Professional Documents
Culture Documents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS..................................................................................................................................... 1
UNIT INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................... 4
ABOUT THIS LEARNER RESOURCE.................................................................................................................................4
ELEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE CRITERIA..................................................................................................... 5
PERFORMANCE EVIDENCE AND KNOWLEDGE EVIDENCE................................................................................7
PERFORMANCE EVIDENCE...........................................................................................................................................7
KNOWLEDGE EVIDENCE..............................................................................................................................................7
ASSESSMENT CONDITIONS............................................................................................................................ 9
TOPIC1 –FOLLOW SAFE WORK PRACTICES FOR DIRECT CLIENT CARE............................................................10
FOLLOW WORKPLACE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR SAFE WORK PRACTICESAND IDENTIFY EXISTING AND
POTENTIAL HAZARDS IN THE WORKPLACE, REPORT THEM TO DESIGNATED PERSONS, AND RECORD THEM
ACCORDING TO WORKPLACE PROCEDURES AND IDENTIFY RISKS OF INFECTION AND REPORT THEM
ACCORDING TO WORKPLACE PROCEDURES................................................................................................. 10
CONTACT TRANSMISSION OF INFECTION......................................................................................................................11
IDENTIFY RISKS OF INFECTION....................................................................................................................................12
IDENTIFYING A HAZARD............................................................................................................................................12
IDENTIFY ANY CLIENT-RELATED RISK FACTORS OR BEHAVIOURS OF CONCERN, REPORT THEM TO
DESIGNATED PERSONS, AND RECORD THEM ACCORDING TO WORKPLACE PROCEDURES.............................13
IDENTIFYING SOURCES OF VIOLENCE...........................................................................................................................15
RISK REDUCTION STRATEGIES....................................................................................................................................16
FOLLOW WORKPLACE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO MINIMISE RISK.........................................................19
IDENTIFY AND REPORT INCIDENTS AND INJURIES TO DESIGNATED PERSONS ACCORDING TO WORKPLACE
PROCEDURES.............................................................................................................................................. 20
REPORTING INCIDENTS.............................................................................................................................................20
TOPIC 2 – FOLLOW SAFE WORK PRACTICES FOR MANUAL HANDLING..........................................................21
FOLLOW MANUAL HANDLING PROCEDURES AND WORK INSTRUCTIONS FOR MINIMISING MANUAL
HANDLING RISK........................................................................................................................................... 21
PRINCIPLES OF MANUAL HANDLING...............................................................................................................21
IDENTIFY MANUAL HANDLING HAZARDS AND REPORT IN LINE WITH WORKPLACE PROCEDURES.................23
WHAT IS THE CORRECT TECHNIQUE FOR LIFTING?.......................................................................................................24
RISK FACTORS FOR BACK INJURY.............................................................................................................................26
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF OCCUPATIONAL OVERUSE SYNDROME?................................................................................26
WORKSTATION DESIGN (ERGONOMICS)....................................................................................................................26
MANUAL HANDLING INJURIES.................................................................................................................................27
APPLY CONTROL MEASURES FOR MINIMISING MANUAL HANDLING RISK....................................................28
HIERARCHY OF CONTROL.......................................................................................................................................28
TOPIC 3 – FOLLOW SAFE WORK PRACTICES FOR INFECTION CONTROL..........................................................31
UNIT INTRODUCTION
ABOUT THIS LEARNER RESOURCE
This learner guide covers one unit of competency that is part of the health services
Training Package with the following Course Code and Name:
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.
This resource brings together information to develop your knowledge about this unit.
The information is designed to reflect the requirements of the unit and uses headings to
makes it easier to follow.
Read through this resource to develop your knowledge in preparation for your
assessment. You will be required to complete the assessment tools that are included in
your program. At the back of the resource are a list of references you may find useful to
review.
As a student it is important to extend your learning and to search out text books,
internet sites, talk to people at work and read newspaper articles and journals which
can provide additional learning material.
2. Follow safe work practices 2.1 Follow manual handling procedures and work
for manual handling instructions for minimising manual handling risk
3. Follow safe work practices 3.1 Follow standard precautions as part of own
for infection control work routine to prevent the spread of infection
4. Contribute to safe work 4.1 Raise WHS issues with designated persons
practices in the workplace according to organisational procedures
5. Reflect on own safe work 5.1 Identify ways to maintain currency of safe
practices work practices in regards to workplace systems,
equipment and processes in own work role
PERFORMANCE EVIDENCE
The candidate must show evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements
and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the
context of the job role.
