TEACHING NOTES

TOPIC 1: HEALTH AND SAFETY IS IMPORTANT AT WORK

Introduction to the session

This section is aimed at providing an overview of the WHS systems and practices that should be
implemented in workplaces. It demonstrates how everyone has roles and responsibilities to ensure people
are safe at work.

Session warm up
This session should be used primarily as an overview of why WHS is important and how it can be
implemented in a workplace.

The session can be introduced with reference to other organisations or associations the students are
involved with, e.g. sporting clubs/volunteer groups or the school. A brief overview of the purpose of
organisational structures and allocation of responsibilities within the organisation/association can be used to
demonstrate the similarities with the requirements of WHS.

Screening of WorkSafeBC’s ‘Lost Youth’ video is recommended and is an excellent way to highlight the
significance of WHS in the workplace.

Please note that the video contains graphic scenes that some students may find disturbing.

What is a workplace? – Slide 3

 A workplace is defined as:

1. A place where work is carried out for a business or undertaking and includes any place a worker
goes, or is likely to be, while at work’.
2. In this section –
place includes –
a. A vehicle, vessel, aircraft or other mobile structure; and
b. Any waters and any installation on land, on the bed of any waters or floating on any waters.

What is a worker? – Slide 4

 A worker is defined as:

1. A person is a worker if the person carries out work in any capacity for a person conducting a
business or undertaking, including work as:

a) An employee; or
b) A contractor or subcontractor; or
c) An employee of a contractor or subcontractor; or
d) An employee of a labour hire company who has been assigned to work in the person’s
business or undertaking; or
e) An outworker; or
f) An apprentice or trainee; or
g) A student gaining work experience; or
h) A volunteer; or
i) A person of a prescribed class.

2. For the purposed of this Act, a police officer is –

a. A worker; and

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Teaching Notes – Health and safety is important at work

b. At work throughout the time when the officer is on duty or lawfully performing the functions of
a police officer.
3. The person conducting the business or undertaking is also a worker if the person is an individual
who carries out work in that business or undertaking.

What is a safe working environment? – Slide 5

 A safe working environment is a workplace that is free of hazards and risks to the people working there.
 Your employer is responsible for providing and maintaining a clean, tidy and safe working environment.
This includes:
 Clean and tidy work areas with rubbish and debris removed
 Clean and level floors with no tripping hazards or open pits
 Storage of tools, equipment and chemicals
 Similarly, you (as the worker) are also responsible for checking that your work area is clean and tidy and
that your actions and behaviour do not create an unsafe working environment.

Who has WHS responsibilities in the workplace? – Slide 6

This chart shows the different WHS responsibilities in the workplace.

 Employer – under the new legislation this is now called the Person Conducting a Business or
Undertaking (PCBU))
The term PCBU is now used in WHS law because it covers a range of people such as employers, head
contractors, franchises or joint ventures.

Every PCBU is required to provide a safe work environment, safe systems of work, plant (machinery)
and substances (chemicals) in a safe condition. Employers are also required to provide training,
supervision and information to ensure workers can work safely.

 Manager – (now referred to as an Officer)

Managers act on behalf of the employer (PCBU). In small and medium-sized business, the PCBU and
Officer may be the same person.
An officer must ensure that the PCBU complies with their duty or obligation under the WHS Act.

 Supervisor
Supervisors (including team leaders and coordinators) help management carry out the WHS
responsibilities, policies and procedures.

If a student is working part-time as a supervisor or team leader, they must be aware of the WHS
responsibilities that relate to their role and the importance of passing on WHS information to workers and
managers.

 Workers
All workers have a responsibility to protect their own health and safety. They should also ensure their
behaviour does not adversely affect the health and safety of others in their workplace, including co-
workers, volunteers or members of the public.

 Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs)

HSRs are elected by a group of workers to represent them on health and safety issues. HSRs are
trained to inspect, investigate and take action on WHS issues.

 Health and Safety Committee (HS Committee)

An HS Committee is a group of workers and management representatives who meet to discuss health
and safety in the workplace. They are responsible for identifying how WHS responsibilities can be met
including:
 Making sure the employer is meeting WHS obligations
 Discussing and resolving WHS issues
 Assisting in the development and review of health and safety policies
 Developing and overseeing the organisation’s WHS management systems.

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Teaching Notes – Health and safety is important at work

How are workplaces made safer? – Slide 7

Safe workplaces have:

 Policies and procedures – employers are required to have a general WHS policy that describes their
commitment to WHS and how responsibilities are delegated to everyone in the workplace.

 Safe operating procedures (SOPs) are documents explaining how to work safely and efficiently in
hazardous work situations, such as when operating machinery or using chemicals.

