risks are recorded. This helps your supervisor/manager understand personal safety problems
and develop relevant policies or procedures.

Three
Identifying behaviours of concern, report them to designated persons
Choose one of the following case studies.
Case study 1
You are working with a four-year-old boy who is autistic. You are doing some exercises with him
that his teacher has asked you to practise with him. You are in the room on your own with the
child. He is having fun – you both are. Then he sees your pen. He grabs it. He becomes fixated on it
– you have forgotten the speech pathologist’s warning that he is particularly obsessive about certain
objects. You try to take it away so that you can get on with what you are supposed to be doing. He
begins to scream. He throws his body around. He lunges repeatedly at you.
Case study 2
You have been visiting a family of seven children, the youngest of whom was born with severe
physical and intellectual disabilities, and whose demanding regimes of physiotherapy, occupational
therapy and other supports have placed enormous strains on the family. You are visiting one
afternoon when the mother breaks down. She seems incapable of doing anything, other than lying on
the couch and weeping. All of the children are distressed. They have not gone to school that day
because their mother’s behaviour is frightening them.
Describe the process of planning your response to each situation. Make sure you include
information about:
• Who is involved?
• Safety issues.
• What you might do in the immediate situation to prevent further escalation.
• Where you might seek support.
• What you might do to maximise your own safety.
• Your responsibility.

Following workplace policies and procedures to minimise risk
Minimising risks
As a support worker, you need to use practical strategies to reduce risks. You should always refer
to your workplace policies and procedures for guidance or ask your supervisor when you are
unsure.
Strategies and procedures to reduce risks may be outlined in:
• Hazard management policies and procedures on quality, WHS and hazard reporting
• Client assessment documents and care plans
• Plans to reduce manual handling and manual-handling risks
• Human resources plans such as harassment and grievance procedures, induction programs
• Job procedures or work instructions
• Team meetings
• Post-incident debriefing sessions.

Dealing with work environment hazards
The following table includes some practical strategies for dealing with hazards in a work
environment.
HAZARD WHY IT IS A HAZARD WHAT YOU CAN DO

Floor surfaces and objects Uneven or loose surfaces and
 Keep your work area clean and
on the floor objects on the floor can trip you or
tidy.
the client.
 Keep the floor surface free from
loose mats, spills and worn
carpets.
Lighting Dark areas make it hard to see
 Keep your work area well lit.
where you are going and what you
are doing.  Turn on lights and open
curtains.
Space Small spaces make it hard to move.
 Move a bed out from the wall
when you are making it so you
can move around all sides
instead of leaning and straining
to reach.
 Always make sure there is
enough room to transfer clients.
 Make sure there is a clear
pathway when you are walking a
client.
Noise Noise can damage your ears and  Report any noisy air-
make it hard to hear. conditioning vents or
Unusual noises can be a sign that equipment.
equipment is faulty.
Air quality Smoking pollutes the air, damages  Most workplaces have smoking
lungs and can cause breathing bans.
difficulties such as asthma attacks.
 Clients are not supposed to
smoke while a worker visits
their home.
Furniture/fittings Low, heavy or poorly maintained  Report any furniture hazard.
furniture can be hard to move,
unstable or unbalanced – this can
cause back strains.
Car parking Dark areas make it hard to see  Your workplace should provide
where you are going or what is in safe car parking that is well lit
the area. and secure.
 In community care always park
in the street close to the home
where you are working – don’t
park in the driveway because it
can be harder to leave in an
emergency.
 Report any unsafe car parking
areas

Emergency procedures
Your workplace’s emergency procedures will outline the steps you need to take if something
unexpected happens to you or a client. The first step will usually be to contact your supervisor or
manager. You may also need to contact a health professional or doctor, the police, ambulance or fire
service.
Risks to your personal safety may happen in the following situations:
1. Medical emergency
2. Fire
3. Bomb threat
4. Security threat
1. Medical emergency
Medical emergency risks to your personal safety include:
• Injury to you or the client; for example during a care task or when driving a car
• Medical conditions; for example, you or your client may suffer a heart attack or stroke
• Serious injury; for example, you or your client may have a severe fall.
Your workplace should ensure you have all the first-aid training necessary to manage medical
emergencies. Your supervisor will also provide you with the most appropriate strategies for dealing
with these situations, so report any medical emergencies to them immediately.
2. Fire
Fire can occur at any time of the day or night in a residential or home-care setting. You need to
know what to do if a fire happens in the workplace. If you discover the fire, you must report it
immediately using the procedures outlined by the individual workplace.
3. Bomb threat
Even though bomb threats are not very common, you still need to know what to do in the event of
a bomb scare. This includes knowing how to respond to a bomb threat if you are the person who
finds the bomb or receives a telephone call telling you there is a bomb. Once again, refer to your
workplace policies and procedures for guidance in this area. Alternatively speak to your supervisor.
4. Security threat
Your personal safety may be at risk if there is a security threat. Security threats include:
• Robbery; for example, you might disturb a thief in a client’s home
• A break-in; for example, you might discover your workplace has been broken into
• Damaged fixtures and fittings; for example, the door locks in a client’s house might need
replacing
Dangerous environments; for example, you may need to work in poorly lit areas or walk from your
car to your workplace or to a client’s house down a poorly lit street.

Basic fire safety
Understanding the principles of basic fire prevention will allow community sector workers who
deliver services and support to people in their homes, to make a positive contribution to the fire
safety of their clients and allow them to promote basic home fire safety to clients. This needs to
occur in line with your agency’s policies and procedures in relation to reporting and referral. Some
community sector agencies may choose to purchase training in the use of fire blankets and
extinguishers for their workers, should a fire incident occur in a home in which they are working.
Australian fire services recommend:
 In the first instance that workers ensure their own safety and the safety of the person for whom
they are caring
 Caution when promoting the use of fire blankets and extinguishers to older people or people
with a disability due to their varied level of capacity – the use of this equipment may reduce the
opportunity for older people and people with a disability to evacuate safely from their home in a
fire.
Identifying hazards and simple practical remedies to decrease these hazards can make a great
difference for clients with regards to basic home fire safety.
High Risk groups
As a home and community care worker, if you know the groups of people, considered to be a high
risk in terms of basic home fire safety, then you will be able to provide your clients with information
appropriate to their situation that will assist them to:
 Prevent a fire in their home
 Reduce or limit the severity, should a fire occur in their home
 Reduce their risk of injury and/or fatality if a fire does occur in their home.
Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council (AFAC) research, accidental Fire
Fatalities in Residential Structures: Who’s at Risk? (October 2005), indicates that the following
people have a greater risk of dying as a result of being involved in a residential fire:
 People aged 65 years and over
 Children aged between 0–4 years
 Adults affected by alcohol consumption.
International research also supports these findings. A literature review for further AFAC research,
Accidental Fire Injuries in Residential Structures: Who’s at Risk? (July 2009) indicates that:
 ‘The majority of fire injuries are burns and/or smoke inhalation. Other injuries include wounds
and punctures, fractures, heart attacks, strains and sprains.’
The following groups are most ‘at risk’ of being injured in a residential fire:
 Males
 Young children aged 0–4 years
 Adults aged 20-44 years .
Security
Many people are concerned about their personal security. Older people in particular believe they
are more likely to be injured as a result of being invaded in their home by a burglar than a fire. A
balance between security and fire safety should be encouraged. For example, people who deadlock
their doors when they are home are at risk of trapping themselves in their home, should they need
to get out quickly when a fire occurs.
This common household security measure – the deadlocked door - can also make it difficult for fire
services to get into a home. Roller shutters and fixed security screens represent an increased risk if
there is a fire or other emergency because they limit an individual’s capacity to escape. Roller
shutters should be in the up position when people are at home. Fixed security screens should be
replaced with screens that can be opened from inside.
Promote positive actions to clients
 Never deadlock doors when home and keep the keys in the deadlock when home
 Install deadlocks that can be opened from the inside without keys
 Use security doors with the Australian standards symbol to avoid double locking both the
security door and the front door
 Limit the number of keys needed to open deadlocks
 Have good exterior lighting
 Make sure the number of the home is clearly visible, should emergency service/s need to locate
the home
 Recommend replacement of fixed security screens with options that permit quick opening if a
fire or other emergency occurs
 Keep security screens up when home
 Ensure that any window security grilles and screens readily open outwards from the inside.
Smoke alarms
 Working smoke alarms save lives
 A working smoke alarm significantly increases a person’s chance of escaping if a fire occurs in
their home by providing early warning of the fire
 Under the Building Code of Australia (developed and managed by the Australian Building Codes
Board), smoke alarms must be installed in all new homes.
State/territory legislation regarding smoke alarms is outlined below.
NSW
 Mandatory legislation for all new homes and homes undergoing renovations
 Mandatory legislation for all existing homes.
Queensland
 Mandatory legislation for all new homes and home undergoing renovations
South Australia

Victoria
Australian Capital Territory
Northern Territory
Tasmania
Western Australia
 Any home being offered for sale or for a new tenancy lease is required to have a mains powered
smoke alarm installed
 All rental properties will be required to have mains powered smoke alarms installed by 1
October 2011.
While it is not legislation in every state/territory for smoke alarms to be installed in all existing
homes, it can be expected that this will become policy across all states/territories in time. For
clarification regarding the legislation, it is recommended that you contact the fire service in your
state/territory. It is worth noting that Australian fire services recommend at least one smoke alarm
be installed on every level of every home.
Role of fire services
The role of fire services is to reduce the loss of life and property due to fires and other emergency
incidents.
This in underpinned by four key principles:
1. Prevention.
2. Preparation.
3. Response.
4. Recovery.
Fire services aim to:
 Actively promote fire safety prevention information to the community to reduce the potential of
a fire occurring
 Improve community safety by engaging in community activities to ensure individuals are prepared
and can respond appropriately to a fire
 Confine the fire to the room of origin and reduce the spread of fire to the entire structure
 Participate in the recovery process after a fire
 If people practise basic home fire safety and know what to do if there is a fire they will reduce
the possibility of a fire occurring in the home.

Following workplace procedures and work instructions
Workplace Health and Safety instructions are general safety rules that cannot be described as a
policy or procedure.
WHS instructions might be written and displayed for:
 Taking regular breaks
 Wearing protective equipment
 Using equipment and machinery correctly
 Lifting techniques
 Taking part in regular emergency drills.
You are likely to find WHS instructions:
 Written down in a safety manual, or in the organisation’s policies
 Explained to you verbally by someone like your supervisor, a health and safety representative,
responsible co-worker, manager or government inspector
 Displayed in your work area as an information sheet, poster or notices.
A very common WHS instruction is the safety sign. You will find safety signs in many work areas. It
is important that you know why a sign is displayed and what it is trying to tell you.
Some of the employee’s responsibilities regarding WHS instructions include:
 Reading the office WHS Manual
 Following any instructions given in the WHS Manual
 Keeping all areas clean and free from any hazards
 Reporting any health and safety issues they notice
 Following manufacturer’s instructions when using equipment
 Using correct posture
 Taking appropriate breaks from repetitive work
 Reporting any injuries and completing the appropriate forms as soon as possible
 Knowing where fire escapes are located
 Knowing where first aid kits are kept.

Some of the employer’s responsibilities include:
 Making the WHS manual available to all employees
 Supplying first aid kits and, where relevant, first aid officers
 Keeping a register of all accidents
 Reporting any serious accidents to the correct authorities
 Providing employees with compensation insurance.
It is important that you are aware of the WHS procedures that relate to your work environment. If
you are unsure of something make sure you ask the person in your office responsible for OH&S.

Safety signs
Hazards may also be identified if they are labelled with safety signs, so you must be aware of the
signs that are used in your service and their meanings. Safety signs should comply with the Australian
Standards, which cover size, shape, wording, colour and use. Pictorial signs have the advantage of
reaching non English speaking and illiterate clients/ visitors. It should be noted also that safety signs
do not replace the need for proper accident/incident prevention measures.
Some common signs are shown below:

Four
Following workplace policies and procedures to minimise risk
Read the case study and write down your answer to the question.
Case study
You have been asked to help Mr Catori get ready for bed. Today is his birthday and he has been out
with his family for lunch. He has also had many visitors since he returned to the hostel. Mr Catori
has dementia and a heart condition. He needs to be on a strict diet but his wife often brings in his
favourite Italian desserts, which he is not supposed to eat. You suspect that he has ignored his diet.
He is complaining of pain in his leg from an ulcer.
1. What are the possible risks and why?
2. In your workplace, or while you are on work experience, ask to see the organisation’s policy on
Workplace Health and Safety. List below (do not copy out) three procedures explained in the
policy, eg: fire safety procedures. If you cannot access such a policy, ask your lecturer/facilitator
to provide you with one.

Safety signs
3. For each of the following safety signs, identify the hazard you are being warned about. If you are
unsure, do some research using the internet.
4. Make a list of the safety signs that are in your workplace and note the hazard they are
identifying.

Identifying and reporting incidents and injuries to designated persons
Part of everyone's WHS responsibility is to report an incident when it occurs. This forms a record
of incidents that have occurred and can assist with future incident prevention. Preventing incidents
from occurring is the major thrust of all Workplace Health and Safety. This can be achieved by
attempting to recognise any potential hazards before they have the ability to become incidents.
Often the only time we know that a hazard exists or that a risk control has failed is when an incident
occurs. ‘Incidents include near misses and situations in which staff coped with the hazard well. WHS
legislation in all states and Territories requires incidents resulting in injury to be recorded. Serious
injuries must be reported to work-cover or other approved authorities.
If you are assisting someone who has had an accident, there are some points to keep in
mind:
 If needed, make the situation safe and make arrangements for the injured person to be treated.
 Observe the details of the cause of the incident
 Speak to witnesses, if possible
Reporting of an incident, such as an injury or any undesirable occurrence to a care worker or client
must be done within a short time frame, usually 24 hours. This ensures that what is written is an
accurate reflection of the occurrence should any follow up investigation be necessary. An incident
report alerts supervisors to problems so that assistance can be given to reduce the likelihood of the
incident happening again. It also provides a means of quickly identifying unmet needs such as extra
support and training.
All employees are to ensure that any incident is reported to their supervisor/manager and to fill out
the necessary forms as soon as practically possible after the occurrence, and to fully cooperate with
any resulting investigation. An incident report needs to be recorded and kept for further reference.
It is important that this report is accurate and as detailed as possible, as it may be used in evidence
for worker's compensation claims.
Incident Report forms
The incident report needs to include personal details, details of the injury, what action was taken,
the outcome of the injury and total time lost. Investigating the cause of the incident is important as
it can help prevent a similar incident occurring again. Sometimes the cause of an incident is obvious,
for example when boxes obscured the view of a staff member going in a doorway who collided with
someone coming out. Other incidents require more investigation to establish what happened.
Whatever the cause, it must be recorded on the incident report form to identify action that must be
taken to prevent recurrence.

Things you should consider as an office worker when investigating or reporting
incidents include:
 What occurred? (E.g. slip or a trip)?
 Who was involved?
 Where did the incident occur?
 When did the incident occur? (time/shift)
 What task or work was being performed?
 How did the incident occur, for example, was a client, chemical or equipment involved?
 What were the events leading up to the incident?
 Any witnesses?

