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BSBWHS521 Ensure a Safe Workplace For a Work Area

ASSESSMENT

Unit description:
Cluster Management 1
Unit of Competency BSBWHS521 - Ensure a safe workplace for a work area
Qualification Title BSB51918 Diploma of Leadership and Management
Training Package BSB
Assessment Tool Case Study, Role Play, Project and Written Exam
University of Canterbury

Assessment description:

  • This assessment is designed to assess applies to those working in a range of contexts who have, or are likely to have, responsibility for WHS as part of their broader management role. It is relevant for people with obligations under WHS laws, for example persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBUs) or officers, as defined by WHS laws including performance, knowledge and skills that you have acquired throughout the unit.
  • To achieve competency in this unit you must complete task 1and 2.
  • All tasks must be submitted together.
  • Task 1: you will answer a series of question and complete a project work to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding about the unit including establishing, implementing, maintaining and evaluating one work health and safety management system (WHSMS) for a work area of an organisation that complies with WHS laws, and organisational policies and procedures.
  • Task 2: you are required to perform a role play activity to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding about the unit including appropriately resolve issues raised through participation and consultation arrangements according to relevant WHS legislation and record WHS decisions.

Task 1 – Written Exam and Project

Objective:

To provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate the required performance evidence and determine that you have the required skill and knowledge for this unit to establish and maintain work health and safety management system (WHSMS) for a work area that complies with WHS laws, and organisational policies and procedures to ensure a safe workplace.

Requirement:

Referring to the given below Case Study Scenarios and based on your research of various resources such as internet, your response should demonstrate establishing, implementing, maintaining and evaluating one work health and safety management system (WHSMS) for a work area, as well as establishing and maintaining procedures for effectively identifying hazards, assessing and controlling risks using the hierarchy of control measures including compliant consultative arrangements for identifying duty holders, identifying and approving required resources, developing and implementing a training program.

Part 1

Task Summary:

Read the case study scenario 1 and answer each question in as much detail as possible within 150 to 250 words, to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of establishment of a WHS management system in a work area, establish and maintain effective & compliant consultative arrangements for managing WHS and procedures for effectively identifying hazards, and assessing and controlling risks, including evaluate and maintain a work area WHS management system (WHSMS).

Your answers should be based on the research you have conducted using various resources such as internet and information contained in the scenario and what you have learned in this study unit.

Case Study Scenario 1 : Work health and safety management system

BizOps Enterprises is a national retail business specialising in a range of exclusive products. BizOps has over 150 retail, online and phone order outlets across Australia, and over 1300 full-time, part-time, casual and contractual members of staff. BizOps is known for its enthusiastic and inclusive culture. BizOps seeks to maintain professional and well-supported staff.

BizOps Enterprises’ head office that fronts the main road is about to undergo a major refurbishment. Before any work can commence, there is a need to establish a Workplace Health and Safety Management System (WHSMS) that meets legislative requirements. By reviewing their current WHS policies and procedures, it may be necessary to develop other procedures and a record-keeping system to ensure the work area complies with WHS legislation.

Project background

Due to growth at BizOps Enterprises, we have decided to expand our head office by refurbishing and fitting out the front building. We will need to employ workers across a range of occupations and trades, including engineers, plumbers, electricians, carpenters and cabinetmakers, and painters.

The following is a broad scope of works:

  • Demolish and remove internal walls, ceilings, cabinetry, and carpets to leave an empty shell
  • Construct new walls
  • Plaster and paint walls and ceiling
  • Sand and polish floorboards with 2-pac oil based estapol
  • Replace electricals including power points and lights
  • Install new cabinetry
  • Clean and ready site for occupation

The project is expected to be completed in three months. Nail guns, jackhammers, power tools, elevated work platforms and scaffolding, and a range of other building and construction equipment will be used extensively. There will be a skip on site for waste disposal. There will be an appointed Site Manager with overall responsibility for managing the day to day workflow, ordering equipment and supplies, signage and hiring/firing contractors/ trades. The Site Manager will have two Team Leaders to oversee specific tasks. The building being renovated fronts a busy street and construction activities will need to ensure vehicle and pedestrian traffic is safe and uninterrupted.

