Safe carrying methods

Carrying heavy objects can put a strain on your back, arms, shoulders and knees because your body is struggling to support the size and weight of the object. Follow these simple pointers when you have to carry a heavy load.

Safe carrying methods

Carrying heavy objects can put a strain on your back, arms, shoulders and knees because your body is struggling to support the size and weight of the object Follow these simple pointers when you have to carry a heavy load Click the to view theeach point

If you cannot view the interaction above, or if it takes a long time to load, have a look at this alternative.

Always carry the

load close to yourbody

Never carry a heavy load away from your

body as this puts a lot of strain on your

shoulders and back

Avoid carrying a heavy load for long distances This can cause your muscles to get tired and become more vulnerable to strain and injury Use a trolley, or a similar type of equipment, to move heavy loads over long distances

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Moving heavy loads safely

You may need to move loads that are too heavy for you to lift or carry In these cases, you may need to use some of these methods:

 Work with someone to carry the load

 Use a trolley

 Use a forklift or trolley jack to lift loads that

are too heavy to lift manually (over 20

kilograms)

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How do hazardous substances enter

the body?

3 ways hazardous substances can be harmful

A hazardous substance can be any substance, natural

or artificial, solid, liquid or gas, that can potentially

injure or harm people in and around their workplace or

Inhalation (breathing into lungs)

Gases, vapours, mists, fumes, and dusts are all forms of chemicals and biological agents that can

be inhaled Many of these chemicals give off poisonous fumes and can harm you if inhaled You should always make sure that you use a respirator when handling chemicals that give off toxic fumes, dusts or gases

Ingestion (swallowing)

Not to many people are going to deliberately pick

up a chemical and swallow it but have you ever sprayed your lawn or garden with a pesticide andthen forgotten to wash your hands before eating,drinking or smoking? Or what about siphoning petrol by mouth? These are common ways in which chemicals can be ingested

Absorption (contact through eyes, mouth, skin)

Chemicals can also get into your body by being absorbed

though your skin, eyes, and mouth

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Three safety steps

There are three simple steps you can follow at work to reduce the risk of accidents and injuries at work Have a look at these steps:

 Step 1 - Identify the hazard

 Step 2 - Determine the risk

 Step 3 - Respond

Step 1 - Identify the hazard

Hazards can happen anywhere and anytime You need to watch out for hazards and

be able to identify them Click the PLAY button to see what happens to Larrikin Larry

In the workplace, this is as simple as being on the look out for things that may causeinjury or harm to a person, for example, wet floors, lifting heavy loads and operating equipment and machinery.

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Step 2 - Determine the risk

Have a look at Larrikin Larry trying to cross the street Click PLAY to see what

happens if Larry fails to determine the risk before taking an action.

Larry did not check for traffic before crossing, so he was hit by a car! What should Larry have done instead? Click PLAY to see.

Did you notice that Larry checked that the lights had changed before crossing? He also made sure that all traffic had stopped before crossing at the lights.

In your workplace, determining the risk involves thinking about:

 how the hazard could actually harm someone and how seriously they could behurt

 if you have had enough training to work safely with the hazard

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Step 3 - Respond

This step involves doing something about responding to the hazard by making it safe and reducing the risk of injury or harm Sometimes it is not possible to get rid of the hazard, so you need to ask your employer, or a safety officer, to control it to make it less dangerous There are six ways you can respond to hazards:

1 Remove the hazard

2 Replace the hazard with something else (such as a substance or work

practice)

3 Separate the hazard from people with the use of screens, safety barriers, or find another place away from people

4 Use safeguards for tools, equipment, machinery or install ventilation

5 Follow safety rules or work procedures (includes training and supervision)

6 Use personal protective clothing and equipment.

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Be sun safe

Safety tips for working outdoors on hot, sunny days

A good proportion of your daily work in aquaculture will be outdoors You may be outinspecting ponds, feeding stock, harvesting, or checking and maintaining structures around the aquaculture facility In the Australian summer, this puts you at risk of over-exposure to sunlight and heat Both of these hazards can be avoided if you know what to do

There are two main hazards caused by working out in the sun:

Did you know that:

 skin cancers kills more than 700 Australians each year

 about 125,000 Australians have skin cancer at this moment, but don't realise that they have it

 skin cancers are the most common cancers in Australia

 Australia has the highest rate of skin cancers in the world?

