Occupational Health and Safety

Code of Practice 2008

Compliance Assistance

Codes of PracticeCodes of Practice• How many of you have a complete set of the

previous 27 codes in your workplace including the associated Australian Standards?

Codes of PracticeCodes of Practice

• How many of you find it hard to have to source information from over 50 documents including more than 2800 pages?

Codes of PracticeCodes of Practice

• How many of you would like to be able to access all the codes in one document?

Occupational Health and Safety Occupational Health and Safety Code of Practice 2008Code of Practice 2008

• Here it is!

Occupational Health and Safety Occupational Health and Safety Code of Practice 2008Code of Practice 2008

• How does this new code fit into the legislative framework?

• What was changed and why?• What is in the new code?• What are the major changes?

The FrameworkThe Framework

Law

The OHS Act

Legislative instrumentsRegulations

Approved codes of practice

GuidanceComcare SRC guidance material

Other guidance

Mandatory – must follow

Compliance -mandated unless the same or better safety outcomes are achieved

No legal status

How our framework operates How our framework operates (legislation)(legislation)

Occupational Health and Safety Act 1991

• Provides the legislative basis for our OHS framework

How our framework operates How our framework operates (regulations)(regulations)

The Regulations

• Safety Arrangements regulations – HSR Election process– investigators and statutory notices– details about incident notification

• Safety Standards regulations– Covers general requirements for hazard identification,

risk assessment and risk controls for high risk areas.

How our framework operatesHow our framework operates(codes of practice and guidance material)(codes of practice and guidance material)

Approved codes of practice

• Provides employers with practical guidance on how to meet their OHS obligations

Guidance material

• Guidance Material (issued by Comcare or SRCC)• Other guidance (issued by others)

The ReviewThe Review

There were 27 codes which in some cases:• were too prescriptive• duplicated other regulations and legislation• did not support the amendments to the

regulations • were out of date• were not written in plain English.

What happened to the old codes?What happened to the old codes?

There are 8 previous codes not proposed to be included in the 2008 Code. Guidance may be issued in regard to some of the issues.

– Interior Lighting – Visual Display Units VDU – Chemical database for emergency services– Transport of Dangerous Goods– Non Ionizing Radiation– Ionizing Radiation– OHS Competency Standards for the Operation of load

Shifting Equipment and other Types of Specified Equipment

– Workplace Injury and Disease Recording

Which codes are current?Which codes are current?

• Noise

• Storage and Handling of Dangerous Goods

• Control of Work-related Exposure to Hepatitis and HIV viruses in the Australian Government Employment

The new code is:• Easier to read and follow• Contains guidance on areas previously excluded• Only refers to AS/NZ Standards where necessary

for technical matters• Allows flexibility in achieving compliance.

The aim of the New CodeThe aim of the New Code

The Occupational Health and The Occupational Health and Safety Code of Practice 2008Safety Code of Practice 2008

The new code consists of 25 parts• 18 parts of previous codes redrafted• 7 parts address new hazards

Note: 4 of these 25 are still under development

What the Code will do for you.What the Code will do for you.

This new code will provide you as duty holders:

• efficient support to the Act and the regulations• guidance which is relevant, practical, effective• reduce legislative burden without reducing

safety standards• a holistic approach to safety• allows flexibility in achieving compliance.

The New CodeThe New Code

Part Title Status

1 Risk Management New code

2 First Aid Redrafted

3 Noise Redrafted

4 * Manual Tasks (under development) Redrafted

5 Vibration Redrafted

6 Human Immunodeficiency and Hepatitis B& C Redrafted

7 Confined Spaces Redrafted

8 Indoor Air Quality Redrafted

9 Safety In Laboratories Redrafted

10 * Asbestos in situ (under development) Redrafted

11 Dangerous Goods Redrafted

12 Hazardous Substances Redrafted

The New CodeThe New Code

Part Title Status

13 Synthetic Mineral Fibres Redrafted

14 Vinyl Chloride Redrafted

15 Carcinogenic Substances Redrafted

16 Timber Preservatives Redrafted

17 Inorganic Lead Redrafted

18 Ethylene Oxide Redrafted

19 Ultraviolet Radiation in Sunlight Redrafted

20 Diving Work New code

21 Spray painting New code

22 Abrasive Blasting New code

23 # Construction Induction Training (under development) New code

24 # Falls in Construction (under development) New code

25 Cash in transit New Code

Group ExerciseGroup Exercise

Question 1.• Which parts of the code may apply to

those at your table?

Part 1 – Risk ManagementPart 1 – Risk Management

The purpose of this Part is to provide practical guidance to: – identify hazards– assess the risk – implement risk control measures in the

workplace – monitor and review.

Risk Management ProcessRisk Management Process

• Hazard identification• Risk assessment • Implement Risk control measures

– The hierarchy of controls• Elimination• Substitution / Modification • Isolation• Engineering • Administrative • PPE

• Review effectiveness

Risk MatrixRisk MatrixFrom the Code From another organisation

Part 2 – First AidPart 2 – First Aid

• Practical guidance for employers and employees on how to meet their duty of care under the Act.

• Specifically, it deals with the provision of appropriate first aid services to the employer’s employees as required under subsection 16(5) (c) of the Act.

Some of the major changes to this code are:

• Minimum standards for workplaces• Risk Management approach to high risk hazards• The addition of First Aid Policies and procedures• The removal of the Risk Management approach

and Deemed to Comply approach.

Part 2 – First Aid - ChangesPart 2 – First Aid - Changes

QuestionsQuestions

Group ExerciseGroup Exercise

Question 2.• What may need be to considered when

applying this code to your workplace?– eg. Procedures, resources,

consultation…

How can Comcare help?How can Comcare help?

• OHS General enquires

– Internet: www.comcare.gov.au

– Phone: 1300 366 979

– Email: ohs.help@comcare.gov.au

SummarySummary

The Occupational Health and Safety Code of Practice 2008:

• allows flexibility in achieving compliance• is easier to read and follow• is less prescriptive• is written in plain English• is practical.