People and Culture Document Owner 13/12/2022 Date Published Quarterly Review Period
Health, Safety & Wellbeing (HSW) Team Talk - December 2022
Health, Safety & Wellbeing Team Talk
13/12/2022 e Published Quart Welcome to the second edition of HSW Team Talk. This summer edition of Team Talk is being sent to you ahead of the holiday season as it provides vital information about your summer safety whether you are working or holidaying. Health and Safety Representatives, managers and staff should also use the content of this Team Talk to discuss safety matters at their next available team meetings.
Quarterly safety mindset quote “ People don’t care what you know until they know you care.” – Corrie Pitzer (CEO Safemap International)
HSW activities and new training: Training HSW Quarterly Workplace Inspections
Date
Audience
Required: Due by 15 th Feb 2023
People leaders and HSRs. To be completed within 3 months by all new staff and allocated to you via People Centre. Health, Safety & Wellbeing committee member New and existing people leaders people leaders and staff who work from home. people leaders and staff
Work Health & Safety (WHS) Awareness Online Training https://hcau.elmotalent.com.au/learning/view-course- enrolment/3192
Required: Completed
within 3 months.
Health and Safety Committee Training https://hcau.elmotalent.com.au/learning/view-course- enrolment/3738
Essential: Due 30 March
Elumina training for managers/team leaders – Reviewing and Investigating Incidents and Hazards. https://hcau.elmotalent.com.au/learning/courses?courseview=76 Keeping Workers Safe When Working from Home https://hcau.elmotalent.com.au/learning/courses?courseview=79 Managing Psychological Conditions in the Workplace https://hcau.elmotalent.com.au/learning/courses?courseview=80 Emergency Training https://hcau.elmotalent.com.au/learning/courses?courseview=74
Recommended
Recommended
Recommended
6-monthly training. To be completed by 30 March 2023
Emergency Wardens
Health, Safety & Wellbeing Committee meeting (completed)
Mon 28/11/2022
HSW Committee members and guests – Waymouth Street and via Teams CH Representatives – Onsite or via teams.
WHS Forum Catherine House (completed)
Tues 29/11/2022
Summer safety As we look forward to the warmer weather and the prospect of time off work, holidays, festive fun and catching up with family and friends, we also need to make sure we stay safe and healthy. Below are safety tips that we should apply whether at work or when enjoying our summer fun in the sun! Read about how you can stay safe and well in the coming months: • Heat stress • Bushfires and other emergencies • Sun and UV safety • Mental Health & Wellbeing during the holiday season
Heat stress Excessive heat may result in heat stress or heat illness (heat stroke) in which the body overheats causing the body’s core temperature to rise and can result in serious illness or fatality if not treated. During the summer months, always check the Bureau of Meteorology (the Bureau) to plan work that is appropriate for the weather. Local weather conditions are available on the Bureau of Meteorology’s 7-day forecast website (www.bom.gov.au/vic/forecasts/map7day.shtml).The Bureau will issue heatwave warnings via the Bureau of Meteorology website (http://www.bom.gov.au/) or via their app. Heatwaves are determined if three days of unusually high maximum and minimum temperatures for a location are forecast. Know the signs! Extra precautions should be taken for hot or extreme heat days, as identified in the table below. Work should be rescheduled if health and safety of staff cannot be ensured. Heat risks Heat stress & illness prevention • high air temperature • high humidity (limits the body’s ability to cool itself) • radiant heat (from the sun or other sources such as furnaces, ovens and hot vessels) • air movement or wind speed (which can aid cooling but also dehydrate) • workload (intensity and duration of the work) • physical fitness of a person, including acclimatisation • pre-existing circulatory or skin conditions or medicines that can affect the body’s ability to manage heat • clothing (including protective clothing that may restrict air flow across the skin and hinder evaporation of sweat). • Use your vehicle’s air conditioning. • Park your vehicle in the shade where possible. • Although water is generally adequate for • Minimise outdoor work or schedule outdoor or strenuous work in the cooler parts of the day. • Review heat alerts from the Bureau of Meteorology. • On hot days, take additional breaks in the shade. • Wear broadbrimmed hats and light sun- protective clothing. fluid replacement, low joule cordials and electrolyte replacement solutions may be provided to encourage fluid intake. High sugar cordials and sports drinks are not recommended. • Start your work well-hydrated and drink more water every 15 to 20 minutes. • Minimise caffeine, carbonated drinks and avoid alcohol. • Have rest breaks in a cool place. • Inform your employer if you have an underlying health condition that may increase your risk of heat illness; • Maintain a healthy lifestyle (healthy diet and regular exercise). • Stop work and tell your boss if you are feeling tired, dizzy or weak or having trouble concentrating.
