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Construction - Scaffolding Campaign
The purpose of this Campaign is to increase the level of scaffold compliance within the construction industry through a coordinated national compliance campaign focusing on compliance with AS 1576 – Scaffolding (including data collection and analysis); and to provide a baseline on the current level to which scaffolding is being erected and maintained in compliance with AS 1576, and if not, why not.
The Campaign will be an inspector-delivered operational compliance Campaign. It is anticipated that at least 800 site inspections will be undertaken in total and data recorded on a site visit checklist sheet.
The first phase of the campaign will commence in August and September and will focus on compliance. Inspectors will try and identify the reasons for non-compliance.
The second phase will commence in April 2010 to determine the level of continued compliance with AS 1576.
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Manual Tasks and Moving Objects in the Retail and Wholesale and Transport and Storage Industries
Manual tasks and moving objects is a common cause of injury across Australia in the retail, wholesale, transport and storage industries. These industries are linked by the supply chain network that is created between companies producing, distributing and selling products. Manual tasks and moving objects associated with movement of product occur throughout the supply chain and the safe collection/delivery of goods requires cooperation and exchange of information between all of those involved.
This campaign aims to reduce the incidence of manual tasks related injuries in these industries by focussing on the target sub sectors of Road Freight Forwarding and Road Freight Transport and their interface with the supply chain. The national claim rate for road freight (road freight forwarding and road freight transport) was 10.6 per 1,000 workers as compared to a claim rate of 7.0 claims per 1,000 workers for all muscular stress claims in the Retail and Wholesale and Transport and Storage industries combined.
The Manual Tasks and Moving Objects in the Retail and Wholesale and Transport and Storage Industries campaign aims to build on the work being done by WorkSafe Victoria in these industries. WorkSafe Victoria has recently undertaken research to identify the barriers impacting on the uptake of information products and controls in the road freight industry. The aim is to work with industry to develop solutions, which will overcome these barriers and improve health and safety. The preliminary findings from WorkSafe Victoria indicate that industry believes the loading and unloading of vehicles is a significant issue, which needs addressing.
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Managing Aggressive Behaviour in Healthcare
In 2001/02, the total number of workers’ compensation claims made by the health and community sector nationwide was 16,990 for the year, 11.6% of claims made by all industries for that year. The number and proportion was higher in 2005/06, with 17,590 claims (12.6 % of claims made by all industries for that year). Of all the health and community sector claims for all types of mechanisms of injury in 01/02, 6,465 claims were made relating to hospitals (not including psychiatric) (38% of health and community claims). This number and proportion was higher in 05/06, with 7,014 claims for that year (40% of health and community claims).
The number and proportion of claims owed to the mechanisms of injury related to aggressive behaviour were higher in 05/06 compared to 01/02.
The purpose of this project is to:
- assess the quality and reliability of reporting systems within designated areas of workplaces in relation to aggressive behaviour
- assess the validity of risk assessments within workplaces in relation to aggressive behaviour
- assess the level of aggressive behaviour related risk controls within workplaces and compare this level of risk control with existing standards
- evaluate where appropriate the effectiveness of past and current control initiatives
- improve the industry’s (e.g. CEOs, managers, OSH personnel and workers) and key stakeholders’ awareness and knowledge of the risks associated with aggressive behaviour through the provision of information to assist them to recognise and evaluate the risks in their industry and inform them of ways to effectively eliminate or minimise risks to people’s health, safety and welfare
- raise the awareness of best practice and the possibility of sanctions resulting from non-intervention with safety requirements.
The intention of this approach is to educate the healthcare sector through a balance of information, assistance and enforcement activity.
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