Office Safety Handbook

Table of contents

1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 2
2 OHS Legislation ................................................................................................................................... 2
3 General workshop/studio safety ............................................................................................... 3
4 After Hours Access ............................................................................................................................ 3
5 Risk Management ................................................................................................................................... 3
6 Personal Protective Equipment .................................................................................................. 4
7 Signage ...................................................................................................................................................... 5
8 Safe work procedures ....................................................................................................................... 5
9 Specific Hazards ................................................................................................................................. 5
9.1 Manual Handling ...................................................................................................................................... 5
9.3 Working with scissors and knives ............................................................................................................ 6
9.4 Working with glues and adhesives ........................................................................................................... 6
9.5 Slips, Trips and Falls ................................................................................................................................ 6
9.6 Housekeeping ........................................................................................................................................... 6
10 Injuries and incidents ................................................................................................................ 7
11 Emergencies .......................................................................................................................................... 7
11.1 Evacuations .................................................................................................................................. 8
11.3 Raising the alarm ................................................................................................................... 8
11.4 What do I do upon hearing fire alarm? ..................................................................... 8
11.5 Fire Extinguishers...............................................8
12 Emergency Contacts..................................................8

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1 Introduction

This handbook has been prepared as a safety handbook for anyone working in our
office.

The handbook contains a basic overview of safety polices and procedures

relevant to working within the graphic and screen design area. It is intended
that this information will help maintain a safe and healthy work environment.

Health and safety is everyone’s responsibility. It needs everyone’s

understanding, participation and cooperation.

Remember that you have a legal obligation to work in a way that does not
endanger your health and safety, or that of any other person in the workplace.

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2 OHS Legislation

General Information

Everyone in our office must comply with safety legislation and common law
duties that apply to the workplace.

These requirements are found in the:

-The NSW Occupational Health and safety Act 2000

-The NSW Occupational health and safety regulations 2001

In conjunction with the above legal requirements our office polices and
procedures outline specific requirements for our workplaces.

NSW OHS Act 2000

The main law relating to workplace safety in NSW is the Occupational Health and
Safety Act 2000. This law aims to protect the health, safety and welfare of all
people in the workplace.

Management responsibilities

Our managers are required to provide:

• A safe place of work
• Safe systems of work
• Safe and maintained plant and equipment
• Information, instruction and training
• Adequate Facilities for welfare

Your responsibilities

OH&S is everyone’s responsibility therefore it is up to each and every

individual using the facilities to ensure that their actions and or omissions
do not affect the health and safety of others. Office staff are responsible for

* Complying with our OH&S policies and procedures i.e. following safe working
practices, following after hours access procedures etc.
* Wearing the correct personal protection equipment i.e., safety glasses,
hearing protection and respirators with the correct cartridge for the
application and covered shoes.

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* Reporting any accidents and/or any hazards or potential hazards to the
technical or teaching staff.

It is important that you understand, that as an individual you may be fined by

WorkCover NSW if you do not comply with safety legislation.

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3 General workshop/studio safety

• Wear enclosed footwear at ALL TIMES. Sandals worn with woollen socks, thongs
or bare feet are not an acceptable alternative.

• Wear appropriate clothing

• Tie back or cover hair when using machinery and equipment
• NEVER use equipment until gaining competency
• NEVER use equipment when affected by any drug or alcohol {penalties apply}
• NEVER work alone
• ALWAYS obey written warnings
• ALWAYS wear appropriate personal protection when required
• NEVER smoke, drink or eat in the area
• ALWAYS clean up after yourself. Keeping studio areas clean and organised
prevents unnecessary hazards to you and to others, and keeps equipment in
working order.

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4 After Hours Access

Working after hours and working alone, increases the risk of certain hazards
due to the reduction of immediate assistance in the event of an incident. To
prevent incidents it is important that the following procedure is followed.

After hours access is only permitted to authorised staff. An after hours access
form and a risk assessment for the work you will be undertaking must be
completed. Refer to the OHS section of our Intranet.

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5. Risk Management

A risk management approach is used in the area to minimise risks to health,

safety and welfare.