The table below will help you identify whether you or someone else may be experiencing the effects of heat and how to help. Symptoms First aid • feeling tired, dizzy, weak, muscle cramps or having trouble concentrating
• If you think you or a person may be experiencing heatstroke, seek immediate medical help, call 000. • Take immediate action to cool the overheated person while waiting for emergency treatment. • Get the person into shade or indoors. • Remove excess clothing. • If using a work vehicle, place the person in an airconditioned cool vehicle, out of direct sunlight. • Cool the person with whatever means available — put in a cool tub of water or shower, spray with a garden hose, sponge with cool water, fan while misting with cool water, or place ice packs or cold, wet towels on the person's head, neck, armpits and between the legs • a person may sip cool water if their symptoms are mild but check with emergency services if symptoms are more severe.
• confusion, agitation, slurred speech, irritability, delirium, seizures and coma. • alteration in sweating: Heatstroke brought on by hot weather, your skin will feel hot and dry to the touch. Heatstroke brought on by strenuous exercise, your skin may feel dry or slightly moist. • nausea and vomiting • flushed, red skin • rapid and shallow breathing • racing heart rate • headache, throbbing head • high body temperature 40 degrees Celsius or above
Bushfires and other emergencies Whether working at home, having a staycation or holidaying in other parts of Australia, preparing for bushfires is essential. Unusual weather patterns throughout 2022 will result in some areas having increased risk of fire and others have reduced risk. For further information see Seasonal Bushfire Outlook for Summer 2022. The Bureau of Meteorology announced a third La Niña event in a row with an increasing risk of rain and flooding over the coming months into early 2023. If your home is in a bush or grass fire zone, take the following steps to stay safe: Prepare now by: • Clearing around your property by removing debris, long grass, leaves, clear gutters. • Pack an emergency kit including emergency items to survive a fire whilst on the road. • Know your closest bushfire safer place, or bushfire place of last resort. • Grassfires can travel at 25km/h (you can’t outrun them). So, if you are in a grass fire zone, understand how to stay safe. Plan: • Complete a bushfire plan and share it with your family and friends. • Plan for all your pets and animals. • All staff who work from home who are in bushfire zones, must have a bushfire plan. Stay informed: • Check fire danger ratings daily and stay informed using state emergency apps or websites to identify the level of fire risks in your area or in areas you are travelling to or through. These apps will also warn you about the location of floods and traffic issues.
Leave early: • Enact your bushfire plan early and leave at the earliest possible time or when advised by Emergency services warnings. • Your safety is a priority, so if you are working from home or you have family members at home, always cease work to enact your bushfire plan during an emergency. If you are travelling on the road during fire season or where there is risk of flooding, follow these guidelines: • Reschedule trips during extreme weather conditions. • Always have your mobile phone fully charged • Check state emergency apps or websites before heading out, to ensure you are not heading into danger. • Never travel into areas with extreme/catastrophic fire risk or where it is flooded. • If you see smoke or fire, leave the area immediately, don’t wait to see what happens. • If there is a lot of smoke, slow down and be aware. There could be people, vehicles, and livestock on the road. Turn your car headlights on and close windows and outside vents. • Turn on your car radio and listen to the emergency broadcast radio stations to stay informed and follow emergency warnings. • Check your mobile phone for emergency messages that may be issued when you are in an emergency zone. • Never drive through flooded roads as the water may be deeper than you think as your car may be washed away, it may stall, or the road may be washed away beneath the water. • Carry a bushfire/emergency car kit, that consists of: o AM/FM portable radio o spare batteries o first aid kit o woollen blankets o drinking water o protective clothing (long-sleeved cotton tops, pants, hats, and sturdy shoes) o a map of the local area o non-perishable food o eye protection goggles o p2 mask.