There must be demonstrated evidence that the candidate has completed the following
tasks at least once in line with state/territory WHS regulations, relevant codes of
practice and workplace procedures:
KNOWLEDGE EVIDENCE
ASSESSMENT CONDITIONS
Skills must be demonstrated:
In the workplace
OR
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs)
2015/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.
In a healthcare environment, there are many risks or hazards that you will need to be
aware of. The most common one will be the risk of infection.
Airborne droplets
Contact with faeces and then with the mouth skin contact
Contact with blood and other body secretions
This means that the transmission of infection can come from a variety of sources using
direct contact or via airborne droplet contact.
The ways in which infection may be transmitted from an infected source such as
another person is through:
Direct contact
A vehicle
A vector
Airborne transmission
Direct transmission contact is the actual touching of an infected person causing the
infection to spread, for example, the direct touching of wound dressings or body fluids
and infection.
The indirect transmission means that touching of the content and added object such as
clothing, dressings, personal care equipment, will cause the infection to spread. For
example, staff uniform, other clothing, pillows, communal hand towel, charts and forms,
thermometers, bath.
Droplet transmission means that when an infected person sneezes, coughs, or talks,
airborne droplets containing mucous membrane, or skin particles from the infected
person may be projected during that process. Talking may project droplets for up to one
metre, and sneezing may project droplets for up to 10 metres.
Vehicle transmission of infection occurs when water, food, milk, or any biological
products introduced by ingestion, inoculation, or by being deposited on the skin or
mucous membrane will cause the infection to spread.
Airborne transmission of infection occurs when infected small particles that have been
in an infected environment such as water droplets, dust particles, are inhaled or settle
on the body surfaces causing the infection to spread. For example, in a residential care
facility where a number of residents may have infections, coughing, sneezing, talking,
and the flapping of bedding may transmit infection.
To avoid contamination, wear disposable gloves when performing direct care functions
involving blood, semen, vaginal fluid or other body fluids contaminated with blood.
Consult the policy and procedure documents of your organisation to ensure you are
following the correct procedures.
To successfully identify and respond to infection risks, we must understand and follow
safe work practices that prevent the transmission of infections. There are a great
number of interesting websites relating to infection control. A good site to go to is:
www.vicniss.org.au1
IDENTIFYING A HAZARD
A hazard is anything with the potential to cause harm to you, the patients, clients, your
co-workers or visitors to the work area. In the sterilisation setting this includes
chemicals, sharps such as needles, soiled instruments, power, water, steam, noise, and
heat.
In developing procedures or buying new equipment, identify these risks early so that
work practices can be developed that ensure the hazard is eliminated as much as
possible. Regular safety inspections and audits can help identify and manage hazards.
All employees, patients, volunteers, contractors and visitors that enter the workplace
have a responsibility to behave in a safe and responsible manner and report any hazards
or near accidents.
If you have identified any hazards or risks in the workplace you must ensure you report
them to the designated person. The designated person could be your:
Supervisor
Manager
Health and safety officer
Any other designated person elected by your workplace
1
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The behaviour of other people can put you at risk of injury or harm. It is, therefore,
important for you to identify any behaviours of concern in the workplace and follow
organisation procedures to minimise risk.
Community service workers are particularly at risk of injury and harm from the
behaviour of their clients because they often work with high-risk client groups and a lot
of their work is carried out in less predictable environments (for example, the client's
home). Clients can be aggressive and even violent at times.
Some organisations will have violence prevention and management policies, and these
should be followed by employees at all times. Employees have a duty to report incidents
and to comply with organisational procedures to control the risk of violence.
The possibility of an aggressive outburst exists when working closely with people, and
so care needs to be taken. Workers should not be wary of the people they are assisting
or accept other workers' statements without question, that aggression is part of any
disability. You must treat everybody as an individual. Aggression is a typical human
behaviour that results from a person's reaction to other people, their environment, past
experiences or poor social skills.
Everyone is capable of an aggressive outburst with the most common causes being
frustration or fear. Workers can be the target for an individual's frustration or fear.
In these situations, you should assist the person to regain self-control and find
alternatives to achieve their goal. Encourage the person to slow down their physical
Identify the tasks, work areas, instances and environments where employees or others
are likely to be exposed to some form of violence. Procedures for identification may
include:
While control measures may reduce the potential for violence, it can still occur. Being
prepared for a violent incident can reduce the effects of the violence, particularly the
long term effects of trauma which may result. Developing procedures to reduce the
number and severity of violent incidents can help to make the workplace a safer and
healthier place for employers, employees and visitors.
