Workplace Health And Safety Scenarios And Case Study

Discussion

The conductance of adequate procedures and optimum business ethics is imperative for ensuring sound physiological and psychological health of the concerned employees of any respective organization (Yorio, Willmer and Moore 2015).

The following paragraphs highlight key examples and scenarios focusing on workplace functioning and the resultant employee safety.

The following paragraphs aim to demonstrate various backgrounds highlighting optimum professional as well as personal practices.

With respect to the aforementioned case scenario, there is clearly a breach of the Workplace Health and Safety Standards as well as the Occupational Health Standards, outlined by ‘Safe Work Australia’, which leads the formulation and development of policy frameworks at the national platform, for the purpose of ensuring a safe working environment (Hale, Borys and Adams 2015). The scenario also focuses on a breach of The Occupational Health and Safety Act, 2004 (Phillips et al. 2015). The concerned employee in the case scenario is under considerable stress due to misconduct of business ethics by the fellow employer. The Workplace Health and Safety Standards emphasize assurance of adequate stress management by the concerned organizational heads with respect to the provision of conditions which reduce incidences of stress in the workforce members (Joyce et al. 2016). Hence, for management of this misconduct and resultant consequences, the concerned employee may report to the Health and Safety Representative, belonging to the nearest Workplace Health and Safety authority located as per the specified are of the country (Ellen et al. 2016). The assigned delegate may establish mediating communications between the employee as well the concerned manager, in order to communicate thoroughly, the consequences of breaching such policies, the requirement of provision of adequate stress regulating environments for workers as well as the availability of compensation for the concerned employee (Holman, Johnson and O’Connor 2018).  

With respect to outlining a high risk situation, I was once expose to severe emotional mental risk and distress, due to the occurrences of repeated bullying during my previous working environment. I was informed prior to my recruitment by the manager that I will be trained adequately with respect to the development of my existing skills. However, my trainer as well my senior colleagues behaved with a state of constant bullying towards me, to the extent where I was encountered with abusive commentaries and criticism using offensive languages. Though I believe that under such a mentally traumatizing work environment, I was able to maintain my calm behavior and I often used empathy to justify the behavior of my seniors, since workplace stress may have conditioned them to believe with such mannerisms (Wagaman et al. 2015). However, due to escalating toll on my mental health, I was required to resign from the post immediately. Reflecting on the situation, I believe that I should have researched further, regarding the existence of Workplace Health and Safety Standards stated by the Australian Government, which outline excessive bullying as a breach of the health and safety laws. Reflecting further, I believe that I should have reported the situation immediately to the nearest Health and Safety Representative located in my workplace vicinity, for compensation as a result of breaching of the Fair Work Act 2009. Further, I believe that the concerned workplace should undergo an examination and auditing by the concerned Worker Health Safety Authority located nearby, for identification, management and prevention of such high-risk incidences (Hoffman, Burke and Zohar 2017).

Part 1A

With respect to the imparting awareness to my fellow employees, I would develop the following handout. The purpose of the handout would be in simplifying the meanings pertaining to the presence and usage of various symbols in the concerned working environment, which would is imperative for the maintenance or adequate safety and medical conditions of the concerned worker (Vijayan et al. 2016). In accordance to the Australian Standards of ‘AS 1319-1994’, the Australian Workplace Safety Signs and Symbols have been designated, with due consideration of the fact, that employees of any working environment after involved in the occupational functions pertaining to the presence or usage of harmful components and equipment (Larkin et al. 2015). Hence, the usage of signs will not only aid in imparting precautionary warning performance to the employers, but will also ensure rapid assistance and mitigation during a scenario of medical or emergency crisis (Duarte et al. 2014).

During the involvement and conductance of activities pertaining to the execution of community services, workers are often encountered with the management of critical or aggressive patients or clients, which in response, may lead to occurrences of harmful acts towards the concerned worker responsible for client management (Swain and Gale 2014). With respect to the vital functioning of the workforce pertaining to any organization, the performance of duty of care towards the concerned employer is of utmost importance for the manager or organizational head in question (Chan 2016). With respect to the organization concerned with provision of Community services where I am employed in, my employer is under the obligation to ensure adequate duty of care towards my functioning, as a response to the prevention or management of mental or physical injury occurrences during commencement of my required duties (Moss et al. 2015). In order for adequate conductance of duty of care in my organization, there is adequate establishment of communication between the workers and the employers, with regards to the psychological risks associated with the concerned patient scenario, as well thorough evaluation of the workers as well as management’s level of expertise in the conductance of optimum organizational functioning. Workers are also obliged to ask for reasonable compensation as a response to the ‘Fair Work Act 2009’, during breaching of duty of care by our employer (Capuano 2016). In order to ensure  adequate  mental  soundness, I conduct significant self care practices. During working hours I engage in conducting required breaks from work, during which I attempt to involve myself in brief relaxation by consuming adequate food and fluids. During the onset of critical situations where I feel mentally upset, I engage in conversation with my colleagues which further allows me to articulate my issues efficiently. After work I attempt to keep my personal as well as professional life separately, in order to prevent workplace distresses from causing detrimental effects to my mental health and well being.