The process taken is outlined below:

1.Identifying hazards. What substances and processes do you use which are
potentially injurious or hazardous to you and others health;

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2.Assessing the risk. Complete a risk assessment strategy and identify what
are the risks associated with the hazard (if any), safe working procedures
compliance and advisory standards or any other references you can find.

3.Select control measures. Decide how to manage the hazard by seeking out
appropriate control measures.

4.Implement control measures. Change the environment and your work practices,
but make sure all your co-workers and lecturers are involved and consulted.

5.Monitor and review. Continually check the effectiveness of the control

measures and modifications that have been made. Stay abreast of changing
standards and be aware of new knowledge.

Risk assessments

All plant, equipment, field excursions, exhibitions, research projects and any
high to medium risk activities within our office must have a risk assessment
completed and signed by a manager. Forms can be downloaded from the office
Intranet OHS Section. Risk assessments must also be completed when new
equipment/ chemicals/ new processes or procedures are introduced.

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6.Personal Protective Equipment

Staff must wear PPE where required at all times. A sign with a blue circle
indicates what protective equipment must be worn in an area or for a particular
task. If you see anyone not wearing the correct PPE report it to a manager.

Staff who have long hair must ensure their own safety by tying hair back, or if
necessary, by wearing a hairnet. No loose clothing or jewellery is to be worn
when operating equipment.

Footwear
Substantial footwear such as covered shoes must be worn in the studios and
workshops at all times. Sandals worn with woollen socks, thongs or bare feet
are not an acceptable alternative. Note: You will be refused entry to our
office if you do not have covered footwear.

Safety glasses
Safety glasses should be worn at all times where chemicals are being used, or
when operating machinery. Eyeglasses must have side protectors otherwise
safety glasses must be worn over the top. It is recommended that face-shields
are used for hot or corrosive liquids and welding processes.

Gloves
Gloves should be worn whenever handling hazardous chemicals. Care must also be
taken not to contaminate other surfaces while wearing gloves and should be
removed before touching other surfaces e.g. door handles, cupboards etc.

Other Protective equipment

Other protective equipment may be needed for some processes. In addition there
are safety posters that inform you of what protective equipment needs to be
worn in certain areas. Other protective equipment may include such things as
aprons, hearing protection, respirators and dust masks

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7. Signage

Safety signs warn you of health and safety risks. You must always follow safety
signs. In Australia colours and shapes on safety signs have a particular
meaning.
Red circles with a cross mean the action is not permitted.

Blue circles indicate that an action must be done, such as wearing safety
glasses.

Yellow safety signs are cautionary and alert you to hazards that may be present
in an area.

Danger signs indicate life-threatening hazards.

Green signs indicate emergency equipment and services. Such as first aid and
emergency showers.

Red signs indicate fire related information.

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8. Safe work procedures

All tasks that present a risk to health and safety MUST have a safe working
procedure.

Safe work procedures for design and screen projects can be found on the office
Intranet

Safe working procedures include:

• Clear step by step instructions for undertaking the task safely

• Hazards involved in performing the task
• What personal protective equipment is required when performing the task
• Emergency procedures
• Clean up and waste disposal requirements

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9. Specific Hazards

9.1 Manual Handling

Many of the techniques used in design and screen require the use of repetitive
actions. Performing repetitive tasks for long periods can lead to injury
therefore it is important to

• Make sure all the equipment or materials you are using are within easy
reach

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 • Ensure you maintain a comfortable working posture while working. Avoid
bending and stooping for any period of time. Change your posture regularly.
• Ensure you have frequent work breaks when performing repetitive tasks or
vary your working routine throughout the day
• Try to swap hands if you are continuously using one hand
• Try to take your time when completing a large project
• Do some stretching exercises when you take a break

Lifting and moving objects

• Do not attempt to lift heavy items on your own. Always use a trolley or
ask someone for help.
• For more information on lifting and moving objects refer to the safe
working procedure for lifting and moving objects.

