Welcome to the mandatory OHS training course

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Presentation

• The course• Programme• Teacher• Participants

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Practical assignment

The purpose is: • To make a connection between the content of the course and the

tasks of the HS group • To ensure that the education has practical relevance• To implement methods and tools learned on the course

Your expectations regarding the training course.

Talk with your neighbour about your expectations

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Good and bad working environment

What is your definition of working environment? What is a good working environment – what characterises it? What is a bad working environment?

15 minuttes in groups and a discussion afterwards

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Legislation

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Introduction - background

Worker protection since 1873 - the Danish Working Environment Authority (WEA) was formed. The first Act included a number of special rules on work performed by children and young persons in factories and workshops.

Factory act 1913: Rules on guarding machinery. The Act aimed at prevention of accidents and diseases as a result of factory work.

In 1954: the legislation was extended to include general workers’ protection.

In 1975, the working environment rules were consolidated into a single Act.

The Danish Working Environment Act: applies to all work on the ground and, in particular, work performed for an employer.

Extended safety and health concept which means that all factors causing accidents and sickness must be prevented

The current Working Environment Act was passed in 2010.

Working environment act

In Denmark the working environment is regulated by the Working Environment Act.• The Act includes general provisions on the working environment.• It is binding on citizens and any violation of the rules is therefore

subject to sanctions.

Purpose of the Act

- Create a safe and healthy working environment in accordance with society’s technological and social developments.

- to create the basis for enterprises to solve problems themselves related to safety and health issues with guidance from the social partners and WEA inspections.

Aims

The Act aims at: - Preventing accidents and diseases at the workplace - Protecting children and young persons on the labour market

The main areas of the legislation• The main areas covered by the legislation include: performing the

work; workplace design; technical equipment; substances and materials; rest periods and young persons under the age of 18.

• The act is supplemented by Executive Orders which further describe how the purpose of the act can be achieved.

WEA - guidelines

WEA Guidelines• WEA Guidelines describe how the regulations laid down in Danish

working environment legislation are to be interpreted. • The Danish Working Environment Authority will take no further action

in situations where an enterprise, for example, has acted in accordance with the relevant WEA Guidelines.

• WEA guidelines describes best practices • The target group is the companies – especially the Health and Safety-

organisation

Executive orders - Directives

European Health and Safety Directives are implemented in Danish legislation. You find versions in all languages on this webpage:

European Agency for safety and Health

The Work Environment Authority also have English versions of some of the executive orders andguidelines.

The social partners

Denmark has a long tradition for co-operation between public authorities and the social partners on solving working environment problems.

The social partners have significant influence on: • The working environment Legislation (the national part)• The national priorities in the field of working environment • Information to the enterprises (sector guidelines e.g.)

The Ministry of Employment

The Ministry of Employment is the responsible authority with regard to the governmental regulation of the working environment in the Danish workplaces. The legal framework for regulation of working environment is based on the Working Environment Act of 1977. In here, one will find a comprehensive set of rules describing how to comply with the Act.

Danish Working Environment Authority The Danish Working Environment Authority tasks:To supervise and control that companies comply with the Working Environment Act. To carry out inspections of companies. To draw up rules. To provide information on health and safety at work. In 2011, the Danish WEA employs 732 people.

The National Research Centre for WEThe National Research Centre for the Working Environment carries out: • Strategic, scientific research concerning the working environment• Coordinate research in the field of WE

The centre has 184 people employed.

The Working Environment Information CentreThe Working Environment Information Centre collects and communicates information on working environment. That is, the centre provides data from companies, projects and research. In September 2012, the centre had 23 employees.

The Prevention Fund

The Prevention Fund was established in 2006 and given 3 billion DKKR to reduce attrition in the working life and improve occupational health and safety in the workplace. On request by the Minister of Employment, the fund has been altered and now also focuses on helping unemployed people along with seniors back to work. As of 2013, the fund will change its name into the Fund for Prevention and Retention.

The Working Environment Research FundThe Working Environment Research Fund’s goal is to strengthen the OSH research in Denmark through a research strategy and through distributing funds. The fund supports research in and development of the working environment in order to prevent and limit the exclusion of people from the labour market due to attrition, work related injuries, etc. In 2012, the fund had a budget of 52.5 million DKKR.

The Danish Working Environment CouncilThe Danish Working Environment Council consists of representatives from the social partners and works as a forum in which they can work together to create a safe and healthy working environment and discuss how this is done. The council follows the development within the OSH field and continuously advise the Minister of Employment.

