Safe Practice &
Environment Manual
BreastScreen ACT
Version 1.2
2017
BreastScreen ACT Safe Practice & Environment Manual
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CONTENTS
1 VERSION CONTROL ... 2
2 WORK HEALTH & SAFETY ... 3
2.1 OVERVIEW ... 3
2.2 WORK HEALTH &SAFETY RESPONSIBILITIES ... 3
2.3 STAFF HEALTH AND WELLBEING ... 4
2.4 DANGEROUS SUBSTANCES ... 4
2.5 ELECTRICAL SAFETY ... 4
2.6 FIRST AID IN THE WORKPLACE ... 5
2.7 RETURN TO WORK ... 5
2.8 MANUAL HANDLING ... 5
2.9 RADIATION SAFETY ... 6
2.10 IMMUNISATIONS AGAINST INFECTIOUS DISEASES ... 6
1 VERSION CONTROL
BREASTSCREEN ACT SAFE PRACTICE & ENVIRONMENT
MANUAL
Effective Date: Approval Authority: Executive Director, Cancer, Ambulatory and Community Health Support
Next Review Date: May 2018 Approval Sponsor: Promotions and Quality Manager
Last Updated: October 2012 Version: 1.2
Version Effective From Effective To Change Summary
1.0 October 2012 New Manual
1.1 May 2016 May 2018 Updated to align with ACT Health and NAS requirements
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2 WORK HEALTH & SAFETY 2.1 Overview
BreastScreen ACT (BSACT) is committed to ensuring the health, safety and welfare of its employees, clients, contractors, and visitors, whilst on premises occupied by BSACT.
BSACT has a duty of care to:
• Reduce and where possible, eliminate risks to the health, safety and welfare of people in the workplace.
• Have measures in place to provide an optimal environment for the safety and welfare of clients, contractors, and visitors whilst on premises occupied by BSACT.
• Comply with legislative requirements relating to health, safety and welfare.
• Monitor, review and evaluate Work Health Safety (WHS) systems.
• Involve employees in issues affecting WHS.
• Collaborate with injured workers to achieve effective rehabilitation and return to work programs.
BSACT is governed by Work Health and Safety Legislation and Health Directorate policies.
BSACT complies with the ACT Health Safety Management System (SMS) which outlines the guidelines for Managers and staff in relation to workplace safety responsibilities and requirements.
The ACT Health Work health and Safety Management System is available on the ACT Health policy register.
2.2 Work Health & Safety Responsibilities
The ACT Health Work Health Safety (WHS) policy outlines the structure, process and systems that support work health safety across the organisation.
BreastScreen ACT utilises the ACT Health ‘Work Health & Safety Management System’
(WHSMS) for the implementation of the WHS policy which outlines the specific roles and responsibilities, governance arrangements and processes for managing work health and safety risks.
BSACT has a Health & Safety Representative (HSR) on the Cancer Ambulatory and
Community Health Support Workplace Safety Committee. Health and Safety Officers, First Aid Officers, Fire Wardens and Respect, Equity and Diversity (RED) Officers are displayed on WHS notice boards.
WHS is a standing agenda item for all clinical and management meetings and WHS items are discussed for resolution pathways at the BSACT Managers and Quality meetings.
Staff accidents/incidents are reported online using the Staff Accident Incident Reporting (SAIR) module of Riskman. A Riskman Helpdesk is also available for assistance.
The SAIR system allows for prompt reporting of all accidents, incidents and near misses and are escalated to Supervisors and Managers for review and appropriate action.
Where required, BSACT reports 'notifiable incidents' to WorkSafe ACT, either:
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• in writing - a ‘Notifiable Incident Report Form’ and forward it to WorkSafe ACT,
• by contacting WORKSafe ACT by phone, or
• by faxing or emailing WorkSafe ACT.
'Notifiable incidents' include:
• the death of a person,
• a serious injury or illness of a person, and/or
• a 'dangerous incident'.
The ACT Health Workplace Safety Unit provides assistance to staff with reporting accidents and incidents. Workplace safety information is available on the ACT Health Intranet.
2.3
Staff Health and Wellbeing
BSACT has access to and utilises the ACT Health ‘My Health and Wellbeing’ resources.
The program aims to improve how staff look after themselves and each other – physically and mentally. ACT Health’s vision ‘Your Health – Our Priority’ is not only about patient care, it’s also about ensuring the health of our staff is a priority.
The Workplace Health Advisory Unit is available to staff and managers for more information on injury and safety. More information is also available on the ACT Health Intranet.
2.4 Dangerous Substances
The ACT Health Dangerous Substance Management Policy outlines the requirement for all ACT Health staff to comply with the WHS Act, in relation to reducing the risk of exposure to dangerous substances. The ACT Health Dangerous Substance Policy is available on the ACT Health Policy Register.
Section 7.5 of the WHSMS outlines the requirements for the handling of all dangerous substances, including storage, procurement, actions for exposure and disposal.
Section 7.5 of the WHSMS provides managers and staff with the information and tools to manage dangerous substances, to ensure compliance with the Dangerous Substances Act (2004) and Regulations. Managers and staff can also refer directly to the Act for further clarification of their obligations.
The day-to-day management of the risks associated with dangerous substances lies with all Managers (supported by Health and Safety Representatives) of each area. Safety Data Sheets are available through the ‘Chemwatch database’ and Dangerous Substance Registers are maintained by Health and Safety Officers in each area.
