National Disability Services - NSW
Office: Level 4, 60 Pitt St Sydney 2000
Mail: PO Box R160, Royal Exchange NSW 1225
Phone: 02 9256 3111 Fax: 02 9256 3123
Email: ndsnsw@nds.org.au

Disability Safe is a project supported by NSW DADHC to inform the establishment of a consistent approach to reasonably practicable risk management in the disability service environment. To do this, resources are required to assist the sector deal with significant OHS risks confronting the sector but which were beyond the scope of the Disability Services Occupational Health and Safety Project (DSOP) summarised below.

Contact Susan Smith Disability Safe Project Manager on (02) 9256 3121 regarding Disability Safe.

3. OHS BENCHMARKING

News - 15 April 2009: NDS is launching an OHS benchmarking exercise, in order to gather concrete evidence about the number of injuries which are occurring and their causes. Workers Compensation statistics produced by State and Federal Authorities provide statistical breakdowns of injuries which occur in the Health and Community Services sector but there is only anecdotal evidence available regarding the type and cause of injuries occurring in the Disability Sector.

Benchmarking will assist Disability Service Providers to measure their OHS performance against that of similar organisations, and review the success of their OHS Management Systems. The record form and associated information is now available for download below. All information will be kept confidential. Participating organisations will complete quarterly returns, starting with the first quarter returns to the Disability Safe Project Manager, susan.smith@nds.org.au by May 15.

To participate, please download:

Disability Sector OHS Benchmarking Exercise – Definitions (Word)

Benchmarking Support Information (Word)

Benchmarking Record Form (xls)

4. INFORMATION, TOOLS & RESOURCES

As part of the Disability Safe Project, we are providing you a one-stop shop of information, tools and resources on Safety in the Disability Sector. This information below provides links and documents that you are free to use. Click on highlighted menu items to go directly to information.

This table of resources was updated on 08 May 2009. This is an evolving table of documents. Please be aware that more information, tools and resources will be added at any time. Information is correct at the time of publication. Tools and information are advisory only and should be adapted to meet individual needs of the organisation.

1. General OHS Information

1.1 General Information 1.2 Risk Management 1.3 Workplace Violence 1.4 Plant Safety 1.5 Manual Handling 1.6 Electrical Safety 1.7 Working at Heights 1.8 Hazardous Materials 1.9 Working Environment 1.10 Procurement of Goods, Works & Services 1.11 Hazardous Substances & Dangerous Goods

2. Workers Compensation & Injury Management Information

2.1 General Information 2.2 Workers Compensation 2.3 Injury Management

3. Research Information on Safety and Impact on the Disability Sector

4. Training Material

1. General OHS Information

1.1 General Information What is Reasonably Practicable? (pdf 66 kb) Hazard Identification Report (pdf 140kb) Thinking Safety Together – We’re OK (pdf 43kb) Risk Management Flow Process (pdf 142kb) Poster – Prevent Injury_PPE A3 (pdf 95kb) Poster – Prevent Injury_Safe Lifting A3 (pdf 110kb) Sample Board OHS Report Sample OHS Policy Sample Critical Incident Planning Emergency Procedures Standards OHS Management Systems Factsheet Sample Consultation Statement OHS Consultation Food Safety Guide First Aid Management Guide

1.2 Risk Management WorkCover NSW Hazpak Risk Management Guide Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) Sample Completed Sample SWMS Changing Bed Linen Fatigue Fact Sheet Sample Drug and Alcohol Policy Sample Grounds Maintenance Handbook

1.3 Workplace Violence Workplace Violence SAFER (pdf 140kb) Workplace Violence Information Guide, November 2007 (pdf 158kb) Aggression Incident Report Violence Audit Workplace Harassment and Bullying Sample Policy

1.4 Plant Safety Management Safety of Plant Information Guide Version 1.0 (pdf 120kb) Sample Building and Equipment Register Sample Preventative Maintenance Schedule Sample Asbestos Register

1.5 Manual Handling Manual Handling part of your OHSMS (pdf 59kb) Checklist for Manual Handling of People

1.6 Electrical Safety Electrical Safety Guidelines Electrical Equipment Risk Assessment and Inspection Record

1.7 Working at Heights Ladder Safety Safe Working at Heights Policy

1.8 Hazardous Materials

1.9 Working Environment Individual Risk Assessment Form Home Risk Assessment Form Pre-Use Venue Assessment Form Workplace Inspection Checklist - External Workplace Inspection Checklist - Internal • Working in Isolation • Noise Management National Code of Practice for Noise Management & Protection of Hearing at Work, 3rd Edition 2004 (pdf 480kb) NSW Code of Practice – Noise Management 2004 (pdf 224kb) Victoria – WorkSafe Guide Noise Management, 2005 (pdf 3mb) • Hazardous Locations Bus checklist Hazard Report Form Incident Report Form Induction Checklist • Slips, Trips & Falls Disability Safe – Slips, Trips & Falls Management Guide WorkCover NSW – Preventing Slips, Trips & Falls Guide WorkCover NSW – Preventing Slips, Trips & Falls Information Fact Sheet for Workers • External Locations Initial Home OHS Assessment Working at External Locations Fact Sheet Working at External Locations Case Studies Working at External Locations Risk Assessment Checklist

1.10 Procurement of Goods, Works & Services Contractor Management Guidelines Sample Contractor Handbook Pre and Post Purchasing Checklist Subcontractors Statement