Personaldetailsofthepersonreportingin Fullname:Jobt
cident itle:
Addresswhereincidentoccurred:
Personaldetailsofinjuredperson Title:
Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms/OtherName:
Homeaddress:Postcode:
Daytimetelephone:
Age:0-10 ☐11-16 ☐17-25 ☐26-45 ☐46-60 ☐60+ ☐
Employee ☐
Customer ☐
Other(e.g.contractor,passer-by) ☐
Locationofincident(includingasketchifp
ossible)andanyotherrelevantinformatio
n
Typeofincident Verbalabuse/threat ☐ Physicalattack ☐
Theft ☐ Anti-socialbehaviour ☐
Nearmiss ☐
Pleasestateindetailwhathappened.Giv
eanaccountoftheincident,includingany
relevanteventsleadingtotheincidentand
individualsinvolvedincludingfulldescrip
tionofaggressor/assailant(s)
Damagetoproperty:
Whoassistedtheinjuredperson? Name:
Whatactionhasbeentakentoensurethatt
histypeofincidentdoesnotreoccur,e.g.ha
veriskassessmentsbeenreviewed?
Recordactions.
ForManagement/HRuseonly:
These should be communicated to employees, initially via the induction process that all
employees should receive when starting work, and through ongoing WHS training and
information sessions. The employer has an obligation to provide information on WHS
legislation plus WHS training for all employees. These policies and procedures should be
followed when working in new or unstable environments.
Health and safety policies are not legal requirements. They are, however, a method that
organisations use to communicate their commitment to a safe and healthy workplace
and the responsibilities of everyone in the workplace to achieve this end. 2
2
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REPORTING INCIDENTS
Any incidents and injuries that you identify in your workplace must be reported. This
report will trigger an investigation immediately and if it does not you will need to follow
up with the approriate person.
This is vitally important in the case of needlestick injuries and other sharps. Your
organisation will have policies and procedures that outline the steps you will need to
take in this situation.
You will need to complete an incident form if this situation arises and ensure you
include the following information:
Always make sure you provide enough detail in your report so that follow-up can be
made and investigation will be thorough and take less time. Information is vital in these
reports so don’t leave anything out.
Manual handling is a large part of working with clients in a healthcare setting. You will
be required to not only lift people but assist them to sit, stand and walk. Each of these
tasks come with their own risks and hazards.
Ways you can minimise the risks of manual handling activity are:
Principle 1:
Principle 2:
Principle 3:
Principle 5:
Principle 6:
Ensure that the dignity, privacy, comfort, skin integrity, and self-esteem of the
client are upheld at all times
Lifting and handling procedures are commonplace in any work environment. There are
very few jobs that do not pose a risk when performing them, things like bending and
twisting when assisting clients or standing for long periods.
The main issues for lifting and handling you need to be aware of are provided in the
Code of Practice for Manual Handling. In summary these are:
Specific training is necessary for safe lifting techniques.
Determine the best technique including:
o Suitable balance.
o Avoid bending, twisting and reaching.
o Lift efficiently and rhythmically.
o Bend your legs, not your back and use your legs to lift.
o Grip the object securely.
o Pull the load close to the body.
A proper lifting technique is critical to back safety, but perhaps more important is
proper planning. Before you lift that box, or tool, or piece of equipment, take a moment
to consider your action:
Do you need to lift the item manually?
How heavy is it?
Where are you moving the item from?
Where does it have to go?
What route do you have to follow?
Consider using mechanical help wherever possible. If the item needs to be moved
manually, and it is heavy or ungainly, ask for help. When using mechanical help,
remember to push, not pull - you'll have more control, and greater leverage. Fasten the
load to the equipment, so sudden stops or vibration doesn’t jar it off.
As in life in general, moderation and balance are important considerations in care and
maintenance of your back. You need the correct proportions of strength, flexibility, and
overall quality of life to eliminate or minimize back injuries. You need to exercise, eat
right, and stretch as often as possible to help prevent injuries, and to recover more
quickly if injured. In addition, a reduction in stress levels can help to relieve the muscle
tension that can contribute to injuries.
Remember that most back injuries can be attributed to one of these five causes:
Posture
Body Mechanics/Work Habits
Stressful Living
Loss of Flexibility
Poor Conditioning
Also consider that not all back injuries are a result of sudden trauma - most are of a
cumulative type, where a repeated minor injury has flared up, or continued use of a
heavy tool in the same position has caused pain, or a great deal of time is spent in the
same position. Familiarize yourself and practice these techniques when lifting items on
the job and at home: 3
3
http://oehs.vcu.edu/fire/safetytech.html
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HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client
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Slouched sitting.