The Sector Counsils of Working EnvironmentThe Sector Councils of Working Environment provides companies within one or several sectors with information and guide these companies concerning working environment issues within a specific sector. Trade unions and employers’ associations within the different sectors constitute the councils. In total, there are 11 councils, which in 2012 received a grant of 40.9 million DKKR.

The Working Environment Appeals BoardThe Working Environment Appeals Board is a managing authority that deals with complaints on decisions taken by the Danish Working Environment Authority under the Working Environment Act and the laws on smoke-free environments.The social partners are represented on the Board, which is led by a lawyer.

Occupational health clinics

Occupational health clinics are located in the Danish hospitals. The clinics check whether or not the working environment in a workplace is the cause of disease and study working environment in general. Any employee in an organisation can contact an occupational health clinic herself or the internal OSH organisation, her physician, or the trade union can send her to a clinic. There are 9 occupational health clinics in Denmark.Occupational health and safety consultants can be found in companies offering counselling, in internal divisions occupied with working environment in public as well as private companies, and as independent consultants.

The Health and Safety Organisation

Background• The safety organisation has been known in DK since 1930• In the working act from 1977 the safety organisation covers the whole

labour market• In the 90´s more integration of HR and safety organisations • Possible to have integration of HR the Safety organisation • In 2010 we had new regulation. Safety organisation changed to health

and safety organisation.

The Health and Safety Organisation

New Danish rules in 2010 – more freedom for the companies to organise the Health and safety work.

Still an important part of the law (legislation) Special rules for construction sector because of many accidents.

Shorter training for HSR and supervisors.

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Health and Safety Organisation

1-9 employeesIn companies with 1-9 employees health and safety issues should be dealt with by regular direct contact and dialogue between the employer, the employees and the supervisors, if any.

Employee Employee

Supervisor

SupervisorEmployee

Employee Employee

Supervisor

SupervisorEmployee

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Health and Safety Organisation

10-34 employees – one health and safety groupIn companies with 10-34 employees, health and safety activities should be organised in a health and safety organisation with at least one HSG. It deals with day-to-day tasks and broader strategic issues. Participants: HSR + supervisor+employer

Health and Safety Organisation

HSR SupervisorHSR Supervisor

Chairman: Employer

Health and Safety Organisation

HSR SupervisorHSR Supervisor

Chairman: Employer

35 or more employees – two levelsIn enterprises with 35 or more employees, the employer shall establish a two-level health and safety organization: 1. One level with one or more health and safety groups 2. One level with one or more health and safety committees

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Health and Safety OrganisationCompanies with 35 or more employees

Group 1 supervisor 1 HSR

Group 1 supervisor 1 HSR Group

1 supervisor 1 HSR

Group1 supervisor 1 HSR

Group1 supervisor 1 HSR

Group1 supervisor 1 HSR

HSR

Supervisor SupervisorHSR

Group 1 supervisor 1 HSR

Safety CommitteeChairman: Employer2 supervisors2 HSR

Safety CommitteeChairman: Employer2 supervisors2 HSR

When 5 employees you need a HSO in construction sector

• In work fully or partially performed at temporary or alternating places of work outside the permanent place of work of the enterprise, including building and civil engineering work, the health and safety activities shall be organised in a health and safety organisation when the employer has five or more employees at the external place of work and the work goes on for a period of at least two weeks.

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Supervisor

• Supervisor is appointed by the employer• Is part of the management and does not represent the employees.

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Election of HS-representatives

• The HS-representative is elected for two years by the employees• The health and safety representative enjoys the same protection

against dismissal or any other impairment of his or her conditions as union representatives within the same or a similar field.

• The health and safety representative must not be placed in an inferior position due to the activities related to his or her duties.

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Tasks of Health and Safety group

• Responsible for activities to protect the employees and to prevent risks.

• Planning health and safety activities

• Preparing the workplace assessment

• Checking that working conditions are completely adequate in relation health and safety.

• Checking training and instructions of the employees are given.

• Participating in the investigation of accidents, poisoning incidents and harm to human health as well as near accidents, etc. and reporting them

• Stimulating employees to behave in a way that ensures their own and others health and safety.

• Acting as a contact between the employees and the health and safety committee.

• Presenting to the health and safety committee, health and safety problems that the health and safety group cannot solve, or general problems for the entire enterprise.

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Tasks of the Committee• Planning, managing and coordinating the enterprise’s cooperation on health and safety. Carrying out the annual health and

safety talks.

• Checking health and safety activities and ensuring that the health and safety groups are kept abreast with these activities and are offered guidance. Planning and preparing the enterprise’s workplace assessment.

• Establishing the size of the health and safety organization

• Advising the employer on solutions to health and safety issues

• Ensuring that the cause of accidents, poisoning incidents and harm to human health as well as near accidents, etc. are investigated.