The longer skin is exposed to the sun, the greater the risk of skin cancers So, if your job involves spending a lot of time in the sun, thenyou need to make sure you protect your skin against sun damage

Protecting against sun damage

Cover up

Put on cool, protective clothing if you're going to be out in the sun:

 Wear a shirt - preferably one with a collar and long sleeves

 Wear long trousers if you can

 Wear a wide brimmed hat to protect your head and face from sun damage

Slap on sunscreen

Always put on sunscreen with a high sun protection factor (SPF 30+) The higher the SPF number, the more protection you get Your nose, lips, ears, neck and back of your hands need extra protection, so make sure these areas are properly covered with sunscreen

Remember that you will need to reapply sunscreen after a few hours out in the sun

Avoid working outdoors during peak sun times

During the Australian summer, the time between 10am and 4pm is peak sun time This means that your risk of sun damage if highest if you're out in the sun during thistime If possible, work indoors or in the shade during this time If you need to be out

in the sun, then make sure you're wearing the right clothing, and have put on

enough sunscreen to protect yourself against sun damage

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Heat stress

Working outdoors on hot days can cause heat stress This results in increased

sweating and loss of water from the body, and can lead to exhaustion, fatigue and even heat stroke!

To reduce heat stress, you should:

 wear cool, cotton clothing when working outdoors

 wear a broad-brimmed hat

 put on sunscreen with a high sun protection factor (SPF 15+)

 wear sunglasses

 drink small amounts of water frequently to replace any water lost through

 take frequent short rests in a shaded area

 avoid working out in the sun during the hottest period of the day (10am to 4pm in the Australian summer)

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Workplace health and safety explained

What does it all mean?

In simple terms, workplace health and safety aims to promote and secure the safety and health of people at work by getting rid of, reducing or controlling hazards in the workplace

It is based on the following four principles:

1 Protection for every worker

2 A duty of care and responsibility for safety

3 Consultation by means of committees or safety representatives discussing and resolving workplace health and safety issues

4 Penalties in the way of fines for not following workplace health and safety legislation

These principles are controlled by laws that differ from state to state In Western Australia, for example, these principles are regulated by:

 Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984

 Occupational Safety and Health Regulations 1996

They are also supported by codes of practice and guidance notes These laws tell theemployer and the employee what their responsibilities are when it comes to

workplace health and safety

If an injury or accident occurs at work because either the employer or employee have failed to understand or follow these laws, then penalties such as fines could be imposed

Duties of employers

1 An employer shall provide and maintain a work environment in

which the employees are not exposed to hazards (as far as practically

possible)

This can be achieved by:

 providing and maintaining the workplace so that the employees

are not exposed to hazards (if practical)

 providing personal protective clothing and equipment to

employees if there is a need for them to work in a hazardous

environment

 providing information, instruction, training and supervision to

the employee to enable them to work in an environment and

not be exposed to hazards

 consulting and working with safety representatives and

employees with regard to OHS in the workplace

2 Notify the commissioner of any workplace injury that resulted in

time off or the death of an employee

3 If an employer hires a contractor to carry out work then the

contractor and any of their employees are deemed to be employees of

the employer

4 If an employer fails to protect the employees they will be in breach

of the law and liable for a fine of up to $100 000

5 If an employer fails to protect the employees and as a result causes

the death or serious harm to the employee they will be in breach of the

law and liable for a fine of up to $200 000

6 If an employer fails to notify the commissioner of a workplace injury

as stated in section 2 they will be in breach of the law and liable for a

fine of $25 000

Duties of employees

1 An employee shall take reasonable care to ensure their own safety

and health at work and that of any other person in the workplace

2 An employee will be in breach of the OHS act if they:

 fail to comply with instructions given to them by their employer

with regard to OHS in the workplace

 fail to use protective clothing and equipment provided by the

employer as instructed

 misuse or damage equipment provided for safety and health in

the workplace

 fail to report a situation that they believe to be a hazard, or an

injury occurring at the workplace

3 An employee shall cooperate with their employer in matters relating

to OHS in the workplace

4 If an employee fails to carry out any of the above (1 - 3) they can

be liable for a fine of up to $10 000

5 If an employee fails to carry out any of the above (1 - 3) and this

causes the death or serious injury to another person they can be liable

for a fine of up to $20 000

Different Laws for different States or Territories

Each State or Territory in Australia has its own workplace health and safety laws These laws are produced and regulated by State or Territory government groups thatare responsible for safety issues These organisations include:

