We’re proud to announce we now offer WHS / OHS advice and incident support alongside our popular digital tools!

We are offering this service to all members for no additional cost, because we want you to feel confident you are keeping your crew and business safe.

Health and safety is complicated, so whether you are in the office or on-site, if you have a question, are feeling unsure, or have an incident, give our team of experts a call and we will set you right.

Our advisory team is available during working hours to help you with any WHS/OHS questions or problems that may come up. All you need to do is give them a call on 1800 954 702 between the hours of 8am-4pm and they’ll be there to guide you. 

These services are available at no additional cost, it’s just another one of the great benefits and features that comes with your standard or premium HazardCo membership. Plus, you’ll receive updates to ensure that your health and safety programme remains fully compliant and up to date. 

Our team of advisors has years of experience across multiple industries and will be able to give you a hand with any queries you may have, including: 

• What type of documentation is expected from you 
• What the controls should be for the task you’re about to do 
• Advice for managing contractors on-site 
• Understanding WorkSafe visits and notices 
• How to keep contractors and visitors safe in your workplace
• Understanding asbestos works, requirements, where to find it, and training 

We know that incidents on-site can be stressful and it can be hard to know what you need to report and the right process to follow. Give us a call and we will guide you through what you need to do. 

Call 1800 954 702 if you’re in need of a hand. 

MSDs, also known as Musculoskeletal Disorders are the most common type of work-related injury in Australia, with residential construction accounting for 48% percent of all serious workers’ compensation claims in 2015-2016.

Musculoskeletal pain refers to pain felt in the muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons, or nerves, and you can feel this pain in just one area of the body, or throughout your whole body. The pain can range from mild, to severe enough to interfere with your day-to-day life. 

There are numerous risk factors to address: Time pressure, aging workforce, awkward postures for a start. We also need to change mindsets that pain and injury are unavoidable and make our younger workforce understand the cumulative nature of these problems- something that most ‘broken´ builders still working past 50 years of age know very well already.

It is well known that there is a range of factors that contribute to MSDs. It’s not just about a single factor such as the lifting technique (although for industries such as scaffolding and roofing handling techniques are an important factor).

The research firmly points to four groups of factors we need to tackle when addressing MSDs in construction:

• Physical factors, such as:
  • Heavy loads, 
  • Lack of equipment
  • Challenging environments
  • Poor layout
  • Forces, 
  • Repetition 
  • Awkward postures 

• Individual factors, such as:
  • Gender / Age
  • Fitness / Flexibility / Strength
  • Diet / Hydration
  • Weight
  • Attitude

• Psychosocial factors, such as: 
  • Communication
  • Relationships
  • Stress and tension
  • Time pressure
  • Financial strain
  • Management support and the amount of control workers have over their work tasks

• Work Organisation factors, such as:
  • Work hours / Time pressure
  • Lack of help
  • No breaks
  • Poor work planning
  • Training / Skill level
  • Peaks and troughs

It may not surprise you that physical factors often take most of the blame and focus as their connection is easy to understand, measure and observe. There are also proven strategies to overcome physical factors such as machinery, equipment and task modifications. Combining the other factors into your approach is where the construction industry will get the most benefit. Understanding how these factors can combine and influence each other to cause problems will be crucial.

The most common solutions to dealing with MSD are:

• Micropauses and position changes
• Task rotation
• Stretch warm-up and cool down
• Cardio and strength fitness / flexibility
• Stress management
• Back care
• Communication
• Work planning
• Early reporting

We will dive deeper into what treatment might look like and prevention tips, and the unseen costs associated with MSD as we continue our Musculoskeletal Series, so stay tuned!

SafeWork NSW offers a simple program called PErforM, which helps workplaces effectively manage hazardous manual tasks and reduce musculoskeletal disorders. Used by a range of industries, including construction, SafeWork holds free workshops around NSW and online events to introduce you to PErforM. You can contact advisory@hazardco.com for further details.

These days everything is digital. Your payroll is managed online, you keep your team organised via email, and you can even order lunch straight to your site with just a few taps. So why are you still getting bogged down by Health and Safety paperwork? 