• Once a year the health and safety committee shall prepare a complete list of accidents, poisoning incidents and harm to human health in the enterprise.

• Keeping abreast of legislation on the protection of employees against health and safety risks.

• Establishing principles for adequate and necessary training and instruction, adapted working conditions at the enterprise and the needs of the employees, as well as ensuring that compliance with these instructions is checked regularly.

• Advising the employer about the skills development plan

• Ensuring that an organisation chart of the health and safety organisation is prepared including information about members and ensuring that employees know about the chart.

• Contributing actively to coordinating the health and safety activities of the enterprise with other enterprises when work is carried out at the same location.

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Annual discussion on health and safety • The employer shall conduct an annual discussion on health and safety with

the members of the health and safety organization. • Plan the content of the health and safety activities of the enterprise for the

forthcoming year.• Determine how this cooperation shall take place, including forms of

cooperation and how often meetings shall be conducted, • Assess whether the enterprise has achieved the goals set for the previous

year.• Define goals for cooperation in the forthcoming year. • The employer shall be able to provide written documentation to the Danish

Working Environment Authority that the annual discussion on health and safety has taken place.

Training for members of HSO

New member of HSO:Within 3 months

3 day course

DEMAND

New member

of HSO: within 1

year2 day

course

OFFER

HSO:Every year

1½ day relevant course

OFFER

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Responsibilities of the employer/supervisors/employees

Employer’s responsibilities

The employer must ensure that:• Labour is properly organised • The employees have been given instructions and understand how to perform the task

at hand• The workspace has been designed to match the job in question and any necessary

technical aids are present and well maintained• Any chemicals or materials used are handled with minimal risks and in a sound way• You have access to and understanding of user manuals • Management are cooperating with employees • Work environment conditions are continually supervised • Regulations with regards to rest periods are upheld

Supervisor’s responsibilities

A supervisor:• Is obliged to assist in assuring that the working conditions are entirely

responsible in terms of health and safety. • Is obliged to attempt to prevent hazards which may occur in the event

of errors or shortcomings.• Must immediately notify the employer of any working environment

problems if it is not possible to resolve them immediately.

Employees’ responsibilities

Employees:• are responsible of taking care, as far as possible, of their own and

colleague’s safety and health in accordance with their employers’ training and instructions.

• must make correct use of machinery, apparatus, tools, dangerous substances and transport equipment

• must make correct use of the personal protective equipment supplied• must not disconnect, change or remove arbitrarily safety devices fitted,

for example, to machinery, apparatus, tools, plant and buildings• who become aware of defects or omissions in connection with safety, are

obliged to report these to the HS representative, the supervisor or the employer.

Employers responsibility in construction sector

Council Directive 92/57/EEC sets minimum safety and health requirements at temporary or mobile construction site. It highlights the coordination required by the various parties before and during construction: clients/project supervisors have to appoint one or more safety and health coordinators• clients/project supervisors have to ensure that a safety and health plan is prepared before the construction phase

starts• clients/project supervisors have to take safety and health into account when designing the project• during the construction phase coordinators have to ensure that risks are adequately managed and that the health

and safety plan is taken into account• cooperation between employers in matters of safety and health has to be implemented and procedures monitored.

Other directives are also relevant to the construction sector.

Directives set minimum health and safety standards and are transposed into law in all Member States. National legislation may require higher standards, so check with your enforcing authority.

Group task

1. How can you work with health and safety in your company? 2. Who can you collaborate with?3. What are the main problems - and how can you use the HS groups and the the HS-committee to solve them?4. Are there specific HS problems - where you need assistance from advisors?5. How will you inform your collegues about your new function as HSR or supervisor in the HS-organisation?

Labour Inspection

• The enforcement of the law

Visits

2013: WEA visits 31,368 enterprises. Number of legal notices:29,418. 487 notices on the smoking legislation. Most reactions: Accidents (9141) and the lack Of Health and safety Organisation (8677). There are also reactions in the area of psychological hazards and lift of heavy burdens.

Three areas

The inspection focuses especially on three areas:• Serious accidents • Heavy lifting, monotonous and repetitive work• Psychosocial working

The sectors and enterprises with the most and greatest problems among the prioritised areas have the highest priority.

Violation of the law

If a company is found to be in violation of the law, the company is given an enforcement notification with a deadline.The Labour Inspection has made a set of guidelines which describe in detail how the regulatory framework within the legislature is to be upheld.

