Certificate IV in Frontline Management

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JOEMER URSULUM URMANITA

Peel Safety Institute

Certificate IV WHS On-Line Assessment Workbook 1

BSBWHS403A Contribute to implementing and maintaining WHS consultation and participation processes BSBWHS403A Contribute to implementing and maintaining WHS consultation and participation processes

Student Name: JOEMER URSULUM URMANITA

Student ID Number:

Postal Address: 52 DUVERNEY CRESCENT, COODANUP, WA 6210

Date of Submission: February 04, 2015

Declaration:

I declare that:

No part of this assessment has been copied from another persons work, except where documents or work is listed/referenced

No part of this assessment has been written for me by another person

Signed: Date:

This workbook provides evidence towards assessment for the units BSBWHS403A Contribute to implementing and maintaining WHS consultation and participation processes and BSBWHS403A Contribute to implementing and maintaining WHS consultation and participation processes.

Please post assessment to:

The Peel Safety Institute

PO Box 3295

Mandurah East

Western Australia 6210

AUSTRALIA

e-mail: reception@skybell.com.auPlease ensure if posting your assignment that you make a copy for your records, Peel Safety accepts no liabity for assignements that may be misplaced or lost by outside providers.

`

Lecturers Name:

Satisfactory FORMCHECKBOX

Not Yet Satisfactory FORMCHECKBOX

Date:Re Assessment Date:

Submission of Assessments

How to lodge assessments

Presentation of any written assessments is important. Remember, you are trying to convince your assessor of your competency. Your written assessment or recognition portfolio should:

be typed or hand written (legibly!)

have an assessment cover page

have a contents list (if appropriate)

have headings (if appropriate)

give clear references (if external information sources are used)

Assessments should be provided stapled or clipped not in a plastic sleeve or presentation folder (even though these look professional) as we cannot undertake to return all your assessments all assessment items are retained for audit purposes as a part of our quality assurance commitment. Appropriate feedback on your work will be provided back to you.

For the above reasons it is also important to keep a copy of your assessments in case they are lost in transit. All assessment tasks arriving with a completed email address on the cover sheet will be acknowledged on the day of receipt.

Written work

Assessment Projects are common assessment items used to measure participants understanding. A good project should:

Have your name on each part of the project

Use a numbering system for referencing to attachments (and clearly label attachments)

focus on the set tasks

show that you have researched the topic thoroughly

cover the topic in a logical, structured manner

be written in simple, clear language

be well presented with correct grammar, punctuation and referencing (if appropriate) Plagiarism

Plagiarism is a form of cheating. It is taking and using someone else's thoughts, writings or inventions and representing them as your own. Plagiarism is a serious act and may result in a participants exclusion from a Unit or a course. When you have any doubts about including the work of other authors in your assessments, please consult with your facilitator. The following list outlines some of the activities for which a participant can be accused of plagiarism:

Presenting any work by another individual as one's own unintentionally

Handing in assessments markedly similar to or copied from another student.

Presenting the work of another individual or group as their own work.

Handing up assessments without the adequate acknowledgement of sources used, including assessments taken totally or in part from the internet. What about Copyright?

You must be careful when copying the work of others. The owner of the material may take legal action against you if the owner's copyright has been infringed. You are allowed to do a certain amount of copying for research or study purposes. Generally, 10% or one chapter of a book is acceptable, where the participant is studying with, or employed by, an educational institution.Activity: Websearch

Where would you go to locate a copy of the Model Work Health and Safety Act. What is the url? Download a copy for your reference.

http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/SWA/about/Publications/Documents/717/Guide-to-the-WHS-Act.pdf

Where would you locate a copy of the WA OSH Act 1984? What is the URL? Download a copy for your reference.

http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/wa/consol_act/osaha1984273/

Can you find a Code of Practice that is relevant to your industry? If so what the title? Down load a copy for your reference.

