Lesson Structure:    Workplace Health & Safety VBS103

There are 10 lessons:

1. Introduction
   • Nature and Scope of Workplace Health and Safety
   • Work Related Fatalities
   • Duty of Care: employer, employee, other person, manufacturer
   • Significance of Illness
   • Protective Equipment; personal protection, machinery, equipment, signs and information
   • Further Information and Resources
2. Legislation
   • Legislation across different countries: Australia, UK, Canada, USA, NZ etc
   • Examples: Worksafe Australia, Health & Safety Commision UK, Occupational Health & Safety Commission USA, etc
   • International Commission on Occupational Health
3. Protective Equipment
   • Introduction
   • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
   • Selecting and Maintaining PPE
   • Hand Protection
   • Eye Protection
   • Hearing Protection
   • Respiratory Protection
   • Body Protection
   • Knee Protection
   • Foot and Leg Protection
   • Sunscreen
   • Head Protection
   • Machine and Equipment Guards
   • Flooring
   • Protective and Temporary Barriers
   • Temporary Signs
   • Protecting Hearing
4. Handling Chemicals
   • Storage and Disposal
   • Transporting Chemicals
   • Protecting theEnvironment
   • Protective Clothing
   • Safe Use and Mixing Chemicals
   • Toxicity of Pesticides
   • Safe Application of Pesticides
   • Hazardous Substances
   • Personal Protective Equipment Plan
5. Handling Equipment
   • General Safety Rules
   • Manual Handling
   • Employer Responsibilities
   • Employee Responsibilities
   • Safety with Different Types of Equipment
   • Handling Tools and Equipment Safely
   • Machinery Safety
   • Machine Hazards
   • Machine Guards
   • Welding Equipment, Compressors, Conveyor Belts
   • Horticultural Equipment; Mulchers, bruch cutters, mowers, chainsaws
   • Tool Maintenance
   • Safety with Electricity
6. Handling Objects
   • How to Lift
   • Strategies for Manual Handling
   • Skin Penetrating Injuries
   • Risk Categories
   • Preventative Measures
   • Treating Wounds: First Aid
   • Case Studies of Manual Handling Injuries
7. Using Computer Work Stations
   • Using VDU’s
   • Eyesight
   • Repetative Strain Injuries
   • Carpel Tunnel
   • Headaches
   • Radiation
   • Creating a Healthy Work Station
   • Rest Breaks, Stretching, Posture
8. Working Alone
   • Duty of Care, Responsibilities
   • Common Tasks Undertaken by a Lone Worker
   • Mobile Workers
   • Risk Assessment
   • Risk Management
9. Standards and Rules
   • Introduction
   • Identifying Risks
   • Hazard and Risk Management
   • Workplace Policy
   • Risk Assessment Safety Audits
   • Identifying Risks
   • Audit Forms
   • Safety Audit
   • Safety Outdoors; fire, bites, potential accidents, cuts, strains, poisoning, allergies, etc
   • First Aid; Shock, Fainting, Fractures, Strains, Sprains, Heat Exhaustion, etc
   • Skin Cancer
   • First Aid Supplies
10. Signs and Signals
    • Introduction to standard signs and signals
    • Conventions in different countries; UK, Australia

Learning Goals:   Workplace Health & Safety VBS103

• Determine procedures followed in the workplace to control workplace health and safety practices.
• Determine workplace health and safety legislation which is relevant to your industry and locality.
• Identify procedures for the safe use of chemicals in the workplace.
• Identify procedures for the safe use of equipment, including tools and machinery, in the workplace.
• Identify procedures for the safe manual handling of objects in the workplace.
• Develop workplace health and safety rules and practices, for a specified workplace.
• Identify standard signs and hand signals used in workplace health and safety in Australia.

Practicals:   Workplace Health & Safety  VBS103

• Define workplace health and safety, for a specified industry.
• List different individuals and groups within a workplace who have a responsibility with respect to workplace health and safety.
• Identify the role of the workplace health and safety officer in a workplace.
• Explain the operation of consultative processes in the management of workplace health and safety.
• Define duty of care, for a specific industry.
• Outline the scope of federal legislation in workplace health and safety.
• Outline the scope of state legislation in workplace health and safety.
• Explain workplace health and safety regulations within a specified industry.
• Explain the legal standing of workplace health and safety codes of practice.
• Assess different specified workplace situations to determine which are liable to prosecution, and which are not liable to prosecution.
  • including:
  • petroleum products
  • cleaning chemicals
  • explosives
  • pesticides
• Explain factors that contribute towards problems with dangerous chemicals.
• Analyse a workplace situation to determine potential safety problems with dangerous chemicals.
• Recommend changes in the workplace in response to the potential safety problems with dangerous chemicals.
• List legal requirements for storage and use of dangerous chemicals in a specified workplace situation.
• Explain appropriate storage procedures for different types of chemicals, including:
  • pesticides
  • petroleum products
  • cleaning chemicals
  • explosives
• Explain appropriate disposal procedures for different types of dangerous chemicals.
• Identify potential problems in the workplace with different types of dangerous chemicals.
• List factors that contribute towards safety problems with equipment.
• Analyse a workplace situation to determine potential safety problems with equipment.
• Recommend changes in the workplace in response to the potential safety problems with equipment
• Develop a procedure for the safe operation of a piece of machinery.
• List factors that contribute towards problems with manual handling, in a specific industry.
• Analyse three different case studies of injuries which resulted from incorrect manual handling.
• Recommend changes in three different specified workplaces, in response to the analysis carried out on manual handling injuries.
• Determine health risks in a specified workplace.
• Determine accident risks in a specified workplace.
• Develop a code of practice to minimise health risks in a specified work place.
• Develop a code of practice to minimise accident risks in a specified workplace.
• Distinguish between different classes of dangerous goods, for a specific industry
• Interpret different standard hand signals used in a specific workplace.
• Interpret different standard signs used in the workplace, including:
  • hazardous chemicals
  • vehicle and pedestrian
  • fire
  • dangerous machinery
  • noise
  • eye protection