Ergonomics can be defined as ‘the design of work processes and equipment to suit
workers and the job’. Poor ergonomics can cause, or at least contribute to workplace
injury, especially overuse syndrome. This is because the way a worker performs his or
her tasks can be affected by such things as:
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HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client
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The layout of the workplace
The design of tools
The design of equipment or machinery if it does not suit the worker or the job
Job design, that is, the way the actual job is done. This can cause stress
The amount and type of manual handling
4
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HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client
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APPLY CONTROL MEASURES FOR MINIMISING MANUAL
HANDLING RISK
HIERARCHY OF CONTROL
Controlling risks in the work area might include application of the hierarchy of control
such as eliminate, reduce or minimise the risk through:
Engineering controls
Administrative controls including training personal protective equipment
(PPE)
Infection control policies established and followed in a health care organisation should
provide the foundation for a safe environment for patients, staff and visitors.
Policies and procedures should be based on local regulations, State legislation and
National Standards. In the sterilisation area, there are policies for department structure,
organisation, and management.
DEFINITIONS
You should understand the following infection control terms:
Why don’t you spend some time having a look through the following guidelines?
Department of Health and ageing (2004) Infection control guidelines for the prevention
of transmission of infectious diseases in the health care setting. Department, Canberra
http://www.health.gov.au/internet/wcms/Publishing.nsf/content/icg-guidelines-
index.htm
Refer back to the table we discussed previously. We have said that when sharps are
being disposed of there is a high risk of an injury occurring. If we wear the correct PPE
then that will lessen the risk of an injury occurring. If we follow the latest guidelines for
sharps disposal as well, then that will lessen the risk of an injury occurring even more.
We will look at the correct procedure to follow for this particular situation later. 5
All patient care items require cleaning after use on, or by a patient. However, some
items require further treatment such as disinfection or sterilisation. How do you
determine this? In looking at instruments processed by CSSD a rule called Spaulding’s
rule is generally used.
In 1968 in the USA, Earle Spaulding developed some rules to make this decision making
process easy, called Spaulding’s classification. It is a simple system and is used daily in
most clinical settings. There are three rules governing situations of:
Non-critical
o Non-critical - If used instruments are to come into contact with intact
skin they need to be cleaned with detergent and water. It is called a
non-critical situation.
Semi-critical
o Semi-critical - For instruments that come in contact with intact non-
sterile mucosa or non-intact skin, sterilisation is always preferred.
However, in many situations this cannot be done, and disinfection or
high-level disinfection is required. This is called a semi-critical
situation.
Critical
o Critical - For items that enter sterile tissue, other body cavities or the
blood stream, sterilisation is the only option. These are called critical
situations.
5
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Used surgical instruments and medical equipment are a source of infection in the
healthcare setting.
Environmental surfaces in the health care settings can become contaminated with blood
and body fluids, possibly containing harmful micro-organisms.
If heavily soiled instruments come into contact with environmental surfaces they must
be cleaned and the surface cleaned immediately. Your workplace will have procedures
and protocols for this type of contamination.
After exposure to blood or other body substances you should as soon as possible do the
following:
'Sharps' is the terminology used for the items that can cut or penetrate the skin, and in
doing so, potentially cause cross-infection of micro-organisms.
There is a 24hour needle stick Hotline in NSW 1800 804823. Your employer should also
provide you with a local number which can be called at any time for advice in the event
of a significant exposure to body fluids.
Contact ANCA (Australian national Council on AIDS) or the representative in the state
where you work to set up a procedure for your workplace. A suggested protocol is:
REMOVING SPILLS
Therrre are some steps that you should take for the management of blood and body
substance spills. These include:
Spills kit
You should have a dedicated 'spills kit' readily available in a bucket with a fitted lid. The
kit should contain:
NON-HAZARDOUS SPILLS
For small spills, wipe immediately with paper towel. Clean with water and detergent.
Use the following steps when cleaning up a small spill.
For larger spills, scrape the bulk of the spill into a pan for disposal, and then clean the
residue. Then complete the following steps:
The application of these procedures is the responsibility of all members of the team.
Today, most employers ensure that infections are controlled through the use of
standard precautions in the workplace. Following standard precautions means that you
consider every person to be infected.
Treat everyone (both staff and clients) as if they are infected, regardless of
whether they are or not consider blood and bodily fluids as infectious
Assess possible contact, and take appropriate measures
Standards include:
Hand washing
Everyone has germs. Our bodies are covered with germs that help us stay healthy. In
addition to the germs that are usually present on our skin, we also pick up germs from
contact with other people or objects in our surroundings. These germs are easy to pick up
and transfer. In this way, they can cause you, or others, to get sick. Although people
usually think that germs are spread through the air, the fact is that germs are most easily
spread through hand contact.
