Racial Abuse

Racial abuse can be subtle or overt, including racial "jokes" at the expense at a particular worker or a group of worker's expense. Racial abuse can be considered racial discrimination if someone with authority in the workplace starts it.

The Racial Discrimination Act 1975 makes racial discrimination in employment against the law throughout Australia. The act aims to ensure that people of all backgrounds have equal rights in the workplace, and have the same opportunities as everyone else.

Victims can lodge complaints with the Equal Opportunities Commission.

Fire Safety

Fires can be divided into six classes:


Class A: Fires involving common combustibles
These include:
- Paper
- Wood
- Textiles
- Plastics
Water is the best method if fighting these kinds of fires and prevent re-ignition.


Class B: Fires involving flammable liquids
These include:
- Oil
- Petrol
-Kerosene
- Alcohol
- Paints and paint thinners
- Solvents
Water should not be used to fight these types of fires. Use C2 or foam extinguishers.


Class C: Fires involving gases
These include:
- Liquid petroleum gas (LPG)
- Butane
- Acetylene
- Hydrogen
- Natural gas
- Methane
Dry chemical or vaporizing extinguishers should be used for these types of fires.


Class D: Fires involving combustible chemicals/metals
These include:
- Potassium
- Sodium
- Lithium
- Aluminium
- Magnesium
Use special dry chemical extinguishers to fight them.


Class E: Electrical fires
Equipment involved in these kinds of fires:
- Motor
- Generators
- Computers
- Lights
- Plugs
- Switches/cables
Fight this type of fire with dry chemicals CO2 or vaporising liquid extinguishers.


Class F: Fueled by cooking oil or fat
Use wet chemical, dry chemical or  C02 extinguishers.


Fire Extinguishers
These are colour coded according to their contents and purpose.





Using Fire Extinguishers 



Using Fire Blankets

Evacuation Procedure
All personnel must be familiar with their building and evacuation procedure.  
Everyone must know the location of fire exits, manual alarms, and safe assembly areas.
When an alarm sounds or an evacuation announcement is made:
-- Turn off electrical equipment, if safe to do so.
-- Close windows and doors, if safe to do so
-- Do not lock doors
-- Calmly move to the designated assembly area
-- Do not use the lifts, exit via the stairs
-- Keep talk to a minimum
-- Do not re-enter the building until it has been confirmed that it is safe to

Week Six:

In class today, we went down to Miller TAFE Library for an assessment in which we had to assess the library in relation to OH&S issues.

We also received a CPR chart compiled by the Ambulance Service of New South Wales. 

From our resource booklets that we worked from today, we learnt about several things, including:

• Good Housekeeping
• Cleaning as a hazards
• Storage of hazards
• Noise as a hazard
• Managing Stress

Good Housekeeping

Good housekeeping in a library includes both the staff rooms and  the area designated for the library clients. Good housekeeping ensures that there are less hazards for anyone in the library, for example rubbish should be removed regularly. However, cleaning can also be considered a hazard in regard to:

• Manual handling injuries
• Slips, trips and falls on wet and cluttered floors
• Electrical equipment 
• Hazardous substances in cleaning products
• Distributing hazardous substances during cleaning
• Working in confined spaces
• Discarded sharp objects and glass 

Storage of Hazards

Substances that are hazardous to human health or the environment should be stored safely and securely. 

Follow safe work procedures: 

• Plan storage systems or tasks
• Store tools, equipment and personal protective equipment properly
• Store items upright
• Use bins, racks, pallets
• Place heavier items on lower shelves
• Follow manufacturer's storage instructions

Noise

In many workplaces, noise is a hazard and should not be treated as an environmental nuisance. Exposure to excessive or prolonged noise causes irreversible deafness or hearing impairment by damaging the inner ear. 

Early warning signs or risk or actual hearing loss include 

• ringing in the ears after a noisy activity
• becoming "used to" constant levels of noise 
• having difficulty understanding what people say
• dialing to hear background noise

Regulations govern the level of noise that is allowed in the workplace. The standard level of noise in the workplace is 85 decibels over an eight hour working day. The noise in the workplace cannot exceed 140 decibels at any time. 

Safety measures 

• Use personal hearing protectors if provided for a specific purpose
• Minimise the duration of your exposure to noise
• Report defects in noise control equipment or personal hearing protectors to a supervisor

Managing Stress

Apparently research has shown that some stress is good for us and keeps us on our toes. 

But feeling "stressed out" is to feel tense, uncomfortable, under pressure and anxious. 

Symptoms of excessive stress:

Headaches Fatigue Anxiety Skin rashes and pimples Tension Irritability Tremors Aggression Reduced appetite

Indigestion Depression Weight loss or overeating Dizziness Poor memory Insomnia Irregular bowel movements Inability to concentrate Indecisiveness

Causes of Stress in the Workplace:

Work overload and long hours               Responsibility                    Fear of redundancy                   Bullying                   Dealing with the public              Harassment             Performance related pay conditions                      Lack of control over work             Interruptions                      Not expressing yourself/having no say in decision making

Not understanding/agreeing with management decisions             Poor or inadequate training             Unsatisfactory contact with the supervisor             Lack of constructive feedback on performance             Inadequate staffing levels             Feeling that tasks are too complex, boring or  repetitive             Shift work or overtime             Conflicts with managers and/or other workers

 

What can be done?

• Strike that happy balance
  - keep a happy balance between work and your personal life
• Work smarter not harder
  - Practice time management and strike a balance between competing demands of your time
• "To-do list"
  - Compile a to-do list of the tasks you need to do and cross them off as you go
• Get focused and analytical
  - Focus on one task at a time until it's finished before moving on to the next.
  - Break down large projects into smaller individual parts
• Use tools of your trade effectively
  - Make the most of the tools that you available to you
• Be tidy and organised
  - Keep your work space tidy - you'll feel calmer and ready to focus on the job at hand
• Take sufficient rest and eat well
  - Sleep well and take regular breaks at work to clear your mind and help you relax
  - Eat full, proper meals and have snacks when you need to
• Exercise
  - Physical exercise is a good tool for alleviating stress, depression and fatigue, as well as the physical benefits
• Express yourself
  - Seek advice and support when you need it - identify the contributory causes and discuss how you feel