A Guide to Occupational Health and Safety Transport Industry
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A Guide to Occupational Health and Safety Transport Industry 5th Edition, July 2006 How to find more information The best way to get further information on any of the topics covered in this Guide is to use the internet. At the end of each section, under more information on... youll find a web search key. Follow the steps below and you should be taken to a webpage with further information on the topic. 1 Go towww.google.com.au . 2 To use the Google advanced search: This screen will come up: At the end of each section of this Guide, Click on theadvanced search link. where it says for more information on..., therell be a web search category, listing specific information to key in to your advanced Google search. For example, for futher information on safety inspections (page 27), youd key in: Field A: safe work practices Field B: safety inspections Field C: www.workcover.vic.gov.au and then click on the Google Search button on the screen. If theres no field mentioned in the instructions, leave that field blank. 3 A list of links should then come up on your screen. Generally the first one Field A listed will be the one you want, but Field B * those further down the list may also be of interest to you. Field C Click on the link of your choice and youll be taken to that webpage. * Or, of course, you can ring the organisations listed under for more information headings and ask for copies of their publications to be sent to you. A Guide to Occupational Health and Safety ~ Transport Industry Preface It is about ten years since the Transport Industry Safety Group (TISG) was formed. It still meets regularly and contributes to health and safety within one industry sector. The establishment of the TISG followed the Coroners recommendations on the death of a 14-year-old male pedestrian in a truck-related road crash. The incident occurred as a result of the failure (in part) of the truck drivers employer, a major Melbourne transport company, to provide the driver with proper training and supervision. The Victorian TISG comprises senior executives from a number of organisations including the Transport Workers Union (Victoria/Tasmania), the Victorian Transport Association, VicRoads, Victoria Police, WorkSafe Victoria, the Transport Accident Commission, the Bus Association (Victoria), the Victorian Waste Management Association and Monash University Accident Research Centre. The TISG meets regularly with the State Coroner to help identify key areas of risk and to develop pro-active strategies to reduce the incidence of death and serious injury within the transport industry. There are also a small number of consultants who voluntarily work with the TISG. The idea for the Transport Industry Safety Guide also stemmed from one of the recommendations in the 1995 Coroners finding on the death of the 14-year-old. This Guide, now in its fifth edition, is a tremendous achievement for all those involved in the TISG and the transport industry generally. It will help to improve the safety and health of all those who work in the transport industry and the wider community who use our roads. Graeme Johnstone State Coroner July 2006 A safe workplace is where everyone in it is free fromthe risk of harm. Harmincludes injury, death, occupational illness and disease. Page 1 Transport Industry ~ A Guide to Occupational Health and Safety Contents Introduction .............4 Health & Safety Reps Whos who .............5 and OHS Committees ........30 t Who is an employer? ..........5 t Designated Work Group ........30 t Who is an employee? ..........5 t Health & Safety Representative .....30 t Contractor Control ...........5 t OHS Committee ............30 t More Information ............6 Training and Induction .......31 What does reasonably Health Priorities ..........32 practicable mean?..........7 t Drug and Alcohol Policy ........32 t More Information ............7 t Infectious Diseases ..........33 Chain of Responsibility ........8 t Preventing Stress in the Workplace . 34 t What is the Chain of Responsibility? . 8 t Workplace Bullying and Harassment . 35 t Who is Covered by the t First Aid ...............35 Chain of responsibility? .........8 t Working Alone ............36 t Enforcement Powers ..........9 t Noise.................37 t Consignor/Receiver ...........9 t Vibration ...............37 t Loader/Packer.............10 t More Information ...........38 t Driver.................11 Safety Priorities ..........39 t Operator/Manager/Scheduler ......12 t Traffic Management ..........39 OHS Policy Statement .......13 t Roadside Operations..........39 Management Commitment .....14 t Forklift Operations ...........40 Safe Work Practices ........15 t Manual Handling ...........40 Producing an Effective t Working at Height ...........41 Risk Control Plan..........16 t Working Near Overhead Wires t Identifying Hazards ..........16 or Underground Services ........41 t Assessing Risks ............16 t More Information ...........42 t Controlling Risks ...........17 Load Management and Restraint . 43 t Testing Risk Controls .........18 Fatigue ..............44 t Training ...............18 t Reasons for Fatigue While Driving . 44 t More Information ...........19 t Dealing with Driver Fatigue.......44 t Sample Layout for a t Driving Hours .............45 Risk Control Plan .........2025 t More Information ...........45 Rehabilitation Policy ........26 Dangerous Goods and t More Information ...........26 Hazardous Substances .......46 Safety Inspections .........27 Fire Prevention/Emergency t Self Auditing/Periodical Inspections . 27 Evacuation Procedures .......49 t Preventive Maintenance Programs . 27 t More Information ...........27 Personal Protective Equipment ...50 Incident Reporting and Investigation. 28 Conclusion .............51 t Reporting Incidents to WorkSafe ....28 Reference Materials ........52 t More Information ...........29 Organisations and Contacts .....52 Page 2 A Guide to Occupational Health and Safety ~ Transport Industry Foreword Working together to achieve an outcome is very rewarding all the more so when that outcome is safety related. The Transport Industry Safety Group has again combined its resources to produce this publication, in the interests of all industry participants. As we enter a new era of chain of responsibility with new occupational health and safety legislation which will change the working landscape of all industries, this Guide should be of even greater benefit to all industry operators, employees and subcontractors. Previous editions of this Guide have served as an example and reference point for other industry sectors, setting a standard which the Transport Industry Safety Group and the freight and logistics industry can be very proud of upholding. The industry members of the Transport Industry Safety Group express our appreciation for the support and commitment of VicRoads and WorkSafe. All industry participants should use this Guide in the interests of a safe and effective industry. Philip Lovel Chairman Transport Industry Safety Group July 2006 The Building Blocks of OHS Very important, as they provide guidance and can be used Workplace Policies in prosecutions. Provides guidance on howtomeetthelaw. Guidance Notes Provides guidance on howtomeetthelaw. Codes and Australian Standards Is the law and must be followed. OHS Regulations Is the law and Occupational Health & Safety Act must be followed. Page 3 Transport Industry ~ A Guide to Occupational Health and Safety Introduction This Guide provides background to the This section requires employers to health and safety issues faced by the provide and maintain, so far as transport industry, and provides infor- reasonably practicable, a working mation and references to aid employers environment that is safe and without and workers, including contractors and risks to health. owner-drivers, in developing a broad There are some specific elements to this perspective in response to these issues. general duty which require the employer, The health and safety priorities in this so far as is reasonably practicable, to do Guide are those that people in the industry things such as: know are the issues requiring manage- n provide and maintain safe plant and ment, so this Guide has been compiled systems of work, following consultation within the industry. n arrange safe systems of work in The intention is not to contest the connection with plant, vehicles, technicalities, but to facilitate whatever equipment, tools, machinery and possible action can be taken. substances, Effective occupational health and safety n provide a safe work environment (OHS) happens when a company and its (both in the depot and in vehicles), workforce co-operate to: n provide adequate welfare facilities, n develop policies, systems and and procedures to eliminate or minimise n provide employees with the risks, information, instruction, training and n make sure the people who implement supervision they need to perform their and are affected by the systems and jobs in a safe and healthy manner. procedures understand them, Employees also have specific n implement effective training in obligations under the OHS Act. Section procedures, and 25 of the Act requires employees to: n ensure the workforce has good access n take reasonable care with their own to safety standards and safety health and safety and the safety of information generally. others, For any OHS system to be effective it must n co-operate with their employer to have the total commitment of all levels allow the employer to comply with the within the relevant