Did you know that one in six Australians is currently experiencing depression, anxiety or both? The construction industry employs more than 625,000 people across Australia, making it one of the biggest employers in the country, this means that there is a good chance that you or someone you work with is struggling with or at some stage has struggled with their mental wellbeing.  

There are some pretty shocking stats that show how mental health and wellbeing affects Aussies:

• 1 in 4 Australians are lonely and have no-one to speak to
• Workers in the construction industry are six times more likely to die by suicide than through workplace accidents
• It’s estimated that 45 percent of people will experience a mental health condition in their lifetime
• In any one year, around 1 million Australian adults have depression, and over 2 million have anxiety

We are increasingly more aware that mental health and wellbeing is a serious issue that affects so many of us. When people are struggling with their mental health and going through a rough time it can be hard for them to seek help or talk about it. We can look out for our friends and colleagues because we know there is a good chance that at least one of them may need someone to talk to. 

Poor mental health and well-being come in many shapes and sizes but there are some common signs to look out for. It typically looks like a change in behavior rather than a one-off incident or if they are just ‘having a bad day’. If you see any of these signs or changes in behaviour it might be time to reach out to your friend or workmate:

• A talkative or sociable person pulling away or isolating themselves
• Normally relaxed or easy going but now are agitated or aggressive
• Coming in to work late or not at all
• Finding it hard to cope with day to day things
• Finding it hard to concentrate or finish tasks
• Using alcohol and/or drugs to cope

If you see these signs, your friend or workmate might need a helping hand. They might need you to check in on them and see how things are going. This can be hard and scary if you don’t know what you are doing when dealing with mental health and wellbeing. Reaching out to someone who is struggling can be the first step towards getting them the help that they need. You don’t have to be an expert, you just have to be a friend. 

Fortunately for us in Australia, there are so many organisations that exist solely to help people with their mental health and well-being. If you see someone struggling, encourage them to get in touch with one of these organisations for more help. If you need more guidance in dealing with the situation you can call too. Here is some of the places (there are more) you can contact if you or a friend are struggling with mental health:

• Lifeline – 13 11 14
• Beyond Blue – 1300 22 4636
• Suicide Call Back Service – 1300 659 467

For more resources on how to check in on a workmate download the free guide from RUOK? Here 

HazardCo was created by tradies, for tradies. We understand that on-site risks change, all day, every day, and have experienced what happens when they aren’t well managed first hand. So we formed HazardCo to help tradies get their health and safety sorted – and help you to feel confident that you’re doing the right thing. 

HazardCo’s digital health and safety solution uses everyday technology to help you complete all your health and safety requirements – all from your back pocket. Plus, HazardCo helps you to cut back on paperwork and saves you time by using straightforward templates and reports, which are full of tips and suggestions to give you the confidence you have it all covered.

You can use the HazardCo App on your smartphone to create a SWMS, Toolbox Meeting, Site Review, Risk Assessment, Incident Report, Vehicle Checklist, and more. The app is packed with simple-to-use tools that guide you through each of these activities, making them super quick and easy to complete. The HazardCo App enables our members to feel confident that they are on top of their health and safety from anywhere, at any time – whether they’re on-site, taking a coffee break, or even at home after a long day at work. 

HazardCo takes the hassle out of getting your team on board because the app is free to download for everyone on-site; this includes subbies, your team, and also visitors to your site.  This means that at the site scan-in board all they need to do is use the app or your camera to scan the QR code when they sign in and out which gives you the visibility of knowing who has been on-site and when without having to be there in person. Plus, there’s no need for loads of paperwork and meetings the first time someone arrives on-site – all they need to do is scan in and complete their induction on their smartphone. It’s simple, smart, and time-saving while also giving you the confidence of knowing you have your bases covered. 

Along with the app, being a HazardCo member also gives you access to the HazardCo Hub – our digital tool for setting up new projects. All of the information you need is stored online meaning that you can login from anywhere, at any time. Plus, you can use the hub to view, download, and review activity reports, including site reviews, risk assessments, and inductions.

Good health and safety practices are about more than just following the rules; they’re about doing the right thing to keep you and your team safe. HazardCo’s smart digital tools save you time and paperwork, giving you the confidence that you’re doing everything you can to keep your team safe.

You know that old saying… “no pain, no gain’”. Well, this is not true!  Just because you work in the construction industry doesn’t mean that you need to be affected by short or long-term pain.