One of the best ways to stop the spread of germs is to wash OR decontaminate your hands.
Hand hygiene is a new term to describe washing or decontaminating hands. Washing
hands helps to physically remove germs by friction, and to rinse them down the drain.
Decontaminating hands reduces the amount of germs present on hands through the use of
special alcohol based preparations, in the form of solutions, gels or foams. 6
Alcohol-based preparations have two distinct advantages over soap and water:
While alcohol-based preparations reduce the germs on your hands, they cannot remove
visible soil or contamination. It is always important to WASH hands with soap and
water anytime they are visibly dirty.
WHEN SHOULD YOU WASH YOUR HANDS WITH SOAP AND WATER?
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After touching raw meats like chicken or beef
After contact with any body fluids like blood, urine or vomit
After changing infant or adult nappies
After touching animals or pets
After blowing your nose or sneezing
After going to the toilet
Hand washing is one of the main ways of preventing the transfer of infection. Therefore,
it is extremely important to learn the correct procedure for when and how to clean
hands.
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
Always assess protective equipment prior to possible contact with bodily fluids and
blood.
Gloves
Glasses
Gowns/ aprons
Rubber boots
If using protective equipment, make sure it is suitable for the task, and that it fits. If the
equipment is ill-fitting, it might not be worth wearing, as it will not offer the protection
necessary.
HOUSEKEEPING
Do not share
Heavily soiled linen should be bagged separately
Solid material should be cleared before bagging linen
Urine bags:
Sanitary bags:
Place into sanitary bins if available or dispose of inside a plastic bag before
putting in the bin
All broken sores/wounds are to be kept covered at all times with waterproof dressing
used for hands. If you have a skin condition on your body, arms or hands, consult your
doctor.
If, as an employee, you are dealing with needles and syringes, you are to receive
appropriate training for the disposal of sharps into the sharps container.
All employees are to ensure that they adopt the organisation's policies and procedures
to avoid needle stick injuries.
BROKEN GLASS
Ensure that all broken glass is wrapped in newspaper prior to being disposed of in the
bins.
Put items in detergent solution and rinse thoroughly, and then soak in White
King solution (or other recommended household bleach) for 30 minutes, at a
ratio of 50 ml to one litre of water, rinse thoroughly, and then drain, discard
solution after use
Metal items and surfaces must be cleaned with methylated spirits, wipe down
and allow to dry, do not use White King, as it damages metal, use gloves when
using chlorine solutions
If not already immunised, employees should make enquiries where they are employed
as to what the policy is regarding Hepatitis B vaccinations. This is a personal safety
issue, and, for your own protection, it is recommended that you follow this action
through.
EXTRA PRECAUTIONS
How will you get to know about this? Your supervisor will inform you, it will be written
in case notes, care plans or another health professional will inform you. Sometimes the
client will disclose information about this, and you will need to report it to your
supervisor or other health care professional so the correct care plan and procedures can
be implemented. Precautions include appropriate worker rostering (taking into
consideration pregnancy), use of stop signs, single rooms, masks, and gowns.
WHAT IS A HAZARD?
The meaning of the word hazard can be confusing. Often dictionaries do not give specific
definitions or combine it with the term "risk". For example, one dictionary defines hazard
as "a danger or risk" which helps explain why many people use the terms interchangeably.
There are many definitions for hazard but the more common definition when talking
about workplace health and safety is:
Basically, a hazard can cause harm or adverse effects (to individuals as health effects or to
organizations as property or equipment losses).
Sometimes a hazard is referred to as being the actual harm or the healthaffectit caused
rather than the hazard. For example, the disease tuberculosis (TB) might be called a
hazard by some but, in general, the TB-causing bacteria would be considered the "hazard"
or "hazardous biological agent".7
EXAMPLES OF A HAZARD?
Workplace hazards can come from a wide range of sources. General examples include
any substance, material, process, practice, etc. that has the ability to cause harm or
adverse health effect to a person under certain conditions. See below table:
Table 1
7
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Examples of Hazards and Their Effects
You should report it immediately to your supervisor. You do not need to wait for an
inspection team to come by. In fact, health and safety legislation requires employees to
report hazards to their supervisor.
Hazards can be reported verbally and by filling a simple form available at bulletin
boards or other conspicuous places. The following is an example of such a form. 8
Name: Date:
8
http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/report.html
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Location:
Equipment:
Signature:
Supervisor's remarks:
They also provide the opportunity for new skills and knowledge to be gained and given
and provides a forum for discussion on control measures.
