BSBSUS201 – participate in environmentally sustainable work practices.

Assessment 6
BSBSUS201 - Participate in environmentally
sustainable work practices.

Submitted by –
Fareeduddin Shakir Farooq
Student ID - SAE5380

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 BSBSUS201 – participate in environmentally sustainable work practices.

1) List 4 environmental hazards common in a kitchen.

In the hospital industry, the most active e and busy area is the kitchen which also
majorly contributes to wastage and environmental hazards. It is easy to overlook
kitchen hazards. A hectic kitchen makes you more vulnerable to risks. So you must
keep hazards at the forefront. Reducing hazards to minimum allows you and your co-
workers to stay safe, work at full efficiency, and provide your customers with top
quality service.

1. Physical hazards: Physical hazard is the environmental factor that will harm
the body without necessarily touching it. Physical hazards include radiation,
high exposure to sun light, unguarded machinery, exposed moving parts,
working from ladders, scaffolding, heights etc.

2. Chemical hazards: Most hazardous chemicals used in hospitality industry are

cleaning agents, such as - general detergent, dishwasher detergent, floor
cleaner, etc.

3. Ergonomic hazards: Ergonomic hazard is the physical factor that harms the
musculoskeletal system. Example: work station design, equipment layout and
orientation, thermal comfort, etc.

4. Biological hazards: Biological hazards are the hazards that occur when
working with infectious animals, people or plants. These hazards include
blood or other bodily fluids, bacteria and viruses, insect bites, and animal and
bird droppings.

2) As an employee, what must you do if you find an environmental hazard in the

work place?

As an employee, if one finds an environmental hazard in the work place. Then he/she
must follow the following preventive measure to control the hazard.

 Make sure that fire extinguishers are made available at all needed points.

 Use of sound proof head phones by workers who handle equipment that
generate loud decibels of noise.

 Ensure that the chemicals are labeled properly when removed from the
original package.

 Restructure workstations and work areas to eradicate reaching, bending or

other uncomfortable postures.

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 Ensure proper cleaning of hands and area where biological agents are handled.

 Workshops and trainings on financial management, time management and

occupational hazards.

3) Which Victorian body governs environmental sustainability in Victoria and what

legislation governs this?

That Victorian body that governs environmental sustainability in Victoria is

environment protection authority Victoria (EPA) and the legislation governs this
environment protection act 1970.

4) You notice a trainee pouring dirty mop bucket water into a storm water drain
outside the kitchen door. What should you do? Why is this illegal under the EPA
act?

The trainee must be made aware that dumping into storm drains is not just wrong, but
it’s illegal under the EPA act. Also he must be given proper training of everything.

Under the EPA act this is illegal because unlike the water that flows down the drains
inside your home which goes to sewage treatment facilities, the storm drain system is
completely separate, water in the storm drain receives no treatment or filtering
process. This means that any pollution that gets washed into the storm drains go
directly to our local water ways.

Polluted storm water not only creates health hazards but it can also affect drinking
water sources. Failure to abide by the state and local storm water regulation and
ordinance can result in civil or criminal penalties including jail time, and fines.

5) List 3 safety risks in a kitchen relating to environmental sustainability issues.

1. Assess the menu items that usually have the most leftovers consider reducing
the portion size of these menu items. In this way you not reduce the quantity
of restaurant waste but also reducing the food cost of cooking.

2. Purchase biodegradable cleaning products for ovens and grills and another
kitchen equipment.

3. Encourage staff to grow some ingredients such as carrots, cabbage, beets, and
broad beans and give the cooks a new appreciation for those items in their
cooking.

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6) What should you do if you smell gas in a kitchen? Describe the action.

If you smell gas in your kitchen then:

 Turn off all appliances and pilot lights.

 Turn off your supply at the gas meter.

 Open all doors and windows for ventilation.

 Contact your licensed gas fitter to repair the escape and relight appliances.

Remember:

 Do not look for a gas leak with a naked flame or other ignition source.

 Do not operate electrical equipment close to a gas leak.

 Do not turn on or switch off any lights, use a telephone, or use a flashlight, at
the risk of causing a spark that could start a gas fire.

 Do not smoke, light matches, or use a cigarette lighter inside or while on the
property.

7) Who can you report environmental sustainability issues and hazards to in a

kitchen?

