Stay Safe during busy times

Remember there is no job more important than your safety. We all feel under the pump this time of the year, we are all looking forward to some well-earned time off, but everyone wants everything done before Christmas. Rushing here, rushing there, up that ladder, down that pipe, under the house… the list goes on.

Please take just 5 minutes to do your Take 5, Risk Assessment or Safe Work Method Statement it might mean the difference between a Christmas no one can forget for all the wrong reasons, and a Christmas for the record books that was happy and festive. Are you picking up, what I am laying down?

If its visiting your Great Aunt or with the Cousins and you are constantly yelling at the kids
“put that back”, “where did you get that”, “put that down”, “stop hitting your sister”, “stop chasing the dog” remind yourself why you work safe every day, and strive to keep your workmates safe also. It’s got to be worth the extra 10 minutes to check your safety and the safety of your team!

 

At Projects One Safety Online we try hard to make safety in the construction industry easy to follow, quick to write up and simple to share with the team. Projects One Safety Online, comes with all the help you need, plenty of safety tips along the way and of course we have Superwoman on our side, AKA my wife. Like all good wives she always has the last say! (oh, that’s so going to get me into trouble)

10 tips for your safety audit in the New Year

Written by, a Tradies Wife, creator of Projects One Safety Online, the ‘simplifier’ of all thing’s safety

In the construction industry safety paperwork can get overwhelming, speaking from experience, its that state of overwhelm that got us started on Projects One Safety Online.

Take your current safety system (if you have one) and look at each document and look for changes in your environment. Remember each time you find or make a change it could spark a chain reaction so keep a list of what needs to be changed where. Be methodical!

  1. Consult your staff, get them involved, after all it’s their safety you are planning. Offer a free BBQ breakfast and do some planning and discuss safety matters and concerns
  2. Update your risk register! Look for new hazards, factors that have changed the risk, update controls that may be required
  3. Check staff and contractors been inducted correctly, check files to make sure you have copies of qualifications, Safe Operating Procedures (SOP) and Safe Work Procedures (SWP) signed, training register updated etc….
  4. Does your new equipment have a SOP or SWP, have all the relevant staff been trained and signed a SOP or SWP for the equipment? A copy needs to be kept in their file and updated on the training register
  5. Bedtime reading is mandatory, new Codes of Conduct have been released across most states, as the PCBU you need to be across the Codes of Conduct that are relevant to your industry
  6. The two main reasons you need to update your WHS Policy and staff induction are:
    1. Changes within your company or industry that need to be reflected in your WHS Policy and Staff Induction
    2. Every 12 months you need to update your WHS Policy and Staff induction, even if you can’t find anything that needs updating, create a new version with a new date. Remember that chain reaction, you need to go through your updated policy with all your staff and have them sign a new copy. Now put a reminder in your calendar to do your next update in 12 months’ time
  7. In the construction industry it is difficult to keep track of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), first aid kits and fire extinguishers. Check what you have on your register is what you have in your vehicles and office. Remember to check expiry dates
  8. Hazardous Substance Registers and Safety Data Sheets can get away on us through the year, now is a good time to check all Safety Data Sheets are within date and your register is complete. Ensure you have a copy in all work vehicles
  9. Vehicle Pre-Starts and Maintenance Records audit will help ensure your staff are driving safe vehicles and all maintenance issues have been fixed
  10. Test and tagging of tools, audit your tools, make sure they are all in good working order, all guards are in place and the test and tag is up to date

Remember this is only 10 tips to get you started with your Workplace Health and Safety audit, each workplace is different and will have different safety requirements.

If you are new to safety in the construction industry, in the New Year I will write a blog for getting started with your new business. In the meantime, start your research by reading the information on your states WorkSafe website.

From our family to yours, please have a safe and merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year.

I would also like to take a moment to send all our thoughts and prayers to those who have been affected by the vicious bush fire season and the merciless drought that many of our fellow countrymen are facing and to give thanks to all those who have spent hours and hours on the frontline defending homes, delivering hay and water to cattle and supporting our rural communities in any way they can. Thank you again from all our team here at Projects One Safety Online.

Stay safe, from the Projects One Safety Online team.

P.S Remember, every morning as you prepare for work ask yourself, what’s different about today? If something is different you need to revise your safety!