9.3 Working with scissors and knives

When using scissors and knives it is important that you;
• Do not use defective scissors or knives e.g. broken handles
• Do not carry sharp tools in your pocket
• Ensure you have a good grip before using
• Keep hands and fingers away from sharp edges

9.4 Working with glues and adhesives

When working with glues and adhesives it is important that you

• Work in a well-ventilated area
• Clean any spills immediately
• Wear any personal protective equipment required
• Never eating, drinking or smoking when working with these substances

9.5 Slips, Trips and Falls

You can reduce the risk of slips, trips and falls by:

• Wearing the correct footwear

• Cleaning up any spills
• Making sure any electrical cords are not run across pathways
• Reporting any slips, trips and falls to a manager

9.6 Housekeeping
Good housekeeping is very important keeping the area safe.

Observe the following guidelines to make the working environment as safe as

possible:

• Clean any spills immediately

• Always wipe down surfaces after working
• Keep access to emergency equipment such as fire extinguishers clear
• Do not block emergency exits or pathways
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• Ensure you have enough room to work safely
• Keep electrical cords out of the way

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10. Injuries and incidents

If you are injured or involved in a safety incident, you need to make sure you:

-Seek immediate first aid or medical attention

-Report the incident/injury to your manager as soon as possible after the event

This includes reporting incidents that have not resulted in an injury, but
could have lead to unintended and / or unnecessary harm. Incident report forms
can be found on the the office Intranet

First Aid

In each area there are posters that display the names and contact numbers of
our office’s first aid officers.

These are the people you should contact if you or someone else is injured. You
should make yourself aware of the location of the first aid poster in your
area.
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11 Emergencies

All emergencies must be reported immediately.

In case of emergency you need to contact:

1. Reception
2. Your manager
3. Others in the immediate area

11.1 Evacuations

There are emergency evacuation plans displayed in our office – familiarise

yourself with their location and the identity of our floor warden.

If there is an evacuation you should follow instructions given by the floor

warden and make your way to the evacuation point displayed on the evacuation
plan.

11.2 Fire

If you discover a fire, there are three major considerations:

1. Raising the Alarm
2. Fighting the fire
3. Evacuating the building
The priority of these depends on the circumstances. In all cases, personal
safety is of paramount importance.

11.3 Raising the alarm

Alert people nearby and enlist their aid.

• Attempt to put out the fire only if you are familiar with the use of
extinguishers and the fire is small.

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• Determine the type of fire and use the appropriate fire extinguisher.
• If heat or smoke become threatening; leave the building closing all windows
and doors if safe to do so.
• Never let a fire get between you and the exit.

11.4 What do I do upon hearing fire alarm?

The fire alarm may be sounded by a bell, hooter or siren, depending on the
building. When you hear the alarm, evacuate the building calmly and promptly,
as follows:

• Switch off any electrical equipment or fuel sources in your room if safe to
do so
• Close windows and doors if safe to do so.
• Leave the building by the shortest possible route.
• DO NOT USE LIFTS.
• Follow directions of managers and wardens.
• Proceed to the Assembly Area designated for our office.
• Do NOT cluster around doorways.
• Wait for further directions from a manager or Fire Brigade.
• Do NOT re-enter the building until authorised to do so by a warden or
delegate.
• NEVER enter a building when the alarm is sounding

11.5 Fire Extinguishers

Portable fire extinguishers can save lives and property by putting out or
containing fires within the capability of the extinguisher.

However, they must be of the correct type for the particular fire, and they
must be used correctly.

Red( water) :- Is suitable for wood, paper and cardboard. Not to be used on
electrical, oil or fats.

Red with black stripe (CO2) :- Is suitable all fires except gas fires.

Red with blue band (Foam):- Is suitable for flammable liquids. Not to be used
on electrical, oil or fats.
Red with white stripe(Dry Chemical) :- Is suitable for paper ,wood and
textiles, Petrol, oils and paints, Gas fires and Electrical fires.

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12. Emergency Contacts

Note: for external number first dial "0".
Emergency (Ambulance Police Fire) (0) 000
St Vincent’s Hospital (Emergency department) (0) 8382 2520
Poisons Information Centre (0) 131 126
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