Yes. Work Health and Safety Consultation, Co-operation and Co-ordination

Activity

What are the two types of law that we operate under in Australia?

Criminal Law and Civil Law

What government department administers the OSH Act and regulations in Western Australia?

WorkSafe WA

Activity: Reasonable practicable

Open up Workbook 1. Look up the definition of what reasonable practicable. Summarise what it means in a short paragraph.

This means that what can be possibly done should be done to be able to ensure health and safety, taking into account all the circumstances for the duty holder.

Activity: Key Duties of PCBUs

Look up the WHS Act. Under which Section are the key duties of a PCBU are contained?

Section 19

Activity: Induction

You have been given responsibility for inducting new workers into the company and it has been agreed that as part of the induction, new employees should be reminded of their duty of care. Create a one page handout for new employees that summarizes their duty of care.

This is a sample duty of care for employees working in the mines.1. Reasonably comply with the employers instructions about safety and health at the mine;

2. Use personal protective clothing and equipment that has been provided by the employer as instructed by the employer;

3. Take good care of equipment provided in the interests of safety or health. In particular, employees must not misuse or damage the equipment. It would be an offence, for example, to remove guards from machinery without proper authorization. This applies where the employers have provided the necessary information, instruction and training in safety and health matters, and the employees actions to misuse or damage are deliberate;4. At the end of an underground shift, report on the state of the workplace where they have been working to their immediate superior and person relieving them, where practicable; and cooperate with employers and managers on safety and health matters.Employee participation is important in creating and maintaining a safe and healthy workplace. Employees have first hand knowledge of the risks associated with their work, and should be able to assist with identifying hazards and assessing and controlling risks.

Source: http://www.dmp.wa.gov.au/documents/Factsheets/MSH_G_GeneralDutyOfCareWAMines.pdf (page 13)

Activity: Duties under WHS Act

What is the duty of an Officer of a PCBU?

The role of the officer is to exercise due diligence to ensure that the PCBU complies with their duties and obligations under the WHS Act.

What duties are imposed on workers by the WHS Act?1. Take reasonable care for their own safety.2. Take reasonable care for the safety of others.

3. Comply with the reasonable instructions of a PCBU.

4. Cooperate with the PCBUs reasonable policies and procedures for health and safety.

Activity: WorkSafe

When WorkSafe (WA) commence action against an employer or employee, what area of law will this action come under?Criminal Law.

Activity: Training

What is a Training Needs Analysis?

It is the formal process for determining training needs. It identifies the gap between the required skill and knowledge level of worker to enable them to perform their tasks safely and the current level of skill and knowledge of workers.

What are the five steps in training Needs Analysis?

1. Determining the required competencies by job function or position.2. Research the present training programs and processes.

3. Gathering information on training needs of the workers.

4. Analyzing the results.

5. Preparing training plans- work group and individual.

What do you think is the most important type of training that should be provided to meet legal and other requirements?

Ongoing refresher courses.

Complete a training needs analysis on yourself.

What is your current position/ job?

Coles-Team Member

What position/ job would you like in the future?Safety Officer

What training/ qualifications/ experience would need to gain to be able to be considered for that position? How do you know that is the training you require? From job advertisements/ job descriptions/ Licensing requirements etc?

I must have Certificate IV in Work Health and Safety and with relevant industry experience. I know that this is the training required by reading pages in the internet and by reading job posting with relevant qualifications, job descriptions needed.

End of Unit Questions

Describe what contributory negligence means civil law and give an example.

Contributory negligence in common-law jurisdictions is generally a defense to a claim based on negligence, an action in Tort. This principle is relevant to the determination of liability and is applicable when plaintiffs/claimants have, through their own negligence, contributed to the harm they suffered. It can also be applied by the Court in a Tort matter irrespective of whether it was pleaded as a defence.

