WSI #7 - Life and death at work

Accident Prone? Prone to accidents at work?

Health and safety at work is a matter of life and death. Every year
hundreds of Australian die or are seriously injured at work.
This Work Scene Investigation will help you recognise potential
Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) traps at work.

You may find, it's not you that's the problem - but your unsafe workplace!

Occupation health and safety (OH&S) is a key issue for employees at work. Under state and territory OH&S law, employers have a duty to ensure a safe and healthy work environment. They are required to identify OH&S hazards and consult with employees about health and safety issues.

Use the Fact Sheet on OH&S for help and complete the following activities.

State whether you think the following statements are true or false.

If you are injured at work, it is your own fault.
There are over 600,000 injuries and illnesses in Australian workplaces every year.
If you are injured at work, you have no right to complain or seek compensation.
Young workers (aged 15-24) are more likely to be injured at work than any other age group.
Employers have to ensure a safe and healthy working environment.

Write examples of how the following OH&S issues can affect a workers health and/or safety.

OH&S ISSUE EXAMPLE

Pressure to get work done quickly
Being bullied or bossed around
Dangerous hazards such as odours, leaks, unclean offices etc.
Noise pollution
No heating or air conditioning
Broken machinery

Get into pairs and read the following scenario.

Jack works part-time at a bottle shop. In summer, the store gets really hot inside and there is no air conditioning. This causes Jack to get headaches and feel tired. As well as putting up with the heat, Jack must lift heavy boxes that strain his back. Jack is a member of the Liquor Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union (LHMU).

With your partner, write a series of steps Jack should take in order to improve his situation and prevent it from happening in the future.