Identifying and Treating Physical Hazards in the Workplace

Part A: Toolbox Talk

You must select, research, and conduct a toolbox talk on a type of workplace hazard that you have identified through consultation with a workgroup. Toolbox talks are regularly delivered to small groups in the workplace and highlight workplace health and safety issues. Once you have delivered your talk, you will then need to source a standard operating procedure and train a member of your (real or simulated) workgroup in that procedure.
Procedure
Part A:
1.    Identify a workgroup in your organization or simulated work environment, agreed to and arranged with your assessor.
2.    Consult with the workgroup to identify a hazard. The kinds of hazards you can choose from include:
a.    physical hazards
b.    psycho-social hazards
c.    mechanical hazards
d.    chemical hazards
e.    sources of energy
f.    environmental hazards.
3.    Conduct research into the hazard through consultation. Where relevant, your consultation should be in accordance with legislative requirements and organisational requirements for consultation.
4.    Identify relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures that may apply to the hazard and its treatment.
5.    Deliver a 10–15-minute presentation (a toolbox talk) to your workgroup on the hazard, including:
a.    description of the hazard:
i.    identify specific examples or cases of the hazard
ii.    use photos or videos to explain the hazard
b.    causes of the hazard
c.    effects of the hazard
d.    control methods for the hazard (using the hierarchy of control)
e.    organisational policies and procedures relating to WHS, including:
i.    fire, emergency, evacuation
ii.    hazard identification
iii.    incident investigation
f.    the importance of consultation in identifying and treating hazards in the workplace
g.    results of consultation with other members of the organisation, WHS consultants, etc.
h.    an explanation of the relevant provisions of the legislation (such as work health safety legislation), regulations or codes of practice that may apply to the hazard and note when you checked these and when you plan to next check them in order to keep up-to-date with changes in legislation
i.    how you plan to follow up to consult again on hazard and treatment
j.    a description of where workgroup members can access information about the hazard.
6.    Submit a written record of the toolbox talk to your assessor, including plans, consultation notes and email trails, presentation notes, presentation aids, and case studies or examples included in the talk. Ensure you keep copies for your records.
Note: If practicable, you can use the internet and YouTube videos to demonstrate examples of hazards.


Part B: Training
1.    Choose an organization’s standard operating procedure. You will assess your workgroup’s skill and provide training in this procedure. Be sure to identify objective indicators of successful performance for the procedure.
2.    Identify a (simulated or real) workgroup to train on the safe performance of the procedure.
3.    Follow organisational procedures and WHS legislative requirements to consult with the workgroup and determine training needs on the procedure.
a.    You should rate the level of skill for each group member on a skills matrix (Appendix 1).
b.    To determine how competent a person is, simply ask them to perform the procedure or recite how it can be done.
4.    Develop a written plan for a training session (a maximum of ten minutes) on the safe completion of the procedure.
a.    Use the training plan template (Appendix 2).
b.    Include key steps of the delivery and consultation with your workgroup.
c.    Prepare all of the resources required.
d.    Make sure to include any costs associated with your training session in your plan. Training costs may include:
i.    cost of wages for workgroup members’ time
ii.    lost productivity (cost of time used in activities other than making products or delivering services).
5.    Where relevant, follow organisational procedures to report costs to management.
6.    Train your workgroup in the procedure. You may be observed by your assessor.
7.    Arrange a follow-up meeting or extra learning opportunity with any individual who still needs or would like extra practice to achieve the desired standard of performance.
8.    Prepare and deliver a five- to ten-minute (maximum) follow-up coaching or mentoring session.
a.    Use coaching or mentoring techniques and the GROW Model template (Appendix 3) to help the individual reach his or her performance goals.
b.    You may be observed by your assessor.
9.    Submit documents to your assessor as per specifications below. Ensure you keep copies for your records.

Description of the hazard

Physical Hazard is one of the types of organizational hazard that takes into consideration environmental hazards that can cause harm with or without contact.
Identifying specific examples or cases of the hazard    
Physical Hazard includes heating devices, noise, fire as well as cold and projectiles.
Pictorial presentation of the hazard 
 
Causes of the hazard

Physical hazard are a common source of injuries found in most of the industries. They are mostly unavoidable in given industries like construction and mining but with the passage of time, it can be seen that people have developed safety methods as well as procedures for managing the risks of physical danger in the workplace.
Falls- It is one of the common causes of occupational injuries as well as fatalities in areas like construction, extraction, healthcare and maintenance.
Machines- From cases, it is found that more drivers die in accidents because of security defects in vehicles. Addition to that, long waiting times at borders is the real cause that drivers are away from home as well as family.

Noise- It is one of the fairly common workplace hazards. Occupational hearing loss is one of the common work-related injuries where workers are exposed to hazardous noise levels at work as well as estimate $242 million that is spent annually on workers compensation for hearing loss disability.
Temperature- Extreme temperature directly poses danger to workers at workplace. Heat stress can cause heat stroke, cramps, rashes as well as exhaustion.