OHS

History of OHS

The Human Biological, Psychological and Social Systems

Organisations

Social Political Context

Profession

Generalist

Social

Biological

Psychological

Organisations are influenced by social political context

Offers professional practice to improve the organisation

Provides advice on prevention and mitigation of Hazards and collusive risks in a workplace.

The 'Generalist role' contains several titles because of its multidisciplinary knowledge requirements.

Advisor, coordinator, manager, and consultant

The job requires the mindset to make reasonably practicable decisions to ensure the safety and well being of workers

Environment

Professionals do not practice in isolation

Work in environments that involve political, economic, industrial climate, legislative requirements and various perceptions.

Economic/ Industrial

The nature, economy and organisation of work in Australia has introduced more jobs in the OHS profession

Woman in the workforce have increased

Small businesses within the industry have increased including micro businesses of only 5 employees and less

Legislative

State based system

Nine OHS jurisdictions

Management Practice

Growth in employment can adversely affect OHS due to structural changes within the organisation

Increase in number of independent contractors

National Policy

The vision: "Australian workplaces free from death, injury and disease"

Bachelor degree required

Role: Internal consultant creating awareness and spreading knowledge throughout organisations to ensure the safe practice in a workplace.

Working knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the human body

There is a relationship between workplace exposures and the human body

The human body is full of complex systems that work together to ensure the body functions.

It is important that all exposures at a workplace must be controlled to prevent risks for the workers

Foreign substances can be inhaled or enter the human system through dermal absorption.

Humans have complex, unique behaviours that are influenced from several exterior factors

Cognitive

Behavioural

Personality

Mental disorders

Stress is a dangerous hazard that is hard to control

"Psychology of learning'

stimulus providing a response

Behaviours can be conditioned

Behaviour can be controlled by its consequences

Behaviours can also be conditioned with positive reinforcements eg. Chocolate for a well behaved child.

Created due to the limitations of Behavioural psychology

How humans process and store information

Involves memory

Memory, attention and decision making affect work performance and safety

'the dynamic organisation within the individual of those psychophysical system that determine his characteristic behaviour and thought'

Controversial and hard to control because of a large amount of variables

Is good for testing, and gathering information

Psychiatric illnesses and psychological disorders

Some mental disorders can develop from given types of work and are compensated for

Some mental illnesses are serious hazards for a workplace and are not allowed on site

Complex and diverse

OHS regulation

Command and control with policies and law governed by the state.

Parliament sets the standard

Organisations require work within the company such as goals, instead of external OHS changes

Procedures and Policies are produced for the workers within the workplace

Programmes and rosters play a role in the behaviour of the organisation

The coordination of activities to reach a goal for the company

Management Theory

Scientific Management Theory

Systematic studies of relationships

Increases efficiency

Increased Total Quality Management

Administrative Management

To create an organised structure

Hierarchy of positions

Management Principles

Authority, division of labour, responsibility, unity, discipline, equity etc

Behavioural Management

How managers behave to motivate employees and encourage to perform at high levels

Worker performance was influenced

Management Science

Tools and techniques to inform decision making

Maximises efficient deployment

quantitative, operations, TQM and management information systems are included

Organisational Environment

Workplace synergy

Ignoring the external environment

centralised authority, clear tasks, close supervision

Constantly evolving and maturing with the right management

OHS Law

OHS Regulation

Safework Australia

Regulation or command and control

Enforces compliance with the law

OHS Policies

Parliament sets the standard

Courts interpret the law

Court interprets the law

Standards

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There are Australian and International standards

Economic and social trends impact OHS

Working environments

Impacted by trends, organisations and workers

Developed for the workplace

Take environment, workers and workplace into account

Database of OHS statistics

Used to help mould Policies and develop controls to common hazards

Parliament passes the law

There are Codes of Practice

Policies must abide by the law