For example, a pedestrian crosses a road negligently and is hit by a driver who was driving negligently. Since the pedestrian has also contributed to the accident, they may be barred from complete and full recovery of damages from the driver (or their insurer) because the accident was less likely to occur if it weren't for their failure to keep a proper lookout.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contributory_negligence

Describe what relationship codes of practice have in relation to OSH/ WHS Law.

Code of practice plays a vital function as a leading criterion in the achievement of compliance to the health, safety, and welfare requirements of WHS Act and the Work Health and Safety Regulations.

Are we governed by more than one Act or Regulation in the workplace? If so, can you name two other than OSH/ WHS Act.

1. Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 (WA)

2. Dangerous Goods Safety Act 2004 (WA)

3. Petroleum and Geothermal Energy Resources Act 1967 (WA)

4. Petroleum Pipeline Act 1969 (WA)

5. Petroleum ( Submerged lands) Act 1982 ( WA)

List 5 functions of the Health and safety Regulators.

1. Advise and make recommendations to the relevant minister.2. Report on the operation and effectiveness of health and safety legislation.

3. Monitor compliance with health and safety Acts and regulation and take action to enforce compliance through enforceable undertakings, legal proceeding, and prosecutions.

4. Offer advice and information on health and safety to duty holders and the community.

5. Encourage, promote and encourage and support education and training on health and safety issues.

How do Inspectors carry out their functions as regulators?

1. Conduct inspections on workplace or elsewhere.2. Make enquiries.

3. Interview workplace parties and other relevant persons

4. Provide information and advice about how to comply with health and safety laws and enforce compliance with health and safety laws

5. Promote systematic management of health and safety issues

6. Build the ability and willingness of duty holders to comply with health and safety legislation.

Explain what enforceable undertakings are.

A WHS undertaking is a legally binding agreement in which a person or organisation agrees to carry out specific activities to rectify a contravention or alleged contravention of the WHS Act or to improve worker health and safety performance. It allows for SafeWork, as the regulator, to accept a written, enforceable undertaking (a WHS undertaking) from a person in connection with a matter related to a contravention or an alleged contravention o the Act, as an alternative to proceeding to prosecution.

Lesson 2 Contribute to implementing and maintaining WHS consultation and participation processes

Activity: Role, Duties, Rights and Responsibilities regarding WHS Consultation

Identify duty holders under the WHS legislation who have duties in relation to WHS consultation

PCBU and their officers, Health and safety representatives, permit holders, relevant workers, inspectors, stakeholders, key personnel, key personnel, WHS technical advisors and specialists.

Identify other stakeholders who may have a role, right or responsibility in relation to WHS consultation

Managers, supervisors, health and safety and other employee representatives, health and safety committees, workers, contractors, and the community.

Activity: WHS Practitioner role in Communicating

With regards to consultation in the workplace, what communication strategies do you currently use in your role as WHS practitioner to enable consultation and participation to take place in the workplace?

Meetings, hazard alerts, memos, emails, newsletters, posters, reports, trainings, suggestions and processes, and informal discussions.

WHS practitioners/ supervisors need a range of skills and personality traits (eg. approachability) to facilitate consultation in their job role. Make a list of skills and personality traits that you think are important to enable participation and consultation to be effective in the workplace.

Good listening skills, empathy, optimistic, smart and confident, openness to feedbacks and criticisms, open-minded.

Activity: WHS consultation and participation processesIdentify workplace WHS consultation and participation processes:

List a range of consultation and participation processes.

1. Health and safety committees2. Health and safety representatives

3. Other consultative and planning committees

4. Procedure in reporting hazards, and raising and addressing WHS issues

5. Inspections and audits

6. Worker and work team meetings

By conducting a web search see if you can find out the roles and function of those consultation and participation processes. Write a short sentence defining the role function of each consultation and participation process that you identified.