Concerning the case study of Amanda, the injury report was formulated. Upon examination of the aforementioned case study, it can concluded that it was required by Amanda to report her injury to her manager or the concerned employer at the earliest. If needed, reporting the injury to the nearest Work Health Safety Authority  and  the concerned Health Safety Representative was highly needed of Amanda, as it is evident that her injury was the  result of an occupational hazard, that  is a frayed carpet to be precise, which should have been  considered by the  employer in  order to prevent the occurrences of  injuries or falls (Ackermann 2014). This, along with the availability of adequate  medical documents outlining her resultant  medical condition  by the  doctor,  would have resulted  in a compensation by her employer as a result of the breach  of ‘Fair Work Act 2009’ (Pekarek et al. 2017).

Part 1B

However, due to the  absence of adequate  reporting, Amanda along with the key  witness Steven Curry can report to the  nearest  Health and  Safety  Representative.  The availability of adequate compensation is doubtful due to the presence of inadequate reports. However, the concerned representative may conduct an auditing required for the identification, evaluation, regulation and controlling of risks and hazards associated with the occupational environment, to further prevent future such injuries, along with possibility of a compensation if adequate hazards are identified (Quinlan Bohle, P. and Rawlings-Way 2015).

Accident or Injury Report (As designed by the Authoe)
INJURED PERSON SURNAME:	Jones	INJURED PERSON FIRST NAME:	Amanda
DATE OF INJURY:	8th September 2016	TIME:	11:45 AM
WITNESSES DETAILS:	Steven Curry	Performance of First Aid
Describe the situation involved and the nature of the injury: The concerned individual encountered tripping and falling upon the presence of a frayed carpet during kitchen entrance. The fall resulted straining of the ankle, followed by severe pain, requiring avoidance from occupational activities for one week , accompanied by adequate rest
WHEN WAS THE INJURY REPORTED:	11:45 AM in the presence of the witness Steven Curry	WHO WAS THE INJURY REPORTED TO?	The primary witness and first aid provider, Steven Curry.
Detail any first-aid treatment provided to the person (include details of the individual who provided the treatment). The first aid treatment was provided by employee Steven Curry, who performed adequate supportive bandaging for mitigation of the injury encountered by Amanda Jones.
REPORTING EMPLOYEE:	Amanda Jones	REPORT DATE:	8th September 2016
SIGNED: Amanda Jones
WHS representative notes: Concerning the fact that the accident was conducted due to the presence of a frayed carpet, there is indication of inadequate occupational measures formulated and adhered to by the concerned  organizational heads of the respective  institute. There is a need for conductance of an appropriate auditing by the Health  Safety  Representative,  in order to identify the existing risks,  assess the rate  of possible consequences of the same,  advise guidelines for controlling of the same and conduct future monitoring procedures to enhance maintenance of workplace health and safety standards (Bong et al. 2015).
WHS OFFICER:		DATE:
SIGNED:

The following outlines by Professional Development Plan. I have utilized the  guidelines  outlined  by  SMART goals formulation which stands for  establishment  of goals which are  Specific,  Measurable,  Achievable,  Relevant  and  Time-bound (Shaw et al. 2015). I have established goals which clearly specify my requirements and can be measured through evaluation of my academic or occupational development. I have also establishes goals which are realistic and hence, can be fulfilled with a reasonable time, that is three years.

Since I also want to engage myself in the performance of new work and job environments, I have chosen online courses which would be helpful in enhancement of my existing occupational, academic and organizational skills. These are:

• Swineburne Online Degree and Communication courses for enhancement of my communication skills which is required for professional, as well as personal development (Swineburne Online 2018).
• National College of Australia offers online training courses on Community Services, which will be beneficial in my enhancement of community knowledge National College 2018).
• Volunteering Services Australia conducts workshops on community service training which would provide me practical knowledge which is imperative for knowledge enhancement (Volunteering Services Australia 2018).

Upon completion of the VARK learner questionnaire, it was revealed that a require a Kinesthetic learning style for improvement of my existing academic knowledge (Zhu et al. 2018). In accordance to the kinesthetic learning style, mere theoretical information or lecture notes would be of little benefit to me. I would require adequate engagement in practical examples, role play, demonstrations or discussions to further enhance my skills and knowledge (Wagner 2014).