HazardCo helps reduce the H&S burden with smart online tools to help you cut back on paperwork. Plus, it’s a time saver with its straightforward templates and reports which are full of tips and suggestions to give you the confidence that you have all your bases covered. 

You can create a SWMS Risk Assessment, Toolbox Meeting, Site Review, Incident Report, or Vehicle Checklist using the HazardCo App on your smartphone or tablet. The app has tools to guide you through each of these tasks, making them a breeze to complete anywhere, and at any time. No longer will H&S be a taxing task because HazardCo members can stay on top of their H&S whenever it works for them, whether that be on-site, while grabbing a morning coffee, or pretty much anywhere that works for them.

We’ve found that people who have embraced going digital as part of their H&S strategy have seen it remove roadblocks, distractions, and excuses – because when you have H&S in the palm of your hand, you can’t not do it. Plus it leads to a safer worksite when H&S is the focus of people’s thoughts and actions. 

At HazardCo, we understand the importance of H&S for keeping your team engaged, on track, communicating, and most importantly, safe. 

If you haven’t gone digital with your H&S there’s no better time than now. Builders and tradies can start their free seven day trial today and see the difference that HazardCo can make for your H&S plan.

MSD is the most common workplace injury and cause of lost time at work, so spending time to focus on it makes good business sense.

Research has shown that the old approach of teaching a person how to lift correctly has not been effective in reducing these problems. Many workplaces pay to bring various experts into the workplace to help them address MSDs but a lot can be done inhouse by those leading the business.

1. Survey your workers for discomfort pain and injury using a body map:
To start a discussion around MSDs print and hang a poster of a body on a whiteboard or wall

(see body map at the end of this article). Next to the poster, provide a marker or stickers for the workers to use to place crosses on the body parts where they have experienced pain or other MSD symptoms in the past week or month. Each worker can also make a mark at the bottom of the poster to indicate that they have contributed. When there is the same number of marks at the bottom as the number of workers, or it’s been established that everyone who wants to contribute has done so, the patterns that emerge from the poster can be used for a toolbox discussion and brainstorming session.

2. Ask your workers to take photos of things they think contribute to discomfort, pain and injury at work:
Ask workers to take photos using their mobile phones over a two-week period. Each person (workers and managers) should take two or three photos of something that they perceive as risky or that they find triggers MSD symptoms at work. They can also take pictures of work situations or equipment that they perceive as helping to prevent MSDs. The quality of the photos doesn’t matter and they don’t have to be self-explanatory. Ask each worker or manager to provide brief explanations of their photos. To give an example of a photo of a risk, it might show the height of a ladder on a vans roof rack (which requires force and an awkward body position for workers to reach). An example of a picture of something that helps to prevent MSDs might be a photo of colleagues helping each other during a pressured time. Each person can be helped to print out their photos and stick them to a board (e.g. in a lunchroom or meeting room). Once the photo shoot is over, arrange a toolbox talk at which all the photos are on display and the topics raised can be discussed. The aim is to establish a shared understanding of what the photos represent. 

3. Think about the physical and mental demands on your workers
There are well-known physical and mental demands of work that lead to MSDs and lower productivity. Identify if you have any of these issues in your business:

• Excessive physical or mental workload: not enough time to do the job, too much work, permanent time pressure, long working hours
• Tasks do not match workers’ skills: they are too difficult or too easy
• Tasks are monotonous and repetitive; workers have no opportunities to feel a sense of ownership of any tasks
• Workers are required to be constantly available, e.g.to respond to emails and phone calls outside working hours
• Many physical risks are present in the workplace, with no preventive measures

Aim to address these demands by:

• Make sure there is enough time to do the job, workload is regularly monitored and extra resources are provided during ‘peak’ times
• Provide tasks that allow workers to make use of and develop their skills and competencies
• Provide tasks that are challenging and interesting; workers feel a sense of ownership of their work
• Respect your workers’ need for a good work-life balance so there is enough time outside work to recover and recharge
• Provide a good physical work environment, with protective measures implemented to tackle risks

4. Where possible get work up off the ground:
Working and handling at ground level places strain on our bodies which overtime can develop into MSDs. Take photos of tasks that require stooping and bending to complete at your workplace. Look for items that are stored on the ground. During toolbox talks discuss ways which the task can be redesigned by raising the work off the ground for example with a trestle, pallets or providing a table. If it can’t be raised, can we extend our tools or modify our position to compensate?