Here are some areas that might be discussed in a workplace meeting that you attend:
Work duties
Work rosters
New equipment
New workplace procedures
Health and safety
Work progress
Workplace meetings can range from short informal discussions to formal meetings with
a written agenda, a chairperson and someone to record the Minutes.
PROVIDING SUPPORT
Workers may need our assistance at times to cooperate and contribute to workplace
safety. We can encourage this cooperation and contribution to workplace safety by:
Contributing to safety meetings and other safety activities in the workplace is vital to
ensuring all staff members and visitors to the facility are safe and free from any risk to
themselves.
Any type of method used in a workplace to get employees to take part, or contribute to
or take responsibility for some action or function about WHS/OHS. The method could be
a regular monthly meeting or daily meetings, perhaps before work starts. Suggestions
made during the work day, requests for suggestions from supervisors, reports that are
circulated in work are all part of the participation process.
It is partly your role to contribute to the development and updating of policies and
procedures to ensure not only your safety but those around.
There are many ways that you can contribute to the health and safety of yourself and
others in the workplace.
Attend meetings
Provide input into control measures for identified risks
Assist with the development and updating of policies and procedures
Join a health and safety committee
Employees (workers) and employers (bosses) both have WHS rights and
responsibilities. Find out more about what the law says you and your employer must do
to keep the workplace safe.
Employees must:
Work safely to protect themselves and others from injury and follow all WHS
instructions, for example:
o Wear all personal protective equipment provided
o Follow safe work procedures
o Not interfere with or misuse anything provided by the employer
(equipment, signs, etc.) That is used to keep the workplace safe
o Not remove or change machine guards
o Not behave in a way that puts themselves or others at risk
o Respond to a reasonable request to provide assistance or first aid to an
injured person at work
Report any WHS issues, including hazards, injuries, illnesses and near misses.
Employers must:
Properly orientate, train and supervise staff to ensure safe work practices are
understood and followed by all employees
Consult with all employees, including YW, about decisions that will affect
safety in the workplace
Provide suitable personal protective equipment (PPE) to make sure workers
can do their job safely and train workers how to use PPE correctly
Regularly check WHS systems and procedures to make sure that workers are
adequately protected from workplace hazards
Provide adequate facilities for the welfare of employees. This covers
everything from providing suitable toilet facilities to conducting risk
assessments on premises and procedures
9
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Learner Resource HLTWHS002 Page 51/69
Version: 2.0 Last Updated: 17 June 2016
Responsibility: Director of Studies Developed by Enhance Your Future Pty Ltd
Einstein College of Australia Provider No:22459 CRICOS: 03223E ABN: 46 129 237 092
HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client
care
Remaining current and up-to-date on health and safety issues, workplace systems,
equipment and processes in your workplace it extremely important.
There are many methods that you can use to remain current with the information
required for safety in the workplace including:
Internet/intranet
Workplace policies and procedures
Maintenance and operational manuals
Workplace training
Government and safety websites
Health and safety representatives
Knowing and understanding your workplace procedures and guidelines for staying safe
will ensure your remain safe and healthy and will assist others to remain the same.
STRESS AT WORK
Everyone feels a level of stress at some time or another and most people respond better
whhhen ttthere is a level of stress related to their job role however, excessive stress is
not conducive to a good working environment.
Finding ways to manage workplace stress isn’t about making huge changes or
rethinking career ambitions, but rather about focusing on the one thing that’s always
within your control: You!
You emotions can rub off on others, if you feel stressed other colleagues can also feel
that stress. It is vital that you manage your stress levels so that everyone remains
effective in the workplace.
There are a variety of steps you can take to reduce both your overall stress levels and
the stress you find on the job and in the workplace. These include:
When you feel overwhelmed at work, you lose confidence and may become irritable or
withdrawn. This can make you less productive and less effective in your job, and make
the work seem less rewarding. If you ignore the warning signs of work stress, they can
lead to bigger problems. Beyond interfering with job performance and satisfaction,
chronic or intense stress can also lead to physical and emotional health problems.
When stress at work interferes with your ability to perform in your job, manage your
personal life, or adversely impacts your health, it’s time to take action. Start by paying
attention to your physical and emotional health. When your own needs are taken care
of, you’re stronger and more resilient to stress. The better you feel, the better equipped
you’ll be to manage work stress without becoming overwhelmed.
Taking care of yourself doesn’t require a total lifestyle overhaul. Even small things can
lift your mood, increase your energy, and make you feel like you’re back in the driver’s
seat. Take things one step at a time, and as you make more positive lifestyle choices,
you’ll soon notice a reduction in your stress levels, both at home and at work.
