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Inspection campaigns

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  1. Current campaigns

   2.   Previous campaigns

1. Current campaigns

Powder coating

WorkSafe inspectors are conducting a targeted inspection campaign looking at businesses whose activities include powder coating.

WorkSafe WA Commissioner Nina Lyhne said that previous inspection activity had established that safety and health concerns around powder coating activities may be widespread. Inspectors suspect a widespread lack of awareness in the powder coating industry of the hazardous nature of substances commonly used, especially TGIC, hydrofluoric acid solutions and chromic acid solutions, a known carcinogen.

Powder coating businesses will be randomly selected and inspected between now and April next year, with the results of the campaign expected to be available by July 2010. For more information and checklist please refer to the Powder coating campaign newsletter.

Breweries and distilleries

WorkSafe is currently conducting an inspection campaign to check on workplace safety standards in the brewing industry.

WorkSafe WA Commissioner Nina Lyhne said “The campaign aims to identify risks to the safety and health of workers in the industry and to provide employers with information on how to comply with workplace safety laws,”

“The number of small breweries has grown considerably over recent years, and over the next few months inspectors will visit breweries across the State.

For more information and checklist please refer to the Breweries and distilleries newsletter.

Security door/grill and (aluminium) window frame manufacturing

WorkSafe will be conducting a team project relating to security door/grill and (aluminium) window frame manufacturing in Western Australia.

The focus will be on manual handling activities, guarding of guillotines, door/window lock punching machines and associated processing plant/equipment.

Awareness related to hazard identification and conducting risk assessments on manual handling work practices and dangerous moving parts of plant/equipment will also be covered.

Other priority area’s will also be covered during workplace inspections such as

• Electricity,
• Hazardous substances,
• Forklifts,
• New and young workers,
• Working at heights,
• Slip, trips and falls.

For more information and a checklist please refer to the checklist

Laundries and dry cleaners

WorkSafe has launched an inspection campaign in the laundries and drycleaners industry with a view to reducing injuries in this industry. Over the past five years, the number of reported injuries in laundries and drycleaners has increased significantly, with 46 WA workers seriously injured and not able to return to work within 60 days.  The majority of these injuries were muscle and joint sprains sustained while handling or lifting or as a result of falls.

 The campaign will involve inspectors visiting commercial laundries and drycleaners in metropolitan and regional areas to identify workplace hazards and provide employers with information on how to improve occupational safety and health. Where appropriate, inspectors may take enforcement action, which may include giving verbal direction or issuing notices. The programme will run from September 2009 - November 2009.

The inspections are being conducted with the aid of a checklist to ensure a consistent approach. Some of the areas inspectors will look at include:

  • Manual tasks – ensuring training, safe work systems/procedures, provision of equipment such as adequate trolleys, supervision and consultation are in place;
  • Slips trips and falls – ensuring employees are not exposed to slippery floors, uneven surfaces or blocked walkways;
  • Electrical Safety – provision and testing of residual current devices, maintenance of electrical equipment i.e. exposed electrical wires;
  • Hazardous Substances – ensuring a hazardous substance register and material safety data sheets are available, that risk assessments have been completed and training provided to employees who use such substances;
  • Infectious diseased and viruses – ensuring that employees are aware of the hazards associated with dealing with sharps and body fluids and procedures are in place; and
  • Machinery and plant - including maintenance and period inspections of boilers and pressure vessels and registration of boilers and pressure vessels with WorkSafe.

For more information and a checklist please refer to the OSH in laundries and drycleaners newsletter

Accommodation industry

WorkSafe has launched an inspection campaign in the Accommodation industry with a view to reducing injuries in  this industry. The campaign will involve inspectors visiting hotels, motels and resorts in metropolitan and regional areas to identify workplace hazards and provide employers with information on how to improve occupational safety and health. Where appropriate, inspectors may take enforcement action, which may include  giving verbal direction or issuing notices. The programme will run from July 2009 - June 2010.

