AUGUST 2020

WORKPL CE issues

Near misses and hazardous manual tasks

managing risk

covid safe How our Inspectors are helping workplaces

Mental health during COVID-19

wellbeing

-

Contents

page 9

NEWS + EVENTS 17 Workers comp insurance rates

17 Medical practitioner fees and charges

17 New tool for Inspector processes

19 Healthier Safer and Productive Workplaces Grant Recipients

21 Prosecutions

safety 4 Be COVID Safe with our resources

9 Managing client aggression

10 Why care about a near miss?

11 How to manage risks in your workplace

12 Spotlight on Tasmania: Statewide analysis

15 Managing hazardous manual tasks

20 Be safe with asbestos

wellbeing 7 During the pandemic: Staying mentally

healthy

8 Mental Health: Speaking with someone you’re concerned about

14 Building a positive workplace culture

regulars 3 From the Minister

16 Working together: our workers comp scheme

22 Business Tasmania: Here to help

23 Everybody’s Talking

2 Workplace Issues No. 96 August 2020

COVER STORY

New tool for Inspector processes InSpectIt is currently being rolled out across WorkSafe’s three regions.

Managing client aggression A hazard that residential care and health care workers are likely to be exposed to.

Publisher Published three times a year by WorkSafe Tasmania.

Online To see current and past editions, our warnings about telefraud and graphic images, and to subscribe, go to worksafe.tas.gov.au then choose the ‘Resources’ button then the ‘Workplace Issues magazine’ link.

Phone: 1300 366 322

Email: wstinfo@justice.tas.gov.au

Disclaimer WorkSafe Tasmania and the Crown in the right of the State of Tasmania, its employees and agents disclaim liability for the accuracy or comprehensiveness of the information, data and advice provided in Workplace Issues; and will not be responsible for any loss, however arising and whether or not due to negligence, arising from reliance on, or action taken on the basis of any information, data or advice provided in Workplace Issues.

Any information, data and advice is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment and verification of such information, data and advice before any reliance is placed upon it.

Views expressed in Workplace Issues are those of the individual contributors or the editorial committee and are intended to stimulate discussion. They do not necessarily reflect the policy of the Government or WorkSafe Tasmania.

ISSN 1444-6316 (Print)

ISSN 2204 5597 (Online)

Throughout, the acronyms ‘WHS’ stands for work health and safety and ‘PCBU’ stands for person conducting a business or undertaking.

ELISE ARCHER MP MINISTER FOR BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION

Are you a safety leader?

Welcome to another edition of Workplace Issues magazine for 2020.

This year, Tasmania faced its biggest medical, social and economic challenge in the form of the COVID–19 pandemic. I am pleased to report that Tasmanians have risen to this challenge and we have avoided the potentially disastrous impacts seen in other parts of the world, and our Government wishes to thank everyone for their efforts.

The pandemic has changed the way we work and do business, whether we’re an employer, manager or worker; in a large business or small operation; in government or private industry.

As we head into recovery, we all recognise that it won’t be ‘back to normal’ for some time. Physical distancing, more intense cleaning regimes, adjusting shifts or operating hours and the way we do business transactions will be with us for some time, to ensure all Tasmanians remain safe and healthy. We will all need to adjust the way we work, play and carry out our everyday activities into the longer term, to remain safe.

To guide workplaces though the changes needed, the COVID–19 Safe Workplaces Framework was introduced in late May, to support businesses and workplaces to continue to operate, or as they re-opened for business.

By now, you would no doubt be familiar with the COVID Safe Workplace Guidelines. These were developed through consultation with industry sectors as practical guides to complete your COVID– 19 Safety Plans — and to meet the new minimum standards determined by Public Health, and comply with the requirements of the Work Health and Safety Act.

These guidelines remain valuable resources for workplaces, and I encourage you to return to them as you review your COVID safety management systems in the weeks and months moving forward.

And while it’s imperative that you and your workers focus on making sure your workplace is COVID Safe, it’s vital that you don’t forget managing other safety hazards and risks in your workplace. This edition of Workplace Issues guides you through the process of risk assessment, which is the foundation of managing work

health and safety, and explains the valuable opportunity that a near miss can present to you for improving safety.

I encourage you also to remain focussed on your mental health an that of your workers. From anxiety about vulnerable family members to fear about job security, the pandemic has been a time of immense stress for many. Frontline workers such as health care providers and their staff, and those who deal with the public such as supermarket workers, have also faced extreme difficulties. The wellbeing focus in this edition of Workplace Issues shows the positive and practical ways you can support your workers — or yourself — if the fallout is just now being felt.