Five
Identifying and reporting incidents and injuries to designated persons according to
Describe a WHS incident that you or a friend have experienced in a workplace and write it up as an
incident report, noting that an incident report is likely to be viewed by others and may be used in
court, as evidence.
INCIDENT REPORT FORM
FOR ALL PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL INJURIES
ON COMPLETION, FORWARD TO THE WHS OFFICER
Worksite: Date of incident:
Time of incident:
AM PM
Family Name of injured person:  Supplier  Visitor
Given Name/s:  Administrative staff  Contractor
Telephone contact number:  Student  Other (please

Home: specify:
Business:  Client
Mobile:
Staff ID number (where applicable): Date of Birth:
Home address: Sex:

MALE FEMALE
State/Territory: Postcode:
Nature of severest injury (enter a number in the box):
01. Fracture 05. Burn/Scald 09. Dental injury 13. Shock
02. Dislocation 06. Crushing 10. Overuse/RSI 14. Concussion
03. Strain/Sprain 07. Amputation 11. Bite/Sting 15. Eye injury
04. Laceration/Cut 08. Bruising 12. Physiological 16. Head injury
OTHER (please specify):

Part of body most severely injured (enter a number in the box):
01. Head 08. Back 15. Genitals
02. Throat 09. Collarbone/shoulder 16. Buttocks
03. Teeth 10. Trunk (chest) 17. Leg (hip, thigh, knee, ankle)
04. Nose 11. Abdomen 18. Foot (toes)
05. Ears 12. Arm (wrist/elbow/forearm) 19. Psychological system
06. Eyes 13. Hand (fingers/thumb) 20. Voice
07. Neck 14. Pelvis 21. Multiple locations
Cause of incident (enter a number in the box)

NOTE: for deliberate acts of assault, use number 19 not number 1.
01. Hit/injured by another person 09. Power tool 17. Thermal exposure
02. Hit/injured by object 10. Insect/animal 18. Overuse/RSI
03. Hit object 11. Explosion exposure 19. Physical harassment
04. Lifting/moving object 12. Electric shock 20. Physical abuse
05. Lifting/moving (person) 13. Fire 21. Verbal harassment
06. Reaching/Stretching/Bending 14. Collapse of structure 22. Verbal abuse
07. Slip/fall 15. Exposure to noise 23. Work pressure/s
08. Hand tool 16. Exposure to chemical/substance 24. Psychological
Place that incident occurred (enter a number in the box)
01. Ward 06. Bathroom 11. Path/walkway

02. Kitchen 07. Laundry 12. Grassed area
03. Stores 08. Pharmacy 13. Steps/stairs
04. Cafeteria 09. Maintenance 14. Laboratory
05. Toilet 10. Hallway 15. Radiology
OTHER (please specify if location is not on the list above):
Treatment of injury (enter a number in the box)
01. First Aid (returned to work) 05. Sent to emergency department

02. First Aid (sent home) 06. Fatal injury
03. Medical treatment (sent to doctor)
04. Dental treatment (sent to dentist)

Person/s witnessing the incident: (please complete FULL details for each witness, attach additional sheet if required)
Witness 1:
Name:
Address:
Telephone contact number/s:
Witness 2:
Name:
Address:
Witness 3:
Name:
Address:
Witness 4:
Name:
Address:
Witness 5:
Name:
Address:
Details of the incident:

If insufficient space here, please attach additional sheet/s. Please be as detailed and specific as possible, and state the facts
exactly as you saw them.
What was the activity at the time the incident occurred?
What happened?
What factors, if any, contributed to the incident?
Action/s taken for injured person:

If insufficient space here, please attach additional sheet/s. Please be as detailed and specific as possible.
Attention given/action taken:
By whom was it given?

Action/s taken to prevent recurrence of incident:
To be completed by Manager.
Attention given/action taken:
This incident report was completed by:
(Your name)
(Your signature)
ON:
(Day)
(Date)
(Time)
Received by:
(HS Representative)
(Date) (Time)

Injury procedures
General procedures in the event of incidents involving injury or illness:
1. Arrange first aid or transport to medical treatment.
2. Ensure that the hazard poses no further threat to other staff or non-staff.
3. Fill in the register of injuries.
Who to advise
 Notify Work- Cover immediately on 13 10 50 if there is a serious incident involving a fatality or
serious injury to either a worker or non-worker at your workplace
 Notify the workers compensation insurance company within 48 hours of an incident involving an
injury or illness to a worker where workers compensation is or may be payable
 Notify Work Cover within 7 days using the online form at www.workcover.vic.gov.au or
phone 13 10 50 for incidents involving a non-worker where the injury results in the person
being off work or being unable to perform their normal activities for 7 or more days.
As soon as an injury happens:
 Arrange first aid or transport to medical treatment
 Make sure you have a complete and accessible first aid kit and that workers/volunteers are
appropriately trained
 If a person is injured or ill at work, immediate first aid should be offered.
 If the person does not agree to treatment, arrange for them to visit their doctor
 The first aid officer should only provide services they are trained and confident to provide
 As soon as possible, the details regarding the injury or illness and the treatment provided should
be recorded in the register of injuries
 Transport the injured person to his or her own treating doctor or to a local clinic or hospital
 If you are unsure whether an injured person should be moved, call an ambulance
 Arrange for someone to accompany the injured person to the doctor to provide support.
Register of injuries
A Register of Injuries is a current record of any injuries suffered by workers, whether they result in
claims or not. You and your team should fill in the Register even if the accident is small and seems
insignificant. You and/or your team members may need to provide this information if a worker’s
compensation claim is made.
The Register should be kept in each workplace within the first aid kit and should
contain:
 The name, age, address and occupation of every person injured while working at that place of
work
 The industry in which the person was working at the time of the injury
 The activity in which the person was engaged at the time the injury occurred
 The date and time the injury occurred
 A brief description of the type of cause of the injury.

Element 2: Follow safe work practices for manual handling
Following manual handling procedures and work instructions for

minimising manual handling risk
Manual handling is an activity which requires the use of force exerted by a person to lift, lower, pull,
push, move, carry, restrain or hold any object, person or even animal. It is an activity that is required
of all people both at home and at work.
Manual handling is a major cause of workplace injury—in fact it is the largest single category of
workplace injury, accounting for about one third of all injuries. The cost of injuries can be
substantial. We all think of workers compensation, but what about the cost to replace an injured
worker, administrative costs, loss of productivity, injury to others (clients other workers), and
damage to equipment? These are costs to the employer, but what about the cost to the worker?
Constant pain and inability to carry out functions at home are just some of the effects we need to
think about. There can be a cascading effect on family life if you cannot carry out normal ‘duties’. In
some cases the injury is so severe the worker may not be able to return to the same type of
employment. Just imagine the frustration you would feel if you loved your job but were no longer
able to work in that field. Some people who suffer from a manual handling injury may have to spend
the rest of their lives coping with pain, and may be unable to do the ordinary everyday things we
take for granted.

Anatomy and Physiology
When we consider the potential for injuries, it is important to know a little bit about our body and
how it works. Let’s look at your back, and see which part is connected to which.
The spinal column
The spinal column is made up of:
1. Vertebrae.
2. Discs.
3. Ligaments.
4. Muscles.
 Vertebrae provide structural support for the back. They allow limited movement and provide
protection for the spinal cord.
 Discs are located between each vertebrae and allow limited movement of the vertebrae. They
provide a cushion for the spinal column—they act as ‘shock absorbers’. Bending and twisting
places stress on discs, particularly if combined with a load (weight).
 Ligaments are a sheet or band of tough fibrous tissue connecting bones, cartilages, supporting
muscles or organs. They connect the vertebrae to each other and limit movement.
 Muscles are tissues composed of fibres which contract to make movement.
In the image below you can see the position of the spinal column as well as the vertebrae. This disc
is seen between the vertebrae.

Centre of gravity
The centre of gravity in a human body when standing upright. As you can see the centre of gravity is
level with the hips. The effects of gravity are transmitted down the spine. The line of centre of
gravity passes through the shoulder, hips, knee joints and ankle joints, with the actual centre of
gravity situated at the waist. When carrying anything it is important to carry the object close to the
body and thus close to the centre of gravity. Therefore, when carrying/lifting a weight of 10kg close
to the body, this places a force of about 60kg on the spine, however, if we carry/lift the same weight
at arms length away from the body the force on th spine is about 200kg (WorkCover,1997).
Good body mechanics is of vital importance to all care staff.
Body mechanics
It is important to understand and apply good body mechanics when lifting. If we do this, less energy
will be needed and muscle strain is avoided. To enable us to ensure correct posture, balance and
effective movement, we need to have physical coordination of all body parts.
Here are some general principles based on the laws of physics. They are:
 Have a wide base of support — keep feet apart, point toes in the direction you are going to
move, knees should be slightly flexed. This uses the thigh muscles and avoids using the small
muscle in the back
 Keep the object close to the body
 Keep the object close to hip/pelvic area (centre of gravity)
 The line of gravity should always be vertical and should remain perpendicular to the ground. In
other words, keep your back straight while lifting and carrying
 It is easier to push or slide an object than to lift it
 Transferring the lifter’s weight during movement exerts less energy
 Size up the load to be carried and get help (human or mechanical) if the load is too big, heavy or
awkward
 Bend the legs, keep your back and arms straight, lift with your leg muscles.

Some important principles to remember when lifting or moving objects:
 Always use both arms and legs
 Turn in direction of movement
 Use smooth movements
 Bend knees, squat, and keep your back straight and stand in front of the object when lifting
something from ground level
 Use appropriate lifting aides
 Avoid twisting, stretching and bending if possible
 Wear appropriate clothing which allows you to move comfortably
 Proper footwear is vital to preventing injuries from slips and falls
 Avoid jerking movements.
Model Codes of Practice - Hazardous manual tasks

Manual Handling provides practical advice in relation to the identification, assessment and control of
risks arising from manual handling in the workplace. It is guidance material published by the National
Occupational Health and Safety Commission which is used throughout Australia.
This Code of Practice explains how to identify hazardous manual tasks and control the risks of
workers being affected by musculoskeletal disorders is an approved code of practice under section
274 of the Work Health and Safety Act. This Code explains how to identify hazardous manual tasks,
assess the risks of musculoskeletal disorders and eliminate or minimise those risks. This guidance is
also relevant for designers, manufacturers, importers or suppliers of equipment, materials and tools
used for work, as well as designers of workplaces where manual tasks are carried out.
National Standard for manual tasks
"‘Manual tasks’ is physical work activity. In this national standard it is defined as any activity requiring
a person to use any part of their musculoskeletal system in performing their work. This National
Standard for manual tasks sets out the principles for the effective management of hazardous manual
tasks to avert musculoskeletal disorders arising from manual tasks in the workplace. It was released
in a draft form for public comment, in line with a decision by the ASCC on 1 March 2005."

Identifying manual handling hazards and report in line with
Manual handling means using your body to move people and things; for example:
 Helping a client out of bed
 Helping a client to sit or stand from a chair
 Pushing a wheelchair.
You must use specific techniques and have particular skills for manual handling. These techniques and
skills help prevent injury. Manual-handling skills and techniques may relate to posture, managing
repetitive tasks and looking after your back. Your workplace with have policies and procedures for
manual handling and for managing the risks and hazards associated with manual handling. Your
supervisor will tell you about these policies and procedures when you start work. You may need to
sign a form or a copy of the policy or procedure to say you have read these guidelines or attended
Manual Handling training.
Common manual-handling hazards
The following table outlines some common manual-handling hazards in the workplace.
COMMON HAZARDS WHY THIS IS A HAZARD

Lifting; for example: You may strain your back and arms from lifting and
moving heavy loads repeatedly.
 Getting a box from a vehicle
 Transferring (moving) older people
 Moving a client’s suitcases
 Moving furniture
 Carrying heavy trays or pots.
Twisting; for example: You may injure your back, arms, chest and stomach
 Loading shelves muscles from twisting your body when it is moving
heavy and unpredictable weights.
 Showering a client
 Assisting a client to walk
 Vacuum cleaning
 Assisting a client to eat.
Repetitive movements; for example: Your muscles may become tired. Injuries may occur
 Showering a client from repetitive actions.
 Setting up tables
 Pegging out washing
 Loading a dishwasher/oven
 Washing/mopping floors
 Preparing/chopping food.
Bending; for example: You may strain your back from bending repeatedly.
 Transferring clients
 Bed making
 Loading and unloading dishwasher
 Sweeping under tables/beds.

Reaching; for example: You may strain your back and arms from lifting and
 Transferring clients moving items that are a long way from the body. This
increases the stress on the muscles.
 Putting things up on shelves or getting
things from cupboards
 Cleaning walls or lights.
Pushing and pulling; for example, moving You may strain your back, stomach and arm muscles
wheelchairs, trolleys and beds. from pulling and pushing. The risk increases if the
equipment is poorly maintained.
Manual handling procedures for specific tasks

Which equipment?
How would you know which device would be the most appropriate for your client? A qualified
person, usually a physiotherapist, should assess every client. Information regarding this assessment
and the type of equipment to use will be documented on a client care plan or client notes. Always
explain the procedure to your client. When attending manual handling education you should play the
role of the client to experience what it feels like. Then when it comes to you explaining the
procedure you have firsthand knowledge.
Let’s have a look at some equipment you may use in your workplace. There is a large variety of
equipment and it will vary between workplaces.
Bed mobility
Encourage your client to assist where possible, for example, to move their legs over the edge of bed.
Equipment which may help a person to sit up include:
 A rope ladder where clients pull themselves up by gripping along the ladder until they are sitting
up
 Overhead bed triangle where the client hangs onto the triangle with both hands, and pulls
themselves forward until sitting up
 Bed pole where an upright steel pole clamps onto the frame of a hospital style bed and assists a
person who needs support with sit-to-stand transfers to and from the bed
When a person gets up from lying down, it is recommended that they move slowly to a sitting
position and sit there for several minutes before standing. This allows the blood pressure and
circulation to adjust and can help prevent falls or feeling faint.
Remember:
 Never let anyone pull on your arms or your neck
 Bend your knees and not your back when lifting the person’s legs into bed.
Use a slide sheet when manoeuvring a person in a bed. The sheet has been made to be very slippery.
Fold it in half and move the person by pulling the top of the sheet in the direction you want the
client to move. Get help. Remember when you team lift, good communication skills are vital to
prevent manual handling injuries.

Hoists
If you want to move a client from the bed to a chair and they cannot weight bear, they will need to
be transferred using a hoist. A hoist is required for some client’s when transferring from chair to
toilet/commode (toilet-chair). One person can use the hoist, but it is much safer to have two people
use the hoist together. This way safety is improved and the client can feel more secure.
Walking belts
If the person requires assistance to walk, there are walking belts. These belts can help you stand a
client and assist them to walk. The walking belts come in different designs and sizes. A walking belt
fastens at the front with Velcro and has handles, which reduce the effort required to move the
client. When walking with the client stand to the side with your hands holding onto the first and
third handle, keep your back straight and feet pointed in the direction you are walking. If the client
needs further assistance two carers can walk the client. Your hands stay in the same position, the
other carer takes hold of the other two handles. Once again, good communication between carers
and the client will ensure everyone’s safety.

Everyday tasks
Handling people is a bit different to handling boxes—people move and have characteristics that must
be taken into account in manual handling tasks. Unpredictable behaviour, such as sudden movements
and the need to adopt awkward or static working postures, can put you at risk.
Here are some tips to help when moving clients:
 Encourage the person to assist if possible
 Transfer at level by adjusting furniture
 Move a person to the same level or from a higher to a lower level rather that the other way
around
 Do not push, pull or slide a person sideways
 Use furniture or mechanical equipment to minimise holding time
 Use equipment with pushing/pulling applied at about waist level
 Avoid double handling.
Transferring from wheelchair/commode to chair
Position the wheelchair so the distance of the transfer is at a minimum. Ensure the wheel-chair
brakes are ON and any footplates are taken off or swung away. Assist the client to a standing
position. The position of the carer’s feet should be placed with one foot pointed in the direction of
the transfer. Don’t let the person grab you around the neck. A transfer belt can also be used in this
transfer. Once standing, use your weight to balance the person. Your knees should remain slightly
bent with your feet apart and your back straight. Get as close to the person as possible. Slowly guide
the person to the chair, tell them to hold onto the chair’s arms and gently lower.
Lifting and carrying
Correct lifting techniques are vital to ensure workers safety.
Remember always:
 Size up the load to be carried
 Bend the legs, keep back and arms straight, lift with leg muscles
 Keep back straight while lifting and carrying.
Dressing clients
Clients should be encouraged to select the clothing they would like to wear. They should also be
encouraged to dress themselves. Some (such a person who has suffered a stroke) clients may be
able to dress themselves partially but need some assistance.
Dealing with a client who is falling
There is no choice but to deal manually with a client who is falling. Always protect yourself and use
movements that will flow with the fall so that you do not end up falling with your client.

Dealing with a client who has fallen
Carers are sometimes in a position where they have to deal with a situation where the client has
fallen. This can be quite distressing for the client and the carer. Due to the hazards involved to both
carer and client there are procedures set down for dealing with the situation. These are outlined
below. Carers should ensure they follow policies and procedures to protect themselves and others
at all times.
Homecare worker managing a client who has fallen
This procedure is to be followed for clients who fall to the floor or are found sitting on the floor.
 Under no circumstances attempt to manually lift the client from the floor.
 Lay the client down and make them comfortable.
 Assess the client for possible complications, bleeding and consciousness.
 Attempt to help the client to stand by rolling the client onto his or her side, then onto all fours
and then into a kneeling position. Using a chair as a prop, help the client up and onto the chair.
 Should the client be unable to do this with light assistance, then an ambulance or another nurse
should be called and lifting appliances should be used.