Role of preventive measures

The WEA is responsible for providing advice to enterprisesThe WEA has set up the “smiley scheme” for grading workplaces following an inspection. Enterprises with a particularly safe and healthy working environment can obtain a health and safety certificate.There is also a system of officially approved authorised consultants. Inspectors frequently require an enterprise to use the services of such a consultant to address a specific workplace problem.

SmileysRed smileys are given to companies with a multitude of problems who have also been given an enforcement notification.

Yellow smileys are given when the Labour Inspection has given the company an enforcement notification with a deadline to solve a work environment related problem.

Green smileys are given to companies who does not violate the work environment regulations.

Crown smileys are given to companies with a work environment certificate. This means that the company has made an extraordinary effort to ensure a good work environment.

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Risk-based inspection

Since 2005 WEA has screened the working environment of every Danish companies and therefore has a good picture of how the work environment looks in different industries and individual firms. The WEA now focuses on companies where it expects major problems in the working environment. By 2020 the WEA expects to visit:• All companies that have at least two full-time employees• Approximately half of the companies that have between one and two full-

time employed.• In order to select the companies which have the greatest risk of working

environment problems, the WEA has developed a prioritization tool called an index model.

Detailed Inspection

Detailed Inspections are carried out to monitor: • a specific and limited health and safety problem at a company e.g. to

check whether the company has complied with a notice.• where the WEA suspects a serious health problem in the company• where there has been a serious accident• when the WEA carries out special initiatives in specific industries or

within selected safety problems.

Risk Inspections

• Risk Inspections are based on the Seveso directive, which aims to prevent major accidents where there are hazardous chemical substances, and to limit their impact on people and the environment. Risk Inspections are carried out by the WEA in collaboration with other authorities.

Inspection of foreign companies

• The WEA has the responsibility of ensuring that foreign companies comply with Danish working environment legislation.

• It is also the WEA’s task to verify that foreign companies have notified the Register for Foreign Service Providers and that the notification is complete and correct. Such inspections are carried out in the same way as in Danish companies, and the same enforcement measures apply.

Special supervision of the construction industry

The WEA undertakes special supervision actions in the construction industry, which run parallel to the regular monitoring of the industry. The actions are nationwide, unannounced and focus on specific risks and dangers.

Sanctions

• Prohibition: Serious danger. Work is stopped immediately . • Immediate Injunction: An immediate injunction means that the error must be rectified immediately.• Time-bound Injunction means that the company can continue production, but that it must find a permanent solution to

the problem before a specified deadline. • Investigation injunctions can be issued to a company when the WEA has a reasonable suspicion that working

conditions are not safe.• A decision on mental health means that the DWEA has found problems with the mental health environment in a

company. • A consultancy injunction is an injunction given to a company requiring the use of an approved safety consultant to help

solve one or more of its safety problems.• Decision without injunction. If a company remedies a violation after a WEA inspection, but before the injunction is sent

to the company, the WEA cannot issue an injunction. In this situation, the company will instead receive a decision that the WEA detected a violation during the inspection. The company will at the same time be informed that no further action is necessary to remedy the violation.

• Administrative fines. The WEA can impose administrative fines in cases of a serious material breach of clear and generally well-known areas of the Working Environment Act.

• Police report. A company may be reported to the police if there is a serious breach of the Working Environment Act or if it does not comply with an injunction issued by the WEA.

On line AT

• WEA has an on line service that gives you access to all information about your company regarding e.g. about legal notices

Contact WEATelephone: 70 12 12 88

E-mail E-post at@at.dk

Information about ruleswww.at.dk

Serious accidents:

70 12 12 88.

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Visit from the labour inspector

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Inspector introduces himself

• The inspector introduces himself, shows identification and asks for the management available. The inspector will also ask for a worker safety representative.

• If they are not available, the inspector may continue with a limited inspection or arrange a follow-up visit later that day or the following day.

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Guided walkabout

The inspector will ask to speak to the worker occupational health and safety (OHS) representative at your workplace, and request they accompany them on a tour of the workplace.

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Meet and greet

• The inspector will walk through the workplace with your OHS representative, and stop to talk to workers and supervisors.

• Inspectors have the authority to speak to anyone, test and handle machinery, take photographs, and review any documentation in the workplace.

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What are they looking for?

• Inspectors look at everything from housekeeping and personal protective equipment to training and certification.

• The inspector may focus on a specific health and safety issue, such as musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), and ask how you’ve been working to improve ergonomics and safety in your workplace.

• Special attention:• The inspector will special attention to the ministry’s strategic

priority hazards: MSDs, falls, and psychosocial risk factors– so you should , too!

