MSL944001

Maintain laboratory/workplace safety

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1

Implement requirements for WHS management system 

1.1

Ensure WHS responsibilities and duties are documented and accountability processes are in place.

1.2

Ensure WHS policies and procedures are documented and that documents are accessible to all relevant personnel.

1.3

Recognise limits of own expertise and consult manager and/or WHS specialists, as necessary.

2

Implement and maintain participative arrangements for WHS management 

2.1

Implement and maintain appropriate participative processes with site personnel and their representatives in accordance with relevant WHS legislation and standards.

2.2

Provide information to site personnel in a format that is accessible and readily understood.

2.3

Deal with and resolve issues raised through participation and consultation promptly and effectively.

2.4

Provide information about the outcomes of participation and consultation to site personnel.

3

Implement and maintain WHS risk management processes 

3.1

Ensure hazard, incident and injury reporting and investigation processes are in place to meet prevention and legislative requirements.

3.2

Implement a process of hazard identification and risk assessment.

3.3

Ensure risk controls and hazard specific procedures for risk control comply with legislation and the hierarchy of control.

4

Implement and maintain WHS training programs 

4.1

Conduct a training needs assessment for site personnel that takes account of legislative requirements, workplace policies and procedures, and risk control requirements.

4.2

Develop and implement training programs to meet the WHS training needs of site personnel.

5

Implement and maintain WHS record keeping system 

5.1

Identify and address the legal requirements for record keeping.

5.2

Ensure that records are accurately completed, collected and stored.

5.3

Identify and access sources of WHS information.

6

Initiate and maintain WHS management system improvements 

6.1

Collect and analyse information to regularly evaluate WHS management system performance.

6.2

Recognise instances of non-conformance/non-compliance and identify opportunities for improving performance.

6.3

Initiate authorised improvements in consultation with appropriate personnel and update system documentation.

6.4

Monitor the effectiveness of system modifications in consultation with site personnel.

7

Keep management informed about WHS performance 

7.1

Provide regular reports about WHS performance, instances of potential/actual non-conformance and incidents and the actions taken in each case.

7.2

Report opportunities and recommendations for system improvements in accordance with workplace procedures.

7.3

Report implementation and effectiveness of system modifications.

This field allows for different work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included.

Legislation, regulations, standards, codes, workplace procedures and requirements include the latest version of one or more of: 

• legislation, standards and codes of practice for WHS
• Australian and international standards covering:

• environmental management (e.g. AS/NZS ISO 14000 Basic Set:2007 Environmental Management Basic Set)
• occupational personal protection (e.g. AS/NZS 1337 Personal eye protection series, AS/NZS 2161 Occupational protective gloves set, AS/NZS 2210 Safety, protective and occupational footwear series, AS/NZS 4501 Occupational protective clothing series, and HB 9-1994 Occupational personal protection)
• occupational noise management (AS/NZS 1269 Occupational noise management Set), and safe working in a confined space (AS 2865-2009 Confined spaces)
• flammable and combustible liquids (AS 1940-2004 The storage and handling of flammable and combustible liquids); corrosive substances (AS 3780-2008 The storage and handling of corrosive substances), and toxic substances (AS/NZS 4452:1997 The storage and handling of toxic substances)
• transport emergency procedure guide (AS 1678 Emergency procedure guide – Transport series)

• industry codes and guidelines, such as:

• Australian Dangerous Goods Code
• Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) Codes of Practice
• National Code of Practice for the labelling of workplace substances (NOHSC:2012)
• National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Guidelines

• WHS policies and procedures covering hazards, risks, controls, emergency and environmental incidents, recording and reporting; job hazard analyses; safe work procedures and work method statements; hazardous goods manifest and substance register; and safety data sheets (SDS)
• workplace documents, such as standard operating procedures (SOPs); equipment manuals and warranties; supplier catalogue and handbooks; waste minimisation, containment, processing and safe disposal procedures.

Site personnel include one or more of: 

• managers and supervisors
• health and safety and other employee representatives
• contractors, consultants and visitors
• WHS committee members
• operations personnel
• external WHS agency representatives.

Participative processes with site personnel and their representatives include one or more of:  

• committees, such as:

• WHS
• consultative
• planning
• employee and supervisor/manager involvement in WHS activities such as inspections, audits and risk assessments

• procedures for reporting hazards and raising and addressing WHS issues
• identification of hazards and assessment of level of risk
• implementation of risk control measures and review of effectiveness
• injury and incident investigations
• development of policies and procedures
• review of WHS records and statistics
• review of registers of hazardous substances and dangerous goods
• audits and workplace inspections
• job safety analysis
• consultation with site personnel.

Workforce characteristics and composition that impact on WHS and environmental management include one or more of: 

• language and literacy
• communication skills
• cultural background
• gender
• workers with special needs
• part time, casual or contract workers.

Hazard identification processes include one or more of:  

• review of hazard and incident reports
• workplace inspections
• pre-purchase risk assessments
• review of relevant internal documentation, including SDS, manufacturer manuals and minutes of meetings
• review of legislation, codes of practice, standards and guidelines
• review of publications, such as:

• WHS regulators
• industry bodies
• journals
• newsletters.

Risk assessment includes: 

• analysing the effectiveness of existing controls
• determining the likelihood of each consequence considering exposure and hazard level
• combining these in some way to obtain a level of risk
• comparison of the determined risk with pre-established tolerance criteria and ranking of risks requiring control.

Information for evaluation of the WHS management system includes one or more of: 

• hazard, incident and injury reports
• site inspections
• audit reports
• formal and informal input of employees and contractors.

WHS and environmental management requirements include: 

• compliance with relevant federal/state/territory WHS legislation at all times
• assuming that samples are potentially hazardous and applying standard precautions
• accessing and applying current industry understanding of infection control issued by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and state/territory Departments of Health, where relevant.