The Tasmanian Liberal Government is also strongly focused on ensuring we rebuild and recover from the impacts of COVID– 19, while making sure Tasmanians follow measures in place to reduce any further outbreaks of the disease. In early June, we announced a $3.1 billion building and infrastructure package that will support 15,000 jobs and provide an enormous boost to our economy.

Finally, I would like to thank the many frontline workers and volunteers who have undertaken an enormous amount of work to help fight the COVID–19 challenge. We simply could not have been in the position we are today without your efforts.

Once again, please look after each other, stay safe and take care.

Workplace Issues No. 96 August 2020 3

BE COVID SAFE WITH OUR

As we continue along the path of COVID-19 recovery, it’s important that we continue to focus on good practices such as physical distancing, cleaning and personal hygiene, and the other specific control measures you have introduced into your workplace to be COVID Safe.

Planning and risk assessment, consulting with your workers and providing them with information and training, and communicating with your clients, suppliers and stakeholders remain important business practices right now.

We must continue to focus on keeping our workers and our community safe from illness.

Review your plans The COVID Safe plans you developed to re-open your business or continue operating throughout the pandemic will remain important guidance for you for the immediate future.

They should be ‘living documents’ that you review whenever Public Health directions change. And like any other policy, plan or procedure you have to manage safety in your workplace, set regular dates to make sure the control measures contained in your COVID Safe plan continue to do what they are supposed to do: keep you, your workers and your customers safe.

Resources To help inform your review, go back to our industry resources with fresh eyes, to see if there are other actions or measures that you can incorporate — or to check that those you already have in place are still spot on.

You can find all our industry guidelines, developed in consultation with Tasmanian industry stakeholders and representatives, at our COVID-19 web pages. Go to worksafe.tas.gov.au and search for ‘guidelines’.

We’ve also gathered industry specific resources from Safe Work Australia and other states and organisations to again provide you with a fresh perspective. For example, if you’re a small business operator, Safe Work Australia’s resources include a specific small business hub that simplifies how to manage the health and safety risks associated with COVID-19. To find all these industry specific resources, go to worksafe.tas.gov.au and search for ‘industry specific Australia’.

Workplace Issues No. 96 August 2020 4

Applying the Hierarchy of Controls for COVID-19

Elimination

Substitution

Engineering Controls

Administrative Controls

PPE

Not applicable

Ventilation, physical barriers

Work from home, stagger schedules, hand hygiene

Masks, respirators, gloves

Social isolation

Adapted from AHPPC and NIOSH

Most Ešective

Least Ešective

RESOURCES safety

Watch us Our inspectors and advisors have filmed videos and webinars to help you understand and comply with the Public Health directions.

Two of our inspectors, Kylie and Tony, feature in a series of brief videos summarising physical distancing, cleaning and hygiene, consulting with workers, and more. You can find them on our Youtube channel at youtube.com/worksafetas.

Our Advisor Ken took part in webinars with Business Tasmania (see also page 22) explaining safety plans. Find it on our COVID Safe Workplaces Framework webpage; go to worksafetas.gov.au and search for ‘framework’.

Apart from these online appearances, WorkSafe’s inspectors have been visiting hundreds of workplaces across the state each week, focusing on how workplaces are complying with the Public Health directions around minimum standards and providing guidance where needed to ensure workplaces are COVID Safe.

Inspectors have been working across the weekends to make these workplace visits – a true demonstration of being flexible and operating outside the norm in these anything but normal times.

Other resources Stay up to date on the Public Health directions, any restrictions, and other COVID-19 matters with accurate information and guidance from credible sources, such as Coronavirus.tas.gov.au and Business Tasmania.

Workplace Issues No. 96 August 2020 5

Rebuildingwith confdence COVID-19 Safety Plans are helping keep our workers and community safe from the chance of another COVID-19 outbreak, and from the need to reclose workplaces.

What each plan looks like will depend on your workplace, but each plan should cover:

Managing the ongoing risk of COVID-19 Increasing cleaning

Providing information and training to staf

Enabling the use of hand sanitiser or hand washing

Encouraging physical distancing

There is no need to submit your plan to WorkSafe Tasmania, but keep it on hand for when a WorkSafe Inspector visits.

For support and more information

Visit

worksafe.tas.gov.au — for checklists, templates and Safe Workplace Guidelines

business.tas.gov.au — to learn how to make a COVID-19 Safety Plan

coronavirus.tas.gov.au — to register for COVID Ready stickers and posters

Contact

Business Tasmania 1800 440 026

TCCI’s hotline 1300 559 112

More information visit www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au

WELLBEING

During the pandemic: Stayingmentally healthy The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many disruptions to how we live, work and socialise. Even though restrictions are lifting, the impact and stress of these changes can remain. It’s important that employers and managers focus on supporting their workers’ mental wellbeing as well as preventing infection.