The Workplace Health and Safety Management System (WHSMS) implementation and maintenance tasks over the coming weeks leading up to commencement of work include:

  • confirming legislative requirements
  • identifying relevant roles and responsibilities
  • resourcing the WHS management system
  • establishing appropriate induction and training
  • providing participation and consultation arrangements for establishing the WHS management system
  • developing processes for identifying and resolving issues
  • implementing hazard and risk control procedures that ensure legislative compliance.

The WHSMS must also provide a mechanism for evaluating the effectiveness of the processes including maintaining and ensuring compliance throughout the refurbishment.

https://www.unifolks.com

1. Provide five examples of WHS legislation in New South Wales that may affect the refurbishment project.

2. Identify five aspects of workplace health and safety that may be addressed within WHS policies.

3. Review and compare the BizOps WHS policies and procedures provided (Appendix 1) to the legislative requirements in NSW.

  1. List and summarize two policy or procedure, where information needs to be amended or added to ensure it meets legislative requirements
  2. List five ways you will communicate the new policies or procedure to the employees.
  3. Identify five practices that should be fulfilled by BizOps employees for the purposes of health and safety.

4. Identify five methods that may be used for the identification of workplace hazards.

5. Identify five methods which may be used for the control of risks in the workplace.

6. The hierarchy of control is a system where the procedures used to reduce risks and eliminate hazards are ranked from most effective to least effective

  1. Identify key principles, uses and components of hierarchy of control procedures used to reduce risks and eliminate hazards.
  2. What is the most effective and the least effective control method according to the hierarchy of risk control?

7. Identify five procedures that should be followed when reporting inadequate risk controls.

Part 2

Task Summary:

Referring to the Project background in the Case Study Scenario 1, answer each question in as much detail as possible within 150 to 250 words, to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of establishing, implementing, maintain and evaluating procedures for effectively identifying hazards, and assessing and controlling risks using the hierarchy of control measures, developing and implementing a training program including evaluating the effectiveness of the processes by maintaining and ensuring compliance throughout the refurbishment for the WHS management system (WHSMS) in a work area.

Your answers should be based on the research you have conducted using various resources such as internet and information contained in the scenario and what you have learned in this study unit.

Assume you are the work health and safety coordinator of BizOps and have been assigned to establish, implement, maintain and evaluate procedures for effectively identifying hazards, and assessing and controlling risks using the hierarchy of control measures.

Review the refurbishment project details for BizOps :

1. Implementing a risk management process is vital for any organization. In fact an effective systematic management of risks improves worker health and safety, as well as productivity.

  1. Develop a procedure for identifying and resolving any WHS issues during the BizOps project work through participation and consultation as per the WHS legislation of NSW. Your procedure will include how and when you will provide information about the outcomes of participation and consultation to workers and timeframes. Your procedure may be presented as an Action Plan for at least three issues as given below.

Resolving the WHS issues via participation and consultation as per WHS legislation and organizational protocols:

No

WHS Issue

Relevant Participant (eg. Manager)

What can be the solution for the issue

Method of Consultation (eg. Meeting, Online, email, etc)

During three months project, how often do you consult?

Once the issues are resolved, how do you inform to participants about the outcome?

1

2

3
  1. Identify what you need to consider in relation to the planning, design, and evaluation stages for the workplace change of refurbishing and fitting out the front building of BizOps to ensure new hazard are not created by proposed changes.
  2. Identify and list two personnel who will have WHS responsibilities during the project, and for each person, detail what their specific responsibilities will be according to WHS laws, policies, procedures and programs.
  3. Identify at least 3 hazards present on the site and list procedure for assessment and control of associated risks.
  4. Develop and maintain procedures for selecting and implementing risk controls according to the hierarchy of control measures and WHS legislative requirements for the identified hazards.

