Health and Safety Handbook 2007
INTRODUCTION
SHOW SUPPORT
"Safety First At All Times"
MANAGING DIRECTOR & OPERATIONS MANAGERS
- To promote and maintain an ongoing commitment to our Occupational Health and Safety Management system.
- Be aware of the current legislation and obligations of Show Support Pty Ltd in the area of Occupational Health and Safety.
- Formally approve the Company Occupational Health and Safety Policy, Plan and Procedures and review them as necessary.
FIELD MANAGERS & CREW CHIEFS
- Ensure that the mechanisms for identifying risks are in operation and effective.
- Develop procedures for atypical operations and ensure that they are efficiently planned and authorized.
- Provide adequate training that is properly coordinated and recorded.
- Follow up health/safety suggestions and accidents promptly, and report these to the Health and Safety Representatives.
- Ensure appropriate disciplinary action is taken when safety practices are contravened.
- Ensure consistent high safety standards.
- Develop and design plans to eliminate potential hazards at source.
- Assist in the rehabilitation of injured workers.
ALL EMPLOYEES
- Working together with all colleagues on matters relating to safety.
- Not to act in a manner to endanger their self or others.
- Ensure that contractors and visitors for who they are responsible comply with company procedures.
- Report accidents, near misses and any unsafe situations to their Crew Chief/Field Manager.
- Identify and evaluate safety risks and recommend action.
- In the event of immediate danger the operation must be stopped and the Crew Chief /Field Manager informed immediately.
SAFETY REPRESENTATIVES
- All employees are encouraged to participate as Safety Representatives. Please express your interest through your Crew Chief/Field Manager.
- Are members of the Safety Committee.
- Provide a good example to others by their behaviour.
- Participate in enactment of Safety Policy. Eg. Audits, investigations, meetings.
- Participate in the development of safety procedures.
- Exercise their roles in a responsible way.
- Encourage other employees to be involved in safety programs and to report any unsafe conditions
RESPONSIBILITY
It is the responsibility of all employees to respond to the needs of the business and accept the promotion and maintenance of this policy. Our commitment is implicit in the company's Occupational Health and Safety procedures and policies. It depends on all employees taking responsibility for health and safety issues in their control. Show Support Pty Ltd is committed to preventing injury and illness through providing a safe and healthy environment for all associates. However, if an associate is injured, the business is committed to providing a first class rehabilitation program.
GENERAL GUIDELINES
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General
- Follow the specific safe rules that apply in areas that you have to work in.
- Ensure that you are familiar with the procedure in case of emergency.
- In the event of any object falling, move immediately out of the way & warn all other personnel. E.g. "HEADS!"
- Always lie truss flat on the floor. Never stand truss upright on one end.
- Food, drinks, cigarettes & mobile phones are a distraction when handling equipment. Inform a Crew Chief/Field Manager if time out is needed. Keep both hands free to carry out the work task.
- Do not under any circumstances help yourself to food or refreshments in the back of house areas in hotels or any venues to avoid the risk of food poisoning.
"When representing Show Support & our clients in a corporate environment such as a hotel, always consider general behavior. Be safe, polite & courteous to anyone & everyone. Drinking, smoking & eating is not allowed whilst working."
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Electricity
- Never take risks with electrical equipment. Compared to other accidents, electrical accidents are ten times more likely to be fatal.
- Ensure that you do not exceed the rated outputs of power outputs.
- Report all defects.
- Only electrically trained personnel should work on electrical equipment.
- All leads on appliances used must be tested and tagged.
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Machinery
- Know how to stop machinery in an emergency;
- Do not attempt to work on any unguarded machine in motion. Stop it, make sure it is isolated correctly, and implement safe working procedures and conditions.
- Do not interfere with or remove guarding on any equipment.
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Transport
- All vehicles are potentially dangerous. As a driver or as a pedestrian, act with care and consideration.
- Keep to speed limits on and off company sites.
- Do not allow work load to interfere with good driving abilities.
- Take appropriate time for rests when driving.
- Ensure when using company vehicles that they are properly equipped for emergencies or bad weather and that you have appropriate safety equipment. Specific rules apply to drivers of all fork lift trucks (LF) and powered hand trucks and must be observed.
Do not drive any type of LF unless you have been trained, ticketed and authorized.
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Protective Clothing and Equipment
- Always use the correct protective clothing and safety equipment for the work you are doing, and encourage others to do the same.
- Ear protectors to be worn in if working in any high noise areas.
- Employees must keep visitors in designated parts of the plant.
- Ensure all equipment is maintained accordingly.
- Always wear hard hats when specified by the venue or client and at anytime when riggers or machinery are operating overhead.
- Always wear safety vests when specified by the venue or client and at anytime when forklifts, trucks or machinery are operating nearby.
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Rigging
- When rigging any equipment, ensure that only qualified, ticketed personnel perform the task.
- Ensure when rigging any slings, shackles, carabiners, O-rings, safety wires etc have a correct SWL tag.
- Ensure all slings are free from corrosion, fraying or any sort of damage. If they are do not use them and see to it that they are not to be used again. Also, chains must be rated for rigging. You can tell by them being stamped on every tenth link or so.
- Ensure all shackles are moused correctly
- Any block-and-tackle or rope must be kept in good working order and checked regularly for damage.
- Safety harnesses must meet Australian Standards and have correct lanyard.
- Safety harnesses must be worn when ever necessary.