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Basic occupational health and safety checklist

The inspector will check: Printed policies and documentation:• Work place assessment – in writing! Action plan. All risk factors

must be covered. • Health and safety organization – has it been involved, is it active?• Annual discussion on health and safety – document in writing• Smoking policy – very important • Safety sheets for all dangerous chemical substances

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Physical work environment

• Accident – risk factors: cords. Book cases. Floor, wet, holes, stairs, carpets.

• Ergonomics – well-being: desk, chairs, lift of heavy burdens, light

• Indoor climate: ventilation – does it work? Heat-cold

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Psychological work environment

Risk factors: • Large workload and time pressure • Bullying and sexual harassment• High emotional demands• Poor collegial and managerial support and feedback• High demands on attention and concentration• Conflicts at work• Violence and threats• Shift work and work at unsocial hours• Reward and recognition• Conflicting or unclear requirements at work• Poor influence on own work• Predictability at restructuring and significant changes• Lack of development• Stress

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Group task

How can you get prepared for visits from WEA? Are there specific areas you have to improve in order to get a green smiley?Do you have any areas with a yellow smiley? Or a red smiley?

Lift of heavy burdens

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Evaluate your lifts

DWEA has developed an app. To evaluate your lift.

Causes of backpain• Stressful living and work activities• Poor body mechanics when lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying things• Repetitive lifting of awkward items, equipment, boxes, etc.• Twisting while lifting• Bending while lifting• Reaching while lifting• Lifting an object that is too heavy or unwieldy for one person to handle safely• Fatigue• Poor footing such as on a slippery floor or uneven ground• Lifting with a forceful movement• Maintaining bent or stooped posture for prolonged periods, fatiguing muscles• Staying in one position for too long with no stretch breaks, allowing muscles to become stiff• Poor layout of work area• Poor posture when sitting• Poor physical condition - losing the strength and endurance to perform physical tasks without strain• Vibration from a motor such as in a lift truck, a delivery truck, or from using a jackhammer for long periods resulting in increased muscle tension

Manual handling. Group work

• Discuss the challenges of manual handling in your workplace. • Do you have any manual lifts of heavy burdens in the red area?• What steps have been taken to prevent them? • Do you have any lifts in the yellow area? Have they been analyzed?

Workplace Assessment

Workplace assessment (APV)

• All companies with employees must create a workplace assessment• At least revised every three years • Must be in writing and accessible to employees and WEA• Ensures that health and safety work is systematic• Helps to prevent accidents • Management and employees must work together in the entire

process

Workplace Assessment

Identification and mapping what problems do we have?

Prioritising and actionplan• What should be solved first?• When? • How?• Who?

Description • How serious are the problems?• What are the causes?

Evaluation Evaluation of the effect

Sickleave• Are there factors in the work

environment that cause sickleave?

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Identification and Mapping

A workplace assessment must assess:• Physical effects (e.g. noise, dust, lifts, repetitive work, cold and

draghts)• Chemical effects (e.g. sealants)• Biological effects (e.g. risk of infection)• Ergonomic effects (e.g. working positions and heavy lifting)• Psycholigical effects (e.g. time pressure, bullying, repetetive work)• The risk of accidents (e.g. working at heights)

Mapping

You can use different methods:• Questionnaires• Employee satisfaction survey• Safety meetings (HSO)• Departmental meeting• Inspection rounds • Dialogue • Analysis and statistics related to accidents/near misses/sick leave

The ideal method is a combination - an open dialogue

Risk assessment

• Probability How likely is it that someone could get hurt?

• Severity How severe will the damage be?

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Schedule - assessment of the probability EVALUATION

The presence of an undesirable situation How likely?

Less than once a year UNLIKELY

Less than once a month POSSIBLE

Less than once a week, but more than once a month. LIKELY

More than once a week Very LIKELY

The first step in systematic risk assessment is to assess the likelihood of an undesirable situation - i.e. the probability that the working condition will lead to a situation which is undesirable. Remember that often several different things need to occur simultaneously before the undesirable situation actually exists.

Risk assessment - probability

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Risk assessment - severityInsignificant injuries Lighter, " reversible "

injuriesMajor " irreversible "

injuriesCatastrophic injuries

Examples • abrasions • bruising • headache • Skin irritations • Irritation of the eyes or

respiratory tracts• Transient discomfort (a

few days )

- wounds - burns - concussion - Skin diseases- Small injuries- sprains - transient

injuries/injuries that are not permanent

- Incapacity for several weeks

• Amputations • Major fractures • Poisoning • Serious viral diseases

More injuries together: Deafness / blindness Asthma / respiratory injuriesSerious permanent injuriesLife-shortening injuriesUnable to work for several months

- electric shock - work-related cancer- severe poisoning - fatal injuries - deadly diseases

The last step in the systematic risk assessment consists in assessing the "overall risk " when both probability and consequence of the undesirable situation are taken into account . Find the row that corresponds to the estimated probability ( from step I). Go down from the top of the column that corresponds to the estimated consequence (from step II ). The box, where the column and the row "cut " each other, indicates the risk level.

