Follow Safe Work Practices for H LT W H S

Direct 002

Client Care
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Unit
Objectives
This unit describes the skills & 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 other
clients.

It has a focus on maintaining safety of:

The workers
Clients and patients
Anyone else who is in the clinical area
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Session Objectives
 Course Introduction

 Class Expectations

 Course assessments overview

 Understand what is WHS, its background and significance

 Common WHS concerns in a health care environment

 Gain an understanding on Legislation related to WHS

 Resolution & reporting guidelines

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Introduction
 Unit code & name: HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices in direct
client care

 Blended learning- On campus learning for lectures & practical labs

along with online self-directed learning on canvas

 Written & practical assessments

 Runs along with Infection control course- combined practical labs

 Weekly learning activities- non graded

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Assessment Overview
Assessment Task 1
• Knowledge Assessment
• Short answer questions- Online submission to canvas portal

Assessment Task 2
• Practical lab assessment- on campus

Assessment Task 3
• Practical lab assessment- On campus
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Class Expectations
• Respect for all students & teachers

• Active participation from all students

• Be on time for classes & labs

• Be responsible

• Ask questions

• Come prepared for classes

• Confidentiality
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Terminology
• Hazard: Potential source of harm or adverse health effect on a
person/s.

• Risk: Likelihood of person getting harmed or suffers adverse

effects if exposed to a hazard.

• Incident: An event that have led to or could have led to an injury.

• Manual handling: Work involving certain actions of lifting, lowering,

pushing, pulling, carrying, holding or restraining something.
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What is Work Health and

Safety (WHS)?
WHS is concerned with protecting
the health and safety of all workers
in the workplace

It was previously known as

Occupational Health & Safety
(OH&S)

There are WHS Acts, regulations

and codes of practice to protect
employees.
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Background of
WHS
Over the past centuries the general duties of nurses remains the same, the
workplace continues to expose nurses to many risks.

 In 1980s research outlined awareness and started changes to the way

nurses worked.
◦ Traditional manual techniques used by nurses were considered too
risky.
◦ Equipment was developing and introduced.
◦ Laws were changing and being developed.
◦ Training and resources were developing.
◦ More focus on prevention of injury.
◦ Creating safer working places.
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What are WHS concerns in workplace?

• Manual Handling
• Hazards
• Slips and falls
• Infectious diseases
• Fieldwork / Community
• Electrical Safety
• Hazardous Waste
• Occupational violence
• Bullying
• Psychological health
risks
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WHS & Nursing

 Dynamic & evolving profession

 Exposure to many risks in workplace including environmental

contamination from waste products, chemicals, radiation, noise,
sharps, gases, infective material, manual handling & repetitive
work.

 Inadequate resource allocation

 Impact of shift work & disturbance in daily life patterns.

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WHS & Nursing

 A day in the life of a nurse (1.53 mins)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GceTUn_OH_Q
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Common workplace injuries in health care

According to Safe Work Australia
statistics
• Sprains & strains
• Aggression & violence
• Exposure to chemical & biological
contaminants
• Workplace stress
• Slips, trips & falls
• Risk of infections
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Common hazards & risks in health care

 Lifting, supporting & moving patients

 Moving & handling equipment

 Work-related stress

 Occupational violence

 Slips, trips & falls

 Bullying & harassment

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Work Health
and Safety
Legislation
The Occupational Health and Safety Act
2004
Refers to Laws in Australia and States.
Balanced and nationally consistent framework
to secure the health and safety of workers and
workplaces

Protecting workers and other persons against

harm to their health, safety and welfare
through the elimination or minimisation of
risks arising from work
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Work Health and Safety

Legislation
 Ensure fair and effective representation, consultation and cooperation to
address and resolve health and safety issues in the workplace.
 Encourage unions and employer organisations to take a constructive
role in improving work health and safety practices.
 Assisting businesses and workers to achieve a healthier and safer
working environment.
 Promote information, education and training on WHS.
 Provide effective compliance and enforcement measures.
 Deliver continuous improvement and progressively higher standards of
work health and safety.
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Work Health and Safety

Regulation
Occupational Health and Safety
Regulations 2017 (VIC)

The Act is supported by the above regulation.