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Ladders
- Make sure any ladders used are in good condition with the ANSI label in place.
- Check ladders for defects before use. Defect ladders should be replaced immediately.
- Be aware of where you position a ladder. If you are near a doorway or blind corner, either move the ladder, or barricade the area prior to erecting the ladder.
- Ensure any ladder is secured when erected, with a stable footing.
- Always have 4:1 ratio with extension ladders and tie off the top to a fixed point.
- Have someone holding the base of a ladder to maximize stability.
- Never use ladders horizontally as a walk way or scaffold.
- Clean off dirty or wet hands, gloves or footwear before ascending a ladder.
- Do not stand on the top or second highest steps of any ladder.
- Use both hands & face the ladder when ascending or descending, remember three points of contact is the rule i.e. two feet and one hand.
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Good Housekeeping
A large proportion of injuries are due to slips and falls. All employees are responsible for the housekeeping and tidiness of their own area. This applies to all employees, wherever they are working.
- Make sure corridors and escape routes are kept free from obstruction.
- Put all waste into appropriate containers.
- Clean up any spills using the correct procedure.
- Do not leave cables exposed in walkways. Always ensure that they are secured.
- Always gaff down or use cable trays where cables are run across any doorway whatsoever regardless of whether or not that doorway is an emergency exit. Always use plenty of gaff and gaff cables in a railroad fashion i.e. side by side and parallel.
- Stack roadcases, materials and equipment neatly.
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Lockout / Tag out
- Do not start work on any equipment until all potentially hazardous energy sources have been isolated by locking and tagging.
- When machinery/equipment is identified as unsafe for use it must immediately be locked out and your manager informed.
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Working at Heights
- Never improvise to allow yourself to reach things as many accidents are caused by falls.
- Don't stand on chairs, pallets or roadcases or climb on other unsuitable objects.
- Safety Harnesses must always be worn when working at heights.
- Use of scaffolding on site must comply with current Workcover Regulations and, if appropriate, assembled & changed by licensed riggers or scaffolders.
- The operation of hoists must be undertaken with careful regard to the security of items being lifted and any obstructions or personnel in or around the area. Barricade the area if items may fall, or in areas of public access.
- Hoist and forklifts and elevated work platforms are only to be operated by licensed personnel.
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Manual Handling
- Avoid back problems by lifting correctly.
- Make use of your leg muscles - bend your legs and keep your back straight.
- Lift only what you can manage comfortably.
- If you are not trained in manual handling please let your Crew Chief/Field Manager know so they may organise your training.
- There are certain techniques employed when lifting roadcases. Make sure you are aware of them and employ them. Never use the handles as they can break off, always lift them from underneath with the correct amount of people. Always listen to the Crew Chief/Field Manager or the most experienced person and do it the way they say.
- Always have a suitable number of people to lift heavy loads. 25kg per person is a general guideline for men. If a roadcase weighs 60 kilos, then don’t attempt to lift it with less than four crew.
- When packing or unloading trucks always follow the instructions of the Crew Chief/Field Manager or the most experienced person in the truck. One person only should call the truck pack to ensure maximum safety.
- Never allow too many people in the truck at one time. Generally, four people to pack it and one to call it.
- When pushing roadcases up ramps, have one crew member behind it pushing it up the ramp and two crew either side of the ramp, holding the handles, assisting up the ramp safely.
- NEVER LET GO OF A ROADCASE WHEN YOU ARE AT THE TOP OF THE RAMP. Keep holding it until one of the truck packers takes it from you or until it is safely resting against the wall of the truck with no possibility of rolling into anybody.
- In wet or rainy conditions, slow down and take extra precautions for safety.
- If any equipment falls GET OUT OF THE WAY AND SHOUT A WARNING. Never attempt to save any item once it has gone past the point of no return. Your safety is far more important than any equipment no matter how expensive it is.
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Chemicals / Dusts
Degreasing or photocopying fluids, cleaning agents, chemicals and any other chemicals are hazardous if not used correctly.
- Read the Safety labels on the containers;
- Do not decant chemicals from one container to another unless the safety information is repeated onto the new container.
- Chemicals must be stored and handled in accordance with all relevant codes of practice and regulations;
- No substance is allowed on site without the specific permission from the State General Manager and the provision of the relevant Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS).
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Drugs and Alcohol
We are committed to a working environment where all employees and management recognise the health and safety risks associated with alcohol and drug use.
- Employees have a responsibility to ensure that they understand and adhere to the company's Drug and Alcohol Policy.
SAFETY IS A STATE OF MIND.
Describing the company's safety policy, explaining our individual responsibilities and giving some useful safety guidelines is part of the campaign for our goal of zero accidents. But the most important step is for all of us to be aware of the standards for working safely and what's more, be personally determined to follow them.
QUALITY - Short cuts are dangerous.
RESPONSIBILITY - Your responsibility is to carry out safety procedures at all times
MUTUALITY - Remember everybody benefits from a safe environment.
EFFICIENCY - Plan, don't leave safety to chance.
FREEDOM - Improving our safety preserves our freedom.
- Uniform Order
- The Immortals
- How to Invoice if you are a Contractor
- Crew Uniform
- The Database
- The Meaning of O-F-V-H in the Booking SMS
- Letter 27th April 2007
- Ranks and Insignia of Show Support
- Ranking
- Inaugural Newsletter
- News
- Employment Policy
- Job Safety Analysis
- Health and Safety Handbook 2007
