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Cover page images

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|[pic] |Image: 'Dunedin ICT Internship Speed Dating 2010' by Samuel Mann |

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|[pic] |Image: 'What keeps us connected...' by cell105 |

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Table of Contents

Resource 1

1. Contribute to establishing consultative processes within the workplace 5

1.1 Apply knowledge of relevant WHS requirements 5

Activity 1.1.1 5

Activity 1.1.2 6

Activity 1.1.3 6

Activity 1.1.4 6

Activity 1.1.5 6

Activity 1.1.6 8

1.2 Understanding barriers to WHS consultation and participation 8

Activity 1.2.1 9

Activity 1.2.2 10

1.3 Understanding duties, rights and responsibilities in respect of WHS consultation processes 10

Activity 1.3.1 11

Other Resources 11

Additional web-links 11

Using the Unit Notes

Icons and symbols are used throughout the guide to provide quick visual references. They indicate the following:

|Icon |Meaning |Icon |Meaning |

|[pic] |ACTIVITY: An activity is listed to be | |ACTIVITY: A Learning activity requiring |

| |completed | |some physical action |

|[pic] |WWW: A web link is listed | |REFLECTION: A point is to be considered and|

| | | |thought about more deeply |

|[pic] |IMPORTANT: A pivotal point is detailed |[pic] |SEARCH: A particular item / book etc needs |

| | | |to be found and applied |

1. Contribute to establishing consultative processes within the workplace

Regardless of the industry in which you work, there are legal requirements that stipulate the requirements for establishing a safe work environment.

For many years there was a variety of different occupational health and safety legislations that applied to each state in Australia. These were replaced by the national Work Health and Safety Act 2011 which was implemented on 1st January, 2012. This Act describes the general requirements necessary to ensure a safe and healthy workplace. It is also designed to reduce the number of injuries in the workplace by imposing responsibilities on employers, employees and others. Those responsibilities are usually implemented through consultative processes within the workplace.

Organisations need to continually update their knowledge of the latest Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) related issues and procedures. That information can come from many sources, for example Manufacturers of equipment or chemicals, will provide health and safety information related to their products. It is advisable to review some of the typical requirements that a manufacturer may put forward.

Any WHS issues must be raised in appropriate workplace meetings and “Actions” that are required to be undertaken to address issues need to be assigned to a specific staff member. That staff member will then be responsible for completing the action in the designated time. In addition, decisions made and operational changes that are required need to be communicated to relevant other staff within the organisation.

1.1 Apply knowledge of relevant WHS requirements

Before you can fully contribute to developing and running WHS consultation and participation processes within the workplace, you need to be able to access and apply relevant parts of the WHS Acts, regulations, codes of practice, policies and procedures.

Legislative Responsibilities

Use the NSW WorkCover site as a reference to undertake the following Activities –



Activity 1.1.1

What is due diligence in the workplace?

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Activity 1.1.2

What are PCBU’s?

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Activity 1.1.3

What is the Work Health and Safety endorsed codes of practice?

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Activity 1.1.4

Which codes of practice are likely to affect persons handling computer hardware?

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Activity 1.1.5

View this power point presentation provided by WorkCover NSW



Be sure to view the notes as well as the slides.

So PCBU’s have a responsibility to keep workers and others save. Workers also have a duty to:

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Consultation Processes

The organisation must make arrangements to meet workplace consultation obligations specified in commonwealth WHS legislation (the national Work Health and Safety Act 2011), including:

• The formation of WHS and other consultative and planning committees.

• The appointment of “WHS Representatives” throughout the organisation.

• Ensuring employee and supervisor involvement in WHS activities such as “Site inspections” to identify problems and “WHS audits” to ensure remedial actions have been carried out.

• Introducing procedures for reporting hazards (by any employee), raising awareness and addressing WHS issues.

• Conducting regular employee and workgroup meetings.

• the formal and informal processes in place for the exchange of information and views on WHS hazards, risks and risk controls.

Participation Processes

The organisational processes must also:

• Inform employees and other stakeholders of WHS matters.

• Seek input and offer the opportunity for stakeholders to participate in decisions that may impact on the WHS of the workplace.

WHS Meetings

WHS meetings should involve all stakeholders within the organisation and/or their representatives. To ensure that those meetings not “forgotten” or neglected, they must be scheduled on a regular basis, for example monthly.

Note the importance of tasks that need to be completed (some prior to the meeting and some after the meeting) at “How to ... conduct an OHS committee meeting” -

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Note that the term Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) has now been replaced in most cases by the use of Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) in recognition of the change in the legislation. You should use WHS in any templates you create for assessment or for implementation in your workplace.