• Specifies duties set out by Act which must be
followed.
• Procedures and administrative matters to
support the Act.
• Licenses, specific activities, keeping
records and requirements to notify
certain matters.
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Codes of Practice and

Policies
Code of Practice
Provide practical guidance to those
who
have duties and obligations under
the Act.

Policy
Is a statement of what Work Safe
will do in certain circumstances.
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Where to go for more

•information
Safe Work Australia / Work safe Victoria - Leads the development
of national policy to WHS but does not regulate or enforce WHS
legislation. Provides education and training to all organizations, industries,
employers and employees.

• Health and safety representatives - Workers elected or selected

to represent the health and safety interests of workers within their
workplace. They conduct
business, views, concerns, suggestions about WHS issues.

• Policy and procedure manuals - Information and methods,

expectations and how to
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Who is responsible for

WHS
There are several people who have a
role in
managing WHS risks. These include:
- Employers
- Managers
- Employees
- Contractors
- Volunteers and
- Other persons at the workplace.
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Group
Activity
Discuss following:
• Responsibilities of Employer
in relation to WHS
• Responsibilities of Employee
in relation to WHS
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Workplace policies &

procedures
Workplace policies & procedures need to be adhered to when you are required to carry
out your duties. You need to have information about following WHS policies &
procedures at your workplace.
• Standard & safety precautions
• Emergency procedures
• Hazard identification & control systems
• Personal protective equipment & clothing
• Manual Handling
• Waste management & disposal
• Staff development & training programs
• WHS personnel
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WHS
Benefits
• Provide safe work places.
• Minimise injury and illness.
• Ensure all legal obligations and
responsibilities are met.
• Maximise employee productivity.
• Reduce costs of injury and workers
compensation claims.
• Help retain staff.
• Raise employee morale.
• New ways and safe ways to do tasks
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Resolution of OHS
issues
Initially the OHS issue should be discussed with your supervisor
• Should the supervisor not be able to assist, the matter should be
referred to your Health and Safety representative on the Workplace
Advisory Group (WAG) and seek advice from Health, Safety and
Environment (HSE).
• Refer paperwork to WAG or HSE for action.
• If the matter remains unresolved it can then be referred to the
Health and Safety Group (HSG)
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Reporting
 Important part of contributing to OH&S in the workplace.

 Acknowledged and records all incidents (including near misses &

accidents)

 Can be used to prevent similar incident in the future

 Legal requirement
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Reporting
Guidelines
All Accident/incident should be reported to:
• Management or nursing co-ordinator
• Maintenance
• Health and safety officer or committee of an organization
• Online reporting system (e.g. “Risk man”, “VHIMS”).
• If there is an immediate risk to life, then call 000.
• If there is a “notifiable incident” then you are required to notify the
regulator.
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Reporting
Guidelines
 Accidents, Injuries and Incidents should be reported within
24hours if a matter is serious, involves serious injury including a
death, IMMEDIATE notification to OHS department is required.

 Supervisors are responsible for the follow up and investigation of

all incidents and accidents and are required to forward the
accident, incident and incident form to the Health, Safety and
Environment (HSE) unit.
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Inspections of the
Workplace
Provides opportunity to identify hazards and assess
risk.
 Use a checklist to make sure inspection is thorough
and consistent with previous inspection. Also
serves as a record of inspection.
 Inspections must be carried out on a
regular/scheduled basis.
 In response to a report of an incident or
hazard.
 When a new process, procedure or plant is
introduced to a workplace.
 High risk areas should be inspected more
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Micro-
Credential
Student to complete Micro-Credential course from RMIT portal.

Learning activity
Go to the RMIT Creds page to enrol in the Work Safely micro-credential. Select
the Enrol button from the side menu. This credential is open to all RMIT
students and will provide you with the essentials on working safely.
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Reference
s
• Koutoukidis, G, Stainton, K & Hughes, J 2016. Tabbner’s Nursing Care:
Theory And Practice, 7th ed, Elsevier Australia.
• Safe Work Australia (2019). Retrieved from https://ww
w.Safeworkaustralia.Gov.Au/
• Work Safe Victoria (2019). Retrieved from https://www.Worksafe.Vic.Gov.Au/