 Machine guarding protects machine operators and others in the work area from the hazards of
machines. Guards should be designed to ensure that the machine is safe to use.

 Reporting systems include injury reports, hazard reports and inspection reports.

How you can be safer at work – Slide 8

Ensure you do the following:

 Only perform tasks that you have been trained to do safely (including using or operating equipment)
 Only use machines that are safe to operate. At the start of each day or shift, you should check your
machines and equipment to ensure they are in a safe condition and do not have any leaks or faults.
 Always use machine guards for dangerous machinery. You should never remove machine guards as
they protect you and others from dangerous moving parts. If a guard has been removed, it must be
reported immediately and the equipment must not be used.
 Store hazardous substances in a safe place. Ensure you have had training on how to use them safely
and that you know where the safety data sheets are kept (refer to the Hazardous Substances section).
 Read and follow SOPs before using machinery or equipment. These are instructions describing how to
safely operate machinery or equipment. If an SOP states that you should use protective clothing or
equipment, it is a legal requirement to wear all items stated. Clothing and personal protective equipment
needs to be correctly fitted, looked after and kept clean.

How you can be safer at work (cont.) – Slide 9

 The safety laws refer to duties of care owed by those in a workplace. The general duty of care means
that no one, through an act or omission, places others at risk of injury. This means that you could be
responsible for injuring someone else by doing or not doing something in the workplace.
 Ensure you put up barriers, guards or signs to protect and warn others in the workplace if the job you
are doing might be dangerous (e.g. grinding sparks, dust or digging a hole) and keep your work area
as clean as possible, and clean up spills as soon as possible
 Practical jokes come under the ‘act or omission’ aspect of the safety laws. Practical jokes are an ‘act’
that may put people at risk of injury.
 Report hazards – if you see something that is unsafe, advise your supervisor or employer.
 Report accidents – you must report accidents, injuries, incidents and near misses. By reporting incidents,
employers can take action to prevent further accidents, incidents and damage from occurring.

Health and safety is important at work (summary) – Slide 10

 The safety law is the Work Health and Safety Act 2012
 All workers, including full-time, casual, part-time, visitors, volunteers and work experience students are
protected by the WHS law
 The WHS law places safety obligations on various parties in the workplace e.g. employers, managers,
supervisors and workers
 A safe working environment will have policies, procedures, safety signs, safety equipment and reporting
systems.

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Teaching Notes – Health and safety is important at work

STUDENT ACTIVITIES
Students are to answer the following questions in Activity 1, preferably in small groups of three or four.
Activity 2 may be completed by individuals. If preferred, the activities can be completed as a group.

Activity 1 – Workplace safety

Answer the following questions:

1. Describe how the employer can make a workplace safer

2. Describe what an employee can do to be safer at work
3. Describe what a HSR does
4. Describe what a Health and Safety Committee does.

Possible answers – Activity 1

1. Describe how an employer (PCBU) can make a workplace safer (Refer slide 7)
 Having WHS policies and procedures
 Having SOPs for hazardous work or hazardous machinery
 Guards on dangerous machinery
 Systems in place to report hazards and injuries.

2. Describe what a worker can do to be safer at work (Refer slide 8 and 9)

 Only perform tasks that you have been trained to do safely (including using or operating
equipment)
 Only using machines that are safe to operate
 Always use guards on dangerous machinery
 Store hazardous substances in a safe place
 Follow SOPS and wear the correct protective gear
 Refrain from unsafe work behaviour
 Ensure work area is clean and tidy
 Report hazards, incidents or ‘near misses’.

3. Describe what a HSR does (Refer slide 6)

 Helps to fix safety problems
 Knows the safety laws and employer (PCBU) responsibilities
 They may be part of the health and safety committee and meet with managers, supervisors or
team leaders
 The law gives the health and safety representative the ability to investigate and take action on
WHS issues.

4. Describe what a Health and Safety Committee does (Refer slide 6)

 Health and Safety Committees consist of employees and representatives of the PCBU who meet
to discuss health and safety in the workplace
 Health and Safety Committees consult with employers to assist in developing or modifying health
and safety policies and procedures
 At least half of the committee members must be workers
 The committee must meet at least once every three months
 The workers elect members of the committee to represent them. These members are usually
health and safety representatives
 If a supervisor, team leader or health and safety representative cannot fix a safety problem, it
should go to the committee to be discussed.

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Teaching Notes – Health and safety is important at work

Activity 2 – Safety signs

Match the pictures with the correct words

Beware – radiation

First aid

Breathing apparatus must be worn

Hearing protection must be worn

Beware – electricity

Eye protection must be worn

Gloves must be worn

No smoking

Fire extinguisher

Beware – forklift

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