1.11 Hazardous Substances & Dangerous Goods Hazardous Substances Register Chemical Storage Register

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2. Workers Compensation & Injury Management Information

2.1 General Information WorkCover NSW – Watching out for You Poster (pdf 416kb)

2.2 Workers Compensation Workers Compensation in NSW (weblink) Disability Safe Workers Compensation Guidelines

2.3 Injury Management Injury Management Flowchart Information Guide (pdf 152kb) Injury Management Information Guide Ver 1.0 (pdf 86kb) WorkCover NSW: Return to Work Programs Guide 2003 WorkCover NSW: Medical Certificate Form WorkCover NSW: Medical Certificate Notes on how to complete WorkCover NSW: Statement of Witness to Accident Form WorkCover NSW: The New Simple Way to Notify Work-Related Incidents. WorkCover NSW: Subcontractor Statement Workers Compensation Commission website Disability Safe: Guidelines for Confidentiality of Injury Management Information Disability Safe: Return To Work Program Disability Safe: Sample Return To Work Plan Disability Safe: Sample Doctor’s Letter Disability Safe: Sample Functional Assessment Form Disability Safe: Information Consent Form template Disability Safe: Pre & Post OHS Purchasing Checklist

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3. Research Information on Safety and Impact on the Disability Sector

Best Practice Guidelines for Manual Handing Risk Management in the Disability Sector – NSW Dept of Ageing, Disability and Home Care, June 2006 (pdf 357kb) Out of Harms Way, Exploring the Intersection of OHS Legislation and Disability – 2004, Larissa Burns, University of Western Sydney (pdf 121kb) NSW OHS Act 2000 v’s Disability Services Act 1993 – NSW Council of Social Services, 2005 (pdf 42kb) Manual Handling Resource 2004 – NSW WorkCover Authority (pdf 1.1mb) Victorian Homecare OHS Guidelines, Oct 2005 (pdf 1.70mb) OHS & Disability Discrimination Law Reflection, University of Western Sydney, no date (pdf 166kb)

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4. Training Material

April 2009 - Flu Prevention Toolbox Talks: Cold and Flu Prevention Presentation (PPT) Disability Safe Poster: Cold and Flu Prevention Disability Safe Poster: Washing Hands May 2009 - Prevention of Slips, Trips and Falls Toolbox Talks: Slips / Trips / Falls Prevention (PPT) Slips / Trips / Falls Prevention – Sample Risk Assessment Checklist for the Prevention of Slips, Trips and Falls on the Same Level Disability Safe Poster – Slips / Trips / Falls June 2009 - Fire Safety Toolbox Talks: Fire Safety Presentation (PPT) Disability Safe Poster: Fire Safety July 2009 - Infection Control Toolbox Talks: Infectious Diseases (PPT) Disability Safe Poster: Infection Control Disability Safe Poster: Infection Control Donning and Doffing PPE

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5. PROJECT UPDATES & NEWS


05 June 2009_Disability Safe Training Material available – June is Fire Safety Month

04 May 2009_Disability Safe Manual Handling Forum Rescheduled to 4 June 2009

16 April 2009_Disability Safe Forum: Manual Handling - 7 May 2009

** Urgent Advice - Forum to be Rescheduled

15 April 2009_OHS Benchmarking and Regional Networks

11 March 2009_Return to Work (RTW) Coordinator Training Places Still Available

13 February 2009_Disability Safe: OHS Return to Work (RTW) Coordinator Training

18 November 2008_Disability Safe Return to Work Training - December 2008

08 July 2008 - Return to Work Coordinator Training Poll

17 June 2008 - Changes to Workers Compensation Premiums – NSW (Info-e)

06 June 2008 - Workers Compensation Discussion Paper - NDS Submission (News Update)

05 June 2008 - New Resource: Pandemic Influenza Workbook from FaHCSIA (Info-e)

21 May 2008 - WorkCover Training Grants / National Manufacturing Week

16 April 2008 - Project News

19 December 2007 - Project Update - Training

18 December 2007 - Workers Compensation & Injury Management Poll

12 December 2007 - Project Update 02

13 November 2007 - Project Update 01

7. Disability Services OHS Project (DSOP) 2005 - 2006

The Disability Services Occupational Health and Safety Project (DSOP) began as a 12-month project being led by a Working Group made up of representatives of NDS NSW (formerly ACROD), WorkCover NSW and the Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care (DADHC). DSOP was jointly funded by NDS NSW and WorkCover NSW, and was established in response to industry concerns about tensions between disability services legislation and occupational health and safety legislation. Download DSOP Terms of Reference

DSOP was officially launched in August 2005 with a seminar, Occupational Health and Safety Challenges in the Disability Services Sector, which included concurrent workshops in the areas of accommodation support, community access, community support, employment and respite. The workshops were focused on issues relating to meeting the requirements of both disability services and occupational health and safety legislation. The issues identified during the workshops have provided a basis for further investigation by the DSOP working group. The DSOP Working Group has held 3 forums, and engaged consultants to undertake work with the sector on disability services specific resources in the areas of manual handling, violence and working at external locations.

ENTER DSOP WEBSITE HERE

DOWNLOAD THE DSOP REPORT

Disability Services Occupational Health and Safety Project Report, launched Friday 17 November 2006 by The Hon John Della Bosca, NSW Minister for Disability Services and Commerce. View the Minister's letter to the project group.