Work-related cause of stress Workers who interact with the public in their jobs can be at higher risk of infection, and this can be a cause for worry and anxiety.

You should talk to your workers and understand more about their concerns. Once you understand their concerns, make sure you are doing all you reasonably can to eliminate and manage those concerns.

Talk to your workers about your safety plans and control measures (and of course consult with them as you develop them).

Having practical control measure in place can help: for example, physical screens at cash registers can provide comfort to workers that you as their employer are acting to limit their exposure.

And we hope the days of customers abusing supermarket workers over dwindling supplies are behind us. But that doesn’t mean the trauma that these frontline staff may have suffered from those experiences is over too.

Support your workers So even with the worst of the pandemic over in Tasmania, workers may still be feeling stress. Such feelings are not a sign of weakness and it’s important to acknowledge this.

There are practical things that employers and managers can encourage their workers to do:

• get enough rest after hours/between shifts

• eat healthy foods and exercise

• keep in contact with co-workers, family and friends by phone or online

• limit the amount of pandemic news/ social media they watch or read

• maintain their hobbies and interests, or maybe start new ones.

It’s also important to recognise when your workers need more support. Let them know it’s okay to feel the way they do and to seek help. Encourage them to access your workplace employee assistance program, see their own doctor, or contact an organisation like Beyond Blue (beyondblue.org.au), Lifeline (lifeline.org.au) or Head to Health (headtohealth.gov.au).

Working from home You should consider the tasks you have asked workers to perform from home, and whether doing these in relative isolation could cause stress, and what you can do to minimise that stress.

Make sure you regularly check in on how these workers are going and if anything has changed. You should also make sure they know who to talk to if they need additional support.

Finally, remember that working from home can be socially isolating. Make sure these workers don’t feel cut off from you and their co-workers; consider that not every email or phone call has to be strictly work-related. For example, if you have a pay-week staff morning tea, replace it with a cuppa in a video call to help people stay connected with one another.

Non work-related causes of stress Things that may stress your workers (and you) during and after the pandemic that may not be work-related include:

• financial stress caused by reduced hours, loss of employment/income/ clients

• balancing work and caring responsibilities

• carer duties or concern for vulnerable family members

• changes to activities (such as sports or socialising) that support good mental health.

While you may not have legal obligations for these things, you should be aware that people can’t always leave their outside worries and pressures at the door when they come to work. If you are able to, offer workers increased support and flexibility to get through this difficult time.

Look after yourself And of course, we recognise that you — as an employer, business owner or manager — may be experiencing stress and uncertainty too. From finances and worrying about keeping your business operating, to worrying about your staff, it can all add up.

The advice above about exercising, eating well, maintaining your social contacts, and seeking help from professional sources applies equally to you.

And make sure you’re getting accurate information and guidance from credible sources, such as Coronavirus.tas.gov.au, Business Tasmania and of course WorkSafe Tasmania.

Workplace Issues No. 96 August 2020 7

WELLBEING

Mental health: Speaking withsomeone you’re concerned about If you notice that a business contact, friend or family member seems to be going through a difficult time, or are not their usual selves, it’s advisable to speak with them to see if you can help.

Knowing what boundaries to set for your involvement depends a lot on your relationship with the person. Importantly, you are not expected to be a psychologist. Rather, use your connection with the person to help them find a way forward, if they need assistance.

People are sometimes concerned that speaking with the person might have a bad outcome. All the evidence tells us that speaking to someone won’t make matters worse, but will improve the situation by making the person you’re talking to feel supported. So, how do you go about it?

Planning the conversation • Consider whether you are the best

person to chat to them, or if another person be more suitable.

• Investigate what support services are available.

• Find a private place to talk where the person will feel comfortable.

How to start • There’s no one right way of expressing

things. The main thing is to be thoughtful and genuine.

• Say what feels comfortable for you: ‘You don’t seem your usual self. Is everything okay?’.

• You don’t need to have all the answers. It’s mainly about having the conversation and the support you offer by talking.

• Be empathetic and positive. Don’t be dismissive of their situation and say things like, ‘But you’ve got so much going for you’.

• If what you say doesn’t sound quite right, stop and try again.

• Use a common-sense approach.

Listen carefully • Be conscious of the emotional territory

you are entering.

• It is their story. Hear them out and ask questions.

• Be aware of your body language. Show you’re listening, maintain eye contact and sit in a relaxed position.