Nursing home staff managing a resident who has fallen
This procedure is to be followed for residents who fall on the floor or are found sitting or lying on
the floor. Nurses should never attempt to lift a fallen resident alone. The resident may have suffered
a stroke, a heart attack, an epileptic fit, a bleeding wound, or a fracture. Further injury of the
resident can occur if manual lifting is attempted.
You should:
 Lay the resident on the floor
 Keep the client warm and covered
 Call for assistance
 Place a pillow or towel under the resident’s head after the resident has been assessed and
cleared of spinal injury
 Call for a registered nurse to assess the resident.
Use an electronic lifter if the resident cannot get up with only light assistance.
Training and supervision and Manual Handling
Train your workers in occupational health and safety including manual handling and ensure they
follow the procedures by providing adequate supervision. Effective on-the-job instruction and
adequate supervision will help workers become aware of safety issues and perform their jobs
consistently and safely. Manual handling training should be included in the initial induction training
provided to staff.
General manual handling training should include the following as a minimum:
 Describe the legislation
 Describe the health and safety effects
 Participate in hazard identification, risk assessment and control
 Identify risk factors
 Assess risks
 Control risks
 Communicate and consult
 Design a management program.
You should also provide specific training for specific manual handling tasks and this should be
provided on an ongoing basis. Where a manual handling tasks is assessed as risky but cannot be
eliminated or controlled through engineering or redesign a safe work procedure should be prepared
and communicated.
Supervision
Workers especially must be supervised. To determine the level of supervision consider the level of
risk in the job as well as the skills, experience, competence and age of the workers. Ensure they can
carry out each of the tasks required and assess them regularly until they can do the task without
supervision. Some workers and some jobs require more supervision than others. A worker new to
the industry, young workers or workers with language difficulties may require extra help to do their
job safely but if you spend the time with them they will not only work more safely, they’ll also be
more productive.

Back care
Back injuries are often caused by lifting incorrectly, eg: all too frequently people use their back
muscles to lift when they should be using their leg muscles. Even lifting fairly light items can cause
back injury if not done correctly. Caring for your health and back is a lifestyle, involving everything
you do, everyday, whenever you are.
BACK can be summarised by:
Be careful
Accept responsibility
Correct posture
Keep fit
Musculoskeletal injuries
The rate of musculoskeletal injuries (MSD) in the workplace is increasing. In fact, MSDs occur more
frequently than any other type of occupational injury in Australia. Musculoskeletal injuries are
classified as: disorders of the bones, joints, muscles, tendons and other soft tissues. MSDs are generally
cumulative (they develop over a period of time) as a result of repetitive, stressful or awkward
movements that wear down the musculoskeletal system. Health care workers face many situations
in their work environment that can contribute to an MSI, with injuries typically involving the neck,
back, shoulder and wrist.

Unsafe manual handling may cause a variety of injuries and conditions including:
 Muscle sprains and strains
 Injuries to muscles, ligaments, intervertebral discs and other structures in the back
 Injuries to soft tissues such as nerves, ligaments and tendons in the wrists, arms, shoulders, neck
or legs
 Abdominal hernias
 Chronic pain.
Some of these conditions are known as:
 Repetitive strain injury (RSI), Occupational Overuse Syndrome (OOS), cumulative trauma
disorder
 (CTD) and work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WRMSD).

Six
Identifying manual handling hazards and report in line with workplace procedures
Describe the hazard/s in each of the following scenarios.
Scenario 1:
Graham, a client in an aged care facility, complains that the television in the lounge room is not
working. The support worker finds that the TV is unplugged and the power point is coming away
from the wall.
Scenario 2:
Mrs Shelly is a frail elderly woman who suffers severe joint pain when she moves. Because it is so
painful getting in and out of bed, she has a bed bath and stays in bed all of the time. Mrs Shelly
requires two carers to change her position in bed every two hours.

Applying control measures for minimising manual handling risk
Work place Health and Safety (WHS) legislation 2011 requires that employers and employees work
together to identify, assess and control risks posed by manual handling. Employers and health and
safety representatives and committees need, in consultation with employees, to:
 Identify risks
 Discuss the best manual handling techniques
 Decide ways to reduce risks in manual handling
 Review how effective the techniques are
The types of manual handling undertaken by employees will depend on their individual work roles.
Manual handling tasks performed by a person in a nursing or personal care role may
include:
 Transferring patients, clients, residents
 Assisting with the mobility of patients, clients, residents
 Attending to the daily activities of patients, clients, residents
 Attending to the personal care or health needs of patients, clients, residents
 Moving inanimate objects of various weights
 Recording information into manual or computer documentation
 Systems
 Answering telephones, maintaining files
 Maintaining sustained postures
 Lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, bending, and stretching.
Tasks performed by workers in domestic roles, eg: cleaners, catering staff, kitchen staff,
laundry staff, may include:
 Moving inanimate objects of various weights
 Using heavy equipment, eg: industrial vacuum cleaners
 Mopping, sweeping, dusting, stirring, lifting, carrying, pushing,
 Pulling, bending, stretching, loading/unloading dishwasher.
Risk management and control
The risk management process involves:
1. Hazard identification
2. Risk assessment
3. Risk elimination or control.

Manual Handling Hazard identification
Hazard identification is the process in which you identify any foreseeable hazards that may arise in
the workplace. For example, a cable lying across the floor is a foreseeable hazard because someone
could come along and trip over it.
Risk assessment: Once a hazard has been identified, an employer/employee must assess the risk. It
needs to be determined how significant the risk is, and how often it might occur.
Risk Control: What needs to be done to solve the problem? Clearly, the most desirable way of
managing risks of work injury is to eliminate the risk entirely if this is possible, otherwise the risk
must be controlled. For example, the manual handling of patients cannot be eliminated, but the
provision and use of equipment, along with appropriate training will help control the risk. If the risk
cannot be eliminated, it should be minimised in whatever ways are most likely to be practicable and
effective.
This could involve:
1. Substituting the process or substance with a safer one.
2. Designing premises or equipment so that it is safer to use.
3. Instituting engineering controls (altering tools, equipment or work systems to make them safer
(eg enclosing or isolating the hazard).
4. Introducing administrative measures (such as training workers in safe procedures, organising
suitable maintenance or housekeeping practices, job rotation or changing work organisation).
5. Using personal protective equipment (PPE) such as ear muffs, dust masks, gloves, goggles, aprons
etc.
This list of types of strategies is known as the hierarchy of risk controls (or the hierarchy of hazard
controls), because risk control should be accomplished using strategies as close as possible to the
top of the list (these are more effective).
For each manual handling task the following questions need to be asked:
 Can the risk be eliminated?
 Can the risk be reduced by changing the load/equipment/task/work environment?
 What training is required to do the task safely?
 What other factors can be controlled?

The consultation process
The risk management process should be done in consultation with staff. Let’s look at how
information might be gathered to identify actual or potential hazards in the workplace.
Employers and staff may:
 Brain storm
 Discuss/consult with staff who perform manual handling tasks
 Review journals or articles discussing manual handling information
 Review current work statistics on manual handling incidents
 Review any ‘near miss’ situations, and determine what the problem was and how to ensure it
does not happen again
 Observe how manual handling practices are currently done and make any appropriate
recommendations
 Think creatively about the future, what could happen if something went wrong.
As you can see, the process for risk management is quite straightforward. Each time you perform a
task, you should get into the habit of determining if there are any hazards, assess the hazard for the
likely effect and prioritise the hazards. Then see if you can eliminate or modify the aspect of the task
that could cause injury.
Here are some sample solutions to eliminate or control the manual handling risks in
community services:
 Provide trolleys for moving equipment
 Promote client independence—this can help reduce the load on staff
 Use hoists for lifting clients
 Provide portable steps to allow clients to get on/off a community bus with minimal assistance
 Put frequently moved items on wheels
 Arrange storage so that heavy items are stored at a level between the hip and shoulder of most
workers
 Check the floor surfaces
 Provide grab rails, bath seats, toilet seat raisers etc to help clients to help themselves.

Seven
Applying control measures for minimising manual handling risk
Read the case study and then complete the tasks that follow.
Case study
Michael is a support worker. He is folding a client’s washing. The washing to be folded is on a table
in front of Michael. As he folds each piece of clothing, he has to twist to place it on the ironing
board.
1. Describe the risks associated with this task.
2. List two control measures that could be used to prevent the risk of injury.

Element 3: Follow safe work practices for infection control
The purpose of infection control is to reduce the occurrence of infectious diseases. These diseases
are usually caused by bacteria or viruses and can be spread by human to human contact, animal to
human contact, human contact with an infected surface, airborne transmission through tiny droplets
of infectious agents suspended in the air, and, finally, by such common vehicles as food or water.
Diseases that are spread from animals to humans are known as zoonoses; animals that carry disease
agents from one host to another are known as vectors.
Infections contracted in hospitals and other health care facilities are also called nosocomial
infections. They occur in approximately 5% of all hospital patients. These infections result in
increased time spent in the hospital and, in some cases, death. There are many reasons nosocomial
infections are common, one of which is that many hospital patients have a weakened immune system
which makes them more susceptible to infections.
What are the causes of an increase in nosocomial infections?
Approximately one third of nosocomial infections are preventable.
Nosocomial infections are increased by:
 Increasing antibiotic use spurring antibiotic resistance in many bacteria making them difficult to
treat
 Sloppy hygiene by health care personnel, especially in the emergency care unit where they rush
to care for patients
 Aging population and Immuno-compromised individuals (such as those living with HIV/AIDS)
more susceptible to catching infections
 Aging hospitals needing renovations causing dust and debris possible leading to the spread of
fungi
 Hospitals being full of very sick people as less serious diseases are increasingly attended to on an
out-patient basis.

Following Standard Precautions as part of own work routine to
prevent the spread of infection
Infection control involves a two tiered approach to reducing the risk of transmitting infection. The
first tier is known as standard precautions and is made up of minimum level of infection control. The
second tier is known as additional precautions. These precautions are performed when caring for
specified clients. This topic will highlight the difference between the two tiers.
Standard precautions
Standard precautions apply to all patients receiving care in health care organisations, regardless of
their diagnosis or presumed infection status.
Standard precautions apply to:
• Blood (including dried blood)
• All body substances, secretions and excretions (excluding sweat), regardless of whether or not
they contain visible blood
• Non-intact skin
• Mucous membranes including eyes.
Standard precautions are designed to reduce the risk of transmission of micro-organisms from both
recognised and unrecognised sources of infection in health organisations.
Standard precautions involve the use of safe work practices and protective barriers
including:
• Hand hygiene
• Appropriate use of gloves
• Use of facial protection
• Use of masks
• Use of gowns/aprons
• Appropriate device handling
• Appropriate handling of laundry
• Incorporation of respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette.
(Adapted from NSW Dept of Health circular PD2007_036)

Standard infection control procedures
Effective hand washing reduces the risk of transmission of micro-organisms acquired through contact
Efficient hand washing is the most effective way to reduce cross infection. Effective hand washing by
staff, patients and visitors, removes dirt and debris from hands, and reduces cross-contamination
from microbes, potentially infectious body fluids and substances, and other contaminates acquired
through contact. Transient colonising micro-organisms are thought to be the main cause of most
nosocomial infections. Hands are colonised by residential flora, e.g. Coagulate negative staphylococci,
which are hard to remove, and transient flora; eg. MRSA, gram-negative organisms, which are picked
up from the environment and are easy to remove.
When should healthcare workers wash their hands?
Hand washing must be performed in accordance with the hand washing policy, including:
 Before and after each client contact
 Before and after using protective apparel/equipment
 When contaminated with blood or body substance
 Before and after going to the toilet
 After eating
 Every time you touch something ‘dirty’
 Every time you do something ‘dirty’
 Before you touch something ‘clean’
 Before you do something ‘clean’.
Methods of hand washing
Hand washing remains the most important measure in the prevention of infection; intact skin without
cuts or abrasions is an effective barrier against infection.
There are three main methods of hand washing used by health care workers:
1. Routine hand wash: 10 - 15 seconds.
2. Aseptic hand wash (for non-surgical procedures): 1 minute.
3. Surgical hand wash: 3 - 5 minutes.
Each method protects the health care worker and patient against infection and is practised according
to the level of risk involved. To wash hands thoroughly in all methods of hand washing it is important
to remove rings, bracelets and watches as they can carry bacteria. Use a mild liquid hand wash and
running water. Rub hands together being sure to wash the backs of hands, wrists, between the
fingers and under the fingernails. Rinse well and dry hands with single-use paper towel.
Routine hand wash
Routine hand washing’, is the washing of hands with non-medicated soap, or detergent and water.
Soap, or detergent preparations, are products that do not kill, but suspend, easily removable micro-
organisms (transient flora), allowing them to be washed off. Social hand washing removes dirt,
debris and transient organisms.

When needed
 Before eating and/or smoking
 After going to the toilet
 Before significant contact with patients (eg physical examination, emptying a drainage reservoir
such as a catheter bag).
 Before injection or venipuncture
 Before and after routine use of gloves
 After handling any instruments or equipment soiled with blood or body substances.

Washing technique
Remove jewellery.
Method 1 - Essential if hands are soiled
 Wet hands thoroughly and lather vigorously using neutral pH liquid hand wash
 Rinse under running water
 Do not touch taps with clean hands - if elbow or foot controls are not available, use paper towel
to turn taps off.
Method 2 - Permissible only if hands are not soiled
 Apply sufficient alcohol rub or gel into the palm of the hand to enable rubbing for 10 - 15
seconds
 Rub this over all surfaces of both hands for 10 - 15 seconds.
Drying
Pat dry using paper towel, clean cloth towel, or a fresh portion of a roller towel.
Non-surgical hand wash (aseptic)
When needed:
 Before any (non-surgical) procedures that require aseptic technique (such as inserting
intravenous catheters).
Washing technique
 Remove jewellery
 Wash hands thoroughly using an antimicrobial skin cleaner (eg one containing 2% w/v
chlorhexidine)
 Rinse carefully
 Do not touch taps with clean hands - if elbow or foot controls are not available, use paper towel
to turn taps off
 Drying: Pat dry using paper towel.
Surgical hand wash
When needed:
 Before any invasive surgical procedure
 Washing technique
 Remove jewellery
 Wash hands, nails and forearms thoroughly and apply an antimicrobial skin cleaner (containing
4% w/v chlorhexidine) or detergent-based povidone-iodine containing 0.75% available iodine or
an aqueous ovidone-iodine solution containing 1% available iodine
 Rinse carefully, keeping hands above the elbows
 No-touch techniques apply
 Drying: Dry with sterile towels.

Steps for washing hands
What is commonly missed?

The diagram illustrates areas that are most commonly missed when hand washing.

Personal protective equipment (PPE)
Personal protective equipment (PPE) comprises a range of clothing and equipment which is worn by
employees, students, contractors or visitors as appropriate to protect or shield their bodies from
workplace hazards. PPE is part of the control system of occupational health and safety in the
workplace. It is used when other control methods such as substitution and elimination are unable to
be met. PPE is used widely in health as the more effective control systems are unable to be
implemented. This topic will introduce you to the different types of equipment used in the health
industry to protect you from injury.
What does personal protective equipment consist of?
PPE refers to clothing and other equipment worn to protect workers from injury or risk. For health
care workers, this equipment may serve to protect patients as well as workers. Health care workers
are required to wear PPE in situations where there is a risk of infection through patient contact,
contact with blood, body fluids or airborne viruses.
PPE may include:
 Gloves
 Protective eyewear and facial protection
 Surgical face masks and personal respiratory protection devices
 Hair protection and covering
 Gowns and plastic aprons
 Waterproof over boots.
PPE combined with good personal hygiene and the required immunisations minimises the risk of
contamination and infection.
Individual equipment
Gowns
 Must be impervious to fluid (waterproof)

 Protect skin and clothing from exposure to blood and body substances
 Must be worn if there is any likelihood of splashes or contamination with blood or other body
substances.
Note: If clothing becomes contaminated with blood or body substances it must be removed as soon
as possible and before attending another resident/ patient.

Gloves
Must be worn in situations where there is potential exposure to blood and/or body substances:
 During any procedure where direct contact is anticipated with blood or body substances,
mucous membrane or non-intact skin
 While handling items or surfaces that have come into contact with blood or body substances
 While performing an invasive procedure.
Gloves must be changed:

 As soon as punctured or torn
 After care for a patient is complete and before next patient
 When performing separate procedures on the same patient/resident and there is a risk of cross
contamination between sites.
Note: gloves are not a substitute for hand washing.

Masks, face shields and protective eyewear
A fluid repellent mask or face shield must be worn while performing any procedure where there is a
likelihood of splashing or splattering of blood or other body substances; and:
 Must be worn according to manufacturer’s instructions
 Must be discarded after use, if they are disposable; and
 Reusable masks must be cleaned prior to reuse.
Aseptic practices
Asepsis is the purposeful prevention of infection. Aseptic practices refer to precautions designed to
prevent undue contamination of a person, object or area by microorganisms and must be applied
consistently and conscientiously. Any contamination that occurs must be remedied immediately.
Aseptic practices are indicated if performing any invasive procedure such as dressing open wounds.