When job and workplace stress threatens to overwhelm you, there are simple steps you
can take to regain control over yourself and the situation. Your newfound ability to
maintain a sense of self-control in stressful situations will often be well-received by
coworkers, managers, and subordinates alike, which can lead to better relationships at
work. Here are some suggestions for reducing job stress by prioritizing and organizing
your responsibilities.
Prioritize tasks
Break projects into small steps
Delegate responsibility
Be willing to compromise
Even if you’re in a job where the environment has grown increasingly stressful, you can
retain a large measure of self-control and self-confidence by understanding and
practicing emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is the ability to manage and use
your emotions in positive and constructive ways. When it comes to satisfaction and
success at work, emotional intelligence matters just as much as intellectual ability.
Emotional intelligence is about communicating with others in ways that draw people to
you, overcome differences, repair wounded feelings, and defuse tension and stress.
There are five key skills that you need to master in order to raise your emotional
intelligence and manage stress at work.
Realize when you’re stressed, recognize your particular stress response, and
become familiar with sensual cues that can rapidly calm and energize you
Stay connected to your internal emotional experience so you can
appropriately manage your own emotions
Recognize and effectively use nonverbal cues and body language
Develop the capacity to meet challenges with humor
Resolve conflict positively
As you learn to manage your job stress and improve your work relationships, you’ll have
more control over your ability to think clearly and act appropriately. You will be able to
break habits that add to your stress at work – and you’ll even be able to change negative
ways of thinking about things that only add to your stress.
Many of us make job stress worse with negative thoughts and behaviour. If you can turn
around these self-defeating habits, you’ll find employer-imposed stress easier to handle.
Resist perfectionism
It's in a manager's best interest to keep stress levels in the workplace to a minimum.
Managers can act as positive role models, especially in times of high stress, by following
the tips outlined in this article. If a respected manager can remain calm in stressful work
situations, it is much easier for his or her employees to also remain calm.
Improve communication:
Share information with employees to reduce uncertainty about their jobs and
futures
Clearly define employees’ roles and responsibilities
Make communication friendly and efficient, not mean-spirited or petty
SHIFTWORK
Shiftwork (working shifts) can affect health. The body is synchronised to night and day
by a part of the brain known as the circadian clock. A shift worker confuses their
circadian clock by working when their body is programmed to be sleeping. Common
health problems include sleep disorders, digestive upsets, obesity and heart disease.
The sleep-wake cycle appears to have evolved for humans to be awake during the day
and to sleep for approximately eight hours at night. There is a small part of the brain
called the ‘circadian clock’, which monitors the amount of light you see, moment by
moment. In the evening, when the light starts to wane, your clock notices and prompts a
flood of a brain chemical called melatonin, which gives the body the signal to fall asleep.
Overnight, melatonin levels remain high. They drop at daybreak and remain low during
the day.
This changing rate of activity over each 24-hour period is known as the circadian
rhythm. A person who works nights, or starts their working day before 6am, is running
counter to their circadian rhythm. This may put them at risk of health problems.
Research findings are beginning to show that shiftwork can be hazardous to your health.
An important body function, which follows the circadian rhythm, is the internal body
temperature. This temperature increases through the day. It reaches the lower level in
the early hours of the morning and reaches the maximum level late in the afternoon.
The tendency to fall asleep and stay asleep occurs during the decreasing phase of the
temperature circadian rhythm (between midnight and 4am). As the body temperature
rises, it is more difficult to stay asleep. This is one of the reasons why night workers who
try to fall asleep at 8am find it very difficult and also find it difficult to remain asleep
through the day.
INCREASED RISKS
A person working night shift, which causes disruption to the circadian rhythm, is at
greater risk of various disorders, accidents and misfortunes, including:
In addition:
SLEEP PROBLEMS
Shift workers get, on average, two to three hours less sleep than other workers. They
often sleep through the day in two split periods, a few hours in the morning and then an
hour or so before going to work at night. Night workers can find it difficult sleeping
during the day (particularly in Australia). It’s difficult to keep the sleep environment
dark, free of noise and relatively cool.
ROTATING SHIFTS
The best rotating shift pattern is still undecided. For the most people, rotating forward
through the day, afternoon and night shift is better than backwards (night, afternoon
then day). The frequency of rotation is also controversial. Some people advocate
prolonged rotation, such as two to three weeks. Others advocate short rotations of two
to three days. Both have advantages and disadvantages.
It takes about 10 days for the body to adjust to night shift work. However, it is common
for night shift workers to revert to daytime routines for a day or two during days off,
which tends to make the circadian rhythm unstable.
