While you are at a workplace, the employer is responsible for ensuring the workplace is safe, including:

• Providing safe work areas, machinery and equipment.
• Providing information, instruction, training and supervision.
• Providing protective equipment.

The employer must ensure that your safety or health is not harmed in any way. Employee's Responsibilities Your must take responsibility for looking after your own health and safety, and not put others at risk. This includes:

• Following safety instructions.
• Using equipment carefully.
• Reporting hazards and injuries.

Golden West agrees with Workplace Health and Safety Queensland, in the belief that one reason so many young workers are injured is that they are not made aware of their rights to be properly trained , supervised, cared for and provided with a safe and healthy working environment.

Placing boxes and other items on shelves, painting, gardening, cleaning, writing and typing are examples of manual handling tasks. Manual Handling injuries include:

• Strains and sprains.
• Neck and back injury.
• Slips, falls and crush incidents.
• Cuts, bruises and broken bones.
• Hernia.
• Strained heart muscles.
• Occupational overuse syndrome,(OOS)

As a young worker, you are more likely to be injured through manual handling work than an older worker, as your body is still developing and is less able to cope with strain. You should be informed and trained in:

• Safe manual handling methods.
• Specific manual handling hazards.
• Safe work procedures.
• Use of manual handling aids.
• The right to ask for assistance.

Manual handling injuries to young workers can be prevented by instruction, training and supervision. Safe work procedures should be prepared by employers, in conjunction with employees, to care for the special needs of young and inexperienced workers. Even though you are a young worker and new to the job, you have the responsibility to speak up if you feel your job is too heavy, too difficult, too tiring or puts you at risk of injury. Ways to Reduce the Risk:

• Lighten loads( break loads into smaller quantities)
• Reduce bending, twisting, reaching movements.
• Prevent muscle strain and fatigue, including warming up before working, allocating time for rest breaks, and allowing time to gradually get used to a new job.

Hazardous substances are dangerous. How dangerous depends on the type of substance, what it is made of, the way it enters the body, and the amount of substance that enters the body. Your workplace may use a lot of different substances. Some may be things you see every day such as paint, glue, cleaning fluid and powders. Harm to health may occur suddenly, such as dizziness, nausea and itchy eyes or skin; or it may occur gradually over years such as dermatitis or cancer. Some people can be more susceptible than others. We use hazardous substances almost every day of our lives. It may be antiseptic for a cut, paint for the walls, or a cleaning product for the bathroom or toilet. They may seem harmless, but even these ordinary things can make you very sick if they are used incorrectly. A Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) provides detailed information on a hazardous substance. It gives more details than a label. MSDS are provided for your Host Employer, by the manufacturers and suppliers of hazardous substances at the workplace. Where you are to work with certain hazardous substances the appropriate MSDS should be available near the work area for consultation when required. Read the MSDS before you use the product. Always consult with your supervisor before commencing work with any substance you might be exposed to and ensure you get proper training in its use. It is important that hazardous substances in workplaces are used in accordance with:

• The manufacturer or supplier's written instructions, (the MSDS)
• Agreed safe work procedures.

Remember:

• Follow safe work procedures.
• Always correctly wear the appropriate safety equipment provided by your Host Employer.
• Do not eat, drink or smoke while working with a hazardous substance.
• Do not keep food or drink near the substance.
• Wash your hands and face and other exposed areas with soap and water before going to the toilet or eating and drinking.
• Read the MSDS.

When someone loses their hearing, it can be devastating for themselves and annoying for others around them. People with poor hearing are often left out of conversations and social activities. Hearing loss can also cause people to become less efficient at work and study. Some early warning signs of hearing loss include:

• Ringing in the ears after a noisy activity.
• Having difficulty understanding what people say.
• Needing to turn the volume up to hear the radio or television when other appear to hear adequately.
• Failing to hear background noises such as a ringing telephone or doorbell.

