QUESTION
Explain the role of a Health and Safety Representative.
A Health and Safety Representative (HSR) is responsible for the representation of workers on health and safety matters who are in charge of identifying the hazards, consulting with the management on safety improvements and ensuring compliance with that of WHS regulations.
QUESTION
WHS Regulations state that Safety Data Sheets (SDS) must be available for any hazardous chemicals. What information must an SDS contain? Provide a brief outline of each point.
includes information such as the properties of each chemical; the physical, health, and environmental health hazards; protective
A Safety Data Sheet must contain the identification of the chemicals, which includes the detailed information about the properties of each chemicals as well as the environmental health hazards, protective measures, measures that must be taken in case of accidental release and handling and storage instructions coupled with as the physical and chemical properties, disposal guidelines, transport regulation and also details on the regulatory measures.
QUESTION
If you thought there was a safety issue at your service, how would you raise and report this so that risk control measures can be put in place? Outline three examples of procedures that should be followed.
If a safety issue arises, it should be reported though the internal reporting system, incident reports and can also be performed via a direct communication with the supervisors. Example include filling out a hazard report, discussing the concerns in a WHS meeting and if in the worst-case scenario, the issue remains unsolved, it must be escalated to the regulatory authorities.
QUESTION
List three potential emergency situations that could happen in a service.
Potential emergency situations in a service include – fire outbreaks, medical emergencies such as anaphylaxis, and also natural disasters like flood.
Question
Explain what constitutes an emergency and identify at least five different types of emergency situations which could arise at an early childhood education and care service.
An emergency is often described as an unexpected event that calls for an immediate action to prevent the harm. In the early childhood education setting, emergencies can include fires, severe weather conditions, medical crises, missing children as well as security threats.
Question
Explain why infection control measures are important in an early childhood education and care service and identify at least three examples of routines or events in early childhood education and care which require infection control.
Infection control is very important in preventing illness among the young children and staff. Some of the most important routines for controlling infections include handwashing before meals, disinfecting the toys, and using gloves during nappy changes.
QUESTION
What is a hazard? Outline three examples of hazards you might find with toys and equipment in a childcare setting.
A hazard can be defined as any potential source of harm. For instance, it can include toys with small parts that can cause choking hazards, unstable shelving that may tip over and playground equipment with sharp edges.
QUESTION
A new item of equipment has been bought for the playground. It is adjustable for different age groups. There are many ways that the equipment can be set up.
Explain how you would make sure you knew how to operate this equipment safely.
If a new item of equipment is bought in the playground, the staff should read the manufacturing manual first, then undergo any sort of training if it is needed for installing the same and conduct proper risk assessment before letting the children use them.
QUESTION
Often safety standards and instructions change. Explain how you will keep up to date with changes.
For staying up to date with the safety standards, the educators need to attend proper training session first to educate themselves with the updates and the review the updated regulations from the official sources and finally participate in the WHS meetings.
QUESTION
List four signs that may show that a person is tired and/or stressed.
The four signs of stress and tiredness include:
- Irritability
- Lack of concentration
- Frequent yawning
- Physical exhaustion and lethargy towards doing anything
Identify three ways hazards can be reported to the appropriate personnel.
Three ways in which hazards can be reported to the appropriate personnel include:
- Through verbal reporting
- Written incident forms
- Digital safety logs
Imagine you have been asked to meet to discuss possible amendments to the safe workplace policies and procedures based on this scenario. List at least three suggestions you would make to management.
Three suggestions that can be given amendments include:
- Regular inspection of the equipment
- Ensuring backup maintenance providers
- Enforcing strict supervision protocols
List at least three housekeeping actions you could take personally to ensure the work area is maintained more effectively to reduce injuries like this in the future
Three housekeeping actions include:
- Keeping all the walkways clear and hurdle free
- Securing all the loose cables
- Organizing the storage areas properly
Do you think the employees have shown sufficient duty of care? Why? Why not?
No, the employees have not shown enough duty of care as the presence of the faulty gate latch posed a serious chance of risk.
What are two more effective things that could have been put in place to reduce the risk?
More effective solution for controlling the risk can include immediate repairing of the same with the help of a technician.
Hayley decided without consultation. If she had called a WHS meeting to discuss the gate, how would this have helped?
A WHS meeting would have allowed the staff for discussing the risks thoroughly while also taking into account all the alternate solution and ensuring a decision that is made through consensus.
In the instance that the latch is still not fixed, who else could you report your concerns to?
If the latch remains unfixed, the concerns need to be reported to regulatory bodies such as WorkSafe.
QUESTION
Do you think you can work well when you are tired and stressed? Identify why or why not.
No, I do not think I can give my 100% in my work if I remain stressed. This is because stress can reduce focus, increase mistake and can also affect the productivity. In such a case, I will not be able to take care of the things that need consideration leading to serious issues.
Question
Explain what you should do if you feel the signs of stress.