• Repeat back your understanding of what they’ve said.

How to respond You can’t fix things then and there, but you can offer support to take the steps they need. You might:

• initially just listen and show support

• talk about it again another time

• reassure them that you’ll respect their privacy

• think about what they need now and ask how you can help.

Next steps • Discuss options for further support.

• Plan next steps. That might include catching up again, mutually deciding to see their GP, calling a helpline or accessing community services.

• Express that you appreciate they opened up to you.

• Check in with them every now and then, and ensure they’re progressing with the plan. Showing continued interest is important.

Things you might not expect • If they don’t want to speak about it,

respect their choice, but leave the door open for a future conversation.

• You may need to try a few times to have the conversation.

• Just by showing support you can make a difference. The person might take action later or continue the conversation with others.

• If they disclose that they are feeling suicidal and the situation is urgent, do not leave the person alone, unless you are concerned for your own safety. Call their doctor or a mental health crisis service.

This information is reproduced from Beyond Blue’s guide, Supporting small business owners to improve their mental health and wellbeing at work. You can find it and other resources for better mental health in the workplace at headsup.org.au.

Workplace Issues No. 96 August 2020 8

SAFETY

Earlier this year WorkSafe Tasmania inspectors were asked to assist staff at a residential care facility to manage an aggressive resident. A number of violent incidents had happened and until the resident could be transferred to a more appropriate facility, actions were needed to protect the health and safety of workers.

Occupational violence and aggression This case highlights a hazard that residential care and health care workers are likely to be exposed to: occupational violence and aggression (OVA). OVA includes actions and behaviours that can create a risk to the health and safety of workers. These are often described as ‘acting out’ or ‘challenging behaviour’.

Examples of OVA include:

• physical acts such as pushing, shoving, grabbing, hitting, kicking, biting, spitting and scratching

• throwing objects, damaging property

• verbal abuse and threats

• using or threatening to use a weapon

• sexual harassment or assault.

OVA can happen in any industry, but it happens more often in health, aged care, disability services, youth services, education, law enforcement, retail, hospitality, security, cash-handling, finance and banking.

Manage the risk Like any other hazard, employers must manage the risk of OVA in their workplace. Using the risk management process is a starting point. Consult with your workers and their health and safety representatives and any other relevant parties to:

• identify the hazards

• assess the risks

Managing clientaggression

• put control measures in place to control the risks

• review hazards and control measures to make sure they are working as planned.

You should look at the physical environment, consider the client’s history/ condition/triggers/care and behaviour management plans, review previous incidents, and take into account if workers are required to work alone. Encourage reporting of incidents, and act on these reports.

To find more detailed guidance on doing a risk assessment, go to worksafe.tas.gov. au and search for ‘four steps’ (see also our article on page 11).

Provide a safe workplace While people in care can be unpredictable, employers are still responsible for providing and maintaining a safe working environment for their workers. Depending on the outcomes of your risk assessment, some ways to do this may include:

• develop and implement policies/ procedures/systems for workers who work alone. For example, implement a duress alarm system and provide workers with ways to communicate with others at a ‘base’ office. Make sure these are regularly maintained and tested

• develop emergency response processes for any incident

• develop and implement policies and procedures for infection control, blood/ body fluid exposure, and hand hygiene

• identify triggers for the individual client, and implement strategies to minimise/ manage the triggers. For example, if meetings with a certain family member triggers OVA, limit contact or make sure they occur in a planned/controlled and therapeutic manner

• eliminate or limit access to objects or areas that could be used to harm workers and/or other clients

• make sure workers have a safe place to retreat to and take others to

• where appropriate, consider engaging a clinician to develop an Individual Crisis Management Plan; review it regularly.

Regularly reviewing the client’s care plans, medication and so on, with the input of appropriate health professionals, is also important, and it should be done after any incident occurs.

Train your workers You must provide your workers with training and information — at induction before they start work, and then at other regular times — in:

• your violence prevention measures, workplace policy and procedures, including emergency response

• how to de-escalate aggression: for example, identify signs of aggression, verbal and non-verbal communication strategies, encourage reasoning, listen carefully, acknowledge concerns

• how to do a situational risk assessment: for example, when visiting homes or working off-site

• communication skills.

While training is important, it does not replace the other control measures you should put in place.

You should also consider team meetings where looking after workers’ wellbeing is discussed; handovers between carers at the end of shifts; and holding de-briefing meetings after any incidents.

Resources WorkSafe Victoria has a suite of excellent resources on OVA, with many aimed at the health care industry. Go to worksafe. vic.gov.au/occupational-violence-and-aggression

Workplace Issues No. 96 August 2020 9

Why care about a near miss?

safety

X A worker trips on an uneven floor, but steadies himself in time and doesn’t fall.

