Policies and Procedures Workplace Health and Safety Workplace Health and Safety Policy and Procedures | Gold Coast Learning Centre
Purpose
GCLC is committed to the proper management of work health and safety. We will provide a safe and healthy workplace for our staff, students, contractors and visitors by having a planned and systematic approach to the management of work health and safety. We will provide the necessary resources for the successful implementation of this policy and its supportive procedures. Work health and safety will be managed through Gold Coast Learning Centre in close consultation with staff, students, contractors.
The policy is not intended to cover the entire scope of situations which may arise in a workplace that relate to safety or hazards. GCLC recognises this and we are committed to applying a continuous improvement approach to robust policy development.
The objectives of this policy are to ensure that:
- hazards and risks to health and safety are systematically identified, assessed and, where they cannot be eliminated, are effectively controlled
- measures to control hazards and risks to health and safety are monitored and evaluated regularly
- staff are engaged and sought to contribute to work health and safety matters affecting their health and safety at work
- staff, students, contractors and visitors receive appropriate information, training and supervision to understand and carry out their responsibilities safely.
Responsibilities
The General Manager is responsible for:
- providing a healthy and safe workplace for staff, students, contractors and visitors
- ensuring that adequate resources are provided to meet the health and safety objectives and procedures of GCLC
- ensuring that GCLC complies with all relevant occupational health, safety legislation and standards
- providing appropriate health and safety policies and procedures to enable the effective management of health and safety and control of risks to health and safety
- providing mechanisms which enable staff to be consulted on work practices, policies or procedures which may affect the work health and safety of staff
- assisting in the development, implementation and monitoring of health and safety policies and procedures
- considering proposals for, or changes to, the workplace, policies, work practices or procedures which may affect the health and safety of staff
- promoting awareness of health and safety across GCLC
- ensuring that hazards in work or study areas are identified, risk assessed and controlled and that these risk control measures are monitored regularly and maintained
- ensuring that staff and students under supervision are provided with the required information and training to carry out their work or study safely and effectively providing leadership and setting a good example for staff and students in work health and safety matters.
Staff and students are responsible for:
- Following relevant GCLC health and safety policies and procedures
- Following any reasonable instruction aimed at protecting their health and safety in the workplace
- using any equipment provided to protect their health and safety in the workplace
- assisting in the identification and assessment of hazards and implementation of hazard control measures
- reporting any incident or hazard in the workplace to their manager
- considering and providing feedback on any matters which may affect their health and safety
- not being affected by alcohol or non-prescribed (illicit) drugs whilst at work or study.
Contractors are responsible for:
- following all GCLC policies and procedures
- complying with all relevant work health and safety legislation, standards and codes of practice
- ensuring that they do not, through their acts or omissions, do anything that could put at risk their own health or safety or that of GCLC staff, students, other contractors or visitors.
Safety guidelines
The following guidelines are provided as a basis for safe practice in the training and assessment environment. The guidelines are particularly relevant to students, trainers and assessors.
- Know and observe details of emergency response and evacuation plans.
- Do not undertake activities which may cause injury to self or others.
- Be responsible for your own actions.
- No smoking at the training and assessment facilities or offices.
- Report all potential hazards, accidents and near misses to the RTO staff.
- No consumption of alcohol within training and assessment facilities or during the conduct of training and assessment.
- Keep training and assessment areas neat and tidy at all times.
- Seek assistance if you volunteer to lift items e.g. move furniture in a training area.
- Observe hygiene standards particularly in eating and bathroom areas.
Electrical equipment:
- Electrical equipment that is not working should be reported to RTO staff.
- Electrical work should only be performed by appropriately licensed or trained personnel. Students, trainers and assessors should not undertake any task related to fixing electrical equipment such as lighting or electrical training aids.
Fire safety:
- GCLC will undertake to communicate the procedures involved in evacuation and the location of fire equipment to students at each facility for each training and assessment event; and to users of the office at least twice each year.
- All users of a training and assessment facility need to be familiar with the location of all EXITS and fire extinguishers. Users will consult available maps to determine location.
- It is the user's responsibility to understand fire drill procedures displayed around the premises.
- Users are asked to attend any sessions on fire safety procedures and the use of fire safety devices
First aid:
- Provision for first aid facilities are available.
- All accidents must be reported to staff.
- The accident and any aid administered must be recorded by staff involved.
Computer facilities:
- Extended periods of work with computers can result in general fatigue and eye strain. Repetitive tasks and incorrect posture will result in consistent aches and pains.
- Current work health and safety guidelines indicate that people working for long periods at computers should organise their work so as to allow a five to ten minute rest every hour. This rest should include a change of position and stretching exercises as appropriate.
- Posture can be improved by adjusting chair height so that the operator's feet are comfortably placed on the floor (or footrest) and your arms are at an approximately 90-degree angle.
- The screen should be positioned to avoid reflection from lights and windows and at a suitable distance so that it can be easily read.
Lifting:
- Students, trainers and assessors are encouraged not to lift anything related to the training and assessment provided by GCLC unless they do so voluntarily and taking all responsibility for any injury caused.
- Never attempt to lift anything that is beyond your capacity.
- Always bend the knees and keep the back straight when picking up items.
- If you have experienced back problems in the past do not attempt to lift heavy objects at all. Ask someone else to do it for you.
Work and study areas:
- • Always ensure that all work areas are clean and clear of clutter so as to avoid the danger of accident by tripping or falling over.
- • Place all rubbish in the bins provided.
- • Ensure that kitchen bench spaces are left clean and tidy and that all dishes are washed.
- • Do not leave tea towels or any cleaning cloths in a bundle on the bench tops or draped near any bin.
- • Do not sit or climb on any desks or tables.