It is the responsibility of your employer to provide the correct personal hearing protectors. Personal hearing protectors (earmuffs and earplugs) should be used as a temporary measure or last resort. Hearing protectors should be regularly cleaned and maintained. Worn or damaged parts should be replaced and protectors kept near the area of noisy activity. Headphones for radios and tape recorders do not provide good protection from noise. People do not become "used" to noise. It only seems that way because of hearing loss.

Electric shock occurs when a person becomes part of an electrical circuit and current flows through their body. A fatal shock is called electrocution. One of the most common causes of electrocution in the workplace is contact with overhead wires. This is because people can misjudge heights and distances between the ground and overhead wires when carrying equipment like poles and ladders, or operating equipment with height extension such as cranes. Maintenance work on live electrical circuits is another too frequent cause of electrocution. Accidents and deaths can also result from equipment becoming "live" because of electrical faults, lack of maintenance or short circuit. Electrical accidents are most often caused by a combination of factors such as:

• A lack of training.
• A lack of supervision.
• Inadequate work practices.
• Poorly maintained equipment or installations.
• Unauthorised electrical repairs.

General Electrical Safety Precautions Keep your appliances in safe working condition through inspection and preventative maintenance programs. Disconnect broken appliances and have frayed cords or broken power outlets replaced. Even after a piece of electrical equipment, appliance or machine has been disconnected from the power source, it may still partially operate. This is because of stored energy within the equipment. After disconnecting the power source, activate the machine or appliance to release the stored energy. Always switch off appliances at the power point before you pull out the plug. Keep electrical cords off the floor to reduce the risk of damage from drag or contact with sharp objects. A damaged electrical cord can cause a fatal electric shock. Know the location of your main electricity supply. Check the location of overhead wires and stand clear of any fallen power lines. Use your appliance correctly. Read the instruction booklet and follow all instructions. Electricity and water don't mix. Bare feet and wet skin lower the body's electrical resistance. Keep electrical appliances away from water and wet areas. Apprentices and Trainees must be supervised at all times by a qualified electrical worker. Don't overload circuits and fuses by using too many appliances from the one power point. Don't use double adapters or "piggy back" plugs. Us a power board with individual switches. Only licensed electrical workers can be legally contracted to perform electrical work. This includes new electrical installations and alterations, and repairs to existing installations. An unqualified person should not be employed to undertake electrical work. Locking Out of Equipment This is a way of preventing machinery or electrical current becoming operational during maintenance. A lock is attached to the machine switch so that can not be turned on. The person working with the machine should hold the only key to the lock. A lock must only be removed by the person who attached it to the equipment or machinery. Procedures must be in place for the removal of the lock should the person not be available, for example, if there has been a change of shift workers.

Mechanical Equipment can cause:

• Sprains and strains.
• Open wounds.
• Fractures.
• Amputations.
• Death.

The most common mechanical equipment injuries are to hands and fingers, which may be cut, sprained, dislocated, broken, crushed or severed by machinery or tools. Over 45% of all eye injuries recorded in 1997/1998 were due to mechanical equipment injuries. These injuries can cause lengthy periods of time off work, and sometimes permanent disability. A large number of injuries occur in the construction, agricultural and manufacturing industries. Eye injuries caused by mechanical equipment accidents include:

• Being hit by an object.
• Heat, radiation.
• Hitting an object.
• Falls, trips, and slips.

Guards Guards are attached to mechanical equipment and must be used to protect you from the moving parts of machines. Keep all guards in place. If guards are removed during cleaning, make sure they are replaced. Do not start the machine during cleaning. Danger and Out of Service Tags Red and Black "DANGER" tags are used to warn workers about hazards associated with equipment and machinery maintenance. Yellow and Black "OUT OF SERVICE" tags are used to prevent accidents or damage to machinery that is out of service for repairs. The safe work procedures for the removal of "DANGER" and "OUT OF SERVICE" tags at your workplace must be followed. Generally, workers should not work alone with machinery unless it has "deadman" switches. This is a type of switch often used on electrical vehicles. It is designed so that if the driver releases pressure on the switch, handle or pedal, owing to sudden illness or other causes, the current is cut off and the machine ceases to operate. If a worker must work alone, the machine's controls should be clearly marked in such a way that another person who may not be familiar with the machine would be able to turn it off in case of an emergency. Health and Safety Laws This section seeks to provide you with a basic understanding of laws applicable to health and safety in the workplace. Workplace Health and Safety Laws apply to:

• Employers.
• Employees.
• Self employed persons.
• Persons who have control of workplaces e.g. owners.