1. Health and safety committees assist in developing standards, rules and procedures relative to health and safety.2. Health and safety representatives represent workers in a work group on work health and safety (WHS) matters and monitor WHS actions taken by the PCBU

3. Consultative and planning committees provide advice on issues referred to the committee during preparation of plans and stages of preparations of plans with consideration to public concerns and interests.4. Procedure in reporting hazards, and raising and addressing WHS issues. Staff are responsible for reporting all hazards, near misses, incidents and injuries to their manager immediately in accordance with the WHS/ OHS reporting procedure.5. Inspections and audits identify aspects of the working environment and work tasks that could contribute to injury/damage - and thus allow unacceptable conditions or conduct to be addressed; review workplace standards in accordance with legal and company requirements.

6. Worker and work team meetings are conducted to ensure that staff are consulted about OHS issues on their work.

Activity: Ineffective Consultation

As a way of fulfilling its consultation responsibilities a PCBU asks workers for input about the type of personal protective equipment that could be purchased and used when carrying out work using noisy machinery. They provide information about the options they are considering the day before a decision about what equipment should be purchased is going to be made. The choices of personal protective equipment to be purchased are extremely narrow. They require input to be provided in writing even though they know many of their workers do not speak English and that some of their workers are unable to read or write.

Why is this an example of an ineffective consultation and participation process? Using the information you have learned about what contributes to effective consultation, what did the PCBU do wrong?

The PCBU disregarded the inability of the workers to speak in English and their reading and writing skills. The PCBU should have made reasonable ways to address this issue by sending an interpreter to translate the language for better understanding, and a representative to communicate in their behalf the options the workers have selected.

Activity: Forming Workgroups

You work for a construction company that operates 24 hours a day. The employees of the construction company have asked that work groups be established. You have been asked to contribute to setting up the process for the forming of developing work groups.

What should be taken into account when developing work groups?

Workgroups are formed so that needs of workers are best addressed and easy access to the HSRs.

When contributing to the process of forming work groups you find that there is a disagreement about the nature that groups should take. Some of the workers and their representatives feel that work groups should be formed according to job roles (eg groups for bar staff and groups for dealers). Other workers and their representatives believe that the work groups should be formed according to shifts the workers work (eg night shift or day shift). You cannot negotiate an agreement.

What should you do?

I shall be doing the following steps when contributing to the process of forming a Workgroup. The following steps should be taken into account:

1. I will take into account all relevant matters and place particular weight on the nature of the hazards and risks in the workplace as well as the shift work arrangements in deciding work groups that best allow each work group member access to an HSR.

2. Dividing the workers into 2 separate groups (night shift and day shift) with each group represented by an HSR and Deputy HSR.

3. Within each shift, the work groups are arranged according to work area, as these are quite distinct both in their location and in the nature of potential health and safety risks involved.

Activity: Communication about HSC meetings

What information should be communicated to workers about HSC meetings?

Agenda and accompanying pages, date of meeting

How should it be communicated?

Notices should be published where all workers and HSC can see them.

Why should this information be communicated?

To advance and inform all the concerned parties to pay heed and be afforded reasonable time to decide to attend or not. Good communication leads to the effectiveness of the HSC.

Activity: Communication

What kind of health and safety information and data might need to be shared with workers? Do not limit your response to those examples presented in the text.

1. Training and information data2. Hazards that may exist in the workplace

3. Manufacturers manuals and specifications

4. Rights and responsibilities

5. Risk control strategies

6. Safe work procedures

7. WHS consultation and participation processes

8. WHS acts, regulations, code of practice and guidelines

9. Workplace WHS policies and procedures

10. Workplace Code of Ethics

11. Workplace Induction procedures and processes

You work with an organisation that landscapes large areas such as parks, university grounds and outdoor shopping centres. The organisation has just won a contract to landscape the areas that run alongside a major highway. As part of the consultation and participation processes a new hazard was identified; there is a danger that workers might be hit by cars using the highway and workers will need to wear brightly coloured safety vests to ensure that motorists can see them.

