Map and time evacuation....

How long does it take to evacuate the building?

It should take approx 23 seconds.

When should you evacuate?

When the alarm sounds or the fire warden tells you to evacuate.

How should you evacuate?

In an orderly fashion.

Where is the assembly area?

Carpark A

What is the path/route to the assembly area?

By foot.

Who is responsible for ensuring all staff have been evacuated?

The fire warden.

Operator..

Hazards

Operator hazards are tasks that may cause body fatigue and stress which can result in many possible injures such as fatigue, eyes to become irritated, strained or blurred.

Possible injuries

Stress, fatigue
Minimze risk

You can minimise risk by conductinga workstation assessment before operator begins work or implement task variety to help you not become stressed or fatigued

Text and emoticons....

Sexual Harrassment....

• What is Sexual Harassment?
Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination that can occur at work, school, tafe, uni or in social settings. Sexual harassment in the workplace is any form of unwelcome sexual attention that is, or that you find, offensive, humiliating or intimidating that occurs anywhere you carry out any task for your employment.

• What are typical things that a person would do to Sexually Harass someone?
     Unwelcome touching, grabbing or other physical contact
     Comments that have sexual meanings
     Asking for sex or sexual favours
     Leering and staring
     Displaying rude and offensive material, e.g. calendars, cartoons
     Sexual gestures and body movement
     Sexual jokes and comments
     Questions about your sex life
     Sex based insults
     Criminal offences such as obscene phone calls, indecent exposure and sexual assault. 
• What sort of person Sexually Harasses others?
Like bullies, people who sexually harass others at work often have low self-esteem or have been a victim of violence themselves. They sexually harass others as a way of making themselves feel more powerful.

• What should you do if you are the victim of Sexual Harassment?

Tell someone. Human Resource Manager, your employer, a supervisor/manager or health and safety representative

If the situation continues or is serious, you might need to make a formal (written) complaint that follows company policy. This could lead to couselling, mediation or eventually termination of employment of the bully.

If the person doing the bullying is your employer or they do not do anything to stop it, it's important you get outside support and advice.

• How can Sexual Harassment affect you?

    Feel stressed, anxious or depressed
    Want to stay away from work (more than usual)
    Feel unable to trust your employer or the people you work with
    Lack confidence and self-esteem in yourself and your work
    Have physical symptoms of stress such as headaches, backaches, sleep problems
    Have your life outside of work affected, e.g. study, relationships
    Be less productive and unable to concentrate
• What are your rights?

No one deserves or asks to be sexually harassed. Everyone has the right to work in an environment free from harassment, bullying discrimination and violence.

Sexual harassment is illegal (under the Sex Discrimination Act 1984). All employers are obliged to provide a harassment-free workplace where every one is free to get on with their job. If they don't, they can be held legally responsible for acts of sexual harassment committed by their employees.

Bullying....

• What is Bullying?


Workplace bullying is when you are verbally, physically, socially or psychologically hurt by your employer (or manager), another person or group of people at work.

• What is the difference between having fun and Bullying?

Even if you think you are only having a laugh the person you are joking around with may not see it as that and feel as though they are being bullied.

• What are typical things that a person would do to bully someone?

Verbally abuse them about sexuality, gender, race, religion.

• What sort of person bullies?

Like bullying at school or other places, people who bully others at work often have low self-esteem or have been a victim of violence themselves. They use bullying as a way of making themselves feel more powerful.

• What should you do if you are the victim of Bullying?

Make sure you're informed - find out what the organisation's policies and procedures are for preventing and handling bullying.

Keep a diary documenting everything that happens, including what you've done to try stopping it. This can help if you make a complaint.

• How can Bullying affect you?

    be less productive
    be less confident in your work
    feel scared, stressed, anxious or depressed
    have your life outside of work affected, e.g. study, relationships
    want to stay away from work (more than usual)
    feel unable to trust your employer or the people you work with
    lack confidence and self-esteem in yourself and your work
    have physical symptoms of stress such as headaches, backaches, sleep problems

• What are your rights?

Everyone has the right to work in an environment free from bullying, harassment, discrimination and violence.

Employers and employees have duties by law (eg Occupational Health and Safety Acts) to promote health and safety within the workplace and not to put themselves or their colleagues at risk.

