Week One:

We went through the OH&S Act 2000. This act outlines the general duties of the employers and the duties of the employees.

Employers must:

• maintain the work place under their control in a safe condition and ensure safe entrances and exits;
• make arrangements for ensuring the safe use, handling, storage and transport of plant and substances;
• provide and maintain systems of work and working environments that are safe and without risks to health;
• provide the information, instruction, training and supervision necessary to ensure the health and safety of employees.

Employees must NOT:

• interfere with or misuse things that are provided for the health, safety and welfare or persons;
• obstruct attempts to give aid or attempts to prevent a serious risk
• refuse a reasonable request to assist in giving aid or preventing a risk
• disrupt a workplace by creating health and safety fears.

The Act also says that the employer must consult with employees about OH&S matters, and take their concerns into consideration.

In week one, we also looked at some useful OH&S related websites, including:

• Comcare Virtual Office

We also looked at hazards and how to identify them.

In general hazards can be grouped into seven classes:

• Physical
• Chemical
• Biological
• Psychological problems
• Mechanical/Electrical
• Ergonomic
• Radiation