X Renovation work is being done in part of the workplace, but workers weren’t told and they’ve been moving through the area without taking necessary precautions.

X A worker gets her sleeve caught in machinery but manages to pull it away and is okay.

X A forklift and a pedestrian nearly collide in a poorly lit intersection; luckily they’re just left a little shaken.

X A worker tries to manually clear a jam from a dangerous piece of equipment without cutting power to the machine first.

These are all near misses, close calls, narrow escapes. An injury to a person or damage to the workplace that could have happened, but didn’t. But the potential for harm is there.

Why near misses might be ignored You might think ‘these don’t happen in my workplace’ — but how do you know for sure?

Workers may not report a near miss for a number of reasons: • they didn’t get hurt this time, so they don’t see the potential for

it to happen again and for an injury to occur that next time • they think the paperwork is not worth the hassle when they

haven’t actually been injured • they’re scared it will show they were taking shortcuts and they

might get in trouble • they worry they’ll be seen as a nuisance; if they’re a casual

worker they may think it will jeopardise their job.

Maybe the problem lies with your workplace systems and culture: • you, your managers or other workers don’t encourage workers

to speak up about safety issues • there’s no system in place for reporting safety issues • there is a reporting system, but workers don’t know it exists or

what to do.

So you may think if you’re not hearing about near misses in your workplace, your workplace is safe. That could be a dangerous assumption to make.

See a near miss in a positive way And we don’t mean ‘phew, no one got hurt’. When your workers report a near miss, it’s an opportunity to put control measures in place to remove hazards, and prevent an incident, injury or illness from happening in the future.

Take action First make sure you have a system in place so your workers can report near misses. It doesn’t need to be elaborate, and we have a sample hazard form on our website you can use for near misses, too. Go to worksafe.tas.gov.au and search for ‘sample report hazards’.

Tell your workers about this system and encourage them to use it: for example, at inductions, in staff meetings and training sessions, and in any staff newsletters or on noticeboards.

Then make sure you check for reports, and start the process for hazard management (see our article on page 11 about risk assessment). It’s important that you, your managers and supervisors are prepared to listen and act.

However, it’s more than just creating a system. You should also talk with your workers (again, in inductions, staff meetings and so on) about the importance of near misses, and how reporting them can help improve safety. If necessary, alleviate their concerns about speaking up.

10 Workplace Issues No. 96 August 2020

Workplace Issues No. 96 August 2020 11

SAFE

safety

How to manage risks in your workplace Doing a risk assessment is the foundation for how you manage safety in your workplace. With just four steps, it’s the best way to prevent work-related injuries or illness.

STEP 1

S POT THE HAZARD

A hazard is anything that has the potential to cause injury, illness or damage to your health. Hazards at work may include manual and other tasks, untidy workplaces, unguarded machinery and chemicals. Don’t forget bullying and violence, and inadequate management systems (for example, no procedures for performing tasks safely).

To find the hazards in your workplace: • ask workers and contractors about any

hazards they may have noticed • look at the physical structure of your

workplace, including stairs, floor surfaces, exits, driveways

• check all machinery, appliances and vehicles used for work

• examine how substances are stored, used and moved from one place to another

• review your injury records, including ‘near misses’

• review information from designers, manufacturers or suppliers of the equipment and substances in your workplace.

Use a checklist A checklist can help you examine your work environment, the tasks your workers do, and your machinery/equipment.

You can find samples on our website; go to worksafe.tas.gov.au and search for ‘checklists’. Print them off, grab a pen and do a walkabout, talking to the workers involved in the environment, task or equipment you’re checking.

Involve your workers The workers using the equipment or chemicals, performing the tasks and being in the work environment every day are essential to help you identify hazards. They

often have first-hand knowledge, experience and ideas about how to reduce safety risks, make improvements and find solutions.

Involve everyone — employers, managers, workers and contractors — in every step of your risk assessments, and make sure they communicate and work together.

Doing this reinforces the idea that safety is everyone’s responsibility, and ensures you meet your requirements to consult with your workforce.

STEP 2

A SSESS THE RISK

Your list of hazards may be long, with some hazards posing more safety risks than others. So you need to work out which hazards are more serious than others and deal with those first.

A risk is the likelihood of a hazard causing injury, illness or damage to health. To assess the risk associated with each hazard, ask:

What is the potential impact of the hazard? • How severe could an injury or illness be? • What’s the worst possible damage the

hazard could cause to someone’s health? • Would it require simple first aid only? Or

cause permanent ill health or disability? Or could it kill?