Measures followed to achieve asepsis include:
 Performance of appropriate hand washing
 Preoperative skin and body cavity preparation
 Correct processing, supply and storage of sterile equipment
 Antiseptic and disinfectant use
 Policies and procedures documented for the management of indwelling devices (such as urinary
catheters)
 Environmental controls (such as air filtration).
Processing of used equipment
Follow organisational policy and procedures
 Thorough cleaning of equipment prior to disinfection or sterilisation is essential
 Gloves and goggles/glasses must be worn when cleaning used equipment
 To avoid splashes, equipment should be cleaned using an appropriate amount of fluid
 Rinse, clean and dry all used equipment at point of use
 Rinse in cold water, wash thoroughly in detergent and water
 Rinse and dry.
All clean and dry used client care equipment that requires further processing will be sent to the
sterilising section. Cleaned dry sharp instruments must be placed in the sterilisation instrument box
provided for collection. In maintaining equipment and instruments there are also correct and
incorrect ways of cleaning and maintaining equipment. If standard precautions are not followed harm
to yourself, patients/clients and others may occur, so always follow organisational policy and
procedures and check the manufacturer’s recommendations.
For example:
Some equipment, are possible sources for the transmission of infection and should be cleaned
exactly according to the manufacturer’s instruction. Ideally devices for the management of asthma
should be for single-patient use only. You must follow the procedures recommended by your health
clinic. Some equipment are possible sources for the transmission of infection and should be cleaned
exactly according to the manufacturer’s instruction. Ideally devices for the management of asthma
should be for single-patient use only. You must follow the procedures recommended by your health
clinic.

Disposal of sharps
Sharps in a medical or health care setting are items such as discarded hypodermic needles and
scalpel blades. These are considered medical waste in a health care environment and must be
disposed of in rigid-walled containers as close to the point of generation as possible, eg: at the
patient’s bedside. Sharps containers are always a bright yellow colour for easy identification. The
original user of sharp items is responsible for the safe disposal of that item immediately after use.
When handling sharps:
 The person generating the sharp is responsible for its safe disposal
 Never pass by hand between health care workers
 Never remove used needles from syringes
 Never recap a needle
 Dispose of the sharp immediately following its use and at the point of use
 Dispose of all sharps in designated puncture resistant containers
 Discard sharps containers when three-quarters-full, seal appropriately and place in the
designated clinical waste container
 Never try to compact sharps containers or remove items from them
 Keep sharps containers positioned safely
 Report all sharps injuries and follow your organisation’s post-exposure protocol.
Disposing of needles/syringes
As the care worker, you need to know your role in assisting your client in the disposal of ‘sharps’.
‘Sharps’ containers (Australian Standards Approved Container AS4032) can be supplied by local
health services, or purchased at chemists. Containers which will be regularly collected and disposed
of, you may be required to organise this service. It is important to advise clients to keep ‘sharps’
containers in a safe place, out of the reach of children, and to never dispose of them in domestic
rubbish bags or bins.

Laboratory specimens
Follow organisational policy and procedure, remember, specimens are to be:
 Collected with gloved hands
 Placed in a correctly labelled leak-proof container
 Enclosed in a sealed bag for transport with the request form in the outer sleeve
 Pocket of the plastic bag to prevent contamination.
Blood and body substance spills
Despite ‘best practice’ it is possible at some stage you will encounter a spillage in the workplace.
If this spill involves blood or other bodily substances, in a non-carpeted area, you
should:
 Follow organisational policy and procedures
 Put on suitable protective clothing, including appropriate gloves
 Confine and contain the spill to that site
 Cover the spill with paper towels to absorb the spilled substance
 Clean the site using detergent diluted in warm water
 Treat both the spill and the cleaning products used as clinical waste and dispose of accordingly.
 Use signage to reduce the risk to others.
If the spill happens to be on a carpeted area:
 Put on suitable protective clothing, including appropriate gloves
 Mop up as much as possible with disposable towels
 Clean the site using detergent diluted in warm water
 Treat both the spill and the cleaning products used as clinical waste and dispose accordingly
 Arrange for the area to be cleaned with industrial cleaner
 Use signage to reduce the risk to others.

Using a Spills kit
You should have a dedicated 'spills kit' readily available in a bucket with a fitted lid. The
kit should contain:
 A large (10 litre) container with lid, lined with zip seal or tie seal thick plastic liners for waste
disposal
 A disposable cardboard scraper and pan (similar to pooper scooper) or a pooper scooper which
can be disinfected/sterilised
 Protective equipment – eye protection, plastic apron, disposable rubber gloves, respiratory
protection (for high-risk spills)
 Containers (such as leak proof bags) for disposing of the material spilt
 A 'pooper scooper' – type scraper and pan
 Sachets of granular chlorine
 Paper towels and tissues
 Cleaning cloths
 Plastic wash bowls and/or plastic buckets
 Hospital grade detergents and disinfectants
 Disposable rubber gloves
 Plastic apron and eye protection where appropriate
 Broom
 Mop and bucket
 Hose for wet area sluicing
 Disposable items should be replaced after each use of the spills kit.
Non-hazardous spills
 For small spills, wipe immediately with paper towel. Clean with water and detergent
 For larger spills, scrape the bulk of the spill into a pan for disposal, and then clean the residue.
Blood and body substance spills
 Protect yourself, wear gloves (and face protection if needed)
 If possible, isolate the area
 For a small spill, wipe immediately with paper towel, then clean with water and detergent.
In a 'dry' area, use absorbent paper or granular chlorine to absorb the spill. (This avoids increasing
the size of the spill and/or releasing contaminants into the air.) Then scrape up the absorbed
material into a pan and clean the affected area with water and detergent. Dispose of spilt material,
paper or granules and gloves in a sealed container. In a 'wet' area, wash the spill into the sewerage
system. Flush area with water and detergent. You can use hospital-grade disinfectant on the area
after cleaning if you wish.

Infection control policies and procedures
The health-care establishment you are working for will have policies and procedures for hygiene,
infection control and waste management. These policies and procedures are based on national
minimum standards and guidelines. There should be documented procedure manuals which
demonstrate compliance with these standards. If you are unsure about a workplace WHS policy for
infection control it is important that you contact someone in your organisation who can provide you
with the information you require. You can also contact your local government workplace services
department to obtain information on workplace hygiene, infection control and waste management.
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and the Australian National Council
on AIDS (ANCA) report, Infection control in the health-care setting:
Guidelines for the Prevention of Transmission of Infectious Diseases establishes nationally agreed
minimum standards for infection control. NHMRC also reports on national guidelines for waste
management in the health-care industry. These reports assist organisations to develop infection
control and waste management strategies and policies. These standards are national guidelines for all
health-care settings. This includes hospitals, medical and dental offices, nursing homes, community
clinics and homes, or anywhere where allied health services are delivered. These guidelines are
under constant review, always check that the information you have is current

Safe handling and disposal of potentially infectious materials
Waste
Standard precautions must be employed when handling all waste. Waste is sorted at the point of
generation into general, clinical, cytotoxic, radioactive and hazardous streams. There is a legal
obligation to classify waste appropriately.
What is waste?
Waste refers to materials we need to dispose of. Much of the waste generated in a health care
situation can be safely disposed of in the same way as we dispose of normal household waste. But
some waste from health care establishments can pose infection and other public health risks. This
includes any waste contaminated with blood or body fluids. The management of waste, waste
equipment and waste storage areas should be achieved in a safe, hygienic and efficient manner.
Categories of waste
Categories of waste include:
 Sharps
 Laboratory
 Clinical
 Cytoxic waste
 Human tissues
 Recyclable (plastic, paper, cardboard)
 And general waste
Clinical waste
Clinical and related wastes are wastes that arise from medical, nursing, dental, veterinary,
pharmaceutical or similar practices. Clinical and related wastes also include wastes generated in
hospitals or other facilities during the investigation or treatment of patients or in research projects.
Contaminated or potentially contaminated items can threaten the safety and wellbeing of staff and
clients through their potential to cause injury and illness. Clinical waste may also be termed
contaminated, pathological, and infectious or biohazard waste.
Clinical waste is defined as:
 Any sharp object that can cause injury
 Needles and needle-syringe combinations
 Containers of blood and body fluid
 Human tissue
 Laboratory specimens/cultures
Clinical waste may also be termed: contaminated, pathological, and infectious or biohazard
waste.

The risks
Waste that includes blood or other body fluids or body tissue may carry infection. For example,
blood from a patient infected with HIV, HBV or HCV can transmit these viruses to a non-infected
person if it comes in contact with non-intact skin, or enters their body through the mouth, eyes or
other mucous membranes.
Handling of Pathology Specimens
 Ideally send urine, stool and sputum specimens straight to pathology, or else place specimens in
the refrigerator before delivery to pathology. (Note: stool specimens requesting OCP should
not be refrigerated. M/C/S can be kept at room temperature however if delays of two or more
hours is anticipated then refrigerate until pick up)
 Wound swabs should be stored at room temperature. The exact location of the wound should
be marked on the documentation
 The specimen must be collected avoiding contamination of the outside of the container
 Ensure all specimens are correctly identified on their label and secured within a protective pack
 The request form should be separated from the specimen container in the outer pouch of the
plastic bag
 The refrigerator used for storage of food items should not be used for storage of clinical
specimens
 Ensure that the lid of the container is screwed on firmly.
What is medical waste?
Medical waste is defined as waste consisting of:
 A needle, syringe with needle, surgical instrument or any other article that is discarded in the
course of medical, dental or veterinary practice, or research, that has a sharp edge or point
capable of inflicting a penetrating injury on a person that comes into contact with it
 Human tissue, bone, organ, body part or foetus
 A vessel, bag or tube containing a liquid body substance, eg: a colostomy bag
 An animal carcass discarded in the course of veterinary practice or research
 A specimen or culture discarded in the course of medical, dental or veterinary practice or
research, any material that has come into practice or research, and any material that has come
into contact with such a specimen or culture, eg: a urine or sputum specimen
 Any article or matter that is discarded in the course of medical, dental or veterinary practice or
research, and which poses a significant risk to the health of a person who comes into contact
with it, eg: wound dressings saturated with secretions such as blood or pus.

Schedule 1 Part B Environmental Act 1993
This Act states that the following materials are not usually regarded as medical waste unless they fall
into the category of the medical waste definition:
 Dressings and bandages
 Materials stained by, or that have contact with body substances
 Containers no longer containing body substances
 Disposable nappies and incontinence pads
 Sanitary napkins.
Cytotoxic waste
This is material that is or may be contaminated by cytotoxic drugs during the preparation, transport
administration of chemotherapy. This type of waste may have carcinogenic, mutagenic and or
teratogenic potential. Disposal of this type of waste may be via an approved incineration facility.

Eight
Following standard precautions as part of own work routine to prevent the spread of
infection
1. Define standard precautions.
2. What is the difference between direct and indirect contact transmission?
3. What standard precautions does an aged care worker need to use when transporting a client?

Recognising situations when Additional infection control procedures
are required
Additional Precautions
Additional Precautions are used for patients known or suspected to be infected or colonised with
epidemiologically important or highly transmissible pathogens that can transmit/cause infection by
the following means:
 Airborne transmission (e.g. Pulmonary tuberculosis, chickenpox, measles)
 Droplet transmission of respiratory secretions (e.g. Rubella, pertussis, influenza)
 Contact transmission (direct or indirect) with patients who may be disseminators of infectious
agents of special concern (e.g. The dry skin of those colonised with multi-resistant
staphylococcus aureus [MRSA], faecal contamination from carriers of vancomycin-resistant
enterococci [VRE] or contaminated surfaces)
 Inherent resistance to standard sterilisation procedures or other disease-specific means of
transmission where standard precautions are not sufficient (e.g. Patients with known or
suspected Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease)
 Any combination of these routes.
Additional precautions are designed to interrupt transmission of infection by these routes and
should be used, in addition to standard precautions, when standard precautions alone might not
contain transmission of infection. Additional precautions may be specific to the situation for which
they are required, or may be combined where microorganisms have multiple routes of transmission.
Additional precautions should be tailored to the particular infectious agent involved and
the mode of transmission, and may include one or any combination of the following:
 Allocation of a single room with ensuite facilities
 A dedicated toilet (to prevent transmission of infections that are transmitted primarily by
contact with faecal material, such as for patients with infectious diarrhoea or gastroenteritis
caused by enteric bacteria or viruses)
 Cohorting (room sharing by people with the same infection) may be an alternative if single
rooms are not available
 Special ventilation requirements (e.g. Monitored negative air pressure in relation to surrounding
areas)
 Additional use of personal protective equipment (e.g. Health care workers attending to patients
in respiratory isolation should wear a well-fitting mask: a 0.3-mm particulate filter mask (p2 or
n95 mask) is recommended for tuberculosis)
 Rostering of immune health care workers to care for certain classes of infectious patients (eg
chickenpox)
 Dedicated patient equipment
 Restricted movement of both patients and health care workers.
Additional precautions are not required for patients with bloodborne viruses, such as HIV, hepatitis
B virus or hepatitis C virus, unless there are complicating infections, such as pulmonary tuberculosis.
To minimise the exposure time of other people in office practices or hospital waiting rooms, people
identified as ‘at risk’ of transmitting droplet or airborne diseases (e.g. a child with suspected chicken
pox) should be subject to additional precautions including isolation and should be attended to before
other people waiting for treatment.

Applying additional precautions when standard precautions alone
may not be sufficient to prevent transmission of infection
When extra infection control precautions are required, support workers need to know what to do.
There may be additional instructions workers need to follow to control an infection. These should
be outlined in the client’s care plan. Or a registered nurse or doctor may give you instruction about
the extra steps you need to take.
All those involved in the client’s care must know and understand extra infection control methods.
This information should be in the client’s care plan and any additional information must be provided
at handover meetings. Details of extra infection control precautions will be in the infection control
manual, which may be part of the WHS or workplace policies and procedures manual. The
supervisor may organise a training session for staff; for example, you may need to understand special
ventilation requirements for a client. This would require special training.
If a client requires barrier nursing, then a notice must be placed on the client’s door. This notice
warns visitors to report to the supervisor before entering the room. There should also be a trolley
outside the room with all the extra equipment, such as the gowns and gloves, required for barrier
nursing. Everyone involved in the client’s care must be instructed in barrier nursing procedures.
Identifying risks of infection and report them according to workplace
procedures
Infection is a medical condition that is caused by micro-organisms. These are very small particles that
lodge in the human body and multiply causing disease. A disease is an illness, sickness or medical
condition. One of the most common infections is the common cold. Infection is a risk for everybody.
A variety of organisms cause infections.
Bacteria Bacteria are micro-organisms that need nutrients from their

environment to survive; for example, bacteria in people need nutrients
from the human body to live. However, bacteria can also survive in
non-living environments such as rocks and plastics. Bacteria can be
good or bad. Bacteria that causes disease is called pathogenic bacteria.
Bacterial infections can be treated with antibiotics.
Viruses Viruses are smaller than bacteria. They can only be seen with a special
microscope. Viruses need a body to live in and multiply. A virus lives in
the cell of a living plant, animal or person. Viruses are able to move
and infect other cells. This is how a virus grows and spreads. Viral
infections tend to be more severe and are harder to treat. They do
not respond to antibiotics.
Fungi Fungi are present in the air, water and soil. Very few cause infections.
Some of these organisms are present all around us, and in normal
numbers do not cause infection.