The amount of hours (8-hour versus 12-hour shifts) is also controversial. It can be said
that 12-hour shifts stretch the body’s tolerance as far as possible. It’s very important
that no overtime should be allowed during a rotation of 12-hour shifts. Another risk to
sleep is when a worker on seven 12-hour shifts a fortnight uses their free time for
another, almost full-time job.
Debriefing is the best tools that can be used in the workplace. It provide a method for
people in the workplace to voice their oppinions with fall back of negative
consequences.
A debrief includes every person in a team that was involved in the execution of a task.
Usually small groups work better than large ones and it must be free from position, in
other words, everyone holds the same rank in a debrief.
It shows all employees that their opinions count and that they are a valuable
member of the team;
It allows for clear and unhindered information flow and experience sharing
between team members;
It promotes transparency and integrity; and
It provides immediate feedback both up and down the chain, which can
enable small problems to be solved easily before they become large problems.
Your organisation should have its own method or format for debriefings but if they don’t
then you should consider suggesting debriefings as a method of communication in your
workplace.
At the conclusion of the debrief, the facilitator or leader of the group must ensure that
the session concludes on a positive note.
Debriefs are considered to be the best way that leaders can display the “lead by
example” method. It allows them to state mistakes made and take on board any positive
suggestions from colleagues. It also provides a venue for training and education of staff
members and provides an opportunity for coaching or mentoring of more junior
members of staff.
SAFETY SYMBOLS
This sign means that there are poisonous chemicals or substances in the area
This sign means that emergency equipment is located in that area or cupboard.
This sign means that sharp objects such as syringes are in the area.
SUMMARY
Now that you have completed this unit, you should have theskills 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.
REFERENCES
https://sielearning.tafensw.edu.au/MCS/9362/sterilisation%20disk
%201/lo/7383/738...
http://poly-csw-cert3-flex-
2012.wikispaces.com/file/view/HLTOHS300A+learning+gui...
http://oehs.vcu.edu/fire/safetytech.html
http://www.safetycare.com/health-and-safety-training/manual-handling-safety-trai...
http://www.hha.org.au/ForConsumers/FactSheets.aspx
http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/hazard_risk.html
http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/report.html
http://th4.ilovetranslation.com/CnSHM2x8BDB=d/
GLOSSARY
Duty Holder – refers to any person who owes a work health and safety duty under the
WHS Act including a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU), designer,
manufacturer, importer, supplier, installer of products or plant used at work (upstream
duty holders), an officer and workers. More than one person can concurrently have the
same duty in which case the duty is shared. Duties cannot be transferred.
Health and safety committee (HSC) – a group established under the WHS Act that
facilitates cooperation between a PCBU and workers to provide a safe place of work. The
committee must have at least 50 per cent of members who have not been nominated by
the PCBU, that is workers or HSRs.
Health and safety representative (HSR) – a worker who has been elected by a work
group under the WHS Act to represent them on health and safety issues.
Officer – an officer within the meaning of section 9 of the Corporations Act 2001(Cth)
other than each partner within a partnership. Broadly, an officer is a person who makes,
or participates in making, decisions that affect the whole, or a substantial part, of the
organisation’s activities. This does not include an elected member of a municipal council
acting in that capacity or a minister of a state, territory or the Commonwealth. An officer
can also be an officer of the Crown or a public authority if they are a person who makes,
or participates in making, decisions that affect the whole, or a substantial part, of the
business or undertaking of the Crown or public authority. Each partner within a
partnership is not an officer but a PCBU in their own right. For further information on
officers, please refer to the interpretive guideline on officers available at
www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au.
Plant – includes any machinery, equipment, appliance, container, implement or tool, and
any component or anything fitted or connected to these things.
Substance – any natural or artificial substance in the form of a solid, liquid, gas or vapor.
Supply – supply and re-supply of a thing provided by way of sale, exchange, lease, hire
or hire-purchase arrangement, whether as principal or agent.
Volunteer – a person who acts on a voluntary basis regardless of whether they receive
out of pocket expenses.
Worker – any person who carries out work for a PCBU, including work as an employee,
contractor, subcontractor, self-employed person, outworker, apprentice or trainee,
work experience student, employee of a labour hire company placed with a ‘host
employer’ and volunteers.
Work group – a group of workers represented by an HSR who in many cases share
similar work conditions (for example all the electricians in a factory, all people on night
shift, all people who work in the loading bay of a retail storage facility).
Workplace – any place where a worker goes or is likely to be while work is carried out
for a business or undertaking. This may include offices, factories, shops, construction
sites, vehicles, ships, aircraft or other mobile structures on land or water such as
offshore units and platforms (that are not already covered under the Commonwealth’s
offshore WHS laws)