How likely is the hazard to cause harm? • Could it happen at any time or would it

be a rare event? • How often are workers exposed to the

hazard?

Also consider how many people are exposed to the hazards, and remember that everyone is different. A hazard may pose more risk to some people than others because of differences in physical strength, experience or training.

STEP 3

F IX THE PROBLEM

You should always aim to remove a hazard completely from your workplace. Where this isn’t practical, you should work through the other alternatives systematically.

Some problems may be fixed easily and straight away, while others will need more effort and planning. Concentrate on the most urgent hazards without neglecting the simpler ones that may be easily and immediately fixed.

Some solutions are more effective than others. Make sure your solution does not introduce new hazards.

Hierarchy of controls Use the hierarchy of controls to remove or reduce risk in your workplace. It starts with the most effective control method (removing the hazard from your workplace completely) and finishes with the least effective (wearing personal protective equipment/PPE).

You must use the highest-ranked control that is practical for controlling the risk. Only use lower-ranked controls (such as PPE) as a last resort or until a more effective way of controlling risk can be used. And sometimes using more than one control measure could be the most effective way to reduce the exposure to hazards.

Find the hierarchy at worksafe.tas.gov.au by searching for ‘four steps’.

STEP 4

E VALUATE RESULTS

If you think you’ve fixed the problem, check! Talk to those affected by the changes and see what their experience now is. Look at your incident records to see if numbers are going down. Make sure your solution doesn’t introduce new hazards.

Maybe you and your workers can even see further improvements. Set a date to re-assess the risk; choose a timeframe appropriate to the task and the risk involved.

If the work process changes or new equipment is introduced, then you must review your risk assessment.

Hazard management is not a one-off event — it’s an ongoing process.

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Spotlight Each edition we focus on different industries that WorkSafe has identified as priority industries. However this edition, to mark the publishing of our new industry snapshot reports and posters analysing 2019, we are providing an overview of the entire state.

All data, unless otherwise noted, is for 2019. A serious injury is one that results in the worker requiring at least one week of time off work due to their injury.

Who works, where and how There are approximately 250,000 people employed in Tasmania, across 19 industry divisions. The three largest employing divisions are Health Care and Social Assistance, Retail Trade, and Education.

On average, 62% of Tasmanians work full time, but this varies greatly between industries: from 36% in Accommodation and Food Services to 96% in Mining.

Around 43% of Tasmanian workers are aged over 45 years. Older workers are most represented in Transport, Postal and Warehousing (60%); and least represented in Accommodation and Food Services (21%).

Younger workers (those under 25 years of age) are most represented in Accommodation and Food Services (39%) and least represented in Mining (3%).

Injury numbers and trends There were 7,636 workplace injuries in Tasmania in 2019. Over the last ten years:

• injury numbers per year have decreased 17%. Individual industries vary, from a 57% decrease in Mining to a 11% increase in Health Care and Social Assistance

• the serious injury frequency rate has decreased 9% from 10.3 to 9.1 serious injuries per million hours worked

• there have been 81 work related fatalities.

Health Care and Social Assistance reported the highest number of serious injuries in 2019 among all industries (24% of all serious injuries).

Injured worker demographics Workers aged 55–64 had the highest serious injury frequency rate of all age groups.

Occupations with the highest percentage of serious injuries in 2019 were Miscellaneous labourers, personal carers and assistants, and cleaner and laundry workers. At an industry group level, workers in Residential Care Services make up 10% of all injuries.

7,636injuries across the

state in 2019

9.1 serious injuries per million

hours worked in 2019

16% of Tasmanian workers

are employed in

Health Care and Social Assistance making it the largest employing

industry in the state

12 Workplace Issues No. 96 August 2020

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safety

on Tasmania: Statewide analysis

Occupations with the highest percentage of serious injuries

Injury causes At the broadest level, Body stressing is the most common injury cause, resulting in 36% of all injuries. The most common serious 10%Body stressing injury is Muscular stress while lifting, carrying, or putting down objects, accounting for 41% of all Body stressing injuries in 2019.

Miscellaneous Being hit by moving objects and Falls, trips and slips were the next Labourers two most common causes of injury.

Mental stress has increased significantly as a proportion of serious injuries in recent years, while Vehicle incidents has reduced.

Priority industries, conditions and causes 9%Based on this analysis and other factors, the priority industries identified by WorkSafe are (here in alphabetical order):

• Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Personal Carers and • Construction Assistants • Health Care and Social Assistance • Public Administration and Safety • Retail Trade • Transport, Postal and Warehousing.