Other organisms, such as the flu virus, are highly contagious. This means they can spread very easily
from one person to another. You don’t have to be in contact with the virus for very long to catch it
and get sick. Most people have an immune system that helps to prevent infections. Your immune
system is your natural defence against illness. However, as people get older their immune system is
less effective due to the ageing process. The older person may be less able to fight infection. They
may get sicker and take longer to get better.
How infection can happen
Infection can occur in a number ways including through:
 Body fluids, such as blood, tears, saliva, urine, faeces and semen, which can contain harmful
viruses, diseases and organisms
 Objects that have come into contact with viruses, diseases and organisms
 Food and drink that has come into contact with viruses, diseases and organisms
 Flies or other insect bites
 Linen with body fluids on it, including blood, tears, saliva, urine, faeces and semen
 Clients, residents, visitors or staff with infectious diseases such as influenza (the flu).
Chain of Infection
Development of an infection occurs in a process known as a chain of infection (sometimes referred to as
cross infection).
For infection to occur, micro-organisms must:
 Enter the body
 Grow and multiply
 Cause a response.
The six links to the Chain of infection are shown in the diagram below:

The development of an infection is dependent upon an uninterrupted process, referred to as chain
of infection.
This process is dependent upon the following elements:
1. Pathogens in sufficient numbers,
2. A reservoir for pathogen growth,
3. A portal of exit from the reservoir,
4. A mode of transmission,
5. A portal of entry to the host, and,
6. A susceptible host.
This chain of infection can be broken by infection control measures implemented by health care
workers. The chain of infection as illustrated below provides examples of the ways in which
pathogenic microorganisms are transmitted from person to person. For example, an infection may
occur when a person is exposed to a reservoir of a potential pathogen. The pathogen may gain
entry to the human body to cause an infection.
The six links to the chain of infection are as follows:
1. (Causative agent): Causative agents in infection are pathogens. Pathogens are micro-
organisms that are capable of causing diseases or infections. If micro-organisms from a person's
own body cause an infection, it is called an endogenous infection. If a micro-organism derived
from sources outside a person's own body causes an infection, it is called an exogenous infection.
2. A reservoir for pathogen growth :A reservoir is any person, animal, arthropod, plant, soil,
or substance (or combination of these) in which an infectious agent normally lives and multiplies,
on which it depends primarily for survival, and where it reproduces itself in such manner that it
can be transmitted to a susceptible host.
 Animate reservoirs include people, insects, birds, and other animals.
 Inanimate reservoirs include soil, water, food, faeces, intravenous fluid and equipment.
3. A portal of exit from the reservoir: A portal of exit is the site from where micro-organisms
leave the host to enter another host and cause disease/infection. For example, a micro-organism
may leave the reservoir through the nose or mouth when someone sneezes or coughs, or in
faeces.
4. A mode of transmission: A method of transmission is the movement or the transmission of
pathogens from a reservoir to a susceptible host. Once a pathogen has exited the reservoir, it
needs a mode of transmission to the host through a portal of entry. Transmission can be by
direct or indirect contact or through airborne transmission.
Direct contact is person-to-person transmission of pathogens through touching, biting, kissing,
or sexual intercourse. Microorganisms can also be expelled from the body by coughing, sneezing
or talking. The organisms travel in droplets over less than 1 metre in distance and are inhaled by
a susceptible host.
Indirect contact includes both vehicle-borne and vector-borne contact. A vehicle is an
inanimate go-between, an intermediary between the portal of exit from the reservoir and the
portal of entry to the host. Inanimate objects such as handkerchiefs and tissues, soiled laundry,
and surgical instruments and dressings are common vehicles that can transmit infection.

5. A portal of entry to the host: A portal of entry is the site through which micro-organisms
enter the susceptible host and cause disease/infection. Infectious agents enter the body through
various portals, including the mucous membranes, the skin, the respiratory and the
gastrointestinal tracts. Pathogens often enter the body of the host through the same route they
exited the reservoir; for example, airborne pathogens from one persons sneeze can enter
through the nose of another person.
The skin normally serves as a barrier to infection. However, any break in the skin invites the
entrance of pathogens, such as tubes placed in body cavities (catheters) or punctures produced
by invasive procedures (needles, IV).
6. A susceptible host: The host (also called the susceptible host) is the human body: someone
who is at the risk of infection. Infections do not necessarily occur when pathogens enter the
body of the person whose immune system is functioning normally. Whether or not a pathogen
will result in infection depends upon several factors related to the host (the person exposed),
the pathogen itself, and the environment.
Ways to break the Chain of Infection:
This chain of infection can be broken by infection control measures implemented by health care
workers.
 Immunization against infectious diseases
 Early diagnosis of infectious diseases
 Isolation of persons suffering from infectious diseases
 Collection and disposal of waste in communities
 Provision of a pure water supply
 Adequate drainage and sewerage facilities
 Standard precautions
 Additional precautions.

Types of infection risks
Bacteria, viruses and other micro-organisms can enter the body in several ways.
They can enter through the:
 Mucous membrane – the moist lining of the orifices (holes) of the body; for example, the nose,
mouth, eyes, anus, genitals
 Nasal passages in the nose and lungs during the act of breathing
 Mouth into the throat, stomach and digestive system
 Skin by needle puncture, cut or graze
 Bacteria, viruses and other micro-organisms leave the body the same way. They can then be
passed on to others and infect them.
How people are infected
Support workers, clients and other staff may be exposed to infection during personal care tasks,
when handling food or soiled clothing or linen or by just being near people with infections.
Personal care tasks
When performing personal care tasks, the risk of infection increases because the support worker is
in closer contact with the client and at risk of being exposed to body fluids or other infectious
material.
For example, you may need to:
 Assist a client who has the flu and is coughing continuously
 Change the bed linen of a client who has an infectious skin disease
 Assist a client with a salmonella infection with their bowel movements
 Assist a client with a nosebleed and you have broken skin.
Another example of where you may be exposed to infection is if you fail to use, or use in the wrong
way, personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves or waterproof aprons.
Food handling
There is a risk of infection from food because food may have unsafe levels of bacteria. It may also be
because an infected person has handled the food and infected it.
When preparing or serving food, there are some steps that you should follow:
 Wash your hands correctly
 If you have a cut, you need to have it covered by a bandaid
 If you are touching food, you need to wear gloves; for example, if you are preparing sandwiches
 If you have a cold you should not be handling food
 You should always wear an apron
 You should always use clean utensils
 Food must be stored at the correct temperature because bacteria may multiply and cause
infection – hot food should be kept hot and cold food should be kept cold.
Linen: Soiled linen (with excess contaminant, eg: faeces removed, as per organisational procedures)
is discarded into linen bags which, when two-thirds to three-quarters full must be securely tied for
transport. Any linen bags likely to leak blood or body fluid must be contained by a clear plastic bag
and secured prior to transport. Alternatively waterproof linen bags should be used. All used linen is
considered contaminated therefore minimal handling is recommended.

Whether linen and laundry services are handled ‘in-house’, or externally, the procedure
should include:
 Sorting
 Transporting and storing sterile and soiled linen separately
 Putting linen in an appropriate container at the point of waste generation
 Ensuring bags are not overfilled to prevent possibility of incomplete closure or bags splitting or
tearing removing linen from patient/client care areas before sorting or rinsing.
Clean linen is easily contaminated by:
 Moisture, dust, insects and vermin during processing, transportation and storage
 Contact with unclean environmental surfaces
 Contact with soiled linen.
Handling soiled linen
Linen from beds, bathrooms and clothing can be infectious. Every piece of used linen and clothing
you handle should be treated as infectious. You must wear PPE when handling these items such as
disposable gloves. Your workplace will have policies and procedures that explain how to handle used
linen and clothes.
When changing bed linen and clothing, there are steps you need to follow:
 The linen should be put directly into a linen skip (or bin)
 Infectious linen should go into a specially marked skip so it can be identified at the laundry and
washed appropriately
 Linen contaminated with body fluids needs to go into a specially marked skip
 Hold soiled linen away from your body – do not hug the soiled linen
 Do not put soiled linen on the floor
 Do not shake linen when making the bed – this can spread micro-organisms.
People with infections: Being with people who are infectious increases your risk of infection. For
example, if someone who has a cold or the flu coughs or sneezes on you, their infection might pass
to you. If a person who has a skin infection holds your hand when you have an uncovered cut, their
infection might be passed to you.
Environmental controls: Routine procedures for the care and cleaning of environmental surfaces,
beds, equipment and frequently touched surfaces must be followed. A neutral detergent is the
cleaning solution of choice for environmental surfaces. The room and bedside equipment of clients
on additional precautions are cleaned, adopting the same procedures used for clients on standard
precautions. Extra cleaning may be necessary in the presence of some micro-organisms. Consult
your Infection Control personnel for advice.
Identifying other sources of infection
The following table describes other sources of infection.
House Mould in houses may trigger asthma
Fridge Salmonella from refrigerated food stored for too

long
Toilet Hepatitis from faeces
Laundry Skin infection from bacteria
Pantry Nausea caused by cockroaches

Food left out of fridge Salmonella from poor food storage
Food scraps not put in bin Mould and other infections from food scraps
Poor hygiene such as dirty clothing or skin Skin infection such as tinea or scabies
Unclean pets Dog bites may cause infection

Dogs and cats may pass on fleas whose bites can
become infected

Common Infections
INFECTION HOW THE INFECTION IS TRANSMITTED
Tinea: is a fungal infection that is highly infectious. Tinea is transmitted by direct contact; for example, if a
It forms in the warm, moist parts of the body such person has tinea of the feet and another person uses
as the groin and under the breasts. It is also known the same shower, they have a high risk of getting tinea.
as ringworm, although there are no worms present
Influenza (the flu): is caused by a highly Influenza is transmitted by breathing the same air as
contagious virus. someone who is infected. For example, if someone with
the flu coughs near you, you have a high risk of getting
the flu.
Pneumonia: is a lung infection caused by a virus Pneumonia is common in people who are not very
or bacteria. Pneumonia can strike suddenly or mobile due to illness or disability. It is not always
gradually. With appropriate treatment, it takes infectious
about seven to 10 days to cure.
Gastroenteritis: is an illness triggered by an Eating contaminated food causes gastroenteritis. Food is

infection of the digestive system. Typical symptoms usually contaminated by poor food handling techniques
include abdominal cramps, diarrhoea and vomiting.
Viruses, bacteria, bacterial toxins and parasites are
the common causes of gastroenteritis.
Urinary tract infection: is an infection of the Urinary tract infections are common in people who
urine. Cystitis is the most common urinary tract drink less water. They are not usually transmitted to
infection (UTI), particularly in women. It isn’t other people. A support worker who has a cut hand
dangerous or contagious. and does not wear gloves may get a skin infection from
the infected urine.
Herpes Zoster (shingles): is a skin rash that Shingles is highly contagious and can be contracted by
causes pain and blistering. Shingles can affect any touching the lesions (wounds) without gloves or by
part of the body, including the face. touching the clothes and bed linen of an infected
person. Shingles can be spread when a person comes
into contact with fluid contained in the blisters.
Scabies: is caused by a mite that lays eggs under Scabies is highly contagious and can be contracted by
the skin, causing itchiness. New insects hatch from touching the clothes and bed linen of an infected
the eggs and can be spread to other parts of the person. It occasionally occurs in nursing homes and
skin by scratching. hostels
Hepatitis A, B and C HIV is transmitted by body fluids into the bloodstream.
Hepatitis A is a viral disease that affects the liver. It It can be caused by sexual intercourse, sharing needles
is transmitted through contact with food, drink or and blood transfusions (transmission during blood
objects contaminated by the faeces of an infected transfusions is not common with modern blood
person. screening methods).
Hepatitis B is a serious viral infection that causes
liver inflammation. It is passed on through sexual
intercourse and needle sharing. You can be
immunised against hepatitis B.
Hepatitis C is a virus that causes inflammation of the
liver. It is also transmitted through sharing needles,
syringes and other equipment during drug use.
There is no cure for hepatitis C and you cannot be
immunised against it.

Risk assessment and management
The Victorian Workplace (WH&S) Act 2004 makes risk assessment mandatory for all activities that
could result in harm to employees, visitors and clients. Infection control is no different to manual
handling or security in the health setting. This means that facilities need to identify activities that put
patients and staff at risk, significant infectious agents and potential routes of transmission. Using the
Hierarchy of Control system it is the responsibility of the health service (and its employees) to
institute measures to maximize infection control. This plan in Victoria Health facilities is known as
the Infection Control Risk Management Plan. Each identified risk should be managed according to the
level of risk.
This may be achieved by:
1. Elimination of the hazard Best
2. Modification of procedures and practices
3. Engineering controls
4. Monitoring compliance with safe work practices
5. Provision of training
6. Provision of personal protective equipment . Worst
Evaluation
For ongoing success with risk management it is important to evaluate any strategies that are
implemented to control contamination. Maintaining staff awareness with education and consultation
and facility or organisational management actively responding to reports of risks and incidents needs
to be ongoing.

Nine
Identifying risks of infection and report them according to workplace procedures
1. List the six (6) elements required for infection to occur.
2. Name three (3) types of organisms which can cause infection.
3. Describe the conditions that encourage the growth of pathogens.

4. What does mode of transmission mean and how can it take place?
5. Identify three (3) ways that the chain of infection can be broken.
Case study
Evelyn is a receptionist at a busy local community clinic. All types of health professionals work at this
clinic on a visiting basis. One day, Bernie, the community nurse asks Rachel to bring Mrs Wilkes into
the treatment room with her patient records.
The records are always kept on a special desk in the treatment room. During treatment Bernie
places some soiled gauze on a treatment tray. Evelyn at the desk notices a letter that should be in
Mrs Wilkes records. Evelyn brings in the letter for Bernie and puts it on top of the gauze on the
treatment tray and asks Bernie to file it with the other notes after treatment.
6. What has happened to breach infection control guidelines in this case?

7. What is the possible outcome from this event?
Applying additional precautions when standard precautions alone may not be sufficient
to prevent transmission of infection
8. When would you instigate the use of additional precautions?
9. List two airborne conditions that would require additional precautions.

10. List two conditions that may produce a droplet that would require Additional Precautions.
11. Name two ways that an aged care worker could transmit an infection through either direct, or
non- direct transmission.
12. Make a list of 5 common infectious diseases that you can think of. What way are they spread?

Element 4: Contribute to safe work practices in the workplace
Workers who actually do the job must be involved in the development of safe work practices and
procedures. They are the ones who know the tasks; they can provide the best information. If those
who carry out the work are not involved, there is a chance the safe work practices and procedures
will not reflect “real life” in the workplace. And if this is the case, workers will be reluctant to follow
the written practices and procedures.
Employers need to assess the knowledge, skill and experience of their workers as a means of
deciding who should be responsible for developing safe work practices and procedures. For
example, in a small workplace, the employer may take on this responsibility; in a larger workplace,
there may be an WHS coordinator who is responsible; other employers may hire an outside
consultant to help them; while still others may delegate the responsibility to groups of workers who
do specific jobs in the workplace.
Implementing safe work practices and procedures would include:
 A communication plan to inform workers
 A training plan - who needs training, how much training is needed, how must time is required for
training
 An orientation plan for new workers, for workers who change jobs, and for workers returning
to the workplace after an extended absence
 A process for ensuring compliance
 A procedure for reviewing all safe work practices and procedures.

Raising WHS issues with designated persons according to
organisational procedures
Individuals and groups in any workplace have an important role in raising WHS issues or requesting
health and safety information and data. Both employers and employees may initiate these actions.
Employers have a legal responsibility under WHS Act 2011 to provide a safe and healthy workplace
and to inform workers about any risks that may be present in carrying out their jobs..
On the other hand, employees are also responsible for raising WHS issues or requesting information
or data that is relevant to their workplace. For example, a laboratory worker who has noticed that
the extraction fan in the fume hood isn’t working should raise this WHS issue with their supervisor,
or organise maintenance and tag the equipment to alert others to the fault. An employee may
request further training or WHS information from their employer.
On the other hand, their expertise may allow them to recommend to their supervisor, or employer
a safer or more effective way of managing risks. For example, a kitchen hand browsing in a catering
supply company noticed a new slip-in cuff product that could be worn over the hands to reduce the
risks in handling hot cooking pots. This WHS idea was conveyed to management. This exchange of
information is the essence of workplace WHS consultation.
You have a right be provided with the opportunity to raise workplace health and safety issues
personally or through your workplace health and safety representative or committee. Consultation
is a two-way process, sharing information and seeking advice from others, and considering others'
views in reaching decisions.
In safety matters, you as the worker may be the expert on the potential hazards in your job. As a
result you may have valid suggestions to minimise the risk of injury or complete the task more
efficiently. Regardless of the formal representation arrangements, every worker has the right and
responsibility to participate in consultation on workplace health and safety issues. All employees’
input must be valued and encouraged regardless of which consultation method we use. There are
many opportunities to be involved, formally and informally, in the consultative process.
However successful consultation requires:
 Regular opportunities for employees to have input
 A non-threatening environment
 No discrimination as a result of employee input
 A positive workplace culture about collaborative problem solving
 Management representatives who listen and act on agreed solutions
 Employees who are willing to change work practices when necessary.
Those involved in WHS consultative arrangements need support, such as access to external advice
from WHS consultants or WorkCover representatives, interpreter or counselling services, and
guidance about conflict resolution. This should be formally organised and clearly understood by all
stakeholders.
Ways of providing assistance to workgroup members so that they can contribute to
workplace safety include:
 Specific training
 Information sessions
 Face to face discussions
 Email communication
 Meetings
 Demonstration.