The inspections are being conducted with the aid of a checklist to ensure a consistent approach.  Some of the areas inspectors will look at include:

  • Electrical Safety – provision and testing of residual current devices, maintenance of electrical equipment i.e. exposed electrical wires
  • Manual tasks – ensuring training, safe work systems/procedures, provision of equipment, supervision and consultation are in place;
  • Slips trips and falls – ensuring employees are not exposed to slippery floors, uneven surfaces or blocked walkways.
  • Sharps and Body fluids – ensuring that employees are aware of the hazards associated with dealing with sharps and body fluids and procedures are in place
  • Hazardous Substances – ensuring a hazardous substance register and material safety data sheets are available, that risk assessments have been completed and training provided to employees who use such substances.

For more information please refer to the Accommodation newsletter and checklist.

Construction industry

  • Tilt up construction compliance project Information sheet and checklist
  • Demolition compliance project
  • Safe Work Method Statement awareness project
  • Construction Team construction blitz to Regional WA
    • South West Great Southern Region
    • Mid West Region 
    • Kalgoorlie-Esperance

Regional and Primary Industries

  • Gascoyne project
  • Forestry project
  • Commercial fishing project
  • Compliance campaign of construction work at indigenous communities - Kimberley Region 

2. Previous campaigns

Scrap metal industry inspection program

Metropolitan and regional businesses in the scrap metal industry in Western Australia were visited by WorkSafe inspectors. The visits were prompted by preliminary work conducted in the industry and were aimed at raising safety standards and compliance and creating greater awareness of hazards in the scrap metal industry.

Making contact

Before the project got under way, about 116 businesses in the recycling industry were advised of the project via mail. After the project the industry was advised of the outcome of the project.
Information packages containing industry specific information were provided to each company visited.

Machinery Guarding

The program identified specific problems with unguarded machinery.  64 percent of the workplaces visited had unguarded or inadequately guarded machinery.  This applied to both general workshop machinery such as bench grinders, along with industry specific equipment including wire stripping and metal shearing machines. Inspectors confirmed that metal shears and wire strippers were obtained from a local importer/supplier, whilst other brands and types were either directly imported from overseas manufacturers or purchased in a used condition.

WorkSafe inspectors discussed machinery guarding requirements with the local importer/supplier. The supplier has made significant improvements to the guarding of their equipment, and is working with clients to upgrade the guarding of machinery.

Enquiries revealed that guards for other brands and types of metal shears were not readily available from (overseas) manufacturers.  Companies with these machines reported significant challenges in sourcing machinery guarding designers and installers who were willing to assist them.  As part of the project, WorkSafe has been working closely with industry and guarding specialists, resulting in the development of a suitable guard which addresses the inherent amputation hazards of the machines, yet maintains the functionality of the machines.

Forklifts

The project also identified that 67 percent of the visited workplaces were not adequately maintaining or checking their forklifts, or providing operator manuals.  Businesses must ensure all forklifts are serviced by a competent person on a regular basis and maintained in a safe working condition.  Forklift operators should conduct daily pre-start checks and report any defects to their employer.

Electricity

57 percent of the visited workplaces received notices in relation to electricity.  If a workplace uses any portable or hand-held electrical appliances, such as drills, angle grinders & vacuum cleaners, then non-portable residual current devices (RCDs) must be provided.  Once they are installed they must be tested regularly and kept in working condition.  Businesses must also ensure all electrical leads at the workplace are maintained in good condition.  All electrical switchboards that are situated in locations where they may be subject to damage need to be fitted with a protective cover.

Small Business Assistance Program

As part of the project, the industry has been made aware of the Small Business Assistance Program.  This offers small business a free and confidential on-site occupational health and safety check with an independent occupational safety and health consultant.  Small businesses with less than 20 fulltime employees are eligible for the program.

Further information Mark Lewis, Inspector – Service Industries Team tel: 9328 8777; email: mjlewis@commerce.wa.gov.au

Manual handling in the road freight transport industry

In April, WorkSafe WA ran free workshops to employers and employees in the transport industry as part of the Heads of Work Safety Authority Delivering goods safely national campaign aimed at increasing the awareness of manual handling issues in the road freight transport industry. The workshops were designed to assist organizations in the transport industry prepare for visits later in the year to assess their level of compliance with the OSH Act in managing the risk of musculoskeletal injury due to manual tasks.  The PowerPoint handouts from these workshops are available for those who missed these workshops and further information on transport industry-specific hazards can be found in the Safety By Design document produced by WorkSafe Victoria.

Related information