If you do identify a hazard or breach of environmental regulations, you should:

 Report this in the first instance to your supervisor.

 Document what you have observed for your company’s records and files.

 It is just as important to report on potential environmental breaches to ensure

accidents do not happen.

8) How can staff and managers communicate in order to improve environmental

sustainability in the work place?

Sharing information and discussing with suppliers about their practices helps you
make informed decisions about which business you want to support talking to co-
workers and customers provides you with the opportunity to share information and
support each other with the implementation of sustainable work practices.

 Identify key sustainability issues and procedures to reduce the issues.

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 Implement the identified procedures.

 Monitor and report the procedures to ensure that the procedure implemented
have the most effective outcome.

 Review the procedures to ensure continuous improvement.

9) Which of the following pieces of equipment could be installed at a hotel to reduce

consumption of natural resources?

The piece of equipment that could be installed at a hotel to reduce consumption of

natural resources is solar panels.

10) List 5 ways to monitor consumption of natural resources used in a kitchen in

order to determine if the systems and procedures are meeting usage targets?

1. Examining relevant internal and external information and data related to

energy consumptions and KPIs.

2. Monitoring equipment usage under various conditions their frequency of use

thermostat temperatures and maintenance logs through electrical meters.

3. Developing inspection checklists and conduct periodic audits that include

work activities and resources and timely updating the checklists.

4. Measuring carbon emissions using carbon footprint calculators.

5. Examining all supplier invoices to analyses the food ordered including the
type of products and size of packaging.

6. Analyses all direct and indirect emissions caused at workplace.

11) As an employee in a kitchen, describe 2 things you can do to assist the business to
improve environmental sustainability in the work place?

In order to ensure your conservation practices are effective it is essential to establish

monitoring mechanism on a monthly quarterly or any specific period of time. It is
vital that all measurements of current usage are documented and filed using the
appropriate software system. Maintaining these records will allow the business to
track its improvement over time. There are various offer aspects and activities to be
maintained to ensure an environmentally friendly workplace such as -

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1. Administrative and personal service: Ensure all policies, procedures and

systems are in place to confirm that work practices are environmentally
sustainable. Analyses the type of services offered to internal and external
customers.

2. Supplies and equipment purchases: Think about the direct and indirect
impact your choice of equipment and supplies has on carbon emissions,
deforestation and pollution. What procedures are in place to ensure that the
stock equipment and supplies you use are not harming the environment or
purchased from manufacturers who use environmentally sustainable work
practices.

12) How can information about few sustainability procedures be communicated to

staff?

 Define what sustainability means to the company and articulate a value

proposition – how sustainability drives business value.

 Engage employees Sustainability starts from within. Collaborate with

employees to discuss sustainability in terms of their job functions. Help them
define their roles in achieving the business’ sustainability goals.

 Implement and continuously refine the strategy using various communications

channels, including a sustainability report.

13) What are the kitchen staff members responsibilities regarding environmental
sustainability?

An employee and employer must e aware of their rights and responsibilities with
regard to legal compliance around WHS. The responsibilities include -

 How to manage hazards and risks.

 To report hazards, injuries, illnesses and near misses.

 Work area responsibilities.

 Provision of PPE.

 Training and induction for performing their duties safely.

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 To be aware about equal employment opportunity (EEO) this includes

antidiscrimination, bullying and harassment legislation.

 Payment and conditions of employment i.e. rosters, working hours, breaks and
leave entitlements.

14) Name one EPA regulation and code of practice or guideline that is applicable to a
cook’s role in Victoria.

Code of practice: Onsite Wastewater Management.

This code of practice provides standards and guidance to ensue the management of
onsite wastewater (up to 5000 L/day) protects public health and the environment, and
uses our resources efficiently. It has been written to support the onsite wastewater
industry, regulators and premise owners design, install and or manage sustainable
sanitation and re-use systems in accordance with the environment protection Act 1970
and the state environment protection policies waters of Victoria (SEPP WOV) and
groundwater of Victoria (GOV).

15) Your workplace has a procedure in place that the dishwasher is turned on at the
end of every shift and any remaining dishes be washed provide 2 suggestions for
improvement.

1. Select the eco option and half-load option: Dishwasher economy (eco)
options save energy by heating the water slowly over a longer cycle. Half load
options reduce energy and water consumption.