Worksafe Western Australia

South Australian Workcover Authority

Northern Territory Work Health Authority

Victorian Workcover Authority

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Transfer, measure and mix chemicals

Learn to use chemicals safely and accurately.

It is important, when you work with chemicals, that you

know what you are doing and that you always work in a

safe way To make sure you do this, you need to follow

correct procedures for handling and applying chemicals

Click on the links below to find out what these

procedures are for:

 transferring chemicals

 measuring chemicals

 mixing chemicals

Transferring chemicals safely

Chemical substances often need to be transferred from one container to another Transferring substances, especially when filling small containers from a larger one, can be quite dangerous if the substance is explosive, flammable or corrosive

Follow these guidelines when transferring chemicals to make sure you do it safely:

 Make sure that the large container is stable and in your control if you are lifting to pour liquid out of it

 Use a funnel and pour slowly to prevent splashing, and airlocks in the funnel

 If the substance is flammable keep it away from any source of heat or

ignition

 If the substance releases dangerous fumes (for example, formalin), wear the

correct respirator and work in an open, ventilated area.

 If the substance is corrosive, wear gloves, a face shield and a rubber apron

 Whenever possible use a hand-pump or siphon to transfer liquids, rather than pouring

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Measuring chemicals accurately

Chemicals often need to be measured accurately, otherwise, they may be too weak

or too strong, and can become a safety hazard

When measuring solids like powders and granules, use a scoop or measuring spoon:

Use a measuring spoon or scoop with the correct

measurement you need

Take a scoop of the substance so that the substance over

fills the scoop or spoon

Level the spoon or scoop by taking off the excess with a flat

object

This should give you a fairly accurate measurement

Repeat these steps for remaining dry (solid) substances if needed

When measuring liquids:

 always measure the substance on a flat surface

 slowly pour or decant the substance into measuring cup, glass or cylinder tube until you have the correct amount

To observe if you have the correct volume make sure that your eye level is at the same level as the substance in the measuring container You should look at the measurement or graduation from eye level, do not take the measurement looking above or below See picture

This will give you an accurate reading of the volume of the substance being

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Mixing chemicals safely.

Mixing chemicals can be dangerous because you are physically handling chemicals that are often hazardous

Always wear the correct personal protective clothing and use appropriate equipment when mixing chemicals

Follow these steps to mix chemicals safely:

1 Choose a suitable mixing area The site should be away from plants, people, animals, and waterways It needs to have good lighting and must be well ventilated There should be first aid equipment and materials to clean up any spills that may occur

2 Make sure you have lots of clean fresh water available The water that you areusing in your mixture should be as clean as possible

Check the product label for the chemical to find out how to mix a solution, including the proportions or volumes needed If you are unsure contact the manufacturer or retailer for instructions

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A Safe Harvest

Safety points to note when harvesting stock

Harvesting can be the most exciting

time of the season for the fish farmer

However, it is also a time when injuries

can occur Ponds can hide a number of

safety risks Fish may bite Misusing

harvesting equipment can lead to injury

How do you make sure you stay safe

during harvesting? We'll show you how

 Hazards during harvesting

 Wear protective gear

 Follow correct safety procedures

Hazards during harvesting

Watch out for the following hazards while harvesting stock:

 Underwater snags, rocks or holes

 Muddy or boggy ground

 Snakes

 Sunburn and ultraviolet radiation

 Getting tangled in nets

 Wet clothing restricting movement

 Dragging or carrying heavy nets can cause back injuries

 Cold - if harvesting in winter

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Wear protective gear

What sort of protective gear should you use? The sort of gear will depend on the job