The roles and responsibilities of Health and Safety Representatives
(HSRs) and Health and Safety Committees (HSCs)
A work group is the group of people represented by the HSR. This could be a specific department,
shift (e.g. day/night shift), location or type of worker. Work groups are determined by negotiation
between the PCBU and workers (and their representative if required).
Health and Safety Representative (HSR)
Under the new Health and Safety Act 2011 the role of Health and safety representative (HSRs) were
introduced. HSRs play an important role in representing the health and safety interest of workers in
a work group by providing an avenue for workers in a workgroup to raise any health and safety
issues. They achieve this by facilitating a flow of information about health and safety between the
PCBU and the workers in a work group. HSRs provide benefits to all workers in a workgroup and
PCBU by fostering consultation which is mandatory under the new WHS Act 2011. PCBU must
notify Workcover of its HSRs.
The powers and functions of an HSR are to:
 Represent workers in a workgroup on workplace health and safety matters
 Monitor WHS actions taken by the PBU
 Investigate WHS complaints from workers of the work group
 Look into anything that might be a risk to the WHS of the workers they represent
 To raise health and safety issues with the PBU.
Training requirements:
The PCBU must, if requested by a HSR, allow the HSR to attend a course:
 Approved by the regulator
 That the HSR is entitled to attend under the regulations
 Chosen by the HSR in consultation with the PCBU.
If an agreement on training is not reached an inspector can be requested to assist and the decision
must be complied with. Attendance at training is to be within 3 months of the request.
Investigation of complaints
The HSR has broad powers for the purposes of promoting or ensuring the health and safety at work
of the workers in the work group, including the investigation of complaints.

Benefits of HSR complaint investigation include:
 Identification of potential/actual hazards
 Improve work environment
 Improve morale
 Increased consultation
 Identify training needs
 Revise outdated methods
 Encourages involvement in safety performance
 Improves safety culture.
Investigation Process
Informal approach
The HSR will need to speak with the person who raised the complaint directly and then consult on
the issue with the PCBU. If the issue cannot be resolved a formal process will need to be
commenced.
Formal approach
The formal approach needs to be planned outlining the objectives of the investigation. The HSR will
need to speak with all persons concerned on the issue and document all findings. A workplace
inspection may need to be undertaken.
Investigation procedure
 Understand the complaint
 Talking with workgroup
 Research the complaint- sources of information may include:
 Unions
 Regulator (WorkCover)
 Industry bodies
 SafeWork Australia
 Manufacturers and suppliers
 Analyse the information collected
 Develop a strategy to move forward with complaint/issue
Talking with workgroup members
 Put person at ease
 Interview in safe and secure neutral location
 Actively listen
 Explain organisational consultation procedure
 Be open and honest
 Ask open questions.

Health and Safety Committees
Under the new Workplace Health and Safety Bill 2011 PCBU must establish a HSC where requested
to do so by the HSR, or a minimum of 5 or more workers at the workplace or at the PCBU’s own
initiative. The HSR can be a member of the HSC if they consent.
The key functions of the (HSC) Health and Safety Committee are to:
 Facilitate co-operation between the PCBU and workers in instigating, developing and carrying
out measures designed to ensure the workers' health and safety at work
 To assist in developing standards, rules and procedures relating to health and safety that are to
be followed or complied with at the workplace
 Other functions under the regulation or agreed to between the PCBU and the HSC.
Health and safety committees can be formed at the request of the employees at the workplace, or
an employer can organise to help form one. Committees are a forum of management and employees
to discuss and develop policies, procedures and matters relating to health and safety. At least half of
the Committee members are to be employee representatives. Committees must meet at least every
three months. Each State and Territory has different requirements for Health and Safety
committees.
The committee member shall:
 Attend meetings as scheduled
 Prepare for meetings by reading circulated material prior to the meeting
 Consult with other employees prior to any meeting and report the results of the meeting to
employees.
 Communicate concerns which may affect policies and procedures
 Set an example and promote WHS in the workplace
 Be interested and motivated to take an active role in the committee and in implementing actions
in the workplace
 Participate in the development, implementation and monitoring of the WHS management system
 Assess and monitor WHS priorities
 Assist in resolving WHS issues referred to the committee.

Health and safety inspectors
Each state or territory uses the WHS Act to appoint inspectors to help make sure WHS laws are
followed. Inspectors are a little like police officer, appointed specifically to deal with workplaces.
Inspectors have a wide range of powers to help them do their job, including the ability to enter
workplaces, interview people, and investigate workplace accidents. Inspectors are a good source of
advice and are able to help workplaces in improving safety. They can provide an independent opinion
that can be very useful if people in the workplace cannot agree on a safety issue. If needed, an
Inspector can also enforce the WHS Act by instructing that a safety problem is fixed, or ordering a
stop to activities that might cause serious harm.
Officer of (PCBU) Persons conducting a business or undertaking
An officer is a person within the PCBU that makes or participates in making decisions that affect the
whole or a significant part of the organisation. Examples include a director or secretary of a
company. The full definition of an ‘officer’ can be found in section 9 of the Corporations Act 2001.
People within the Crown or a public authority who make decisions that affect the whole or a
significant part of the Crown or public authority are also considered officers. A worker under the
WHS Act is anyone carrying out work, in any capacity, for a PCBU.
This includes:
 Direct employees
 Contractors and subcontractors, and their employees;
 Labour hire employees engaged to work in the business or undertaking
 Outworkers
 Apprentices, trainees and students on work experience; and volunteers.
WHS Entry Permit Holders
A WHS entry permit holder may enter a workplace for the purpose of inquiring into a suspected
contravention of WHS Act that relates to, or affects, a relevant worker. The WHS entry permit
holder must reasonably suspect before entering the workplace that the contravention has occurred
or is occurring.

For the purposes of the inquiry into the suspected contravention, the WHS entry
permit holder may enter any workplace for the purpose of inspecting, or making copies
of:
 Employee records that are directly relevant to a suspected contravention; or
 Other documents that are directly relevant to a suspected contravention and that are not held
by the relevant PCBU.
Before doing so, the WHS entry permit holder must give notice of the proposed entry to the
person from whom the documents are requested and the relevant PCBU. The notice must be given
during usual working hours at that workplace at least 24 hours, but not more than 14 days, before
the entry. Note: The use or disclosure of personal information obtained under this section is
regulated under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cwlth).
Functions and powers of Inspectors
WorkCover inspectors have a greater role under the WHS Act in advising and
supporting workplaces and can:
 Provide advice about work health and safety matters
 Assist in the negotiation of consultation arrangements
 Assist in resolving work health and safety issues and relevant access/right of entry issues
including anonymous complaints
 Require compliance with the WHS Act through issuing notices
 Review of Provisional Improvement Notices (PINs); and
 Investigate breaches of the law and assist in prosecutions.
Inspector powers
An inspector can require a person to give assistance, answer questions and provide information or
documents. This must be complied with even if it means the person incriminates them self, or may
be liable to a penalty. However, the answers, information and documents provided are not
admissible in either criminal or civil proceedings (except where the answers are false or
misleading).A person may be required by an inspector to provide their name and residential address.
Prosecutions and Unions
Unions have retained the right to prosecute certain WHS offences in NSW. Proceedings for an
offence against the WHS Act in NSW can be brought by: Workcover, or an inspector with the
written authorisation of the Workcover. Or the unions, for a Category 3 offence; or a Category 1
or Category 2 offence where the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has identified a breach and
Workcover has elected not to commence proceedings.

Ten
Raising WHS issues with designated persons according to organisational procedures
1. Outline the obligation placed on the employer to resolve a WHS matter.
2. Outline a strategy you could use to determine the procedural responsiveness to WHS issues
raised by the workgroup.

3. Carry out research on the function of (HSR) Health and Safety Representatives and committees
and access information from your organisation’s policies and procedures, the WH&S Act by
searching the internet.
After reviewing this information, provide a summary of the:
a) Functions of (HSR) Health and Safety Representatives.
b) Functions of (HSC) Health and Safety Committees.

Participating in workplace safety meetings, inspections and
consultative activities
Employers must consult employees about health and safety at work. Workers’ detailed knowledge of
the practicalities of the job gives them a firsthand understanding of the risks they face, and often they
can see safer ways of doing the job. Therefore they can make a valuable contribution to making the
workplace safer and healthier for themselves and others employed by the same organisation.
Moreover, if workers are consulted about how to make the work safer, they are more likely to co-
operate with arrangements made to prevent accidents and work-related disease.
Example of a consultative approach to WHS
A worker has suffered a serious injury. Investigations into the incident need to be completed and
details recorded by the appropriate officials. The potential hazard had been raised previously with
management, but action had not been taken. Possibly for this reason, management seems reluctant
to include staff in the investigation, or to accede to staff requests to be involved in the review of
practices. Staff members are aware of their right to consultation, and insisted that they be involved
in investigations and review of practices.
Employer’s obligations to employees regarding consultation on WHS matters
Employers have a general duty of care to their employees at work, as well as to contractors and
third parties in certain circumstances. To discharge this duty of care, employers must develop
written health and safety management arrangements (HSMAs) in consultation with their employees.
Employees can be represented by another employee, or by an employee representative.
Consultation allows employers to learn about hazards and other issues that their workers are
experiencing. Employees often provide the most helpful information about hazards in their area of
work because they know their job well.

Consultation between employers and employees produces benefits because:
 It is evidence of the employer’s commitment to health and safety
 Employees are more likely to become involved in WHS issues if they are given the chance to
participate and contribute
 It allows the formation of more ideas and suggestions towards better WHS procedures
 It gives the employees a personal investment in WHS
 It increase awareness of health and safety issues
 Improved communication can improve workplace relationships and provide early warnings of
problems
 Discussion can lead everyone to appreciate the views and experience of other people; – this can
help solve problems in the workplace
 Consultation elicits responses from, and the involvement of, those who will be most affected by
the standard of health and safety in the workplace
 Employees have valuable skills and knowledge that can be used to improve workplace health and
safety
 Employees feel their contribution is valued, so their work is more satisfying.
As we have seen, WHS is the responsibility of everyone in the workplace. As such it is essential that
everyone have the ability to contribute to polices, decisions and changes that relate to WHS.
Benefits of consultation
Consultation involves co-operation and feedback between the employer and the employees
(including unions).
Ideally, effective consultation should bring the following benefits:
 Employees are often ideally placed to monitor and provide feedback on control safety measures
introduced
 Employee awareness of WHS can be reflected on to the job with an increased awareness of
their own safety and the safety of others within their work environment
 Cooperation and commitment of employees is essential for the success of any WHS program.
Cooperation and commitment are enhanced through consultation as employees have ownership
in the WHS programs developed and implemented
 Consultation increases employee skills and willingness to identify workplace hazards, assess the
level risk and suggest appropriate control measures. This can increase employee morale and job
satisfaction as their views are valued and taken into account.
 Employee participation provides valuable input into the development, review and quality
improvement of WHS reporting and recording systems, organisational WHS policies and
procedures
 Employee participation promotes a safe system of work.
Although management retains the decision making power in this process, employees are in a good
position to provide feedback on work methods, procedures and practices. They are usually aware of
minor workplace incidents and other problems, for example, where short cuts are used to speed up
work processes. Such information can lead to continuous improvement, with better decisions being
made when identifying, assessing and controlling workplace health and safety risks.

Consultation mechanisms
Consultation mechanisms used within workplaces include:
Management meetings: HS needs to be discussed and acted on at these meetings
WHS Committees: where representatives of employees and management regularly meet to
discuss and recommend WHS action.
WHS representatives: who fulfil the role of WHS committees in smaller workplaces
Team/Unit meetings:ften informal, meetings held within a Unit/Team when a need arises. These
meetings can be used for discussion of issues and to provide information about safety issues. Good
management is placing WHS on the agenda for each meeting.
Employee feedback: Use employee surveys and suggestions boxes to let management know what
is happening and to give feedback.
Information provision: give feedback and provide WHS information to employees through flyers,
circulars, website or intra-net pages, notice boards and video announcements.
Once a consultative mechanism is established, the next step is to have agreed procedures for its
operation.
This could include procedures for:
 Meeting protocols
 Communication within the workplace
 Functions and roles of the employees involved
 The training of employees involved in consultation
 Resolving WHS issues and disputes
 Role of the union
 Any other matter that may be necessary.
Formal consultative processes
Key changes from current WHS legislation
Wider duties for consultation and greater powers are given under consultation arrangements in the
WHS Act.
Key changes include:
 Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) and deputy HSRs with their role focused on resolving
specific work health and safety issues for their workgroup
 Health and Safety Committees –a change in their current role to one as the forum for
consultation on the management of health and safety across the whole workforce; consultation,
co-operation and co-ordination between duty holders.
Consultation involving:
 Multiple-business work groups
 The role of WHS entry permit holders (union representatives)
 Resolution process requirements
 Issuing of Provisional Improvement Notices (PINs) and directing unsafe work to cease by trained
HSRs
 Ceasing unsafe work by workers; and
 Terms of office and training for HSRs, HSC members and WHS entry permit holders.

Consultation and risk management
To participate constructively in the consultative process for managing WHS, employees need
information and training on work hazards they may face, and in relevant strategies for protecting
health and safety. Without this information and training, workers will not be able to play an effective
role in identifying, assessing and controlling WHS risks.
They also need to be given information on the employer’s duty of care in maintaining a working
environment and work practices which do not present risks to workers’ health or safety. Another
important pre-requisite for participation in consultative procedures is that workers must be assured
that they will not be dismissed or otherwise disadvantaged by exercising their functions as WHS
representatives or committee members, or for reporting health and safety problems to their
supervisors.
Consultation action and feedback
To ensure the ongoing effectiveness of consultative arrangements employees must receive feedback
to the issues they raise and the suggestions they make. If this doesn’t happen, the whole process can
lose credibility and lead to a reduction in commitment to the consultative arrangements.
For effective consultation, it is essential that:
 Relevant information is shared
 Employees have the opportunity to express their views, and
 The employer takes those views into account.
Raising issues at meetings
It’s often hard to raise your voice and make yourself heard in meetings. Often people are too shy to
make any suggestions. But you should understand that even the newest member of the team may
have something important to say — often looking at existing problems through new eyes.
When speaking at meetings it is important to:
 Think before you speak
 State your opinion clearly and give reasons
 Offer suggestions.
Statements to avoid
 ‘I don’t know anything about this.’ If possible find out what meetings are about before you attend
and think about the issues which will be discussed.
 ‘I don’t agree with any of that!’ You need to say what you do and don’t agree with and why.
Listen carefully to the views expressed by others.
 ‘That’s my opinion and I’m not changing it.’ First, listen openly to what others have to say
 ‘I don’t want to say anything. I’ll just go along with what everyone else thinks.’ The group will
find it much easier to reach a decision if everyone says what they think.
 All individuals within the workplace need to be accountable for actions and events, and
contribute to monitoring, reviewing and maintaining OHS processes.

Meeting process
The agenda
The agenda is generally put together, prior to the meeting, by whoever has called the meeting. It
should be made available to all group members within an appropriate timeframe prior to the
meeting, so that everyone is prepared for what is going to be discussed, so all members have an
opportunity to add their own items.
The agenda is a working plan. It gives the meeting focus. It allows you to:
 Consider how to address each of the items
 Gather the necessary information
 Consider who should address each item
 Plan how much time to allocate to each item
 Think about issues which might arise from agenda items and strategies for dealing with them.
Agenda items should be specific and task-focused. This will help to ensure that the meeting remains
likewise.
The planning process
A planning checklist may include: purpose, participants, agenda, time, physical arrangements, and
preparation for addressing the agenda items, group roles, action and evaluation. These items are
detailed as follows:
Purpose:
What are we meeting for?
Participants:
 Who needs to be there?
 Who is responsible for contacting them?
Agenda:
 What items do we know must be on the agenda?
 What is the order of priority for addressing them?
 Who is responsible for distributing the agenda to all group members?
 Have all group members had the opportunity to contribute to the agenda?
Time:
 How much time is the meeting likely to take?
 In view of this, what is the best time to hold it?
 How much time should be allocated to each agenda item (to be negotiated with group members
at the commencement of the meeting)?