Insignificant damage / nuisance

Minor injuries Major injuries Catastrophic injuries

Unlikely Insignificant Insignificant Moderate Moderate

Possible Insignificant Acceptable Moderate Serious

Likely Acceptable Moderate Serious Not acceptable

Very likely Moderate Serious Not acceptable Not acceptable

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Model for systematic risk analysis

What actions should be taken? Risk level Action

Insignificant

No action is required .

Acceptable No additional precautions.Improvements may be considered.Control of working conditions will continue to be maintained.moderate

ModerateThere must initiated action to reduce the level of risk .Once the application to be determined.If the moderate level of risk associated with life-shortening orlethal consequences should the probabilitythat the dangerous situation occurs will be defined more precisely.

Serious The work must not be started until the risk level isreduced. Implementation of actions must be immediate .

Not acceptableThe work may not commence or proceed until risklevel is reduced.If the risk can not be reduced , the work shall be prohibited.

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Rest

Work shall be organized so that the employee has a rest period of at least 11 hours out of a 24 hour period.

Prevention• Have clear procedures and responsibilities for health and safety been set and does everyone know their own and

others’ responsibilities?• Do you know what you have to do to comply with health and safety legislation? If not, have you appointed a

competent person who can provide advice?• Have you identified the main risks to health and safety and taken action to eliminate or reduce them?• Are your arrangements for the maintenance of work equipment adequate?• Have you provided your workers with any necessary personal protective equipment for risks that cannot be avoided

by other means? Have you trained them in its use?• Have you provided information to the workers on the risks, and trained them in safe working and emergency

procedures?• Do you consult your workers about health and safety issues, including changes to policy, work procedures,

equipment?• Do your workers know how to report unsafe conditions and accidents?• Do you take prompt action to investigate accidents, near misses and reported problems?• Do you regularly inspect the workplace, and check that workers are following safe working procedures?• Do you have a system for reviewing your health and safety policy and working procedures?

Accidents and accident prevention

What is a work-related accident?

What is an occupational disease?

Accidents and occupational disesases• An accident is a sudden and unexpected event that occurs in the

course of work, resulting in personal injury.• An “occupational disease” is a result of an exposure to risk factors

arising from work activity.

What is work injury ?A work injury is a result of either accidents or occupational diseases.

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15 most common accidents:

• Fall and stumbling in the same level• Falling to a lower level• Manual handling of Goods• Manual handling of other people• Conveying• Traffic accidents• Use of hand tools• Machinery and plant• Slipping and falling objects• Fire and explosion risks• Violence accidents• Contact with electricity• Lack of oxygen• Extreme chemical or biological hazards• Extreme temperature effects

Reporting of accidents

• The employer has a duty to report a work-related accident resulting in a day's sick leave or more .

• Notification must be made within nine days to The Working Environment Authority - EASY (electronic notification system).

A task for HR or the health and safety organisation

Occupational diseases

• Anyone can report, but doctors and dentists must report, actual and suspected occupational diseases

• Notification via EASY when the occupational disease is found .

Near misses

• Near misses are incidents that have a potential for harm but result in no injury, e.g. a contractor's tool falling from a height and narrowly missing a person.

• Research shows that an injury accident is often preceded by several near misses, which are not reportable to the WEA.

• Health and safety committees, when monitoring accidents, should take near misses into account.

Why investigate accidents?

Reasons to investigate a workplace accident include:• most importantly, to find out the cause of accidents and to prevent

similar accidents in the future• to fulfill any legal requirements• to determine the cost of an accident• to determine compliance with applicable safety regulations• to process workers' compensation claims

Find the root causes

• The important point is that even in the most seemingly straightforward accidents, seldom, if ever, is there only a single cause. For example, an "investigation" which concludes that an accident was due to worker carelessness, and goes no further, fails to seek answers to several important questions such as:

• Was the worker distracted? If yes, why was the worker distracted?• Was a work procedure being followed? If not, why not?• Were safety devices in order? If not, why not?• Was the worker trained? If not, why not?• An inquiry that answers these and related questions will probably reveal

conditions that are more open to correction than attempts to prevent "carelessness".

Factors in accidents

Task

• Here the actual work procedure being used at the time of the accident is explored. Members of the accident investigation team will look for answers to questions such as:

• Was a safe work procedure used?• Had conditions changed to make the normal procedure unsafe?• Were the appropriate tools and materials available?• Were they used?• Were safety devices working properly?• Was lockout used when necessary?• For most of these questions, an important follow-up question is "If not, why not?"