As part of the Strategic Plan 2018–2023, WorkSafe Tasmania will 6% be working to reduce harm in Tasmanian workplaces through targeted harm reduction programs. This includes targeting priority industries and high consequence activities, and focusing on priority Cleaners and Laundry conditions and their causes. Priority conditions and causes identified Workers by WorkSafe are (here in alphabetical order):

• asbestos related diseases

• hazardous mental tasks Industry snapshots• mental health conditions

WorkSafe’s Industry snapshot reports and posters, which these columns draw on: • musculoskeletal disorders

• survey the WHS performance of each industry group • safe movement of vehicles and plant

• identify emerging or existing WHS issues for evaluation and action • slips, trips and falls. • compare most current WHS performance relative to previous years and,

where applicable, to other industries across Tasmania.

Find your industry’s snapshot: go to worksafe.tas.gov.au and search for ‘snapshots’.

Workplace Issues No. 96 August 2020 13

September 10 is R U OK? Day, a national day of action dedicated to reminding everyone to ask ‘Are you OK?’ — and to remember every day of the year to support people who may be struggling with life’s ups and downs. According to ruok.org.au, where you’ll find many practical resources, ‘We want everyone to feel confident that they know the signs someone might need support by listening to what they’re saying, seeing what they’re doing or knowing what’s going on in their life. Whenever you notice a change, no matter how small, we want you to trust your gut and start an R U OK? conversation.’

WELLBEING

Running your own business can be very demanding but highly rewarding. Given the time pressures you face, it’s easy to overlook the role workplace culture can play in its ongoing success.

Thankfully, there’s plenty of advice on building and promoting a positive workplace culture that will make your employees happier, more productive while also growing your bottom line.

The following information is adapted from R U OK?’s Mental health handbook for small business owners, available at ruok.org.au/work.

Define your company’s core values Workers generally want more from their jobs than just money. Defining and clearly explaining your company’s core values gives everyone a sense of purpose, laying the foundations for a positive organisational culture that will keep people going through the ups and downs.

Values shouldn’t just be words written on the walls, so don’t worry if you don’t have a traditional workplace or style. Your values should be lived out in workers’ (and your) everyday actions.

Offer recognition and rewards Salary aside, there’s other ways to keep your workers motivated. Whether it’s taking your team out for lunch or giving them the afternoon off after completing a big week of work, it can all boost worker wellbeing.

Foster their continuous learning and development Workers who feel valued will likely stick around for longer, contributing to a stronger workplace culture.

Building a positive workplace culture Whether it’s hosting learning sessions or subsidising short courses, skilled up workers who’ve received training and development opportunities will also do their jobs more effectively.

For example, if you run a beauty salon, setting aside an annual training budget to help develop their cosmetology skills will help keep your workers motivated.

Look after their health and mental wellbeing We all face inevitable ups and downs in life, so being aware of this and having initiatives in place to help your workers deal with difficult times can make a huge difference to overall morale.

Allowing flexible work arrangements, providing discount gym memberships, or having people come and talk to your workers (in your workplace or another setting) are all simple ways to achieve balance.

For example, if you run a construction company, having someone from OzHelp Tasmania (ozhelptasmania.org.au) come to talk to your tradies about mental wellbeing can help raise awareness.

Build open and honest communication Being honest but tactful with your workers and encouraging an open door policy is another key tip for fostering a solid workplace culture. Be sure to also keep an eye out for workers who might be suffering difficulties.

Create an environment of collaboration and inclusivity Whether it’s having a company WhatsApp group or hosting regular team meetings, getting staff talking to each other (especially when they don’t see each other every day) is not only great for morale but often a source of great work information. Be sure to have company days throughout the year, where everyone can meet and chat.

Lead by example Last but not least, you have the real privilege as a business owner to lead your workers by example, which can often be the best way to bring the positive, productive workplace culture you dream of to life!

14 Workplace Issues No. 96 August 2020

Managing hazardous safety

manual tasks Musculoskeletal disorders are the most common workplace injuries across Australia and in Tasmania. WorkSafe Tasmania has identified these injuries in its Strategic Plan 2018–2023 as a priority condition, and hazardous manual tasks as a priority cause of those injuries.

What is a hazardous manual task? It’s one that requires you to lift, lower, push, pull, carry or otherwise move, hold or restrain any person, animal or thing involving one or more of the following: • repetitive or sustained force • high or sudden force • repetitive movement • sustained or awkward posture • exposure to vibration.

Moving a patient, lifting bags of laundry, stacking shelves, pushing a trolley of supplies, reaching for an overhead lever, using a jackhammer, restraining an animal, feeling the recoil of a large nail gun, squatting while servicing a vehicle… these are all examples of hazardous manual tasks which can directly stress the body and can lead to an injury.