Physical arrangements:
 What is the best venue?
 Who is booking it?
 What other technical tools might be needed, e.g.: audiovisual, whiteboard, etc?
 What seating arrangements will be most appropriate?
 Are there tea and coffee facilities? Who is organising refreshments?
 How should the room be organised? By whom?
Preparation for addressing agenda items:
 What information might be required?
 Is any further research necessary?
 What might be useful to have copies of (e.g.: documentation, new information brochures, and
relevant research materials). Who is responsible for organising this?
Group roles:
 Who is chairing?
 Taking minutes?
 Keeping time?
 Facilitating discussion?
 Presenting key information?
Action:
Is there any action you know that will result from the meeting that could be addressed now? Who
needs to do this?
Evaluation:
 What form will evaluation take?
 What form will evaluation take?
 Do evaluation forms need to be compiled? Copied?
 Who is responsible?
The meeting process
Introduction: How you begin a meeting depends on:
 Whether you have worked as a group before
 Whether group members are familiar with each other
 Whether all group members are from the same organisation, or whether some background
information is required from individual members regarding their organisation and their role
 Whether the group will be meeting on a regular basis, or whether it is only performing a one-off
function.

A format for beginning a meeting might look like this:
 Make people feel welcome, and ensure that all members are recognised for their role and
contribution to the group
 Create a relaxed atmosphere (through your own example) to encourage participation
 Be punctual – this shows respect for the time people have committed, and consideration for the
other constraints under which everybody is operating
 Get on with it – don’t leave things drifting for too long – set a tone for focus and productivity
 Introduce what you hope to achieve through the meeting
 Confirm agenda items, and negotiate time frames
 Seek further agenda items and negotiate priorities
 Confirm group roles.
The main body The majority of time in most meeting forums is devoted to the following tasks:
Information dissemination We disseminate information in order to gain a clearer understanding
of something. Gathering information helps us to determine solutions and plan concrete action. It
helps us to make informed choices. Gathering a broad base of information gives us the opportunity
to consider the ‘bigger picture’, and to consider a wide range of options for acting on that
information. It protects the group from acting out of ignorance or misconception. It increases the
likelihood of forming new solutions, rather than repeating old (and possibly ineffectual) actions.
Discussion and problem solving
Open discussion encourages participation. It enables each member to contribute their own, unique
point of view. It facilitates the building of a comprehensive picture. If you are leading the discussion,
be aware of ways to encourage group participation. Consider some of the systems that might be
utilised in order to generate discussion:
Individual reporting: enables group members with specific knowledge or experience to present
their point of view. It enables people to research and prepare. It ensures that they can have their say
without interruption.
Brainstorming: involves contribution of ideas, however lateral, which at this stage are not
evaluated for merit or achievability. Brainstorming frees the group up – it encourages people to
contribute (because you can’t make a mistake with brainstorming), and it encourages people to be
creative – to ‘think outside of the square’. It can also be fun (and humorous), which is motivating,
and can help people to relate to each other more comfortably. Brainstorming frees up people’s
notions of ‘right’ and ‘wrong’. In the end, the ideas need to be critically evaluated, and either
rejected or taken up for further exploration, but you have in the process got the creative juices
flowing, and probably thought of a number of feasible solutions which may not have come up
otherwise.
Mind-mapping: individuals depict the problem, the related issues and questions, possible routes of
action and where they might lead, in a diagrammatic format. People then share their diagrams with
the group. Small groups (or the whole group if it is not large) can then combine their ideas to make
one composite map. Mind-mapping can help to clarify the situation or problem, and can assist the
group in thinking through the consequences of various courses of action. It can assist in organising
thoughts, and defining a problem, so that possible solutions are more readily apparent.

Making decisions
In order to make informed and practical decisions regarding action:
 The problem needs to be clearly defined
 All relevant information must be considered
 The consequences of the various courses of action must be analysed
 Constraints, in terms of resources, organisational policy, duty of care issues, personal costs,
political policy must be considered
 All points of view and the needs of all involved parties must be considered.
Reaching agreement regarding decision making requires:
 Negotiation
 Active listening
 Collaboration and consensus
 Discussion of possible compromises.
Closing the meeting
There should be a time of ‘summing up’ what has happened during the course of the meeting.
This should involve:
 Summarising the main points of discussion
 Summarising the decisions reached regarding action
 Making sure that group members are aware of their responsibilities
 Regarding agreed action
 Making sure that actions are concrete – that they clearly define the who, where, what and how
of what is going to happen
 Making sure that contingency plans have been set in place to support the planned action
 Setting a time for the next meeting, if this is appropriate
 Outlining what future meetings need to focus on evaluating the group process in a constructive
and positive way
 ‘Winding up’ – returning the group to its original, relaxed and friendly state – leaving things on a
positive note, so that everybody looks forward to the next opportunity to work together.

Eleven
Participate in workplace safety meetings, inspections and consultative activities
Ask your supervisor if you can attend a safety meeting or a staff meeting where a health and safety
issue is to be raised. If attending a meeting is inappropriate, discuss with your supervisor a past
health and safety issue that was raised and how it was resolved. Take notes on the issue and the
outcome of the discussion.

Workplace inspections
Workplace inspections help prevent injuries and illnesses. Through critical examination of the
workplace, inspections identify and record hazards for corrective action. Joint occupational health
and safety committees can help plan, conduct, report and monitor inspections. Regular workplace
inspections are an important part of the overall occupational health and safety program. As an
essential part of a health and safety program, workplaces should be inspected.
Inspections are important as they allow you to:
 Listen to the concerns of workers and supervisors
 Gain further understanding of jobs and tasks
 Identify existing and potential hazards
 Determine underlying causes of hazards
 Monitor hazard controls (personal protective equipment, engineering controls, policies,
procedures)
 Recommend corrective action.
Engineers, maintenance personnel, occupational hygienists, health and safety professionals,
supervisors or managers may be a part of the inspection team or they may be called upon to help
with certain aspects of the inspection, or to help explain equipment or processes. Large workplaces
may have more than one inspection team. The various teams can have separate areas to inspect.

Example of workplace inspection form
Inspection Location: __________________ Date of Inspection: __________________
Department/Areas Covered: __________ Time of Inspection: _____________
OBSERVATIONS FOR FUTURE FOLLOW-UP
REPEAT
ITEM AND HAZARD(S) PRIORITY RECOMMENDED RESPONSIBLE ACTION
ITEM DATE
LOCATION OBSERVED A/B/C ACTION PERSON TAKEN
Y/N
Copies to: _________________ Inspected by: ___________________

Contributing to the development and implementation of safe
workplace policies and procedures in own work area
Workplace health and safety processes in the workplace function best when all employees work
together to look after one another. It can’t be stressed enough, that practices, policies and
procedures related to WHS must be followed at all times, and not doing so is a breach of
responsibilities. There are processes that can be put in place to ensure everyone knows the correct
practices and procedures that are in line with organisational policy.
The two-person rule: When a potentially dangerous or hazardous task needs to be performed,
most safe work practices or procedures include guidance that at least two people must be present –
one undertaking the task, and an observer, guide or assistant to ensure safety is maintained. The
two-person rule should be applied when necessary; therefore, the resources (such as extra staff)
must be available to allow for this.
Safety monitors: Another process for ensuring conformity with safe work practices, policy and
procedures is for all staff to act as monitors for their colleagues and ensure they haven’t simply
forgotten to apply the correct practices. This involves being aware of what is going on around you
by observing your co-workers – particularly the new and junior members of staff. You can then
provide positive feedback when you see them implementing safe work practices, or remind them of
the correct practice or procedure for doing so. Most people will appreciate the reminder, as it is
their health and safety that may be at risk; while others may appreciate the information if they never
knew it in the first place.
Buddy systems: Developing workplace competency within a new environment that has different
task demands, takes time. ‘Classroom type’ training is very useful in providing opportunities to learn
about the theories that support the practice, but many practical tasks are best learned by doing
them. Having an experienced partner will support and facilitate on-the- job learning.
Actually performing a task, as opposed to hearing about it or reading about it, quickly cements
knowledge and promotes development of competency. For new employees, some of the WHS
concepts may be difficult to grasp, especially in a task-oriented environment, where human
resources may be stretched to the limit. This may be overcome by specific and appropriate training
and supervision, and by implementing a ‘buddy system’.
This system operates on the assumption that all new employees will be partnered by more
experienced employees, who can look out for them and guide them to implement safe work
practices. Adequate supervision is needed to support the ‘buddy system’. It is vital that experienced
staff with good mentoring skills and who have demonstrated competence in safe work practices are
partnered with new employees. Bear in mind, experienced employees need to have opportunities to
regularly update their skills too.

What can a buddy system look like?
A buddy system consists of pairing a new worker with someone more experienced. We will look at
what buddy systems look like, some concerns, how to establish one and revisit why they are useful.
A buddy system can look different for different environments, it could be:
 Working side by side, doing the same task
 A person who is a ‘point person’ for the new worker. The new worker can ask them questions
or ask to be shown how to correctly complete a task
 Work shadowing, where the ‘new’ worker observes and learns from a more experienced
worker.
How is a buddy system established?
To establish a buddy system, you could nominate staff or ask for volunteers. It is important that
buddies know what is expected of them – this could mean a new or amended job description, their
task must be clear. When a new employee starts, the manager would pair the new employee up with
a ‘compatible’ buddy. It is important to consider how comfortable they would feel with each other;
consider the pros and cons of male and female versus same sex matches, older people with younger
people versus same age partnerships (bear in mind, personalities have a big part to play, these are
just some points to consider). Monitoring the buddy system is important too. It would be worth
implementing a feedback system where if the system isn’t working, one or the other can try to
change that. The other point about monitoring is that after a short period of time, the new worker
may not need a buddy anymore.
Concerns
When nominated, there may be some concerns for workers, such as ‘What about my job, I’m
already too busy!’ or they may not think they’re skilled. To counter this, it would be useful to reduce
the load of either worker for a time so that any pressure to meet outcomes is removed and
adequate meaningful learning can take place. The concerns of ‘buddies’ should be monitored and
listened to; as this may affect the transition of new employees.
How does a buddy system benefit the development of WHS competency in staff?
The statistics for workplace injury of new workers are very high. The reason for this is that new
workers aren’t as familiar with the tasks and/or the workplace, processes and policies are different,
and this may cause confusion and errors. A buddy system ensures that the new worker is getting
trained properly in the task, procedures, processes and policy, and that they have someone to talk
to.

Twelve
Contributing to the development and implementation of safe workplace policies and
procedures in own work area
Read through the following case study. How could a buddy system encourage the development of
staff members’ WHS competency in relation to the issues highlighted in the case study?
Case study
Sue is a new employee in an aged care facility. On her first shift she is required to move a resident
using lifting equipment which she is not familiar with. The workload is heavy with manual handling
tasks and Sue is concerned about injury to herself or the resident. John is her “buddy” and is able to
explain step by step the correct use of equipment during the task. Sue feels confident to ask
questions and demonstrates to John what she has learnt from his instructions.

Element 5: Reflect on own safe work practices
Identifying ways to maintain currency of safe work practices in

regards to workplace systems, equipment and processes in own
work role
Keeping everyone informed
Maintaining an updated knowledge of WHS issues and procedures is essential in helping everyone in
a workplace be aware of and deal with WHS issues as they occur. Earlier in this guide, a variety of
methods of documenting and informing workers of workplace protocols and maintaining a safe
workplace were introduced. As well as being aware of WHS issues through specific training
procedures, programs and courses, compulsory safety inductions and report completions, workplace
consultation is an effective method of sharing and maintaining up-to-date knowledge with all staff,
including volunteers and work experience staff.
General workplace consultation may take the form of the following:
 Information sessions
 Safety committee reports
 Notice boards, and group emails.
Talking to colleagues you know are less experienced and less informed of WHS procedures is also a
useful way of sharing information and maintaining correct WHS procedures, as is having regular
work group discussions and meetings with the WHS representatives. Minutes from these meetings
can prove effective as an additional form of documentation available to everyone.
Maintaining a safe workplace can be achieved by:
 Reflecting on your own practices and those of others in the workplace in relation to workplace
health and safety management
 Considering the special needs of individuals or groups as appropriate
 Encouraging others to behave safely
 Exercising your rights and responsibilities as a worker
 Carrying out regular safety checks
 Maintaining workplace equipment and tools
 Providing workers with easy to understand information and training on how to do their job
safely
 Having an incident/injury reporting process
 Follow the instructions you have been given for workplace health and safety, e.g. Manual
handling, personal safety, and emergencies
 Help to constantly maintain a safe and healthy environment
 Assess hazards and reduce risks in all areas and locations you work in, e.g. Homes and
community facilities
 Help clients, visitors and others to comply with health and safety standards.
 Planning for emergencies like a fire, medical trauma or chemical leak.
You will also need to plan and schedule regular inspection and maintenance of your equipment,
including the safe storage of chemicals and equipment. Keeping workers informed of any changes and
providing training opportunities to them when anything new is introduced at work helps ensure the
ongoing safety of everyone.
Induction training
WHS induction is a process undertaken to ensure that everyone starting a new job has the
knowledge and skills necessary to do their work safely. Induction is by definition of a preliminary
nature and does not necessarily include providing and assessing all competency and skills training
necessary to undertake specific work activities. Procedures need to be established to provide the
three generally recognised components of health and safety induction – generic, site-specific and job-
specific. These three components are not necessarily conducted as discrete and separate processes.
 Generic induction: This component of induction training covers the general knowledge and
basic WHS skills which are relevant to the type of workplace and work activities
 Workplace specific induction: This component covers the necessary knowledge and skills to
commence work safely in a particular work environment. It should cover the organisation’s OHS
policy; basic safety rules and reporting requirements; the organisation’s risk identification,
assessment and control activities; and emergency procedures
 Job specific induction: This aims to provide the knowledge and skills necessary to perform a
specific work activity safely.

Thirteen
Identifying ways to maintain currency of safe work practices in regards to workplace
systems, equipment and processes in own work role
1. How would you describe your work environment? What are the physical elements that make it
up? How might these impact health and safety?
2. Is there any equipment, machinery or tools used in your workplace that requires training to
operate? Think about some of the health risks associated with supposedly ‘safe’ technologies
such as computers.
3. How do you ensure that jobs are safe? What training needs to be undertaken to make sure that
all work corresponds to protocols or legislative requirements?

Reflecting on own levels of stress and fatigue, and report to
designated persons according to workplace procedures
We all have and need stress in our lives. In the workplace we require sufficient levels of stress to
motivate performance. Too little or too much stress can be harmful. Risk assessments relating to
physical factors are more visible and easier to assess than those associated with psychological
factors. However, as has been stated, WHS legislation is intended to protect workers from both
physical and socio-psychological hazards. Excessive stress is both a psychological and physiological
phenomena.
Stressors
In a community service workplace there will be many stressors – associated with dealing with clients
and client issues – and many staff will be emotionally affected by their client/patients’ illnesses,
disabilities, traumas, needs or living conditions. In some cases staff will be part of or will observe
incidents that are extremely stressful.
Stressors might include:
 Family or marital problems
 Boredom
 Work pressures – over or under load of work – role ambiguity
 Fear of making mistakes
 Hazardous or uncomfortable working conditions
 Fear of change
 Unrealistic demands at work or home
 Socialising difficulties – loneliness
 Worry about children, money or health
 Constant noise
 Death of a loved one
 Illness
 New financial commitments – new job
 Moving house
 Winning or inheriting a large amount of money
 Marriage
 A car accident
 Even a change in eating habits.
If we perceive the level of stress or pressure affecting us as unbalanced – too high or too low – our
performance will be adversely affected and reactions or behaviours might cause dysfunction. These
might manifest as anger, aggression, withdrawal or physical illness.
Excess stress can cause anxiety and depression, which, in turn, can create situations where people
find it difficult to act and react normally, and to solve problems with which they are faced. Problems
and decision making also are a normal part of everyday life. In order to act at all we must solve
problems and make decisions about our intended or actual actions. When we perceive the
problem-solving function as too difficult for us, we sometimes develop psychological or physical
illness.

The following symptoms can be attributed to our inability to cope with stress – either
overload or under load.
Physical:
 Headaches, neck and backaches
 Indigestion and diarrhoea
 Skin problems
 Lowered resistance to infection and viruses
 Eating and sleep disorders
 Migraines
 Ulcers
 Asthma
 High blood pressure and heart disease
 Cancer and diabetes.
Psychological:
 Worry, insecurity, irritability and intolerance
 Anxiety, sadness and depression
 Nightmares and sleeping disorders
 Restlessness and concentration difficulty
 Alcohol or substance abuse or dependence
 Over-indulgence in eating, exercise etc
 Possible pathological, long-term illness.
You can assess stress levels in an organisation by:
 Conducting employee satisfaction surveys
 Using performance evaluations or counselling to get feedback from employees
 Actively listening to employee concerns and issues
 Observation of worker relationships and apparent satisfaction
 Monitoring productivity to determine declines
 Asking for employee input with regards to systems and procedures
 Analysing accident and illness statistics to identify stress-related patterns
 Analysing absenteeism and attrition statistics – high turnover and absenteeism are good
indicators of employee discontent
 Analysing the number of employee complaints and grievances (formal and informal).