Aches and pains are some obvious symptoms of musculoskeletal disease (MSD), but have you thought about what impacts MSD is having on you outside of work in your personal life?

What if constantly performing the same repetitive movement all day is causing you acute pain that means you aren’t able to kick the football around with your kids after work or play golf on the weekend with your mates? Do you really want your work to impact your personal life, or your worker’s lives when there are some simple steps that could prevent it from happening?

As a business owner have you thought about the hidden costs?
Data shows that strains and sprains often become more problematic later in a construction worker’s career, with the largest claims in the housing construction sector. In 2017, the average compensation paid and working weeks lost for musculoskeletal injury was $13,500 (7.2 weeks lost) for muscular stress while handling objects, $12,500 (6.4 weeks lost) for muscular stress while lifting, carrying, or putting down objects, and $12,200 (5.5 weeks lost) for muscular stress with no objects being handled.

There is a large range of costs that surface when someone has an injury on the job, especially when they can’t return to work the next day or sometimes weeks or months. This has a huge impact on deadlines, bottom line, skills on-site, and team dynamics.

Risky work that can cause MSD’s can be as simple as overhead or floor level work, manual and hand intensive work.

Have you thought about other ways you could be working to alleviate the stress on your body? It could be as simple as:

• doing a few warm-ups at the start of the day,
• breaking up your tasks throughout the day,
• taking a moment to stop and stretch throughout the task or
• choosing a different piece of equipment.

It’s common practice when you workout, that you warm-up and cool down, so why is working any different?

Accepting the reality of MSDs helps us formulate an effective approach to combat MSDs in our industry.

MSD’s occur due to a number of risk factors including repetitive or sustained force high or sudden force repetitive movement sustained and/or awkward posture or exposure to vibration.We will more than likely be exposed to each of these risk factors every day on-site so it is important to always think:

• Can I use a mechanical device or grip device to help me lift?
• Can I reduce the weight of what needs to be lifted?
• Can I change the height of what needs to be lifted so it is positioned above mid-thigh height and below shoulder height?
• Can I change the tools that I use onsite?

Let’s do our bit and raise awareness on-site around MSD. REMEMBER – Prevention is better than the cure!

Next week we will give you some exercises that you can do to avoid being affected by MSD and if you are hurt, how physiotherapy can help you.

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.

Dust is a common hazard found in the construction industry, especially around demolition or refurbishment work. Demolition involves all different types of materials that could create hazardous dust (airborne contaminants), so understanding the risk your workers are exposed to will help you to identify how best to manage the risks.

Hazardous dust can cause a number of health conditions, including skin and eye infections, silicosis, lung cancer, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD). The effects of dust inhalation are not always immediately obvious, particularly when breathing it in, and can cause life long health issues or death.

Health and exposure monitoring
Health monitoring is the monitoring of a worker to identify changes in their health status because of exposure to certain substances. It involves a doctor examining and monitoring the health of a worker to see if the exposure to hazardous substances at work is affecting their health.

You must ensure that health monitoring is carried out or supervised by an appropriate health monitoring doctor. If your workers have health monitoring regularly it is called a ‘health monitoring program’.

The health monitoring doctor will choose the best way to monitor your worker’s health and may use more than one way to monitor your worker’s health. They will look at:

• The regulatory requirements under the model WHS laws or state laws where different to WHS
• The type of substance / chemical involved
• The way your worker is exposed
• The level of exposure
• If the work environment includes control methods or equipment to reduce the exposure, and
• If it is possible to use a proactive way to monitor adverse health effects.

Controlling
Controls to minimise the exposure to dust in the workplace could include:

• Detailed risk assessment
• Tool dust extraction systems
• Water suppression
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Making sure your workers have the right tools and information to complete the job safely includes training and understanding the risks involved, what to do if anything should go wrong, as well as the correct use, storage, and maintenance of PPE..

Controls to consider are:

• Limiting the number of people near the work
• Task rotation
• Substitution of materials where practicable
• Using sheeting or temporary screens to enclose the work to stop dust from escaping

Use of the HazardCo Demolition Safe Work Method template, available from the HazardCo HUB, will provide you with additional controls that may be suitable for your work.

Our team of health and safety experts are just a call away if you have any questions or would like to discuss further.

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.