5. Where possible eliminate overhead work:
Jobs that require overhead work are 2 to 3 times more likely to result in a shoulder injury. Overhead work becomes more hazardous when the arms are elevated over 60 degrees.  Use a toolbox talk and photos to identify where overhead work is required. Where possible aim to eliminate it and where it must remain look to design alternative ways to complete it. This includes reducing the force required, using lighter and smaller tools, keeping the arm below 60 degrees and using frequent rest breaks.

We’re going to run you through Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE), which is a type of personal protective equipment (PPE) which protects people from inhaling substances that are hazardous to their health. These hazardous substances include airborne contaminants such as asbestos, hazardous chemicals and dust, fumes (such as welding fumes), and infectious substances, but you should keep in mind that RPE should also be worn to protect the wearer from low levels of oxygen such as working in confined spaces. 

But, before you even get started with RPE, make sure you have other practical control measures in place such as local exhaust ventilation to minimise or eliminate contaminants in the air. Also, keep an eye on your team’s health and workplace conditions to ensure that they aren’t injured or made sick by their work.

We’ve gone ahead and put together a quick guide of factors to consider when providing your workers with RPE. 

Types of RPE
Respirators that use filters remove contaminants from the air which the wearer will be breathing. Disposable respirators (often called dust masks) are good for short-term or one-off use and protect the wearer from harmful particles such as dust, fumes, fibres, and biological hazards such as bacteria or viruses. 

Powered air purifying respirators (PAPRs) consist of headgear and fan assembly that take contaminated air, filters and removes a sufficient portion of these hazards, and then delivers the clean air to the user. These are also known as positive pressure masks, blower units, or blowers. 

Supplied air respirators provide a supply of clean air to the wearer from a source such as an air compressor or cylinder. It’s important to note that the air supply needs to be checked regularly to make sure that it is safe to use. 

Using RPE
It’s important for your workers to visually check their RPE for signs of damage before each use so that they can let you know if there are any issues, including whether it needs to be cleaned or decontaminated. 

Make sure your team stays safe by keeping their RPE on while working in the hazardous area. Removing it for even a short period of time could be a risk to their health.

If your workers are using RPE that requires a tight fit, make sure that they are checking it properly before entering the hazardous area. There are two fit checks which they need to do:

Keep in mind that if your worker’s safety glasses fog up while they are wearing a half-face respirator, this is a sign that there is a leak at the top of the respirator. 

Life Shavers: shaving your beard could save your life
When your workers are wearing respiratory protective equipment at work, they should be clean shaven to ensure it is forming a seal and protecting them from breathing in hazardous materials. Even a small amount of stubble can prevent RPE from sealing correctly which means your workers will still be inhaling harmful materials which may cause health concerns. A clean shave goes hand in hand with the correct RPE for the job.

It’s your responsibility to monitor your workers’ health. Make sure that you are completing regular Site Reviews on the HazardCo App, as this will help you to identify potential hazards and put effective plans in place.

Whenever there are multiple businesses on-site at once it can be a bit confusing who is responsible for what. 

The simple rule of thumb is each business must do what they can, within reason, to keep everyone safe. This relates to their own team, other workers or anyone that steps on-site. The best way to do this, work together and communicate. 

It’s everyone’s responsibility
On-site it is everyone’s responsibility to manage health and safety. Businesses must work together to keep all workers on-site safe. Chances are there will be overlapping health and safety activities and obligations when multiple companies are working together. 

In this case, it’s critical everyone follows the 3C’s – consult, cooperate and coordinate. 

By following the 3C’s businesses are ensuring that everyone is aware of any overlapping duties, so roles can be clearly defined and work isn’t impacted. 