It is the obligation of all managers to mitigate or eliminate the risks and to ensure compliance with the legislation in regard to the acquisition, transport, storage, use and disposal of dangerous substances.
BSACT maintains a dangerous substance register.
2.5 Electrical Safety
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BSACT complies with the Electrical Safety Act 1971, which is designed to protect people and property from real and potential risk associated with electricity. The ACT Health Electrical Safety Policy is available on the ACT Health Policy Register.
The Electrical Safety Policy supports the organisation in all areas where there is construction work onsite and where there are visitors to workplaces, to comply with all relevant
legislation and regulatory requirements for safety. The policy includes:
• Where required, timely risk assessments of equipment brought onto Health sites by patients, clients, staff and contractors (90% of defects are detectable by visual inspection);
• identification of and timely request for any equipment and any new equipment to be tested and tagged;
• guidance on routine testing and tagging of relevant plant/equipment and provision for testing of portable safety switches to be conducted;
• ensuring all hire equipment has a current tag prior to receiving the hire equipment onsite;
• making sure all repaired and serviced equipment has a current tag when reintroduced to service.
Further information can be accessed in Section 9 – Plant and Equipment, of the ACT Health WHSMS.
2.6 First Aid In The Workplace
BSACT meets workplace requirements for first aid by having an up to date First Aid kit and trained First Aid Officer.
Section 13 of the ACT Health WHSMS specifies the legislative requirements and ACT health’s commitment to providing First Aid to staff.
2.7 Return to Work
BSACT recognises that the health, safety and wellbeing of its employees are of primary importance and is committed to managing the return to work of its employees following work related illness or injury.
Injury Management & Safety is managed by the Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate. The Workplace Health Advisory Unit act as a link between ACT Health and Injury Management & Safety Team for Managers/Supervisors and injured employees.
Injury Management information, resources and a pathways flowchart are available on the ACT Health Intranet site. The ACTPS Employment Portal provides resources for staff and managers in relation to employment. This includes workplace safety and injury
management.
2.8 Manual Handling
BSACT is committed to creating and managing an environment where no injury or illness will result from manual handling activities.
Section 7 - Hazardous Manual Tasks and Office Ergonomics of the ACT Health WHSMS provides guidance for all managers and staff involved in manual handling, to ensure that risk management strategies are in place to maintain a safe and healthy working environment.
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All workers need to be aware of correct hazardous manual tasks procedures in their work area and have an appropriately set-up workstation (if required). Managers are responsible for implementing effective Safe Work Procedures (SWP), training and orientation in their local work area (work group) to minimise risk of musculoskeletal injuries to workers.
Manual handling is defined as “any activity requiring the use of force exerted by a person to lift, push, pull, carry or otherwise move, hold restrain any people, animals or objects”.
2.9 Radiation Safety
BSACT is committed to providing a safe and healthy work environment. Radiation safety is an important area for BSACT with some staff using equipment with radiation daily.
BSACT complies with the ACT Health Radiation Safety policy which is available at the ACT Health Policy Register.
ACT Health uses radiation in the screening, diagnosis and treatment of disease and for research purposes. The ACT Health policy on radiation safety is based on the radiation protection principles outlined in the Radiation Management Plans and Radiation Protection Act 2006 and associated Regulations.
The policy provides information and direction on radiation safety principles and Radiation Practices for workers of ACT Health and identifies the governance for radiation protection within ACT Health.
applies to all ACT Health workers, contractors, patients and others engaged in ACT Health activities for the correct management and use of all radiation. It applies to all Radiation Practices in which workers, contractors, patients and others may be exposed to:
• Ionising radiation and radioactive materials;
• medical and industrial lasers;
• static magnetic fields and radiofrequency radiation as part of magnetic resonance imaging procedures; and
• ultraviolet radiation from artificial sources.
Workers, contractors, patients and others engaged in ACT Health activities are responsible for the correct management and use of all radiation, including adherence to the radiation policy, the associated standard work procedures, and their radiation management plans and procedures. This includes (but is not limited to):
• staff having a role in providing information to patients with regard to safe practices;
• being required to comply with safe work practices;
• wearing the personal radiation monitor issued and any personal protective equipment required; and
• reporting to the Radiation Safety Officer and their Radiation Safety Contact of any matter of which they are aware that may compromise radiation protection.
2.10 Immunisations against infectious diseases
For the safety and wellbeing of staff and patients/ clients, ACT Health strongly encourage staff to be assessed, screening and where possible vaccinated against specified infectious diseases to minimise the risk of transmission between Health care workers and patients.
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BSACT is committed to offering staff with vaccinations to protect them from contracting infectious diseases in the workplace. All ACT Health staff are offered the ‘flu’ vaccination.
The ‘Canberra Hospital and Health Service, Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination Procedures’ outline the requirements for health care workers and their options for protection.
Work Health and Safety Act (2011) Dangerous Substances Act 2004 Electrical Safety Act 1971
Electrical Safety Regulation 2004 (the Regulations) ACTPS Employment Portal
ACT Health Radiation Management Policy Radiation Protection Act 2006
Radiation Protection Regulation 2007
Radiation Protection (National Directory for Radiation Protection) Notice 2014 (No 1) Work Health and Safety Act 2011
Work Health and Safety Regulation 2012 ACT Work Health Safety Management System My Health Strategy and Action Plan 2016 -2018 Occupational Health and Safety Act 1989
Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 2008 Public Health Act 1997
Related Legislation, Policies and Standards