My personal goals are:	My professional goals are:	My Timeframe	Who will help me?
· To further improve my existing knowledge through conductance of research · To further improve my existing physical and mental health during occurrences of stressful situations · To further improve my existing communication and leadership skills	· To enhance my existing occupational experience by engaging in novel working environments · To enhance my existing knowledge of community services by engagement in novel workshops or service programs · To enhance my existing client and colleague communication strategies	I wish to fulfill these goals within a timeframe of 3 years	I believe existing experts and professionals such as professors, trainers, mentors and guides will help me in the fulfillment of my goals. Further supportive networks amongst my parents and friends will aid in my personal goal fulfillment
Strengths, Skills & Abilities	My Weaknesses Learning Needs	Training Gaps Learning Opportunities	Expected Outcomes
· Ability to conduct strong interpersonal communication · Ability to establish effective empathetic relationships · Ability to manage deadlines and work pressure · Strong sense of patience, determination, dedication along with an enthusiasm to learn and explore novel research	· Inadequate self care routines during high occupational or academic stress, leading to compromised physical and mental health · Lack of adequate experience in workplace environment · Requirement to perform additional working, training or academic functions for further enhancement of existing knowledge and experience. · Requirement of further exploration of research and information, in order to strengthen existing knowledge	· Lack of adequate work experience as a major gap in training · Requirement of availing novel workshops or training courses, which available in plentiful in the surrounding vicinity · Requirement of assessing novel knowledge, information and library inventories, which are available in the surrounding vicinity · Requirement of adoption of an adequate time management schedule to endure optimum self care and academic or professional development · Further requirement of engagement in community services for enhancement of experience	· Improvement in existing professional and occupational experience · Improvement in existing research and academic knowledge · Enhance time management, as well as improvement in psychological and physiologicalhealth

The following outlines my Task Action Plan.

WHAT ARE MY GOALS?	HOW WILL I DO IT?	WHO WILL HELP?	WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS?	HOW WILL I MEASURE PROGRESS?	WHAT IS THE TIMEFRAME
Improve existing academic knowledge	Conductance of research, exploration of novel topics and studying	Library and online resources, my professors	High financial cost, mental fatigue, time constraints	Conductance of online or practical discussions and examinations	Three years
Enhance existing occupational knowledge	Engagement in community services	Groups or organizations conducting such workshops	High financial costs, fatigue, time constraints	Communicating with seniors involved in the execution of the workshop	Three years
Enhance my existing communication skills	Engagement in communication courses and training	Online courses	High financial costs, fatigue, time constraints	Conductance of online examinations and engagement in communication with colleagues and clients, participation in group discussions.	Three years

The following paragraphs highlight the salient features pertaining to the development of a Safety Policy for the Workplace. The aim of the policy would be to ensure that the existing workforce avoid misconduct in the occupational environment.

• Maintenance of safe environment for staff and clients: For the maintenance of a safe working environment for the workforce, thorough evaluation would be conducted by the quality management department in order to assess the possible risks present, and work actively upon their eradication (Vinichenko et al.2016). With respect to areas utilizing the usage of harmful chemicals or equipment, or indicating the presence of required machineries or instruments, there would be adequate establishments of signs and symbols which would be useful in adequately directing and educating the workers. Discussions would also be conducted where workers will be informed and updated regarding proper functioning in order to endure safe performance of duties (Kamenopoulos and Tsoutsos 2015).
• Relevant legislation and codes of practice: The organization would be standardized by the Work Place Health and Safety Standards outlined by the nearest Workplace Health and Safety Authority located nearby. This would aid in further treatment of future misconduct or unsafe actions through legal frameworks or requirement of compensation (Butterworth, Leach and Kiely 2016).
• Maintenance of compliance within the organization: The enhance worker compliance, the workers should be informed adequately regarding the various legal, financial or legal benefits provided by the organization. Further, the worker compliancy will be maintained when they are adequately educated regarding the safety guidelines provided by the organization. Effective use of feedback strategies, empathetic communication and accountability to further maintain the same (Gregson et al.2015).
• Workplace violence, alcohol use and harassment: Strict guidelines should be outlined with severe compensation and legal frameworks, upon the occurrences of such misconduct. An active participation by the human resources department allowing ease in complaint documentation and monitoring would prevent such malpractices in the organization (Becton Gilstrap and Forsyth 2017).
• Reporting of unsafe conduct and documentation process: Since the organization would be authorized under the Work Health and Safety Authority of Australia, the ready availability of a Health Safety Representative, along with a department with the sole responsibility of managing worker reporting, would be a key method for ensuring prevention of unsafe occupational conduct.
• Hazard identification, management and control: The organization would undergo periodic auditing and adherence by Work Health Safety authority, which would monitor the risks, advise the management of the same and aim to reduce their future occurrences (Stergiou-Kita et al.2015).
• Staff adherence to WHS and PPE:The usage of safety symbols along with hard copies stating guidelines of the importance of safe equipment, followed by routine examination processes by the nearest Health Safety Representative, would ensure the adherence of the staff to the guidelines of Workplace Health and Safety Standards (Alsamawai et al. 2017).
• Legal and ethical frame works: Legal frameworks pertaining to the concerned organization would be Workplace Health and Safety Standards, Fair Work Act 2009 and The Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004, the breaching of which would result in strict legal action and requirement of adequate compensation (Abubakar 2015).

Conclusion

Hence, to conclude, this report successfully the key highlights pertaining to the optimum assurance of worker health and safety, at any occupational environment.

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Part 2A

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