You must always aim to eliminate a hazard, which is the most effective control. If this is not reasonably practicable, you need to minimise the risk by working through the other alternatives in the hierarchy. Control measures include: Eliminate the hazard Substitute the hazard for something safer Isolate the hazard from people Use administrative controls Use personal protective equipment (PPE) Record the control measure of each risk in the TEMPLATE Hazard Register – Manual 2 Tab 11 Office controls in real estate The following is meant as general assistance to you in taking a global picture of your office and some examples what you and your workers could be thinking about to control any work health and safety hazards. A real estate office will have: So what should be on your mind as far as controls are concerned (not exhaustive)? 1 People working at desks using computers and phones. Work environment and welfare provisions. Working space; lighting; ventilation; desk & computer ergonomics; VDU’s and radiation; hygiene re several people using same PC’s and phones; toilets; drinking water; dining facilities and so on 2 Photocopying machines with the associated chemicals Exhaust fan and ventilation re copier handling of cartridges 3 Chemicals in the kitchen and perhaps in a ‘cleaner’s pantry’ Safe use; rarely or still needed? Is there an obligation to lable (see the relevant code)? 4 Manual handing tasks to consider (perhaps the heaviest lifting examples will be a box of copying paper or a full archive box) Correct lifting procedures 5 Stairs if a second (or more) is involved Sufficient handrails with instruction to hold on to them and not to run; non-slip stairs; safe construction etc 6 stakeholders to be considered if the office is in a complex Eg in a shopping complex PCBU to be in alignment with centre manager on evacuation procedures or gas next door 76 The likelihood of the receptionist separated from other workers and being first in line for a member of the public entering Don’t encourage cash or if cash don’t take at front counter; panic button; sign ‘no cash on premises’; training re aggressive people or holdup and so on 8 A rear entry door if on the ground floor Is it kept locked to prevent unauthorised entry by undesirables? 9 Electrical equipment and outlets Is everything tested and tagged on a regular basis? 10 The potential for an emergency Evacuation plan; everyone trained in evacuation; all exits marked; entry/exit safe and clear? fire extinguishers in place and workers trained to use
In shared workplaces may have varying degrees of control over the physical workplace, for example, flooring, lighting and cleaning. They must do what is reasonably practicable in the circumstances to prevent slips and trips at the workplace. They can do so by consulting each other and working together to implement appropriate control measures. For example: At a shopping centre, the centre management is responsible for ensuring common access surfaces are well maintained and kept free of obstructions. Where shop owners need to move stock in and out of stores or if they wish to display goods outside of the store, they must consult, cooperate and coordinate with the centre management to avoid injuries from occurring. Where spills have occurred in the main access areas, the centre management must make arrangements to ensure the spill is cleaned up in a timely way. Further guidance is available in the More information More work health and safety resources are available on the website. Note: this fact sheet provides general information only and should not be used as a substitute for seeking professional legal advice for your specific circumstances. The contents of this fact sheet are correct and based on available information at the time of writing. However, there may be subsequent decisions of courts or tribunals on the matter covered by this fact sheet which mean that the contents are no longer accurate. Besides checklists in Manual 2, the following is yet another checklist for slips & trips. Use the one you like best. This checklist may be used to identify hazards and control and trips in the workplace. It is not an exhaustive list of all the items you may need to consider. You should keep a copy of your records. Assessment completed by:
CHAPTER 19 – TRAINING, INFORMATION & SUPERVISION Training and information Training, like consultation, forms a significant part of work health and safety. PCBU’s and Officers must ensure all the appropriate types of training and information are provided to workers and records kept. To assist you in not overlooking relevant training and information use the following checklist: TEMPLATE Required training and information checklist – Manual 2 Tab 16 To record your training use the following template: TEMPLATE Record of Training – Manual 2 Tab 14 Supervision PCBU’s must provide adequate supervision to workers to enable them to perform their work in a safe, risk-free way. PCBU’s must ensure their supervisors are competent (in terms of knowledge, training and experience), are familiar with WHS legislation, and know about potential and actual hazards. Supervision can take many forms depending on the nature of the tasks involved, for example telephone or email. Remote workers may be more exposed to risks as they are not able to be supervised as closely. As such, there should be some other means of monitoring their health and safety. This may involve discussing with the worker at the start of the day what they will be doing and determining safety information they may need to have. Contact with the workers may also be required during or at the end of the day, depending on the WHS risks. It is especially important for remote employees to have the training and competency to perform their job safely, the authority to stop work and seek clarification if they encounter health and safety problems, and have a reliable way to contact their supervisor when they need to.