The importance of communication
Communication is key. Worksites are busy places. With contractors and subcontractors coming and going, there are a lot of moving parts. To maintain a safe working environment for all, communication must be prioritised. 

If a new team comes onto site, make sure to run them through a full induction. 

If it arises there may be an overlap in responsibilities, seek them out straight away and follow the 3 C’s. 

Covering the gaps
When there is an overlap, why is this communication important? Two reasons. 

Firstly, it allows both parties to clearly define roles and responsibilities and establish an action plan for how health and safety will be managed. 

Secondly, they may recognise risks that you may not and vice versa. Working together can increase the scope of the hazards recognised – ultimately making site safer! 

Gaps can occur when businesses: 

• Have a lack of understanding about each others roles 
• One assumes the other is responsible for a risk 
• The business managing the risk is not the best equipped to 
• Not knowing the works other businesses are undertaking

Understanding the extent of your duty
When there are overlapping duties on-site, how do you determine the extent of your duty? You will need to consider the extent to which you can influence or control the risk in question. 

This can be determined by considering the following: 

• Control over the work activity – if you are the business managing or running the work being undertaken
• Control over the site – if you are the main contractor or subcontractor
• Control over your team – a business will have more control over its own team or contractors than others on-site 

Ultimately, the more influence and control you have over the site or workers, the more control you have over the risk – the more responsibility you have. 

Working along other businesses is a natural part of residential construction. Everyone on-site has a duty to open up the lines of communication and look out for each other.

Do you know what you need to do before you demolish or refurbish a property, building or structure? Find out what the asbestos regulations mean for you before doing any work.

Identifying Asbestos
Planning is key to identifying all potential hazards and the risks involved when doing any sort of demolition or refurbishment work. Asbestos can be found in buildings constructed or renovated before the year 2000 and as such it is more than likely to be present at your next job. 

You can find out more about where asbestos may be in Australian homes here.

Asbestos or asbestos containing material (ACM) must be identified and removed by a competent person before the demolition or refurbishment is started (unless demolition is required to gain access to the asbestos). Things to consider when planning your work:

• • Are there inaccessible areas that are likely to be disturbed during the demolition or refurbishment?
  • What is the type and condition of the asbestos or ACM?
  • What is the quantity of asbestos or ACM?
  • What is the method of demolition or refurbishment, and how will it affect the asbestos or ACM?
  • If asbestos is likely to be disturbed during demolition or refurbishment, can it be removed safely before work starts; if so, how can this be done

• Have I confirmed with my state safety regulator that they need to be informed of the proposed ACM removal works?

If the competent person is unsure whether asbestos is present it must be assumed that it is and all steps taken to mitigate the asbestos risks. If asbestos is identified you must notify all parties involved such as the homeowner, landlord, occupant and/or the contractor in control of the site.

Asbestos Management Plan
Any works where asbestos has been identified will require an asbestos management plan. This outlines where any asbestos or ACM has been identified. Your plan must contain the following:

• the identification of asbestos and ACM (eg where any signs and labels are located)
• decisions, and reasons for the decisions, about how the asbestos risks are managed (eg safe work procedures and control measures)
• procedures for recording incidents or emergencies involving asbestos in the workplace
• information about the workers carrying out work involving asbestos, including
  • information and training that has been or will be provided
  • their roles and responsibilities
  • any health monitoring that has been or will be conducted.

Other information may be included in the asbestos management plan, such as:

• a timetable for managing asbestos exposure risks (eg priorities and dates for removal, reviews, circumstances and activities that could affect the timing of action)
• procedures, including a timetable for reviewing and (if necessary) revising the asbestos management plan and asbestos documentation
• waste disposal
• air monitoring procedures, if required.

Emergency Planning
An emergency plan is required for demolition work where plant and structures contain asbestos. When developing the emergency procedure, you should consider:

• the work being done in the workplace or home
• hazards in the workplace or home
• the workplace or home’s size and location (eg remote location, multi-level site with shared services)
• the number of workers and other people who might be at the work site (eg workers on shifts, maintenance and cleaning personnel, customers, people working alone).