(You may use the table given in Appendix 2, completing the table will be enough to answer task 1c & 1d)

2. Develop a procedure for ongoing hazard identification for BizOps head office.(you may use the form given in the Appendix 3 and modify accordingly)

3. Imagine that Site Manager has instructed the employees to wear items of personal protective equipment during the BizOps refurbishment process of painting the wall and ceiling. Unfortunately, this control methods failed to deal with the severity of the hazards or meet standards set by WHS legislation.

  1. Identify and list five inadequacies in relation to the inadequate risk controls.
  2. Suggest an alternative risk control method for the deficiency identified.
  3. List four consultation and participation processes which Site Manager may engage required personnel involved with the BizOps project work.

4. “The cost of compliance: WHS is a sound investment” - it’s important to get WHS management system right, even at some financial expense, because mistakes could ultimately be more costly.

  1. Identify four purposes for which finances may be allocated in relation to the WHS management system of BizOps.
  2. Identify at least five members who should be included or considered when establishing the WHSMS.
  3. Outline the steps you would follow to approve financial and/or human resources required by the WHS management system of BizOps. You should apply mathematical methods where necessary for the accurate identification of each of these resources.

5. The implementation and delivery of a work health and safety (WHS) induction program is an important part of the development of a positive workplace health and safety culture. Assume that you have been also asked to train a new Team Leader for BizOps project site of the WHS policies and procedures in place.

  1. Identify five key details that should be covered in the WHS induction program.
  2. Create an induction checklist for BizOps project site. (You may use or modify the induction checklist provided in Appendix 4.)
  3. Identify at least four different factors that a WHS training program may cover.
  4. Create Training Plan Schedule for the new Team leader joining BizOps. (You may use or modify the training schedule provided in Appendix 5)

Part 3

Task Summary:

Read carefully the case study scenario 2 and answer each question in as much detail as possible within 100 to 150 words, to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of evaluation and maintaining of a WHS management system in a work area that complies with WHS laws and organizational policies and procedures.

Your answers should be based on the research you have conducted using various resources such as internet and information contained in the scenario and what you have learned in this study unit.

Case Study Scenario 2: Evaluate WHS record-keeping policies and procedures for compliance with legislative requirements

Rhys is the manager of the Lilydale Community Health Centre (LCHC) and plays an active role in reviewing the workplace incident and injury report data. When analysing the workplace data from the past five years, Rhys notices that the number and nature of incidents is very inconsistent. Rhys is concerned that, despite the fact that a new high-quality safety management system was implemented two years ago, there is no reportable trend to show a reduction in workplace incidents and injuries. Rhys requests that Janelle, a quality management system expert, evaluates the WHS record-keeping data to determine whether or not it accurately reflects the safety management system the LCHC has put in place. Janelle explains to Rhys that she cannot evaluate the report data in isolation as the policies, procedures, work practices and recording methods all contribute to the quality of the report data. Janelle evaluates each component individually and identifies that the record-keeping work practices lack detailed instructions that would ensure consistency, which has created inconsistencies in the frequency and content of the data recorded. Rhys updates the practice documents to include more detailed instructions and notices, over the course of the next 18 months, that the data is much more consistent. With this accurate data, Rhys identifies workplace trends and applies this information to incident prevention strategies at the LCHC

https://aspire-solidus-production.s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/assets/CXWHS004/samples/CXWHS004.pdf

1. Keeping records helps maintain an effective workplace health and safety management system. Records can help hazards and control risks before there is an incident which could cause injury or illness.

  1. Identify and list at least five records that relate to different aspects of WHS in an organization.
  2. Outline importance of using a system for WHS record keeping that allows identification of patterns of occupational injury and disease, WHS decision made including reasons for decision in an organisation
  3. Referring to the case study, what did Rhys notice regarding the patterns of occupational injury and incidents?
  4. Identify the issue related to record keeping practice for Lilydale Community Health Centre (LCHC).

2. Work health and safety management systems (WHSMS) help organisations to continually improve their health and safety performance.