A meeting “Agenda” is a list of items which need to be addressed at the next meeting. These items could come from many sources throughout the organisation – the union, the management, a staff member, a WHS representative, etc. The WHS meeting agenda is a roadmap of how the meeting will proceed. It includes a list of “WHS items” to be presented and discussed.

A meeting’s “Minutes” are a record of exactly what happened in a meeting that has occurred. That includes the start and finish time as well as who attended and any discussions and decisions made. For each WHS issue (or “item”) raised at the meeting there is likely to be -

• “Actions” that need to be completed after the discussions on this item, if any.

• “Who” has the responsibility for completing the Action(s).

• The “Date to be completed” for the action item.

Refer to this example of a “minutes” template for a WHS Committee meeting:



Activity 1.1.6

Looking at your current workstation/work environment, create a list of WHS issues that could become part of a future WHS Meeting Agenda?

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Additional resources

The larger the organisation or where the organisation has more risk in their environment the more comprehensive their WHS procedures need to be. To find out more about WHS meeting procedures used by an operational business go online and have a look at:

The University of New England “Human Resource Services Handbook - OHS Strategic Committee” -



1.2 Understanding barriers to WHS consultation and participation

The organisation, including its employees, may face barriers in the introduction of WHS policies and procedures. This is generally due to a lack of promotion or a failure to educate staff about the benefits able to be derived from an WHS program.

Those barriers may include:

• a lack of access to technology or information for all staff.

• an unsupportive workplace culture.

• cultural differences arising from ethnic diversity.

• geographic dispersal of employees.

• issues arising around the workplace and specific disabilities.

• lack of a systematic approach to managing WHS in the workplace.

• lack of support from key management.

• language and literacy levels of the workforce.

• remote locations or worksites.

• rosters or shift work.

• unrealistic timeframes.

• physical barriers such as PPE, noise and confined spaces.

• past experiences and beliefs that have been formed

• preoccupation of the listener at the time of the communication

Activity 1.2.1

Choose three of the barriers above. For each of them, describe how they could restrict successful WHS processes and what action you might take to remove the barrier.

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Your Input

Every staff member within the organisation has a responsibility to provide input in the consultation processes. Even if your role is simply that of an “employee”, you should meet the WHS expectations of that role. For example:

• Reporting all possible hazards

• Providing opinions (based on your experience in the job) when requested by the employer or a member of the WHS committee.

• Completing your duties in the safest manner possible.

If you are appointed to a WHS position such as “WHS Representative”, there will be extra duties such as:

• Advising employees in the workplace on WHS issues in general and on WHS meeting outcomes.

• Monitoring and reporting on progress.

• Recording concerns of staff members.

• Making recommendations, while at WHS meetings, to solve WHS issues.

• Participating in and contributing at formal WHS Committee meetings in any other way to improve WHS processes – e.g. reporting on feedback received from employees.

The following link will take you to a document that will help you understand how real world organisations implement procedures that integrate WHS into the work environment it also contains some excellent references to sources of WHS information

Activity 1.2.2

Research and confirm the legal requirement of all employees to contribute to the WHS improvement process.

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1.3 Understanding duties, rights and responsibilities in respect of WHS consultation processes

Within any organisation, personnel involved in the consultative process may include the following staff:

• managers and supervisors

• WHS representatives and committee members

• WHS specialists such as:

o ergonomists

o health professionals

o injury management advisors

o occupational hygienists

• WHS technical advisors such as:

o engineers (design, acoustic, safety, mechanical and civil)

o maintenance and tradespeople

o safety representatives

• unions

• workplace assessors with experience in language or disability issues

• all employees of the organisation

Activity 1.3.1

Choose two of the “WHS specialists” listed above. For each of them, research and describe their role in the WHS process.

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Check Your Understanding

I can now -

❒ Apply knowledge of WHS Acts, regulations, codes of practice, policies and procedures to contribute to developing and running WHS consultation and participation processes.

❒ Identify and communicate barriers to effective WHS consultation and participation processes

❒ Contribute to removing these barriers

❒ Identify, record and communicate to others the duties, rights and responsibilities of individuals and parties in the consultation process

Other Resources

Additional web-links

To find out more, go online and have a look at:

WorkCover NSW



Comcare (Federal Government)



Australian Legal Information Institute



Standards Australia



Safe Work Australia



Australian Services Union



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