The procedure should include:

• how to respond effectively to an emergency
• evacuation procedures
• notifying emergency services
• getting help, including medical treatment
• effective communication between the person the PCBU authorises to co-ordinate the emergency response and the people at the work site
• provisions for regularly testing the procedure
• what information, training and instruction will be given to relevant workers about how to put the emergency procedure into effect.

The emergency procedure must be carried out if there is an emergency. 

If the plant or structure is not structurally sound or is going to collapse, make the area as safe as practical and notify your state safety regulator immediately.  

Disposal of Asbestos
Before demolition starts, think of how you are going to dispose of the waste. Having a good waste containment and disposal process is just as important as having safe processes for working with asbestos. 

Asbestos is considered special waste and special waste needs to be handled, buried, pre-treated or tested before it can be disposed of at the landfill. You need to make an application if you want to dispose of special waste.

Applications are often called special waste disposal declarations. Contact your local landfill to enquire about what they require before taking any material to them. 

Not all landfills or transfer stations are authorised disposal sites, check with your local council to find out where your local authorised site is. 

Double-bag all waste. All waste, including single-use masks and coveralls, cloths and plastic sheets should be double-bagged in heavy duty plastic bags. Twist the top of bags tightly, fold the necks over and seal with adhesive tape. Clearly mark the outer bag as asbestos waste. 

Check with your receiving landfill for further details especially around handling details. There are often restrictions around how the material is offloaded.

If using skip bins or wheelie bins on site, be aware that many providers of these bins do not allow asbestos to be disposed of in them. Check your provider first for approval.

Document your disposal process in your Asbestos management plan and Asbestos Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) considering the above.

As a HazardCo member you have access to a library of SWMS located in your Hub, which includes demolition and the removal of non-friable asbestos for anything less than 10m2. Use of these resources will help you to identify the hazards and risks in your workplace and the recommended controls.

Our team of Health and Safety Advisors are here to help you with anything you are unsure of, give us a call on 1800 954 702, option 4.

Demolition is not just the knocking down of buildings or structures, it also includes smaller maintenance and renovation work such as the dismantling of parts of structures (e.g. one part of a steel-framed building) or the removal of walls.

When planning your works you need to first identify the hazards and manage the risks:

• Protection of the public and workers – Fencing and barriers are in place to prevent unauthorised access or controlled access and egress by a licensed person

• Overhead and underground utilities – Ensuring all services have been identified and are isolated or disconnected
• Asbestos – Asbestos has been identified, managed and removed prior to demo. We will discuss this more in our next blog
• Dust – Use of water to dampen down the area

• Fire and explosives – All hazardous materials or substances have been removed from the area of work before commencing demolition
• Weather – Plan for bad weather and control harmful or hazardous run off 
• Working at heights – Where possible work from the ground, ensure you have the right fall protection and working platforms to eliminate or minimise the risk of falling from one level to another
• Identify the correct personal protective equipment (PPE) & respiratory protective equipment (RPE) needed for handling and disposing of hazardous building materials

When demolition is involved there is always the potential for the collapse of the structures. Ensure structural / supporting elements are identified before demolition (you may need to seek structural engineers help identifying these, and in what order to take them down).

• Identify what work is carried out internally by people and what is / can be carried out externally by machinery to ensure safety.
• Plan to manage falling objects and unplanned structure collapse
• Know the proximity of building or structure being demolished to other buildings or structures
• Walls should never be left free-standing that could be blown down by unexpected winds.
• If any wall is to be toppled by pulling, there should be a surrounding clear space of 1.5 x wall height
• Ensure temporary support props are in place to provide additional support where needed

Most demolition is classed as high-risk construction work (HRCW) so make sure you complete a Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) via the HazardCo App 

These should be tailored to the task at hand and regularly updated as changes occur.

With HazardCo, you don’t need to be on-site to know what’s happening. At the click of a button, the HazardCo Hub will show you who’s on-site, and it’s all available to you at any time, from anywhere. 