If someone is feeling stressed, it is important to take breaks, seek support if necessary and practice various relaxation techniques to relieve stress.
Question
Review the signs in the table below and identify each sign and explain where you might see this in an early education setting.
| Safety Sign | What does the Sign mean | Where you might see this sign in Early Education and Care Service |
| Fire Exit Sign | This means that if a fire breaks out seek this place to escape the area | Near Emergency doors |
| Wet Floor Sign | Avoid this place because this area can be wet and you can slip or fall | Near cleaning Areas |
| First-Aid Signs | If you need any medical assistance, you can seek to this place | Near Medical Room |
QUESTION
Read the WHS regulations for your State or Territory and identify the requirements for hazardous manual handling tasks.
WHS regulations for hazardous manual handling require proper risk management and assessments, training and also ergonomic practices to reduce the risk of injury.
QUESTION
What is one requirement from the Regulations that refers to hazardous manual handling tasks? Include the section of the regulations in your answer.
A specific regulation that mandates that employers minimize hazardous manual tasks by altering their work practices which falls under the WHS Regulations, Section 60 Managing risks to health and safety.
QUESTION
Identify and explain how WHS legislation impacts on the National Quality Framework (Early Childhood Regulations/Law and Standards). Provide at least one example of how the NQF reflects the WHS legislation.
WHS legislation has impacted the National Quality Framework (NQS) by ensuring safe environments to the children. This is because NQS Standards 2.1 mandates services for maintain the health and safety of children and that aligns with the goals of WHS.
QUESTION
What is the name of the WHS Authority in your State?
The name of the WHS Authority of my state is WorkSafe Victoria.
Scenario 1:
- What could Brock do about his stress and fatigue? Suggest three strategies to reduce stress and fatigue in the workplace.
Brock could manage stress and anxiety by delegating the tasks, maintain a proper schedule that include breaks and prioritizing rest.
- What are three reasons that incident reports must be completed?
The necessity of completing incident reports lies in the fact that they must document all the workplace injuries, must be made in compliance with the legal requirements and will also improve the safety measures.
- You must complete the Incident, Injury, and Trauma Record. Use the information in the case study to guide you in completing the report.
Date of incident – July 2, 2022
Time of Incident – 1:00 PM
Location – The passage between the storeroom and the Willow Oak Room
Injured Person – Brock Deneson (Educator)
Description of the incident – Brock was carrying tow large boxes of nappies when a child suddenly toddled in front of him. Brock was unable to see as he was carrying the large boxes and he ripped and fell in an awkward position to avoid injuring the child and resulted in a broken foot.
Immediate Response – Broke was taken to the hospital by an Ambulance
Injury Details – Broken foot, placed moon boot for six weeks
Possible Factors that Contributed to this Incident – Fatigue due to overload, lack of trolley which was previously agreed upon in WHS meeting but not yet delivered
Action Taken – The incident was documented and management reminded to follow up on the delivery of trolley to avoid such future mishaps.
Scenario 2:
- What is the responsibility of the Service Director/owners for health and safety in the service?
The Service Director/owners are in charge of ensuring the safety of children, staffs and visitors by addressing the hazards in a prompt way while also maintain compliance with the guidelines of WHS.
b) Do you think the manager has shown sufficient duty of care? Why? Why not?
The manager has not substantiated enough duty of care because she was aware of the faulty latch but in spite of that she delayed the repair due to cost concerns. The decision directly puts the children to risk which is seen incase of Andrew who nearly escaped.
e) What is the responsibility of the employees for health and safety in the workplace?
Employees are responsible for following the safety procedures, reporting the hazards and also supervising the children. However, it is not possible for the staffs to monitor the gate all the time while also handling other duties which makes it crucial for the management to take proper actions.
Scenario 3:
- Create a timeline list of the actions in order of priority Danni should take given the scenario.
Identify the emergency – Danny smells the smoke and confirm the potential fire risk
Activate the Emergency response – Danny uses the phone or whistle to alert all other staffs
Evacuate – Danny gathers all the children and takes them to a safe outdoor place and also use attendance roll to ensure all children are there
Safety – She supervises the children while also looking for signs of distress
Communicate – Danny communicate with other staffs and confirms Gavin that all children are outside
Assess Staff Safety – After being informed that Anaisha is unaccounted for, she alters the emergency services that is fire brigade and ambulance
Medical Aid – Danny sees a child wheezing and administers asthma puffer according to their medical plan
Ensure well-being of children – Given the heat that is 30 degrees, she moves the children to a shaded place
- Which policies and procedures would relate to this emergency? Please identify at least five.
Emergency Evacuation Policy – Safe and structured evacuation during fire or similar emergency
Fire Safety and Prevention Procedures – Responsibilities of Staffs when responding to fire hazards
First Aid and Medical Response Policy – Guidelines for medical, treatment such as asthma puffer
Communication Protocols for Emergencies – Guides the staffs for alerting others and call for emergency services
Supervision and Child Safety Policy – ensures that children are safely managed during emergencies