State & Territory emergency websites
Emergency/bushfire information numbers
Western Australia: www.dfes.wa.gov.au/emergencywa/prepare Victoria: https://emergency.vic.gov.au/respond/ https://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/ Tasmania: https://www.fire.tas.gov.au South Australia: https://www.cfs.sa.gov.au/home/ New South Wales: https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/ Queensland:
These numbers below provide general emergency or bushfire information. WA : 13 3337
VIC : 1800 240 667 TAS : 1800 000 699 SA : 1300 362 361 NSW : 1800 679 737 QLD : refer website ACT : refer website NT: refer website In an emergency dial 000 .
https://www.qfes.qld.gov.au/ Australian Capital Territory: https://esa.act.gov.au/ Northern Territory: https://www.pfes.nt.gov.au/
Sun and UV safety Australia has one the highest rates of skin cancers in the world. Exposure to UV radiation from the sun increases the risk of developing these preventable diseases. UV radiation can also have short- and long- term effects on the health of our eyes. It can burn the surface, cornea and lens of the eye, much like sun can burn skin. Long-term exposure to UV radiation can be serious. For instance, exposure to UV significantly increases the risk of developing cataracts, a clouding of the eye’s lens which is the leading cause of blindness in the world. UV exposure may also result in rare eye cancers. The levels of UV radiation can be high even on cool and overcast days. This means you can't rely on clear skies or high temperatures to determine when you need to protect yourself from the sun. The UV index is reported daily by the Bureau of Meteorology. The alert identifies times during the day when the UV level is 3 or above and sun protection is needed. Alternatively, download the SunSmart App which will notify you when skin protection is required. Download the SunSmart App below: For I-Phone/I-Pad For Android Prevention : To protect yourself from the sun remember to slip, slop, slap, seek, slide: • Slip on some sun-protective clothing that covers as much skin as possible. • Slop on broad spectrum, water resistant SPF30 (or higher) sunscreen. Put it on 20 minutes before you go outdoors and every two hours afterwards. • Slap on a hat– broad brim or legionnaire style to protect your face, head, neck and ears. • Seek shade during the times with highest UV. • Slide on some sunglasses – making sure they meet Australian Standards. Mental health and wellbeing during the holiday period The end of year may trigger a range of emotions. For many the end of year, festive season and holidays may be a mostly joyful experience. However, this time of year can also heighten stressors and personal challenges. Whether you are working through the holiday period or taking a break, the Holiday Handbook from our Acacia EAP service provides you with reflections on how to enhance your enjoyment of the holiday season, as well as supporting guidance on how to address any challenging scenarios and emotions. The topics include: • holiday season • loneliness • resilience Staff or their immediate household family members are encouraged to contact Acacia EAP on 1300 364 273 if they experience emotional distress during the holiday season. • managing money • practicing kindness
Local HSW matters – Health and Safety Representative (HSR) Discussion
Discuss your local safety matters with your teams using the guidance below. Health, Safety & Wellbeing matters relevant to the work group should be regularly on the agenda and discussed at team meetings. The HSR for the Work Group or a team leader/manager should lead a discussion about local HSW matters using some of the prompts below. • Have there been any HSW/WHS concerns prominent in the work group lately? • Have there been any incidents, injuries or hazards that have not been reported via Elumina? • Are there any incidents or hazards that have not been resolved? • Is workload manageable at the moment? • Have there been any difficult client interactions that need additional support? • Have all new staff received a health and safety induction using the People Centre checklist? • Is there any HSW training that the work group needs? • Do we currently have enough first aid officers, emergency wardens, health and safety representatives? • Are there any learnings from previous incidents or safety investigations? • Updates from last HSW committee meeting Don't let the holiday road rush lead to tragedy The end-of-year holiday season is fast approaching and many of us are keen to get 2022 over and done with. At the end of the day, we all want to get to where we’re going safely. But we mustn't get carried away - when we are rushed to finish jobs or meet with our clients before the holidays, the chances of
mistakes are higher and can lead to serious or even tragic incidents. Please slow down on the roads and stay safe. Some road safety tips: • be realistic with your journey deadline • be extra alert
• drive to the conditions • take breaks more often • stay safe!
Feedback We welcome your feedback about HSW Team Talk, and any ideas you have for information or activities you would you or your team are interested in. Feedback can be sent to health-safety- wellbeing@hcau.org.au
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