It's also worth keeping in mind that bullying is not the same as conflict. Disagreement and conflict happens at most workplaces, however it should never turn into bullying or harassment.

Cyber bullying....

• What is Cyber Bullying?
Cyber bullying is a form of bullying, which is carried out through an internet service such as email, chat room, discussion group, online social networking, instant messaging or web pages. It can also include bullying through mobile phone technologies such as SMS.
• What is the difference between having fun and Cyber Bullying?

Having fun is when no one feels threatened or hurt, when friends might bully friends out of fun and laughs.

Cyber bullying is when an individual feels threatened, and has been hurt.
• What are typical things that a person would do to Cyber Bully someone?
  
     Teasing and being made fun of
     Spreading of rumours online
     Sending unwanted messages
     Defamation.

• What sort of person Cyber Bullies?

Cyber bullies are just like bullies; the bullies often have low self-esteem or have been a victim of violence themselves. They bully others as a way of making themselves feel more powerful.
• What should you do if you are the victim of Cyber Bullying?

Tell someone. Human Resource Manager, your employer, a supervisor/manager or health and safety representative

If the situation continues or is serious, you might need to make a formal (written) complaint that follows company policy. This could lead to couselling, mediation or eventually termination of employment of the bully.

If the person doing the bullying is your employer or they do not do anything to stop it, it's important you get outside support and advice.

• How can Cyber Bullying affect you?

Just like bullying in real life, there can be terrible effects on those who experience cyber bullying.

Being bullied can lower your self-esteem and you may feel alone, sad, angry and scared. If you are being bullied it is not your fault and there is nothing wrong with you. Don't be afraid to let someone know that you are being bullied as they may be able to help you.

• How big of an issue is Cyber Bullying?
The number of reports of cyber bullying to the NetAlert Helpline has been increasing, particularly since 2006.

An online safety survey conducted by NetAlert and ninemsn in February 2007 found that:

16% of young people said they had been bullied online, while 14% were bullied through their mobile, with boys and girls experiencing similar levels.

56% thought it was easy to get bullied online
• What are your rights?

Under certain circumstances (such as harassment and making threats) cyber bullying is a criminal activity and is illegal. If you feel your safety is at risk, contact '000' or your local police. Police around Australia work together to reduce this type of crime and there are serious consequences if people participate in such activities

• Any other information you think will be helpful…

If you are being bullied you shouldn’t feel threatened by the person, you need to seek advice as soon as possible if things become serious and threats to your life has been made.

Hazards past and present, part 2....

OH & S in the work place


Multimedia (Computer room/office)

- Lighting (bad lighting)

Install more lights, change blown light globes

- Power points (over loading power boards etc)

Only plug in what you need to use at the time, get the employer to add more power points.

- Ergonomics (sitting in your chair correctly)

Sit in your chair the correct way, adjust height etc

- Electrocution

Turn off equipment before removing power cords from power points.

- Tripping on uneven flooring

Inform employer of uneven flooring ask them to rectify, put up signage informing others of the uneven flooring

- Tripping over leads

Correctly ‘store’ cables, tie them up, tape to ground etc

- Work Station (unstable table)

Buy a new table or wedge pieces of paper under uneven corner

- Staring at the computer screen for long periods (breaks)

Make sure you take breaks at regular intervals, set an alarm on the computer so you know when to go for a break

- Ventilation

Open up windows

- Boxes/Chairs stored in doorways

Remove the boxes from door way and find a more suitable area to store boxes

- Layout of office

Reconfigure office space

Pastry Kitchen

- Lighting (inadequate lighting)

Install more lights, change blown light globes

- Power points (over loading power boards etc)

Only plug in what you need to use at the time, get the employer to add more power points.

- Ventilation

Open up windows, turn on exhaust fan

- Electrocution

Turn off equipment before removing power cords from power points, don’t use equipment over a sink or near water/open flame

- Spills

Clean any spills that occur immediately

- Burns

Run under cold water and apply burn cream

- Work Stations (benches too high/too low)

Stand on a step,

- Standing up for long periods of time

Take breaks regularly; stand on a rubber mat rather than concrete floors

- Working long hours without adequate breaks in-between

Make sure you get a break; it is by law that you get a 30min break after 5 hours of work

- Trips/Falls

Ensure you store things in the correct areas, watch where you are walking

- Flammability

- Sharp Objects

- Gas