  1. What does Evaluation of the WHSMS involve? Identify four activities that may be carried out as part of a WHSMS evaluation according to the current quality systems framework of an organisation.
  2. Outline the necessity of having a Quality systems framework in an organization.
  3. Identify and list some possible improvements that can be made to the WHSMS to continually improve the health and safety of employees.
  4. Identify and detail Janelle’s findings regarding evaluation of safety management system the LCHC has put in place.
  5. Identify what improvements was implemented by Rhys and what did it achieve.

Task 2 - Role Play

Objective:

To provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate the required performance evidence and determine that you have the required skill and knowledge to appropriately resolve issues raised through participation and consultation arrangements according to relevant WHS legislation

Requirement:

Referring to the Case Study Scenario and based on your research of various resources such as internet, you are required to demonstrate your ability to evaluate an organisation’s work health and safety (WHS) policies, procedures and programs in a work area to ensure a safe workplace, according to WHS legislative requirements and addresses compliance with relevant legislative requirements by resolving issues through participation and consultative arrangements and record WHS decisions according to organizational requirements.

Task Summary:

Read the case study scenario given below, as well as referring to information available in safe work NSW website, you are required to undertake a Role Play Activity with a fellow student to maintain effective and compliant consultative arrangements for managing WHS in a work area, appropriately resolve issues raised through participation and consultation arrangements by assessing and controlling risk according to relevant WHS legislation and legal requirements.

A Case Study - The Importance of a Safety Management System

2012 had begun with the introduction of new workplace health and safety legislation. In light of this Actevate, a leading provider of Workers Compensation, Return to Work and Injury Prevention Services in NSW was asked to support an employer with forensic analysis of their risk management strategies.

A 34 year old female injured herself in a well-known hotel in Sydney. The woman was dancing with a friend on the bottom level of the hotel dance floor at midnight on a Saturday evening when she lost balance and fell down abruptly on the adjacent stage step. As a result of losing her balance she landed on what appeared to be broken glass and suffered a severe laceration to the left facial region. The woman was taken immediately to hospital where she underwent emergency surgery. Since then she has had a range of surgical procedures conducted with the view to the removal of imbedded glass fragments. Consequently, she had been unable to resume a normal life for long.

Actevate were asked to establish whether there was an anticipation of risk of injury that was not insignificant and if precautions could have been taken to avoid the risk of harm for this individual. In identifying the expected risk of injury, Actevate obtained Occupational Health and Safety records pertaining to the development and maintenance of a safety management system for the hotel.

As the result of conducting an Australian Standard 4801 safety management system audit, Actevate have determined that the hotel did not have the appropriate procedures in place in order to preclude the advent of the injury sustained to the woman.

In the case example the employer believed that they did have the appropriate strategies in place to mitigate risk of injury. Unfortunately review was not able to determine that the appropriate measures were in place to mitigate such risks and accordingly the woman is currently pursuing action against the hotel in the order of $750,000 damages.

http://www.actevate.com.au/articles/the-importance-of-a-safety-management-system-a-case-study

Role Play Activity

The ROLE PLAY is to be performed by working in pairs:

Get into pairs. Label yourselves Person A and Person B.

Person A : Health and Safety Officer and a Member of the Health and Safety Committee (Hotel)

Person B : The Health and Safety Inspector from Actevate.

Conduct a discussion with a class-member where you will pitch your recommendation for managing WHS in a work area by assessing and controlling risks and ensuring compliance.

1. Outline at least two suggestions/recommendations that you will make to improve your organisation’s current system, policies, and/or work practices.

2. Explain how your proposed idea will not only help in resolving issues raised through participation and consultation arrangements according to WHS laws and organizational protocols, will also maintain an effective and compliant WHS in a work area.

3. Identify how you will record and provide information about the outcomes of participation and consultation to all required personnel that may relate to recommendations for changes to working practices.

4. Unfortunately, as the strategies in place to mitigate risks failed to deal with the severity of the hazards or meet standards set by WHS regulations :

  1. Identify five details which the employees should report in relation to the inadequate risk controls.
  2. Identify and list five resources which might be required to enable implementation of new measures.