2. Use the delay start option: If you have a time-of-use electricity traffic the
delay start option will allow you to run the dishwasher during off-peak periods
which area usually overnight.

16) List three techniques you can use to measure current usage of resources.

Appropriate techniques may include:

1. Examining and documenting resources in work area.

2. Examining invoices from suppliers.

3. Examining relevant information and data.

4. Measuring resource usage under different conditions.

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5. Reports from other parties involved in the process of identifying and

implementing improvements.

17) List one example of technology or system you could use to monitor and record
the energy efficiency of electrical appliances.

18) What should you do with the information you obtain from monitoring usage?

Periodic recording and monitoring helps compare results over time. The process for
recording data depends on your workplace, standard procedures and the type of
specific monitoring activities. You can define KPLs for tracking the activities.
Environmental key performance indicators (KPLs) can help as quantitative measures
that put values on a business environmental performance. Comparing results to the
pervious data helps in tracking the overall equipment or resource usage efficiency.

19) You report a potential breach of environmental regulations to your manager.

Rather than addressing the issue your manager tells you to get back to work: the
environment is not your concern. What action could you take?

In case you notice something in the workplace that has the potential to harm the
environment or identify an opportunity to improve practices and resource efficiency
do not ignore and report immediately. Every employee is obligated to protect the
environment. Take action whenever you identify an environmental hazard, breach or
potential breach.

Hazards in the workplace may be reported in a number of ways:

 A verbal report to a supervisor.

 Completing a hazard report form.

 Raising the issue at a staff meeting.

 Acute hazards should always be reported immediately to supervisor,

workplace health and safety (WHS) representative or environmental officer

Hazards that are less severing may only require completion of a hazard report form
and forwarding it to the appropriate person. Your organization will also have specific
procedures for emergency situations. These are usually specified in emergency
procedures manual as well as being covered in your workplace induction.

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Hazard report forms are a common way of reporting hazards. The completed forms
help ensure that appropriate action is taken and that an appropriate record is kept. It
will describe:

 The nature and location of the hazard.

 Who it was reported to.

 What action was taken.

 Whether it is fixed.

20) List four things you and your team members should look for when searching for
opportunities for improvement.

Most workplaces, schools and homes have a number of opportunities for

improvement in environmental work practices and resource efficiency. This can be for
various reasons, including that:

1. Current practices have been in place for a long time and have not been
reviewed with the objective of reducing the environmental footprint.

2. Staff changes have meant that procedures designed to reduce environmental

impact are not being followed thoroughly.

3. Existing procedures for reducing environmental impact have been successfully

introduced, but further refinement will increase their success.

4. Other changes in the organization have created additional opportunities for

reducing environmental impact.

5. There has not previously been a focus on improving environmental work

practices or resource efficiency.

21) Outline the sustainability requirements in a hospitality establishment such as a

café or restaurant. List four ways in which they can address work place
environmental and resource efficiency issues.

The sustainability requirements in a hospitality establishment are:

 Application of industry codes and standards, including eco clean

measurements made under different conditions.

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 Minimization of environmental risks and maximization of opportunities to

improve business environmental performance and to promote more efficient
production and consumption of natural resources.

Different ways to address workplace environmental and resource efficiency issue are:

 Efficient energy use.

 Efficient water use.

 Minimizing use of chemicals.

 Minimizing waste through implementation of waste management hierarchy.

 Seeking alternative sources of energy.

22) List five things you must comply with to ensure compliance with environmental
regulations.

1. International laws and regulations.

2. Federal laws and regulations.

3. State or territory laws, regulations.

4. Local government by-laws and regulations.

5. Industry codes of practice and best practice.

23) Once energy water and waste usage have been analyses the results should be
compared with industry standards or best practice models. Provide 2 examples
where you could access information for benchmarks in tourism and hospitality
industry.

1. Accredited visitor centre: if you provide information services to tourists you

might want to subscribe to use the accredited visitor centre logo. This
identifying logo immediately tells customers about the type of information and
service they can expect to receive.

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2. Australian tourism accreditation program: the Australian tourism

accreditation program (ATAP) is another logo that helps tourism
establishments gain recognition for their high standard of business practices
and customer service. When customers see the logo they can be sure that they
will receive professional customer service from an organization that has sound
environmental practices. Complies with WHS standards and has appropriately
licensed and qualified operations.

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