In the year 2012-2013, more than 117,000 serious claims of injury within the workplace were reported. In the same year, 186 deaths were held accountable by the misunderstanding, ignorance or minimal knowledge of the safety regulations in place, hence the reason the Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995 has become a serious and important factor in the functioning of every business (Safe Work Australia, 2014). This act’s purpose is to ensure that the employer follows the legal obligations and standards set to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of both staff and customers in the workplace. It is a basic human right within Australia that a person can go to a safe work environment and return home just as they had left that morning. Given that …show more content…
Prior to the Act’s implementation, work injury and death rates were extremely high, hence the need for legal intervention. The initiation of the act encouraged harmonisation between businesses and industries, giving all people the same rights to safety (Australian Government – Comcare, 2014_). The Act of 1995 includes not only protection for the physical safety but also the mental wellbeing and safety of the employees. In the case where the legislation is not complied to, it becomes the employer’s responsibility (their Duty of Care) to pay for the brunt of the expenses – both personal and …show more content…
It is vital that as many prevention strategies as possible are implemented. It is a legal responsibility that the Duty of Care representative – generally the employer – provides Workplace Health and Safety Training. A. Scogilo, Senior Workplace Health and Safety Advisor, wrote ‘Implementing the following actions into the business’s workplace to reduce the risks of harm: identify the hazard, assess the risks associated, decide on control measures to minimise the risk, implement control measures, monitor and review effectiveness of control measures’ (2003). The international franchise, Subway, uses a self-produced and interactive site from University of Subway which educates future staff of all Workplace Health and Safety precautions and practices within this particular workplace environment (TrainingDone, 2015). Programs generally follow the recommended actions from the Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995 in the Fast Food Café and Restaurant Industry – Guide to Risk Management (1999) which firstly identifies the greatest hazards whilst working in a kitchen and follows with the most efficient methods of reducing the risk of harm associated with it (1999). The Government has listed the five greatest hazards within the food industry to be manual handling
McGuire, C. (2011, April). Workplace Safety 100 Years Ago. Safety Compliance Letter(2524), 1-6. Retrieved April 22, 2014, from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=60166397&site=ehost-live&scope=site
The health and safety and safety work act 1974 is one of the major pieces if legislation is this country to affect businesses and the workplace. It is an enabling act, which means that other legislations can be added without changing the actually act itself. The health and safety at work act has five main aims:
When it comes to safety most people think they are safe, and they have a true understanding on how to work safe. Human nature prevents us from harming ourselves. Our instincts help protect us from harm. Yet everyday there are injuries and deaths across the world due to being unsafe. What causes people to work unsafe is one of the main challenges that face all Safety Managers across the world.
Western Australian Department of Education. (2010). Occupational Safety and Health. WA: Department of Education. Retrieved from http://www.det.wa.edu.au/policies/detcms/policy-planning-and-accountability/policies-framework/policies/occupational-safety-and-health.en?bbp.s=9&bbp.e=select&bbp.v=4&bbp.i=d0.1&bbp.8.policyID=10918572&g11n.enc=UTF-8&bbp.9.pane=0
‘Health and Safety at work act 1974’ is a very important Legislation when working in healthcare as this is here to keep everybody involved as safe as possible. This has a huge contribution to health care provisions as it involves mainly everything with the job, it will include providing the right training for the certain job they do, carrying out risk assessment for service uses and the equipment used. Making sure there is a safe environment to be working and providing the correct information on health and safety. There are many policies under this one legislation for example, First Aid. Every staff member working for the NHS and in health care should all have this basic training in case needed in an emergency. The...
This Act of Parliament is the core part of UK health and safety law. It places a responsibility on all bosses and managers to make sure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and well-being at work of all their staff and workers.
The Australian Commission On Safety And Quality in Health care was founded as a powerful body to reform Health care system in Australia. It was established on 1st june 2006 in an incorporated form to lead and coordinate numerous areas related to safety and quality in healthcare across Australia (Windows into Safety and Quality in Health Care, 2011). The commission’s work programs include; development of advice, publications and resources for healthcare teams, healthcare professionals, healthcare organisations and policy makers (Australian Commission On Safety And Quality in Health care). Patients, carers and members of public play a vital role in giving shape to commission’s recommendations thereby ensuring safe, efficient and effective delivery of healthcare services. The commission acknowledges patients and carers as a partner with health service organisations and their healthcare providers. It suggests the patients and carers should be involved in decision making, planning, evaluating and measuring service. People should exercise their healthcare rights and be engaged in the decisions related to their own healthcare and treatment procedures. ...
Section 8 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act (2005) puts the onus on the employer to ensure systems of work that are planned, organised, performed, maintained and revised as appropriate so as to be, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe and without risk to health. Section 19 of the Act requires the employer to conduct a risk assessment of work activities and Schedule 3 of the Act provides the general principles of prevention to ensure the safety of employees in the workplace.
Under the health and safety act everyone should be thinking about how to keep themselves, others and the environment they work in safe. Adults have a duty of care and should encourage the children to also do this, this will help increase their own awareness of what they are doing and where.
"Workplace Safety." Labour Program. Government of Canada, 17 Jan. 2014. Web. 29 Apr. 2014. .
During the nineteenth and early twentieth century if a worker was a victim of workplace accident there was no compensation or requirement of the employer to support rehabilitation. Employers were not responsible for injured workers or accidents that happened in the workplace. The main legal doctrine of Assumption of Risk governed workplace hazards, which required workers to assume and accept all the risks affiliated with their occupation (Share, 2012). In the 1900 's many diseases and injuries resulted due to unsafe or hazardous working condition. "The Royal Commission on the Relations of Labour and Capital reported in 1889 that many workers were being hurt on the job and condemned the state of working conditions in several industries" (CPHA, 2012). However, the federal government at the time did not act on the results of the commission report. In 1914, the province of Ontario introduced legislation where, "workers would be eligible for guaranteed no-fault benefits from a system that was wholly funded by employers. In exchange, employers were freed from legal liability" (CPHA, 2012). This was the first time the idea came up that injured employees should be compensated no matter who was at fault for the accident. This was the sign of the beginnings of change, but perspectives on health and safety still held employees responsible and accountable for all injuries and
As for employees, it is essential for them to work together and cooperate with one another to prevent any accidents from occurring and to not carry out any actions that may be reckless and bring harm to their fellow colleagues. They are ultimately responsible for the safety of their colleagues and themselves. Failing to do so will not only cause mishaps but it may also result in parties being convicted for breaching this act.
le information that I can use at work as well as in my own daily life to stay safe and healthy. During the training it is important to remember that when working with food it can be easy for the items to be contaminated if stored or handled incorrectly. As a home visitor and preparing meals during playgroup snacks it is important as well that I am showing the families how to prepare meals safely so that while they are at home they understand the importance of having meals prepared in a clean and safe manner. As I reflect on what else the food handling training has taught me is to make sure that anyone touching the food knows how to store the food properly at the correct temperatures, that everyone washes their hands properly, and are not handling
Zanko, M & Dawson, P 2012, ‘Occupational health and safety management in organizations: A review’, International Journal of Management Reviews, vol. 14, no. 3, p 328-344, viewed 2 April 2014, http://ro.uow.edu.au/commpapers/2832/.
Accidents occur in the workplace but in secret. These most of the time lead to physical and mental injuries that might affect the worker way of living for the rest of their lives. It is estimated that more than 337 million workers get injured in their place of work or in the course of work every year leading to work-related diseases causing about 2.3 million deaths per year (United States Department of Labor, n.d.).