WORK HEALTH AND SAFETY STANDARDS FOR FREIGHT HANDLERS / PARCEL SORTERS AND COURIER DRIVERS

Workers’ OHS Responsibilities:

At work premises, workers must work safely and not create a risk or increase an existing risk to their own and their colleague health and safety, and ensure that they always follow WHS rules, procedures and safety instructions when on work premises.


When working off-site, workers are responsible for providing a safe workplace and safe system of work for themselves and their colleagues that does not place customers or members of the public at risk.


In particular, workers must ensure that they:

  • Comply with all applicable WHS laws, regulations, client and industry requirements;

  • Maintain health and safety records for themselves and their colleagues;

  • Call into their Supervisor to report if they are too tired, too unwell, or otherwise not able to work safely for their shift;

  • Have a 10-hour break between shifts to ensure they have adequate time to rest;

  • Call their Supervisor if they are on the road performing their tasks and they become unwell, tired, or unable to continue to work safely;

  • Consult with site supervisors or other persons (as required) to review and/or improve their work health and safety arrangements;

  • Participate in site WHS management and supervision activities at premises (while relevant); and

  • Provide education and training to enhance the skill levels and safety awareness of their colleagues

Hazard Register:

A hazard is something that has the potential to harm the health, safety and welfare of people at work.

Under work health and safety legislation, workers are required to control hazards and risks. This is done by a four-step process:

  • Identify hazards – know what hazards are present;

  • Assess risks – understand the nature of risks, the harm that could occur and the likelihood;

  • Control hazards and risks – determine options for eliminating or reducing risk, select the best and implement it; and

  • Check controls – review the implemented controls to ensure they are effective.


Manual Handling:

Many different types of injuries can result from poor handling techniques involving loading and unloading vehicles, lifting from the ground or from storage areas above shoulder height as well as other repetitive movements.


Workers must:

  • Identify all tasks that require lifting, pushing, pulling and carrying within the scope of work for customers

  • Assess and document the risk of injury from carrying out those tasks;

  • Implement control measures so that the risk of injury is removed or reduced; and

  • Provide information, training and supervision for their colleagues on how to undertake the tasks safely.

Workers must have a safe work method statement or safe operating procedure for the use and storage of any manual handling equipment owned by the contractor, if applicable.


Housekeeping – Slips, Trips and Falls:

Getting up and down from vehicles and loading/unloading vehicles are potentially risky activities. Slips, trips and falls whilst getting in and out of vehicles are common safety risks.


Workers must:

  • Inspect their workplace to assess housekeeping risks;

  • Ensure there is adequate lighting for all tasks;

  • Wear and ensure that their colleagues wear appropriate footwear that reduces the risk of slipping; and

  • Assess customer locations for housekeeping standards and safe access during loading / unloading processes.


Hazardous substances:

Many workplaces store and use hazardous substances in their operations. Hazardous substances are substances that may cause ill health from skin contact, breathing, vapour or dust, or from swallowing.


Workers must:

  • Maintain a list of all chemicals/ substances under their control by using a hazardous substance register;

  • Obtain a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for each substance;

  • Ensure that MSDS’s are current ie. not more than 5 years old; and

  • Label all hazardous substances.


Consultation:


Workers must inform their colleagues about WHS rules and expectations (including site WHS rules, procedures and safety instructions) and consult with them in safety issues. Colleagues must have access to the WHS Management Plan.

Workers must also consult and cooperate with site supervisors and other workers on shared safety issues.


Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):

Workers must use, issue and maintain appropriate PPE and ensure that their colleagues are trained on its use.

When working at Working site premises, workers and their colleagues must comply with Working site PPE requirements, which includes safety footwear (rigid toecaps) and high visibility garments (e.g. safety vests).


Incident Reporting and Investigation:

Workers must immediately report any incident, death, dangerous occurrence, serious personal injury or incapacity involving the contractor or their colleagues to the site supervisor.

Workers and their colleagues must complete reports or statements for site supervisor and cooperate with site own incident investigation activities, as requested.

Workers are also required to have an internal system where all incidents / accidents are reported, recorded, followed up and/or investigated to prevent a recurrence.

Relevant authorities (e.g. Comcare, Police, Workcover, EPA) must be notified as required by legislation.


Emergency Procedures:

Workers must comply and ensure that their colleagues comply with working site emergency procedures for incidents such as fire and building evacuation at working site premises. All Site premises have building emergency control personnel i.e. Wardens and Building Emergency Controllers (usually supervisors and managers).

Workers must follow and ensure that their colleagues follow all reasonable instructions given by working site building emergency control personnel if an emergency occurs.

If a building or site is evacuated all workers and their colleagues must stay at the emergency assembly area until advised by working site building emergency control personnel.

When working off-site, workers must assess their own emergency requirements, develop appropriate emergency management plans and have adequate resources to manage identified risks. This is particularly important for workers in isolated or remote areas.


Specialised Work and Licensing:

Workers must hold and ensure that their colleagues hold the qualifications, certificates of competency and licences required by applicable legislation or specified by each site. This includes drivers, motorcycle and forklift licences.

Workers must maintain a licence register for all licences held by them and their colleagues to ensure they are current.


Induction, Training and Supervision:

Workers must attend and ensure that their colleagues attend a site induction before commencing work at a working site facility.

Where practical, this induction will be conducted by site supervisor. Workers who operate in remote areas and / or off-site must conduct their own induction training using the Working site Self-Paced Contractor Induction Checklist.

Workers must also attend appropriate training on an ongoing basis. This training should consist of regular meetings/forums and toolbox talks. 

Workers must ensure that their colleagues are supervised to ensure they are working safely.


Safety Monitoring:

To achieve continued improvement in health and safety, workers will be regularly monitored and reviewed in terms of health and safety. 

Site Rules:

Smoking

Working site are smoke-free. Workers and their colleagues must not smoke at any working site facility unless they use a designated smoking area.


Alcohol & Drugs

Workers and their colleagues must not:

  • Consume alcohol or use unlawful drugs at any working site facility; or

  • Carry out any work for any working site, wether on-site or off-site, whilst under the influence of alcohol or other unlawful drugs.