Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S) Plans and Procedures

Overview

Each year, many accidents at work involving electric shock or burns are reported to Energy Safe Victoria. A large proportion of these are fatal. It is essential to carry out a Risk Assessment in order to identify what needs to be done. This is a legal requirement for all risks at work.

The rules relating to enrolment include a new criterion which requires that all Approved Contractors/Service Providers, regardless of the number of employees, have a written occupational, health and safety policy statement and carry out risk assessments as appropriate.

Regulations require employers and the self-employed to assess the risks to which their employees, themselves and others may be exposed as a result of the way they carry out their work.

OH&S Legislation and Standards

Mainphase has identified the OH&S Regulations, Codes of Practice and Australian Standards relevant to its business activities and has systems in place to ensure that it meets all of its obligations.

It has also developed an effective means of document control that includes the OH&S Regulations, Codes of Practice and Australian Standards relevant to its business activities and ensuring that it receives and distributes regular updates and amendments.

Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) also incorporating Method Of Procedures (MOP)

In support of the OH&S regulations, Mainphase operates via a Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) system, which is a list of job procedures, and other work related practices.

The SWMS details how the Scope of Work will be carried out by the Technician/s involved.

For each of the work activities and associated job steps identified in the Safe Work Method Statement, Mainphase will identify potential hazards. These hazards will be controlled utilising a Risk Assessment (RA) document in conjunction with a Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS).

To assist this process, resources such as the following will be used:

• WorkCover and trade based Codes of Practice and other publications, eg. safety alerts;
• Hazard Profiles for specific trade groups;
• Workplace experience; and
• Consultation (eg. Tool Box Talks) with workers experienced in the task to be undertaken.

Risk Assessment (RA)

Risk Assessment (RA) is the process of identifying potential hazards, assessing their risk and recording how to eliminate, or minimize, the risk to worker safety (controls). Where potential hazards are identified as High, Substantial & Moderate risks a Risk Assessment will be completed using a step by step guide.

The RA form provides a record to demonstrate compliance to OHS Legislation. The person responsible for implementing a particular action to eliminate or minimise the risk of the potential hazard on site, is nominated on the RA. This will ensure responsibility for risk control is allocated and can be followed up.

Prior to commencement of work, the Risk Assessment submitted must be reviewed by all Mainphase employees and the client’s representative. Where job steps may have altered from those planned the RA will be updated to reflect the way the job will actually be done on the specific site, the work environment for the specific site and how safety will be controlled.

Risk Assessment will be evaluated on how well High & Substantial hazards have been identified for the work activity to be undertaken and whether the suggested controls, wherever possible, eliminate the potential hazard or minimise the risk of injury.

Skills and Competencies

The development of a systematic OH&S education and training program is crucial in Mainphase overall organisational development.

Mainphase ensures that its employees are adequately trained to a level of competency sufficient to ensure their health and safety when at work and will undertake a training/competency assessment of all employees prior to the commencement of work on any site.

Work will only commence when employees satisfy the level of competency required to undertake the required task or when appropriate training can be provided prior to commencement of the work.

Because the people, technology, systems and standards of work are always changing, training cannot be provided on a once only or ad hoc basis but needs to be part of an ongoing personal or professional development plan.

Where these groups are also involved in planning, initiating and delivering training themselves they will, of course, need training to equip them for this role.

Preventative Maintenance

All electrical equipment and installations should be maintained to prevent danger. It is strongly recommended that this includes an appropriate system of visual inspection and, where necessary, testing. By concentrating on a simple system of looking for visible signs of damage or faults, most electrical risks can be controlled. It is recommended that fixed installations are inspected and tested periodically by a competent person, and that the results are recorded.

For further OH&S and Risk Assessment details and/or access to our MAINPHASE OPERATIONS MANUAL please click here to email us, or telephone the office on: (03) 9646 9988