Week 6: Workplace Good Housekeeping, Other Issues and Managing Stress memories

GOOD HOUSEKEEPING
Work areas should always be cleaned and maintained.
Cleaning requires to be orderly and organized with tools to use for clean up purposes such as

• Brooms and brushes
• Mops and buckets
• Detergents and other cleaning solutions

CLEANING HAZARDS

Keep equipment maintained and isolated before cleaning and take special care to:

• Keep area free from clutter
• No electrical equipment is faulty or unsafe
• Understand hazardous substances used in cleaning
• Distribute hazardous substances during cleaning
• Do not work in confined spaces
• Disregard any sharpe objects
• Move loose rubbish to one place for easy transfer to bin
• Dispose of rubbish appropriately with good environmental practises
• Store hazardous substances away securely

Cleaning a Workplace Hazard

NOISE

Exposure to constant high noise levels risking hearing loss to workers.
Noise levels  must be no higher than 85 decibels over an eight hour working day but in a manufacturing environment never higher than 140 decibels at any time.
SAFETY NOISE MEASURES

• Use hearing protection provided
• Minimise how long exposure to noise is
• Use bins,racks,pallets
• Report defects to equipment for noise control

SECURITY

Employers responsibility to protect employees while they are in the workplace from physical or psychological harm
Security arrangements must be put in place such as:

• Protective gates or barriers with time safety delay
• More than two trained security staff on hand at one time
• Electronic equipment such as sound senors and surveillance cameras 
• Training programs for staff and employees on site involving workplace security safety procedures

Security Cameras on site

THREATS,VIOLENCE and BULLYING


Employers must be aware of workplace threats,violence or bullying and are held accountable for any incidents or accidents proven to have taken place in the workplace.
Employers must enforce no tolerance of the abuse of power by unreasonable or aggressive personal behaviour directed at individuals in the workplace.
All psychological and physical well being is protected by OH&S Laws.

THE DAMAGE THAT COULD BE DONE

• Loss of productivity by victims
• Financial costs to employee and employer
• Victimisation of individuals
• Undermining behaviour towards victims
• Unnecessary criticisms
• Violent and threatening behaviour towards individuals

Workplace bullying is demoralizing and  not tolerated

SEXUAL HARASSMENT
What is sexual harassment,it is uninvited and unwanted sexual behaviour directed towards a person.
This is covered by the OH&S Laws that employers must protect employees and not tolerate such behaviour in the workplace.
Any form of sexual harassment must be reported immediately to management.
SOME FORMS OF WORKPLACE SEXUAL HARASSMENT

• Unwanted advances or touching
• Unwanted repeated invitations
• Suggestive comments
• Offensive notes or pictures sent to emails or telephone calls
• Harassment of a sexual nature aimed towards an individual 

Sexual harassment in the workplace is wrong just report it to management

RACIAL ABUSE
It is illegal for jokes to be spread about race in the workplace and it is against the Racial Discrimination Act of 1975.
The employer must protect employees from any ethnic backgrounds in the workplace or be held accountable for allowing such behaviour to exist.
Codes of behaviour should be employed through training of standards expected in the workplace.
Individuals should know their rights and report racism to the OH&S representative in the workplace.

Racial discrimination at work is not tolerated

MANAGING STRESS
Individuals are working longer hours and not having enough time to enjoy and relax themselves.
Managing stress is important it could lead to many health problems down the track
Stress could occur through workplace problems such as bullying,conflict with management,poor training and lack of positive feedback.

THINGS TO IMPROVE STRESS LEVELS

• Strike a happy work life balance and take some time off
• Work smarter and plan ahead by creating a to do list
• Focus and be clear about what you are doing
• Be tidy and organised
• Eat healthy
• Get enough sleep
• Exercise
• Be yourself and be happy