It all works using a QR code:

• When you create a new Project in the Hub, it automatically creates a site specific QR code.
• Your site hazard board arrives with the QR code printed on it.
• Every time someone enters or leaves your site, they scan the QR code using the free HazardCo App then the App sends the info to your Hub.
• The QR code links activity to your project, and the details of who has scanned on/off site is stored in your Hub straight away, so you can see on-site health and safety activity as it happens.

Likewise, any H&S reports created on-site via the App are updated to the Hub straight away. This includes:

• Scanning on/off site, so you know who’s there at any time.
• Site inductions as soon as they’re completed.
• H&S reports completed by members of your team via the App e.g. Toolbox Meetings, Site Reviews, Risk Assessments, SWMS, and Incident Reports.
• Any completed H&S activity shared by your subbies… yes, if they’re HazardCo members they can easily share their reports straight from the App into your project on your Hub.

The QR code is the link between all on-site H&S activity and your project in the Hub. When you get everyone on-site using HazardCo’s digital system, you’ll always have a real time view of the activity happening on your site, even when you can’t be there yourself.

Excavation work generally involves heavy machinery hazards and the need to manage vehicle and foot traffic on-site. Making sure you understand these hazards and how best to minimise these risks is key to ensuring the safety of those working in and around excavations.

Pre-start checks
Always check your equipment is fit for use at the beginning of each day.

A trained and competent machinery operator should be conducting a pre-start check before use. This gives you certainty that your equipment is good to go for the day and won’t cause you any unexpected problems or delays. Things to check are:

Visual checks before turning the equipment on:

• Fluid and oil levels are sufficient and no leaks
• Battery is clean and charged
• Safety mechanisms are in place, working and not damaged
• Warning signage is in place and readable
• Attachments, clips and pins are in working order and without damage
• Hydraulics are undamaged and lubricated

Stationary function test while equipment is on:

• Horn and reversing alarm sound
• Control panel, lights and pedals are all fully operational
• Bucket and arms fully extend and tilt as required

Moving function test:

• Steering is in good order
• Brakes function

We recommend using your manufacturer’s pre operational check sheet and keeping these records with your equipment. Use of the HazardCo Heavy Machinery Prestart checklist will help you cover these specific checks.

Traffic Management
Managing excavations risks also means managing the risks of other contributing factors such as traffic. Keeping vehicles and pedestrians clear of heavy machinery and excavation works could mean you’re going to need a traffic management plan. When putting your traffic management plan in place you’ll need to consider the following:

• Directing traffic, including cyclist and pedestrians if applicable
• Delivery and set down areas and schedules
• Worksite layout, speed limits, traffic flow, fencing/barrier placement and exclusion zones
• Safe loading/unloading and turning/reversing practices
• Site restrictions such as noise or traffic volume 
• When the site is unattended and how the excavations are being managed at these times
• Emergency procedures

Having a traffic management plan in place and discussing this at the time of site inductions means everyone entering the site is aware of the site rules, safe practices and expectations before commencing work.

If you need assistance with a traffic management plan, please contact the advisory team at HazaradCo and we will happily talk you through the requirements.

Zone of Influence
Know your limits

Heavy machinery, as its name suggests, is heavy and carries a lot of weight. If being operated too close to excavations it can affect the stability of your excavations causing them to collapse. All heavy vehicles, material and spoil should remain out of the zone of influence plus a metre unless specific designs are in place showing it can support such weight bearing.

Tip-over
Uneven and unstable grounds can often lead to machinery tip-over. Tip-overs can cause serious injuries or worse, fatalities. Know the ground conditions you are working with and make sure you are following the outlined safety rules for your site. Ensure the following points are considered:

• the site operator must have systems to ensure work is planned and operating areas assessed prior to work by the supervisor and machine operator
• digger operators do a dynamic risk assessment before starting each job
• the safest route is selected when moving and excavator around the site
• there is never digging underneath an excavator
• work is always carried out a safe distance from the edge of a face
• Standard Operating Procedures should be written where possible
• work areas are designed to control the hazards
• roll-over protection is fitted to all cabs including excavators, and ensure operators
• wear seat belts and keep doors closed
• there are always two exits from the excavator.

If you would like more information or to chat with one of our friendly Advisory team please give us a call on 1800 954 702