Material

• To seek out possible causes resulting from the equipment and materials used, investigators might ask:

• Was there an equipment failure?• What caused it to fail?• Was the machinery poorly designed?• Were hazardous substances involved?• Were they clearly identified?• Was a less hazardous alternative substance possible and available?• Was the raw material substandard in some way?• Should personal protective equipment (PPE) have been used?• Was the PPE used?• Were users of PPE properly trained?

Environment

• The physical environment, and especially sudden changes to that environment, are factors that need to be identified. The situation at the time of the accident is what is important, not what the "usual" conditions were. For example, accident investigators may want to know:

• What were the weather conditions?• Was poor housekeeping a problem?• Was it too hot or too cold?• Was noise a problem?• Was there adequate light?• Were toxic or hazardous gases, dusts, or fumes present?

Personnel

• The physical and mental condition of those individuals directly involved in the event must be explored. The purpose for investigating the accident is not to establish blame against someone but the inquiry will not be complete unless personal factors are considered. Some factors will remain essentially constant while others may vary from day to day:

• Were workers experienced in the work being done?• Had they been adequately trained?• Could they manage to do the work physically?• What was the status of their health?• Were they tired?• Were they under stress (work or personal)?

Management

• Management holds the legal responsibility for the safety of the workplace and therefore the role of supervisors and higher management and the role or presence of management systems must always be considered in an accident investigation. Failures of management systems are often found to be direct or indirect factors in accidents. Ask questions such as:

• Were safety rules communicated to and understood by all employees?• Were written procedures and orientation available?• Were they being enforced?• Was there adequate supervision?• Were workers trained to do the work?• Had hazards been previously identified?• Had procedures been developed to overcome them?• Were unsafe conditions corrected?• Was regular maintenance of equipment carried out?• Were regular safety inspections carried out?

FACTS collected

• Injured workers(s)

• The most important immediate tasks--rescue operations, medical treatment of the injured, and prevention of further injuries--have priority and others must not interfere with these activities. When these matters are under control, the investigators can start their work.

• Physical Evidence

• Eyewitness Accounts

• Interviewing

• Background Information (Report, minutes from safety meetings, incidents in the past, near misses)

Write down step by step

• When your analysis is complete, write down a step-by-step account of what happened (your conclusions) working back from the moment of the accident, listing all possible causes at each step. This is not extra work: it is a draft for part of the final report. Each conclusion should be checked to see if:

• it is supported by evidence• the evidence is direct (physical or documentary) or based on

eyewitness accounts, or• the evidence is based on assumption.

Investigation report

• http://education.qld.gov.au/health/pdfs/healthsafety/investigation-template.pdf

Health and safety incident investigation reportGroup work• Analyse an accident that one of the group members know of • Use the template to analyse the investigations and outline your

recommendations. • Try to find all the root causes and use them as part of the

recommendations

Health promotion

• Step 1: Fx Fruit Scheme, participation in DHL relay race , smoking and alcohol policies .• Step 2: Offer exercise outside of working hours, smoking stop courses.• Step 3: Exercise during working hours , various health policies The effort is organized in

the HS organisation , employees' needs and wants are analyzed , and a key person is responsible for the effort.

• Step 4 : Includes an organized effort . The company has put time and money for a project manager or coordinator. The offers are marketed to the employees.

• Step 5: The employees' wishes and needs are addressed . The effort is coordinated . We recruited a project manager or health consultant and allocated money to external consultants and relevant activities. Health promotion is part of the company strategy and marketed professionally.

Source: National Board of Health

The Psychological Working Environment

What are Psychosocial Risk (PSR) Factors?

• Psychosocial risk factors are elements that impact employees’ psychological responses to work and work conditions, potentially causing psychological health problems.

• Psychosocial risk factors include the way work is carried out (deadlines, workload, work methods) and the context we work in (relationships and interactions with managers, colleagues, clients or customers)

Psychological risk factors

• Large workload and time pressure • Bullying and sexual harassment• High emotional demands• Poor collegial and managerial support and feedback• High demands on attention and concentration• Conflicts at work• Violence and threats• Shift work and work at unsocial hours• Reward and recognition• Conflicting or unclear requirements at work• Poor influence on own work• Predictability at restructuring and significant changes• Lack of development• Stress

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These areas are part of the legislation – need for prevention

1. Quantitative demands (workload, pace of work)2. Emotional demands3. Work related violence4. Traumatic experiences5. Night- and shiftwork6. Bullying and sexual harassment

6 key elements for a good working environementThe National Research Centre for the Working Environment in Denmark has identified 6 key elements of major importance for the PWE:• Influence/control (on own work and working conditions) • Meaningful work (own contribution to joint performance)• Reward (wages, carreer, appreciation/recognition) • Predictability (relevant information about plans and changes) • Social support (from managers and colleagues, feedback) • Demand (workload, pace of work).