5. To ensure compliance with WHS legal requirement :

  1. Outline at least three instances when an expert WHS advice and assistance may be obtained by the organisation in accordance with organisational procedures:
  2. Identification of four responsibilities of employers as specified by WHS legislation.

Refer : https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/

Appendices:

Appendix 1:

Work health and safety policy

BizOps Enterprises is committed to providing a safe working environment for all of its workers in accordance with its legislative obligation. Prompt attention to unhealthy or dangerous situations is a demonstration of this commitment. All workers have a responsibility for work health and safety (WHS) in the workplace. Training in and communication of health and safety practices and procedures will be provided to all workers. The WHS Officer at BizOps Enterprises is Dmitri Lavrov. Health and safety representatives will be appointed according to state/territory legislation. Health and safety representatives shall have the authority divested by state legislation. BizOps is committed to regular consultation about WHS with staff and their representatives and, where necessary, with contractors and suppliers of equipment and services, to ensure that workplace health and safety management is of the highest standard. BizOps has a comprehensive range of strategies and programs available to staff to support their health, safety and wellbeing and the return to work of ill or injured staff, including ensuring training and instruction is provided to staff commensurate with their roles and responsibilities to enable them to comply with this policy.

First-aid attendant

Workers shall be invited by the Managing director: Business operations to undertake the role of first-aid attendants. Workers have the right to refuse. Selected workers shall be required to obtain the relevant first-aid certificate to perform the role of first-aid attendants. The company will arrange this. First-aid kits shall be supplied and maintained. The kits shall be kept in a secure place that is accessible in times of need.

Emergency evacuation procedure

An emergency evacuation procedure shall be developed by consultation between health and safety representatives and the department managers and in conjunction with relevant managing directors. Workers shall abide this emergency procedure. The emergency procedure shall be applied from time to time so as to ascertain its effectiveness.

WHS audit

Regular WHS audits shall be conducted to identify potential hazards. These audits are to take place at least annually, with additional audits to be scheduled if there are office/site restructures. The results of the audit shall form the basis of the WHS strategy. Actions arising from the audit shall be recorded in the audit file and reported to the Managing director: Business operations.

Reporting of safety hazards/defects

Safety hazards/defects are to be reported to the workers’ immediate manager. That manager is responsible for preparing a preliminary report and forwarding it to the Managing director: Business operations for appropriate action.

Reporting of incidents

Incidents are defined as any event that causes injury, potential injury or may be classified as a ‘near miss’. All incidents shall be recorded in the WHS issue register, which must be readily accessible. This procedure does not supersede any requirements under the workers compensation legislation in any state or territory for workers to complete an accident report.

Smoke-free

In recognition of its duty to provide a safe and healthy environment for its workers and visitors, BizOps designates its workplace as a smoke-free environment. Smoking is not permitted in any of the offices, corridors, lifts, lobbies, stairwells or toilets of any BizOps work environments.

Appendix 2:

Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment

1. Background Information

Workplace:

Date:

Task Being Assessed

Name of person conducting assessment:

2. Risk Assessment

Identify and list Hazards

Risk Consequence

Risk Rating

List Current/Proposed Risk Controls

Types of Risk Control (Hierarchy)

List Additional Controls (if any - where current controls are not adequately managing the level of risk)

1

Wet Floor

Slip on the floor

Extreme

Mop the floor and place “Wet Floor” Hazard Sign

Administrative Control

N/A

2

3

4

5

6

Risk Level/Rating and Actions

Descriptor

Definition

Extreme:

Notify Workplace Manager and/or Management OHS Nominee immediately. Corrective actions should be taken immediately. Cease associated activity.

High:

Notify Workplace Manager and/or Management OHS Nominee immediately. Corrective actions should be taken within 48 hours of notification.

Medium:

Notify Nominated employee, HSR / OHS Committee. Nominated employee, OHS Representative / OHS Committee is to follow up that corrective action is taken within 7 days.