What communication process would you use to communicate and share this health and safety information with workers? Explain

Team meeting. It is a very informal, simple and direct communication. Moreover; constantly reminding team members of the WHS regulations by speaking to them on field and reminding them what is required in the work will intensify/ solidify their commitment to safety.

Identify consultation and participation processes for communicating and sharing WHS information and data:

List sources of information and data.

Email, intranet, internet, team meetings, newsletters, training, HSR and HCS

Describe the role that information and data has in effective WHS consultation and participation processes.

Information and data may help;

1. To produce a formal WHS consultation policy outlining the objectives and procedures for consulting about WHS specifically tailored for workers needs.

2. To ensure the WHS Consultation Policy includes a specific requirement to consult based on the data pooled from supplied information and data by the workers.

3. In consulting workers via WHS ' representing a cross-section of employees to make sure everyone's thoughts are expressed and considered and may help to consider using alternative consultation methods when there is a difficulty in finding adequate consultation time.

Discuss considerations that should be included when determining how best to communicate WHS information and data to individuals.

The following should be given consideration when communicating the WHS information and data to individuals.

1. Lack of understanding. Unrealistic expectations about WHS consultation processes and outcomes.

2. Lack of time. Difficulty finding time to adequately consult workers, especially when workers are only employed on a casual or part-time basis.

3. Inappropriate communication methods. Workers do not seem to engage with and/or understand the methods used during the consultation process.4. Confidentiality. Conduct consultations in a way that ensures everyone's privacy is protected.

Activity: Training

Identify training requirements for individuals and parties necessary for effective WHS consultation and participation:

List strategies to identify training requirements for various individuals and parties involved in WHS consultation and participation processes.

Training needs can be identified through considering the following questions.1. What knowledge and skills required by various roles or groups to implement processes for WHS consultation and participation and input to WHS decision-making?2. What are the current skills held by these people in these roles?3. What is required to ensure people have the required skills?

Consider training needs for those who interact with WHS consultation and participation processes.

1. Requirement for individuals or parties to use computers and/or particular software to participate in consultation and participation processes.2. Basic literacy requirements.

3. Becoming aware of individuals or parties of these processes.

4. Where can they go for assistance if required?

List different modalities for improving competency.

Managers and supervisors may need specific training needs such as basic understanding of risk management processes, incident investigation as well understanding duty of care, including duties in relation to consultation.

Identify training arrangements and requirements in relation to HSRs

1. HRS initial training course (5 days)2. Refresher course (1 day annually)

Describe how the WHS practitioner can play a role in the delivery or organisation of WHS training.

WHS practitioners role may assist in the delivery of the following learning modes.

1. Coaching or mentoring

2. On-the-job-training

3. On-line learning

4. Workplace-based training and/or

5. Formal training or education programs (in-house or outsourced)

As WHS practitioner, he has the responsibility of either delivering learning to himself or sourcing appropriate trainers to assist.

The training should be as flexible as possible, and accommodate a range of learning styles as much as possible. It is also important to consider workplace diversity (such as part time workers, disabilities and literacy needs, etc.) when scheduling and running training.

Activity: Barriers to Consultation and Participation

Identify barriers including a range of issues, which may affect implementation of WHS consultation and participation processes.

1. Language and literacy2. Timing and Shift Work3. Skills4. Structure5. Geography

6. Management

7. Contractual Arrangements

8. Culture

Describe how these barriers may impact on the effectiveness of WHS consultation and participation processes.

1. Language and literacy. Australia is a multicultural country and English is not the main language. Many people may struggle with literacy skills such as reading and writing. Similarly, people should be given consideration to their numeracy skills for not all people may have the ability to interpret statistical and graphical data.

2. Timing and Shift Work. Workers work at different times (such as shift workers and seasonal workers) will need to be considered when making consultation and participation processes.

3. Skills. Not everyone in the workers has the ability to effectively use the Internet or email.

4. Structure. Structural arrangements such as shift work and rostering; casual and labor hire workers; as well as contractors; impact on access to information and the opportunity to input in the consultation and participation process.