Assessment of records related to complaints, dissatisfaction, grievances, absenteeism, attrition and
productivity variation can provide information which, if properly interpreted, can lead to an
understanding of these stresses placed on workers. Poor results in any of these areas might have its
root causes in stress, for example, high attrition or absenteeism rates might be directly attributable
to too much pressure, or too little pressure placed on employees in the workplace. As a result,
workers feel the need to avoid the workplace as much as possible.
Your support network
A support network is a group of people helping you connect with a community so you can help
yourself and or others in some way. Our support networks provide us with contacts, resources,
advice, activities and opportunities and can include colleagues at work, your friends and family, and
your neighbours. As well as taking the steps to ensure you monitor and manage your own stress
levels, employers also have a duty of care to look after your wellbeing in the workplace as part of
their own WHS obligations.

Fourteen
Reflecting on own levels of stress and fatigue, and report to designated persons
Case study
Camilla has been working at the community services centre for seven years. She has young children,
and a partner who also works long hours. Because there is a shortage of staff she has been unable to
take leave owed to her for some time. Camilla always feels tired, and feels she is increasingly
forgetful. She stays calm at work, but often gets irritable as soon as she walks into the house in the
evenings.
In the last two months she has been sleeping poorly. For the last four years her mother-in-law has
been unwell and has needed more support such as transport and shopping. This seems to take up
more and more of the weekends and evenings. Although she has always got on well with her
mother-in-law, Camilla is feeling heightened irritation and resentment towards her. All this has put
considerable strain on Camilla's relationship with her partner.
1. If you were in a position to support and advise Camilla, what suggestions would you give her?
How do you think Camilla coped?

Workplace bullying
What is workplace bullying?
Bullying is a form of harassment. Bullying behaviour is based on the misuse of power in human
relationships. From an occupational health and safety perspective, workplace bullying is defined as:
repeated, unreasonable behaviour directed towards a person or group of persons at a workplace,
which creates a risk to health and safety.
‘Unreasonable behaviour’ is behaviour that is offensive, humiliating, intimidating,
degrading or threatening. It includes, but is not limited to:
 Verbal abuse
 Initiation pranks
 Excluding or isolating employees
 Giving a person the majority of an unpleasant task
 Humiliation through sarcasm, or belittling someone’s opinions
 Setting impossible deadlines
 Constant criticism
 Manipulating the impression of others to split the work group into taking sides.
‘Repeated behaviour’ refers to the nature of the behaviour, not the specific form of the behaviour.
Therefore, repeated unreasonable behaviour may be a pattern of diverse incidents, often escalating
over time, eg. Verbal abuse on one occasion, personal property intentionally damage on another
occasion. ‘Occupational violence’ is defined as any incident where a person is physically attacked or
threaten in the workplace. If bullying involves assault or threat of assault, criminal laws may apply and
it may therefore become a police matter.
What is not bullying?
It is important to differentiate between a person’s legitimate authority at work, and harassment or
bullying. All employers have a legal right to direct and control how work is done, and managers have
a responsibility to monitor workflow and give feedback on performance. Feedback or counselling on
work performance or behaviour differs from bullying in that feedback or counselling is intended to
assist staff to improve work performance and/ or the standard of their behaviour if an employee has
performance problems, these should be identified and dealt with in a constructive way that is not
humiliating or threatening.
Ways in which workplace bullying can be harmful to organisations.
 High levels of absenteeism and staff turnover
 Breakdown of teams
 Breakdowns of workplace relationships
 Reduce efficiency, productivity and profitability
 Increased costs associated with counselling.

Each individual will act differently to bullying behaviour but some of the effects can
include.
 High levels of distress
 Ill health
 Insomnia
 Loss of self esteem
 Reduced work performance
 Depression
 Panic attacks.
Sometimes employees are too scared to report workplace bullying in fear of losing their job,
accepting it as part of the work culture, feeling powerless due to their position in the organisation or
just embarrassed. Employers must take all reasonably practical steps to protect their employee’s
health, safety and welfare. Workplace bullying and occupational violence create an unsafe working
environment. Therefore, employer’s obligations extend to eliminating or reducing the risk of bullying
and violence in their workplaces.
Reference: WorkCover NSW (2002) Violence in the workplace. WorkCover NSW, Sydney.
Human error
‘Mistakes made due to human error are a risk at all work situations. In most work situations these
errors cause minor problems or inconveniences. In the health care system however, such errors can
and do cause pain and suffering or even death.’ This comment was made at an inquest into the
deaths of three patients following the administration of incorrect blood transfusions, heard during
September and October 2001(in the coroner’s court at Sydney, matter nos: 799/00; 1027/00;
1126/01).
In these cases, as in many cases involving medical errors, there were many causes for the tragic
events. However, the major factor is usually non-compliance with existing policies, protocols and
procedures, which are designed to ensure treatments are carried out safely. Many health treatments
incorporate a series of steps for the treatment to be carried out safely. Some steps may be carried
out by different people, which is particularly common for the administration of blood transfusions.
The main mistakes, which may be attributed to human error, arise because one or more of the
people required to carry out a step presumes that the person who has carried out the previous or
following step has, or will, carry it out correctly and according to the requisite protocol.

Participating in workplace debriefing to address individual needs
A critical incident is any event or series of events that is sudden, overwhelming, threatening or
protracted. This may be an assault, threats, severe injury, death, fire or a bomb threat.
Critical incident stress (CIS) management aims to help workers deal with the normal physical and
emotional reactions that may result from involvement in or exposure to critical incidents in the
workplace.
Exposure to a critical incident can lead to a stress response
A critical incident can be overwhelming and threatening and may lead to distress. This can be
harmful when a person has demands and expectations that are out of keeping with their needs,
abilities, skills and coping strategies. Distress can result in a decline in performance and in overall
levels of wellbeing. Involvement in, or exposure to, abnormal workplace incidents can lead a person
to experience distress. It is normal to react emotionally to a critical incident. This may involve
recurrent thoughts about the event, feeling uneasy or anxious, mood changes, restlessness, feeling
tired and disturbed sleep.
Critical incident stress management
Critical incident stress management provides support to assist the recovery of normal individuals
experiencing normal distress following exposure to abnormal events. It is based on a series of
comprehensive and confidential strategies that aim to minimise any adverse emotional reaction the
person may have.
Critical incident stress management strategies in the workplace include:
 Preparing workers for a possible critical incident in the workplace
 Demobilisation (rest, information and time out – RIT)
 Defusing (immediate small group support)
 Debriefing (powerful event group support)
 One-on-one support sessions
 Follow-up support.
Preparing workers for a possible critical incident
Strategies include:
 Develop positive working relationships (employee/supervisor, between employees)
 Develop workers’ morale in the workplace
 Establish contacts with suitably trained internal or external debriefers
 Provide training for workers in the provision of Psychological First Aid (PFA)
 Assess the work environment for the potential for critical incidents
 In consultation with workers, develop procedures for responding to identified critical incidents
 Make sure that workers are familiar with these procedures.

Demobilisation
Critical incidents may trigger a wide range of physical and psychological symptoms, including
increased heart rate, high blood pressure and anxiety. Demobilisation (rest, information and time
out) is a way of calming workers following a critical incident and ensuring that their immediate needs
are met. A supervisor or manager who was not involved in the incident, or affected by it, carries out
the demobilisation. A demobilisation takes place before the end of a shift or before those involved
in the incident disperse.
Strategies include:
 Convene a meeting for those involved as soon as possible
 Summarise the incident and clarify uncertainties
 Invite questions and discuss issues of concern
 Show care and support, including the provision of Psychological First Aid
 Draw up a plan of action, taking into account the needs of the workers
 Make short-term arrangements for work responsibilities
 Offer information on defusing and debriefing.
Defusing : (immediate small group support) is conducted by a trained staff member and is designed
to bring the experience of the incident to a conclusion and provide immediate personal support. The
aim is to stabilise the responses of workers involved in the incident and provide an opportunity for
them to express any immediate concerns. This step should take place within 12 hours of the
incident.
Strategies include:
 Review the event
 Clarify workers’ questions and concerns
 Encourage workers to talk about what happened
 Identify current needs
 Offer workers advice, information and handouts on referrals and support agencies
 Arrange debriefing and follow-up sessions to provide additional information about the event
when available.
Debriefing
Debriefing (powerful event group support) is usually carried out within three to seven days of the
critical incident, when workers have had enough time to take in the experience. Debriefing is not
counselling. It is a structured voluntary discussion aimed at putting an abnormal event into
perspective. It offers workers clarity about the critical incident they have experienced and assists
them to establish a process for recovery.

Trained debriefers help the workers to explore and understand a range of issues,
including:
 The sequence of events
 The causes and consequences
 Each person’s experience
 Any memories triggered by the incident
 Normal psychological reactions to critical incidents
 Methods to manage emotional responses resulting from a critical incident.
Follow-up support
Stress responses can develop over time and follow-up support may be required by some workers or
groups. Perspectives may change after the first debriefing session and additional sessions may need
to focus on new aspects of the incident or stress reactions. It is also common for critical incidents
to bring up a range of personal issues for workers. Short-term counselling may be required to
prevent further difficulties. Where counselling sessions identify other or more complex needs, it may
be important to refer a worker to an appropriate service for additional support.
Where to get help
 Your supervisor or manager
 Human resources manager or officer
 Occupational health and safety officer
 Health and safety representative
 Your doctor.
Relationship between WHS and sustainability in the workplace,
including the contribution of maintaining health and safety to
environmental, economic, workforce and social sustainability
Creating environmental sustainability plans is an important part of contributing in to reducing an
organisation’s impact on the environment. Keeping records of this process also demonstrates the
organisation’s commitment to the ideals of sustainability. Plans record and document what the
environmental sustainable goals of the organisation are and include important information, eg:
timelines, recording and monitoring requirements and reporting conventions.
Plans should be documented formally. These plans could be:
 Action plans
 Environmental improvement plans (EIP), used to schedule prioritised
 Organisational tasks specifically designed to achieve environmental objectives
 Green office plans or programs
 Environmental management systems (EMS).
Standards and Codes of Practice produced by the International Standards Organisation (ISO)
provide organisations with guidelines to design and implement their plans. These plans are used to
report to the organisation, the wider community, customers, the government or other interested
parties. Plans demonstrate the commitment of the organisation to environmental sustainability.

Environmentally sustainable principles
Environmentally sustainable principles have been developed over time to help guide sustainable
development efforts across the world. Some of the principles include: The Hannover Principles, The
Natural Step Principles, and National Park Service’s Principles for Sustainable Design, Green Building
Principles and many more. They all focus on providing guidelines for people and industries to work
in ways that do not damage the environment. Following these principles helps prevent our world’s
natural resources diminishing so far that we no longer have any natural resources to sustain our
environment – or our businesses!
Healthy environments are vital to human existence; therefore we need to be protecting our
environment as much as possible, for ourselves and for future generations. Governments and other
bodies have developed laws and standards to guide and inform individuals and industries. These are
based on principles developed from scientific evidence and analysis, collected and tested over time.
Workplaces can introduce sustainable workplace programs such as Environment Improvement Plans
and encourage staff to follow them; implementing sustainable practices both at work and in their
personal lives.
Sustainable workplaces
Sustainable workplaces not only reduce the negative impact on the environment, but often reduce
their operating costs and streamline processes, which benefits productivity and makes for a healthier
business. Building and maintaining a sustainable workplace requires you to gather information. It is
important to continue to collect and research environmentally sustainable practice information so
that you keep up with current trends and practices in your workplace.
Science is a ‘living’ thing and discoveries continue to take place. You, too, need to continue to
discover new practices and information that you can apply to your environmentally sustainable
practices or procedures. There may be new techniques or new technologies that will greatly
improve the sustainability of your workplace. You also need to gather information about your
workplace as it stands. Before you can make improvements, you will need to understand where your
environmental strengths and weaknesses are and where there is room for improvement.
Environmental regulations
There are many laws and regulations that affect environmental compliance. These may be federal or
state laws, by-laws, regulations and best practice guidelines. These are in place to help reduce the
impact your organisation has on the environment and guide organisational practices. Environmental
regulations usually focus on organisational activities that affect the environment. This could be
anything that contributes to the depletion or destruction of the earth’s water, air quality, soil,
wildlife, energy, human well-being, natural resources and climate.
There is increasing pressure for organisations to become more environmentally friendly and alter
their industry practices to reduce their carbon emissions. Many organisations have environmental
policies and procedures which, if followed correctly, minimise risks to employees and the
environment. Employees have a duty to abide by these procedures and report any breaches. If they
are not followed, the organisation may be prosecuted for not complying with the relevant laws and
regulations. Workplace procedures govern how organisational tasks of any kind are done and ensure
consistency across the organisation, in line with the organisation’s values and goals.
The legislative documents that your workplace’s policies should be based on are complicated. You
are not expected to know them in detail, but be aware of them and their implications. Your
workplace will have interpreted these and written policies and procedures for you to follow on the
job. The legislation that is relevant to your workplace may change over time as legislation is updated
or your organisation changes. When developing a new program or starting a new role, you should
always check to make sure that you know what legislation there is, and how to comply with it.

Fifteen
Sustainability
Find five websites that offer advice and ideas about how to be environmentally sustainable in your
office. List the website addresses you use.

Bibliography
 Kendall, K. (1998) Practical Approaches to Infection Control in Residential Aged Care,

Melbourne, Ausmed.
 Montgomery B. (1992) Coping With Stress, 2nd Ed. Melbourne, Pitman.
 Butrej, P & Douglas, G (9999) Hazards at work: A guide to health and safety in Australian
workplaces. 2nd Edition. OTEN: Sydney
 Worker cover Victoria: Workplace Health and safety Handbook
 Taylor, G, Easter, K & Hegney, R (2000) Advancing safety: An Australian workplace guide. 3rd
Edition. Training Publications of Western Australia: Perth.
 Worker cover Victoria: Workplace Health and safety Handbook
Current Australian legislation and guidance information:
Australia-wide legislation: the Australasian Legal Information Institute at www.austlii.edu.au;
www.lawlex.com.au is also convenient. The "Scaleplus" site also has State and territorial legislation.
Victorian laws and related material are at
www.workcover.vic.gov.au/dir090/vwa/home.nsf/pages/so_legis
New South Wales: the NSW Law and Justice Foundation (it also has links to most other main
databases, plus some judgements - and is at www.lawfoundation.net.au
West Australian-based legislation and information www.safetyline.wa.gov.au (the site includes links
to other jurisdictions, like NSW)
Queensland : www.whs.qld.gov.au - legislation, advisory Codes, etc
South Australian OH&S laws: go to www.eric.sa.gov.au
Northern Territory legislation: www.nt.gov.au/dbird/dib/wha/obligations/obligations.htm
Commonwealth OH&S Legislation and guidance material www.comcare.gov.au/ohs/section2.html
Standards:
Standards Australia International: www.standards.com.au
International Standards Organization (ISO): www.iso.ch
State WorkCover or equivalent Authorities:
NSW: www.workcover.nsw.gov.au
VIC: www.workcover.vic.gov.au
ACT: www.workcover.act.gov.au
SA: www.workcover.sa.gov.au
WA: www.workcover.wa.gov.au
Northern Territory Work Health Authority: www.nt.gov.au/wha
Queensland Department of Industrial Relations, Workplace Health and Safety:
www.whs.qld.gov.au/index.htm
Workplace Standards Tasmania: www.wsa.tas.gov.au
COMCARE (Commonwealth Government): www.comcare.gov.au


HLTWHS002 Follow Safe Work Practices For Direct Client Care Resource InterCare

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HLTWHS002

Follow safe work practices for direct client

Integrated Training Solutions (Aust) Pty Ltd

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

Name of facilitator: ________________________ Phone number: __________________

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

ELEMENT PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

The director of a community service

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

PROBABILITY/LIKELIHOOD DESCRIPTION PLEASE TICK

NATURE OF INJURY/OUTCOME/DAMAGE COST DEGREE OF PLEASE TICK

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

A Very High - Some action should be taken within 24 hours.

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

Step 4: Evaluate the risk

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

NAME OF SUPERVISOR: ---------------------------------

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

3. What information could you use to identify the risks?

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

6. Role/title of person the hazard will be reported to:

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HAZARD WHY ITS A RISK

Unsuitable equipment Equipment that is not maintained can break or work

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

Work situation risks

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HAZARD WHY IT IS A HAZARD WHAT YOU CAN DO

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care

Name of facilitator: ______ Phone number: