Your responsibilities
As an 11 Recruitment temp, you will be exposed to a variety of workplaces throughout the course of your employment with us. Regardless of where you are working, you will be obligated to protect your health and safety, and to avoid adversely affecting the health and safety of others in the workplace.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act and Regulations, as an employee you have a responsibility to:
Please take the time to read through the following information. If you have any questions or concerns, contact your 11 Recruitment consultant.
Office safety
Many accidents and injuries that occur in an office are avoidable if the proper care is taken. Make sure you check the following:
Commonly used items should be stored:
Ergonomics
Having a comfortable work space with proper office ergonomics is important to prevent neck and back pain, as well as sore wrists and fingers. Make sure you check the following:
If you are working on computers for prolonged periods, make sure you take a break every hour. Get up and walk around for a minute.
Noise & acoustic shock
Too much noise at work can lead to temporary or permanent hearing loss or tinnitus (ringing in the ears). Hearing damage can occur from extended exposure to noise or exposure to very loud impact or explosive sounds.
Acoustic shock, for example, may occur following an abrupt, intense, and unanticipated acoustic stimulus, usually delivered by a telephone handset or headset. Symptoms start shortly after the triggering acoustic incident and can be short-lived or can last for a considerable time. If persistent, the condition can lead to significant disability.
The potential for noise to be hazardous is not always obvious. The effects of long-term exposure are cumulative, and a worker may carry out several noisy work activities that over time expose them to hazardous noise.
A quick test you can do to assess the noise in your workplace is the ‘one-metre rule’. If you need to raise your voice to talk to someone about one metre away, you can assume the sound level is likely to be hazardous to hearing.
You could also inspect the workplace by regularly walking around, talking to workers, and observing how things are done. Find out where noise is coming from, and which tasks or processes produce it. Take immediate action to control noise where possible, for example, fix loose panels that are vibrating and rattling during machine operation.
You should also review available information regarding noise levels from manufacturers or suppliers of equipment used at the workplace. Information and advice about hazards and risks relevant to particular industries and work activities are available from regulators, industry associations, unions, technical specialists and health and safety consultants.
If you think you may have suffered an acoustic shock incident, report it to your supervisor and your 11 Recruitment consultant immediately.
Electricity
Electricity is one of the most important power sources that we use every day. But if it's not properly managed it can cause serious injury and death.
The risk of death or injury from electricity is strongly linked to where and how it is used. For example, the risks are generally higher if it is used:
Some types of equipment can also involve greater risk than others, for example:
All repairs to equipment must be completed by a qualified electrician. Do not attempt to repair equipment yourself and do not use cables that are damaged or frayed.
Notify your supervisor if any electrical incidents occur.
Safety signs
Prohibition signs indicate that an action or activity is not permitted. Its designated symbolic shape is a red circle with a diagonal red slash through it. This is usually superimposed over a black pictograph, such as a cigarette, to indicate what specific activity is referred to. The background is white, and any text is black.
Mandatory signs indicate that an instruction must be carried out. Its symbolic shape is a blue circle. A white pictograph, for example, safety goggles, is superimposed on this to indicate the activity which is to be mandatory. The background is white, and any text is black.
Restriction signs place a numerical or other defined limit on an activity or use of a facility. Its symbolic shape is a red circle, but without the diagonal slash as in prohibition signs. This also would have a black pictograph or another legend inside the circle, a white background, and any text in black.
Danger signs warn of a particular hazard or hazardous condition that is likely to be life-threatening. Its symbolic shape is the word DANGER in white on a red oval, which is surrounded by a black rectangle. This usually forms a heading for a white background on the sign. Alternatively, it may occupy the left side of a horizontal sign. Any text is in black.
Warning signs warn of a hazard or hazardous condition that is not likely to be life-threatening. Its symbolic shape is a black triangle. A black pictograph usually appears inside the triangle to indicate the specific hazard. The sign background is yellow with any text in black.
Emergency information signs indicate the location of, or directions to, emergency related facilities such as exits, safety equipment or first aid facilities. The background is green, and any text or pictograph is white.
Fire signs advise the location of fire alarms and fire-fighting facilities. The background is red, and any text or pictograph is white.
Travelling to & from work
Make sure you allow enough time to get to your temp assignment and don’t rush.
If you are running late for an assignment, contact your 11 Recruitment consultant and they will advise the client.
Use a hands-free kit if you need to talk on your mobile while driving, and make sure you follow all relevant road rules.
Manual handling
Whether it’s stacking shelves, working on a conveyor line, or entering data into a computer, most jobs involve carrying out some type of manual task. If poorly designed or done incorrectly, these manual tasks can become hazardous.
A hazardous manual task is where you must lift, lower, push, pull, carry, hold or restrain something. It can include:
Lifting and manual handling injuries are preventable. Follow these guidelines to avoid injury.
Proper lifting techniques
Start in a safe position
Before you lift a heavy object, think through your task. Decide where you're going to place the object and how you'll get there. When lifting an object from the floor, stand close to the object. Don't lift from a standing position with your waist bent or knees locked. One option is to kneel, resting one knee on the floor.
Maintain your natural curve
With one knee resting on the floor, tighten your core muscles and lift the object between your legs. Maintain the natural curve in your lower back, and don't hold your breath. Be careful to hold the object close to your body. Rest the object on your knee as you prepare to stand.
Use your legs
As you stand, maintain the natural curve in your lower back and keep your core muscles tight. Use your core muscles (not your back) to lift the object. Don't twist when lifting. Step to the side if you need to turn.
Squat instead of kneeling
As another option, squat rather than kneel on one knee to lift an object from the floor. Stand as close to the object as possible, positioning it between your knees as you quat. Keep your feet parallel, or stagger one foot ahead of the other.
Let your legs do the work
As you stand, be careful to hold the object close to your body. Maintain the natural curve in your lower back and keep your core muscles tight. Use your leg muscles (not your back) to lift the object.
Avoid twisting
When you're standing ready to move, continue holding the object close to your body to decrease the strain on your lower back. Keep your core muscles tight. Turn by pivoting your feet, not your back.
Bullying
Workplace bullying is repeated, and unreasonable behaviour directed towards a worker or group of workers that creates a risk to health and safety.
It is a risk to health and safety because it may affect the mental and physical health of workers. Taking steps to prevent it from occurring and responding quickly if it does is the best way to deal with workplace bullying.
Bullying can take different forms including psychological, physical, or even indirect - for example deliberately excluding someone from work-related activities. It can be obvious, and it can be subtle, which means it’s not always easy to spot.
Unreasonable behaviour includes victimising, humiliating, intimidating, or threatening. Whether a behaviour is unreasonable can depend on whether a reasonable person might see the behaviour as unreasonable in the circumstances.
Some examples of workplace bullying include:
Any employee who feels that they have been bullied in violation of this policy should contact their supervisor and their 11 Recruitment consultant.
Sexual harassment
Sexual harassment is defined as any unwelcome sexual advance, unwelcome request for sexual favours or other unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature in circumstances where a reasonable person, having regard to all the circumstances, would anticipate the possibility that the person harassed would be offended, humiliated, or intimidated.
Sexual harassment can include:
Some forms of sexual harassment are also criminal offences and should be reported to the police.
Sexual harassment is not always obvious, repeated, or continuous. Unlike bullying, which is characterised by repeated behaviour, sexual harassment can be a one-off incident.
Sexual harassment can also be a behaviour that while not directed at a particular person, affects someone who is exposed to it or witnesses it (such as overhearing a conversation or seeing sexually explicit posters in the workplace).
Any employee who feels that they have been harassed in violation of this policy should contact their supervisor and their 11 Recruitment consultant.
Drugs & alcohol
Alcohol and drugs - including medicine prescribed by a doctor or available from a pharmacy - can affect a person’s ability to work safely.
All workers are obligated to take reasonable care of their health and safety and to ensure they don’t adversely affect the safety of others.
It is your responsibility to be fit for work and to meet performance standards. You must not:
It is ok for you to use medication that you have a prescription for, as long as it does not impact your ability to do your job and is not in violation of your host employer's policy.
In some jobs such as road and rail transport, maritime and mining occupations, the law sets down a legal blood alcohol level and may prohibit a worker from being affected by any drugs - legal or illegal.
Some companies have explicit policies to test their workers for alcohol and illicit substances. This is particularly important if a worker could kill or seriously injure themselves, another worker, or a member of the public.
If you have any concerns or suspect another employee of drug or alcohol use in the workplace you must advise your host employer supervisor and 11 Recruitment Consultant.
What to do in an emergency
In the event of an emergency stay calm and follow all instructions and procedures issued by your host employer.
Employers must ensure an emergency plan is prepared for the workplace. This is a written set of instructions that outlines what workers and others at the workplace should do in an emergency. It must provide for the following:
Emergency procedures such as fire evacuation should be discussed with you during your induction at the client site on your first day. If this does not occur, please contact your 11 Recruitment consultant immediately.