5. Geography. Wether the organization is small, medium, and large; national or multi-national, publicly listed or private; will impact in the consultation and participation processes. Moreover; having multi-sites and or remote workers or workers working alone may also affect the consultation and participation processes.6. Management. The nature of the participation and the structure to support participation may be different depending on the style of the organization.

7. Contractual Arrangements. Contractual arrangements may be ambiguous and introduce confusion or disagreement regarding who has responsibility for WHS arrangements. Different contractual arrangements for different group of workers may encourage a them and us culture, which may lead to communication and relationship difficulties, with people working to different agendas, rather than focusing on the best WHS outcomes.8. Culture. If there is not an informed culture, then stakeholders may be sceptical f the motivations of the management and become disengaged with, or even try to sabotage the process.

Describe strategies to overcome barriers issues, which may affect implementation of WHS consultation and participation processes

The following are some of the strategies to overcome barriers;

1. Requesting and providing information during safety audits and hazard identification processes in relevant languages.2. Allowing sufficient time for shift workers, part-time workers or seasonal workers to have input to processes.

3. Conducting consultation around safety audits and hazard identification processes in appropriate formats for the group (face to face meeting, use of intranet systems, use of language) and;

4. Ensuring that all workers (irrespective of geographical location or diversity of views) are included in safety audits and hazard identification processes.

In your workplace, how would you identify and assess barriers to the implementation and effectiveness of health and safety consultation and participation processes?

It is important to know the source of the barriers. Common ways to identify are;1. Is it organizational factors? Such as shift work, geographical considerations.

Consider the nature of the organization, the specifics of any communication barriers and the most effective mechanisms of consultation.

2. Literacy factors, language and numeracy needs. Most of the barriers relate to difficulties in communicating. This can arise from the communication activities being inappropriate for the audience/ environment.In assessing the barriers, it is important to ask the workers on how they want to be consulted and what is currently preventing them from the participation and consultation processes.

3. The use of technology can be a great way of identifying barriers of the consultation and participation processes. Intranet systems can be a great tool in assessing a large number of people. Intranet systems can be available 24/7 and can be assessed in remote areas of location with proper technical support.

End of Unit Project

You have been made responsible for overseeing the implementation of effective health and safety consultation and participation processes for your organisation as part of your supervisory responsibilities. You have determined that workers in the organisation are largely unaware of consultation and participation processes.

You are going to give a talk at a weekly meeting to let workers know what consultation and participation are. Make notes for your talk and:

Explain what participation and consultation is.

It is a way to provide for fair and effective workplace representation, consultation, co-operation and issue resolution in relation to work health and safety. As workers now include all people completing work for the PCBU this includes consultation with employees, contractors, sub-contractors, volunteers, labour-hire workers and any other person completing work for the PCBU.The WHS Act recognizes that workplaces have better health and safety outcomes when workers have input before decisions are made about health and safety matters that affect them.

Outlines their right to be consulted or participate by law or as required by codes of practice.

The Act specifies that the views of workers must be considered before making a decision on any health and safety issue and that consultation is required when: Identifying hazards, assessing risks and making decisions about eliminating or minimizing those risks Making decisions about the adequacy of facilities for workers welfare When changes are proposed that may affect the health or safety of workers. These include changes to work practices or systems. When making decisions about procedures for; - Consultation with workers, - Resolving WHS issues, - Monitoring workers health, - Monitoring workplace conditions, - Providing information and training to workers and - Where the regulations prescribe. - The formation of work groups The PBCU may also choose to consult with workers about WHS matters in other situations, for example where a near miss is investigated.

Give reasons why it is important that workers have input into health and safety matters.

Consultation about health and safety can result in:

healthier and safer workplaces as worker input is valuable in identifying hazards, assessing risks and developing ways to control or remove risks

better decisions about health and safety as decisions are based on the input and experience of a range of people in the organisation, including workers who have extensive knowledge of their own job and the business

stronger commitment to implementing decisions or actions as workers have been actively involved in reaching these decisions

greater co-operation and trust as employers and workers talk to each other, listen to each other and gain a better understanding of each others views.