Contingency plan

In jobs where there is a risk of traumatic events such as violence, robbery and accidents, a contingency plan must be prepared.

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Stress at work and home

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Stress symptoms

How to tackle work related stress

Stress policy

• Identify all workplace stressors and conduct risk assessments to eliminate stress or control the risks from stress.

• Provide training for all managers and supervisory staff in good management practices.

• Provide confidential counselling for staff affected by stress caused by either work or external factors.

• Adequate resources to enable managers to implement the company’s agreed stress management strategy

Management

• Conduct and implement recommendations of risks assessments within their jurisdiction. • Ensure good communication between management and staff, particularly where there are

organisational and procedural changes. • Ensure staff are fully trained to discharge their duties. • Ensure staff are provided with meaningful developmental opportunities. • Monitor workloads to ensure that people are not overloaded. • Monitor working hours and overtime to ensure that staff are not overworking. • Monitor holidays to ensure that staff are taking their full entitlement. • Attend training as requested in good management practice and health and safety. • Ensure that bullying and harassment is not tolerated within their jurisdiction. • Be vigilant and offer additional support to a member of staff who is experiencing stress

outside work e.g. bereavement or separation.

OHS staff

Provide specialist advice and awareness training on stress. Train and support managers in implementing stress risk assessments. Support individuals who have been off sick with stress and advise them and their management on a planned return to work. Refer to workplace counsellors or specialist agencies as required. Monitor and review the effectiveness of measures to reduce stress. Inform the employer and the health and safety committee of any changes and Developments in the field of stress at work.

HR in stresshandling

Give guidance to managers on stress policy. Help monitor the effectiveness of measures to address stress by collating sickness absence statistics. Advise managers and individuals on training requirements. Provide continuing support to managers and individuals in a changing environment and encourage referral to occupational workplace counsellors, where appropriate

Involvement of HSO in stresshandling• HSO must be consulted on any changes to work practices or work design

that could precipitate stress. • HSO should participate in workplace surveys. • HSO must be involved in the risk assessment process. • HSO should be allowed access to collective and anonymous data • from HR. • HSO should be provided with paid time away from normal duties to join

training relating to workplace stress. • HSO should conduct in joint inspections of the workplace at least every 3

months to ensure that environmental stressors are properly controlled.

Workplace bullying

What is workplace bullying?

“Bullying is repeated, unreasonable behaviour directed towards a worker or group of workers that creates a risk to their health and safety."

Types of bullying

Bullying can be psychological violence and/or physical violence, and can include:• Persistent and repeatedly aggressive behaviour• Physical abuse• Repeated verbal abuse, including yelling, screaming, personal comments, offensive language,

sarcasm• Vindictive, offensive, cruel or malicious behaviour• Unreasonable removal of status and authority• Repeatedly having impossible deadlines, workload or pressure• Being given meaningless tasks• Persistent nit-picking and unjustified criticism• Constantly being ‘singled out’ or targeted for practical jokes or gossip• Deliberately being ostracised, isolated or ignored.

Risk factors – how are they prevented Group WorkDiscuss the risk factors: • How many of these do you have in your workplace and what steps

is/or should be taken?• Is the psychological area something you talk about from time to time?

Or is it an area of silence?• Is it possible to raise the awareness about PWE and do you think it is a

task for the HS-organisation.

Practical Assignment

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The practical assignment

The participants must complete a practical task (assignment) in the company where they are employed in order to get a Course Certificate.It must make a connection between the course content and the individual's work in the Health and Safety Organisation. The time used to complete the assignment is outside the 22 hours devoted to training.You can work alone with the task or you can work together with your colleague.

Topic?Find a topic that your workplace need to work with. The choice is yours. These are only examples:

Workplace assessment Bullying Stress HSO Heavy lifting

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The structure of the assignment

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• What is the purpose and topic of the assignment?• Why have you chosen it?• How have you been working with it? • What have your findings been? Where have you been

searching for information and help? • What are the rules for the area?• What is the outcome of the assignment for you and your

workplace?• How can you continue the work ?

Need help?If you need help you can mail to:

Karin Hjorth: karinhjorth@gmail.comPoul Bang Nielsen: info@arbejdsmiljoegruppen.dk

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