Low

Notify Nominated employee, HSR / OHS Committee. Nominated employee, HSR / OHS Committee is to follow up that corrective action is taken within a reasonable time.

Appendix 3:

Workplace WHS/OHS inspection checklist

Date of inspection:

Inspection conducted by:

Inspection ratings:

Yes = all safety measures being followed – No hazards

No = safety measures not being followed – identified hazard

N/A = the question/issue is not applicable for the inspection being carried out.

Give a reason for rating in this category.

Inspection criteria

Y

N

NA

Comments

1. Access and exits

Are access and exit points to and from event area clear and free from obstruction?

Are access and exits clearly marked?

Are access and exits well lit?

2. Emergency procedure

Are emergency procedure developed and communicated to all staff?

Are emergency exits clearly marked and free from obstructions?

Do employees know their role and responsibilities in an emergency?

Are correct fire extinguishers available in the area and in good working order?

3. First aid

Are first aid kits readily available to all employees and fully stocked?

Are first aid personnel available in the work area?

5. Chemicals

Are all chemicals stored and labelled correctly?

Are chemicals stored appropriately and kept to a minimum?

Are procedures in place to clean up any chemical spills?

Are gas cylinders stored according to regulatory standards?

Are chemicals in good working order?

6. Electrical

Are all electrical leads checked and tagged according to regulatory requirements?

Are electrical leads used in a safe manner?

Are electrical leads secured appropriately to avoid trip hazards?

7. Personal protective equipment (PPE)

Is PPE equipment stored appropriately?

Is PPE equipment in good working order?

Are employees trained in the correct use of PPE?

Are employees wearing PPE?

8. Manual handling

Are employees trained in safe manual handling techniques?

Is mechanical lifting equipment available for use by employees?

Are employees using the mechanical equipment?

Is team lifting practiced where mechanical lifting devices are not available?

9. Housekeeping

Is rubbish disposed of appropriately at regular intervals?

Is the area free from rubbish lying around the site?

Are plant, tools and operational materials packed away appropriately and immediately after use?

10. Work environment

Are the work areas free from the glare of sunlight or unshielded light?

Is the work space adequate for the job undertaken?

Are shaded and sheltered areas are provided?

Has a cleaning routine been developed to maintain work area in a hygienic standard?

Are personal wash areas available and well maintained?

Are crowds controlled in numbers and behavior?

Is vehicle traffic controlled?

Has loud or constant noise from activities been controlled?

11. Plant, equipment and tools

Are all employees required to use equipment and tools trained in there use?

Are all equipment and tools regularly maintained and in good working order?

Does large equipment have a designated area to be stored which is clearly marked out on the floor surface?

Is vehicle traffic controlled on site?

12. Employee safety

Are employees trained in all aspects of operational safety within their job roles?

Do employees perform their job roles safely?

Appendix 4:

Induction Checklist

Name:_____ Site:____

Employee Number:____ Date of Induction:____

Person conducting induction: ____

Please tick

Yes

No

Comments

1.

Introduction

2.

Organisational overview and site tour

3.

Outline of site rules (provide copy)

4.

Discuss OHS manual

5.

Emergency Procedures

6.

Incident Reporting

7.

Hazard Reporting

8.

First Aid

9.

Use of PPE

10.

Security and Access Arrangements

11.

Copy Qualifications/Licences

12.

Discuss Training Schedule

This information has been provided to me:

Name and Signature of employee Dated

Name and Signature of Manager Dated

Appendix 5:

TRAINING PLAN – Schedule 2020

Worker Name

Workplace Safety Inspections

Emergency Evacuation

First Aid Training

Accident Investigation

Emergency Response Training

Risk Assessment

Manual Handling

Safe Work Assessment & Permit

Incident Reporting

Hazard Reporting

Definitions: A = Actual Training B = Refresher Training Ja = January Fe = February Ma = March Ap = April Ma = May Ju = June Jl = July Au = August Se = September Oc = October No = November De = December