Introduction - What is OHS? What does it involve?
** Updated**Watch the Video "Understanding Safety Awareness". This video is available from the Chisholm Library website or by using this link:
http://chisholm.safetyhub.com/embeddirect/RZOJ3M33/3666
Safe Work Australia
http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/swa/pages/defaultSafe Work Australia is trying to implement a National WHS policy to have consistency in WHS laws and regulations across Australia.
http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/swa/model-whs-laws/faqs/pages/faq%20-%20general-model-whs-laws
Victorian Regulators
Who are the people who regulate OHS in Victoria?WorkSafe Victoria
WorkSafe Victoria's responsibilities include:- help avoid workplace injuries occurring
- enforce Victoria's occupational health and safety laws
- provide reasonably priced workplace injury insurance for employers
- help injured workers back into the workforce, and
- manage the workers' compensation scheme by ensuring the prompt delivery of appropriate services and adopting prudent financial practices.
Energy Safe Victoria (ESV)
In Victoria, regulations covering electrical equipment safety and efficiency are administered by ESV. The key functions of ESV include:
- overseeing the design, construction and maintenance of electricity, gas and pipeline networks
- licensing and registering electricians, and
- issuing and auditing Certificates of Electrical Safety.
Victorian Laws and Regulations
Worksafe
In Victoria, workplace health and safety is governed by a system of laws, regulations and compliance codes which set out the responsibilities of employers and workers to ensure that safety is maintained at work.These include:
The Act - The Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004
The Regulations - The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2007
Guidance - Compliance Codes
Policy -Interpretations of the above
http://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/laws-and-regulations/occupational-health-and-safety
You can find all of the related Acts and Regulations here http://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/laws-and-regulations/acts-and-regulations
Energy Safe Victoria
http://www.esv.vic.gov.au/Legislation-RegulationsErgonomics
What is Ergonomics?
From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_factors_and_ergonomics
Human factors and ergonomics (HF&E), also known as comfort design, functional design, and user-friendly systems, is the practice of designing products, systems or processes to take proper account of the interaction between them and the people who use them.
HF&E is employed to fulfill the goals of occupational health and safety and productivity. It is relevant in the design of such things as safe furniture and easy-to-use interfaces to machines and equipment. Proper ergonomic design is necessary to prevent repetitive strain injuries and other musculoskeletal disorders, which can develop over time and can lead to long-term disability.
Human factors and ergonomics is concerned with the "fit" between the user, equipment and their environments. It takes account of the user's capabilities and limitations in seeking to ensure that tasks, functions, information and the environment suit each user.
General Ergonomics https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeDUCXfzl6U
How to sit at a computer
http://www.ergonomics.com.au/how-to-sit-at-a-computer/Computer Ergonomics https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLBKUbnLYTs
Laptop Ergonomics https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLwIP8cBaWA
Class Activity
Look at each of the following photos. Can you see any OHS issues, in particular anything relating to Ergonomics? Can you see any other hazards? Is there anything that you can see that has been done well or meets OHS/Ergonomics?