People who design, manufacture and supply equipment and substances for use in workplaces, and people who design and construct buildings are also covered by these laws. These laws give every person in every workplace a right to be involved inhealth and safety through a process of discussion and co-operation. They also provide penalties for employers and employees who try to prevent this process from happening.

Employer means a person by whom an employee is employed under a contract of employment, and apprenticeship or a traineeship. What your Employer Should Do Employers have an obligation to ensure that work is performed safely. These responsibilities include:

• Maintaining work areas, machinery and equipment in a safe condition.
• Organising ways of working safely.
• Providing information, instruction, training and supervision of employees to enable them to work safely.
• Making sure that employees are aware of potential hazards.
• Providing protective clothing and equipment.

Personal Protective Equipment and Clothing (PPE) This can include such things as overalls, safety boots, safety glasses, gloves, goggles, respirators, and ear muffs as appropriate. Employees should be instructed and trained in the correct use of any PPE provided by the host employer. Employers should provide information for young and new employees through induction programs. The purpose of induction training is for employees to gain the knowledge and skills to participate in an organisation's health and safety system at the start of their employment. The induction training of all people new to the job in occupational health and safety is an important task for managers and supervisors. To enable employees to work safely, employers are required to provide: Information that tells employees about hazards in the workplace, and improves their understanding of safe work procedures. The information does not always have to be written but can be verbal or include videos and tapes. Instruction and Training in safe work procedures. The type of training to improve health and safety may vary from workplace to workplace. The employer has the responsibility for ensuring a safe and healthy workplace and for providing training, instruction and supervision. Supervision to ensure employees are not exposed to hazards as they are working. Supervision should include regular checks to make sure health and safety instructions are being followed. Employers should consult with employees and health an safety representatives on health and safety matters and make sure equipment and materials are used, stored, transported and disposed of safely. What You the Employee Should Do Employee (Worker) means a person by whom work is done under a contract of employment or an Apprenticeship or Traineeship. Once you have been properly trained and instructed, you should take care to look after your own safety and not put others at risk. Your Responsibilities include:

• Following health and safety instructions provided by the employer.
• Correctly using personal protective equipment and clothing.
• Taking care to use equipment safely and for its intended purpose.
• Reporting hazards.
• Reporting work-related injuries or harm to health.
• Co-operating with the employer on health and safety issues.

Health and Safety Representatives Health and Safety Representatives are people elected by co-workers to act on their behalf, in resolving health and safety concerns in the workplace and maintaining safe conditions. Employees at every workplace are allowed by law to elect their own health and safety representative. When an employee requests the election of health and safety representatives, the employer and employees must work together to conduct an election at the workplace. An employer may also call for the election of a health and safety representative without calling for a request from an employee. New employees can ask their health and safety representative to help them recognise and avoid health and safety hazards and risks in areas where they will be working. Many organisations also have health and safety officers who are not elected by employees. These officers are appointed by employers to make sure, health and safety induction, information, training and supervision are provided for employees. Health and Safety Committees A health and safety committee may be requested by any employee. Once an employee has asked for a committee, the employer is required by law to take steps to appoint one. Employers, on their own initiative, may establish a health and safety committee. Committees are useful, enabling employers and employees to work together to make the job safe. In some larger workplaces, several health and safety representatives may be elected. There may also be more than one committee. Major employers may have health and safety representatives and committees at various workplaces around the state.

If you are working on a task that you believe is unsafe or unhealthy, these are the steps to take:

• The first step is to talk.
• Talk to your supervisor or health and safety representative about the problem. They will then go to the employer whose responsibility it is to assess the risk.
• Together you should agree on ways to resolve the problem. If you are in immediate danger then you should be given alternative work.