IMPACT OF FATIGUE  IN THE WORKPLACE

It is very important to be clear  that fatigue and tiredness can have a serious impact on workplace health and safety. Working long hours can have a serious impact upon people mentally and physically.

In the UK, employers are required not to undertake safety-critical tasks when they are tired.

In particular, shift working can lead to poor health, fatigued and accidents if the person does not have enough time to rest and recover between shifts.

Many people work shifts, particularly in health care, emergency services, hospitality, transport, manufacturing, retail and entertainment.

Accidents and incidents are more common among night shift workers. Night workers can experience sleep deprivation or poor sleep, as they are trying to work during the daytime, when it is light, and potentially noisier than at night.

Sleep deprivation is when a person does not get enough sleep, or the sleep they do get is disturbed or poor sleep. Sleep deprivation can lead to poor memory, irritability, weight gain and fatigue, which can then lead to accidents, cardiovascular disease and weight gain.

Long working hours and poorly designed shift arrangements can have a substantial impact, leading to sleep loss and fatigue.

Boring and mundane tasks can also lead to fatigue.

Fatigue can have an impact on the worker, such as –

• Reduced awareness

• Lack of attention

• Underestimating risks

• Absentmindedness

• Forgetfulness

• Slower reaction times

Fatigue can then lead to serious accidents, and has been implicated in workplace disasters such as –

• The Challenger explosion. Launched into space in 1986, the Challenger spacecraft exploded 73 seconds into the flight, killing seven astronauts on board. 18,000 pounds of liquid oxygen was drained from the shuttle due to an error by the operator.

• The Chernobyl Nuclear disaster occurred because a flawed design in the reaction was then operated by staff who were not adequately trained. Thirty people died immediately or within months of the disaster. But around 60 people have now died as a result of the impact of the nuclear disaster.

Fatigue can be viewed as a hazard and therefore needs to be managed.

Employers and employees should –

• Not underestimate the risks involved in fatigue.

• Allow adequate breaks.

• Risk assessments should be carried out before any changes to working hours.

• Employees should be consulted with shift patterns and working hours.

• Specific policies should be put in place that looks at limits for overtime, working hours and swapping shifts.

• A system for recording overtime, on-call working, shift swaps etc.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Here is a list of the most often asked FAQ’s.

General

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A. No, as each module has been written by highly qualified industry professionals. The content of the material is presented in such a way that text books are not required. However, if you require additional reading your tutor will be able to supply a list.

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A. There is no maximum age limit. We do however, have a minimum age limit of 18 years. Below that age parental consent would be required.

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A. Our courses are revised and updated on a rotation system.

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Q. Will I have any opportunity to engage with other students?
A. We have a Student Community group based on facebook! If you don’t have a facebook account already, you could make one just for talking with fellow students on the group.

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Q. When can I enrol/start?
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Q. Can I study from anywhere in the world?
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Q. How long do I have to complete the course?
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Q. Completing a 100 hour module – how long will it take?
A. For some students a 100 hour module will take approximately to 3- 6 months to complete. Others take less time and some even longer.

Assessment

Q. Assessment – how does it work?
A. For each 100 hour module you are assessed by assignments (at the end of each lesson) and a final one and a half hour exam (or you may elect to complete a Project, instead of sitting the exam) – the choice is yours – you sit for the exam in your own location.

Q. I don’t cope well with exams – what can I do?
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Q. If my assignment is not up to standard is there an opportunity to resubmit my work?
A. Yes –

Q. How many assignments do I need to complete for each module?
A. At the end of each lesson, there is an assignment – so if a course has say, 10 lessons, there would be 10 assignments.

Q. I am having difficulty attending workshops/industry meetings, what can be done?
A. If your course requires attendance at workshops, conferences, or industry meetings; alternative arrangements can be made in your country.

Qualifications

Q. Can I customize my diploma/higher qualification?

A. Not all educational institution’s certificates /diplomas meet everyone’s needs. The opportunity to Design Your Own Diploma at the Academy (subject to our approval) is an added bonus, not found at other colleges. You choose modules that you think will help you in achieving your goal.

Q. What do I get when I complete the course? Will I receive a transcript?
A. At the completion of all courses and providing all assignments and exam requirements have been met, you will receive your Award and a Transcript.

Tutors

Q. Our tutors – who are they?
A. We appoint Tutors and require that they must be currently active in their industry, with at least 5 years’ experience in their chosen profession.

Q. Can I contact my tutor at any time?
A. Yes – you have unlimited access to your tutor via email through our Online Classroom. You can always leave a message with ADL requesting your tutor to contact you. You decide on how much or how little contact you wish to have.

Q. Practical work – How is this done?
A. To find out more about this part of the course please visit the section on How Our Courses Work here.