Provide details about the rights and responsibilities of workers, supervisors, officers and PCBU in relation to participation and consultation.

People ConcernedRights & Responsibilities

1. WorkersTo be consulted and cooperate about safety and health at the workplace.

When an employer consults on a health and safety issue, worker should consider the information they are provided with and give feedback through their safety and health representative (if they have one) or directly to the employer.

Workers have a responsibility to cooperate with their employer so that their employer can meet their obligations to ensure workers safety and health. This duty assists the employer to meet their duty to ensure everybodys safety and health as far as practicable.

Workers are given a reasonable opportunity to express their views, raise issues and contribute to the decision making process on how to deal with work health and safety matters.The views of workers are taken into account, and workers are advised of the outcome of the consultation in a timely manner.

2. SupervisorsConsulting on WHS issues and providing feedback to management and employees.

Cooperating with WHS representatives and committee members.

3. OfficersMaking decisions that affect the whole or a substantial part of the business or undertaking

4. PCBUsA PCBU must consult with workers when:

Identifying hazards and assessing risks arising from work and making decisions about ways to eliminate or minimize those risks;

Making decisions about the adequacy of facilities for the welfare of workers;

Proposing changes that may affect the health or safety of workers, and

Making decisions about the procedures, including those for: consultation with workers;

resolving work health or safety issues;

monitoring the health and safety of workers;

monitoring workplace conditions;

providing information and training to workers, and

when carrying out any other activity prescribed by the ActA PCBU may choose to consult with workers about health and safety matters in other instances, for example when conducting investigations into incidents or near misses.

Explain the processes for participation and consultation and how these processes can be set up and implemented.

The duty to consult safety and health representatives and employees does not have to be onerous or time-consuming. Employers should take a sensible, proactive approach and consult as far as practicable in the circumstances.

Consultation needs to be a two-way exchange between employers and their safety and health representatives (if any) and employees that involves:

sharing information about safety and health information must be timely and in a form understood by employees, including in other languages where appropriate;

giving employees a reasonable opportunity to express their views employees should help to shape decisions, not hear about them after they are made; and

taking employees views into account when coming to a decision about what to do with a safety and health matter drawing on employees day to day experience with their jobs will help develop practical solutions.

Options for consultation include having safety and health as a standing agenda item at workplace meetings and toolbox meetings so issues are regularly discussed and raised. Workplace newsletters and bulletins could also inform staff about issues and call for comments.

Other processes for consultation include setting up a safety and health committee with regular meetings and/or having elected safety and health representatives.

Safety and health representatives and safety and health committees must be set up where an employee gives notice to the employer or, in the case of the safety and health committee, when the WorkSafe Western Australia Commissioner requires them to be established. They may also be set up when an employer chooses to do so.

The Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984 (the OSH Act) has specific requirements for the establishment of a safety and health committee and election of safety and health representatives. See the guidance note on formal consultative processes at the workplace for more information.

If employees have elected a safety and health representative, the safety and health representative must be involved in consultation.

Employers have a range of duties to safety of health representatives including providing them with information on the hazards and safety and health of employees and consulting them on changes that may impact on safety and health. These are in section 35 of the OSH Act.

Provide information about the type of training workers and HSRs are entitled to.

Workers:

For new workers or workers moving from one job to another, Induction is a process of introducing to their new job, required performance standards, and the other personnel in the organization / section.HSRs:It is not mandatory for HSRs to be trained. However, HSRs should be encouraged to take up their training entitlement to provide them with the skills and knowledge to perform their role effectively.

1. HRS initial training course (5 days)

2. Refresher course (1 day annually)

The course of training in work health and safety must:

1. be approved by the regulator

2. be chosen by the HSR in consultation with the PCBU.

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