What are musculoskeletal disorders? This refers to an injury/disease of the musculoskeletal system, whether occurring suddenly or over time, such as: • sprains and strains of muscles,

ligaments and tendons • back injuries • joint and bone injuries or

degeneration • nerve injuries or compression • soft tissue injuries, including hernias • chronic pain.

You can sustain these injuries through: • gradual wear and tear caused by

repeated or continuous use of the same body parts and/or

• sudden damage caused by strenuous activity, or unexpected movements (for example, when a load you’re handling moves or changes position suddenly).

Identify the tasks in your workplace The first step is to identify the hazardous manual tasks in your workplace. This includes observing how they are performed by your workers. See if your workers are making changes to how they should be working in order to avoid discomfort. Look at the tools/equipment used and/or objects handled, including people and animals. Look at the work design and the work environment.

Other ways to identify hazardous manual tasks include: • consulting with your workers and

their health and safety representatives (you should do this at every stage of the process, too)

• reviewing your incident reports, inspection reports, workers compensation claims and sick leave

• reviewing information from designers, manufacturers, suppliers, technical specialists, your industry associations and unions.

Assess and control their risks The next step is to assess the risk of the hazardous manual tasks you’ve identified: what could happen if someone is exposed to the hazard, and what is the likelihood of it happening?

You must then work to reduce this risk, and you must always aim to remove a hazardous manual task from your workplace first. Maybe you can outsource the task to a specialist company that is set up to do the work safely? If this is not reasonably practicable, you must reduce the risk by using one or more of the following approaches: • substitution: for example, replacing

heavy bags of product with ones that are smaller, lighter and/or easier to handle

• isolation: for example, enclosing the machinery or the personnel, creating an isolating barrier between the hazard and the person at risk

• implementing engineering controls: for example, using mechanical lifting trolleys.

If a risk then remains, you must reduce it by implementing administrative controls (for example, job rotation and safe work procedures) so far as is reasonably practicable. Any remaining risk must be minimised with suitable personal protective equipment (PPE).

The code of practice on Hazardous Manual Tasks details the process of doing a risk assessment specifically for these tasks, and works through the approaches for controlling those risks. We recommend you use it so you consider every aspect of these important steps. Find the code at worksafe.tas.gov.au by searching for ‘manual tasks’.

Put solutions in place The solutions you consider depend on the work done at your workplace. Options may include: • mechanical aids that help your

workers move, lift or carry items. Options include conveyors, cranes and hoists, trolleys, forklifts or lift tables, depending on your work tasks. Provide training so workers know how to use these correctly

• changing the layout of your workspace to reduce awkward postures or moves

• setting realistic work rates that take into account the physical demands of the task

• putting frequently used tools, materials or controls in front of the worker, close to their midline, and within comfortable reaching distance

• locating delivery and storage areas close to the work areas when items will be used

• having regular breaks throughout the day to do some simple exercises that fight fatigue.

Again, the code of practice on Hazardous Manual Tasks provides starting points for solutions. You could also talk with suppliers and manufacturers, your industry association and others doing similar work to you.

Workplace Issues No. 96 August 2020 15

Who’s who: Health providers

Working together: Our workers comp scheme

You could explain Tasmania’s workers compensation scheme simply by numbers: supported by 16,000 Tasmanian employers who have a workers compensation policy, helping 7,600 injured workers through payments of $170 million a year or $450,000 each day, every day.

But our workers compensation scheme is more than statistics: it’s people, workplaces and organisations working together to support injured workers financially and help them return to a safe and sustainable working life.

In Tasmania, an employer must either: • take out a workers compensation insurance policy with a

licensed insurer, or • become a self-insurer through the WorkCover Tasmania Board.

There are seven insurers licensed in Tasmania to provide employers with a workers compensation insurance policy. Their role is to manage the claims process, help employers meet their legal obligations, and help get workers back to work with financial support through a time of lost wages, medical appointments and time off work.

There are 10 self-insurers (mostly large organisations such as Woolworths, Sustainable Timber Tasmania and Nyrstar) who manage their own workers compensation arrangements. To be able to so this, they must meet stringent criteria and maintain high standards in WHS and workers compensation claims management.

Doctors start the process by signing the workers compensation medical certificate; and advising the injured worker and employer about safe levels of activity and what treatments could get the worker back to a functioning lifestyle.

Injury management co-ordinators oversee the injury management process for workers and employers, creating individual plans and providing a single point of contact between employers, doctors, insurers, return to work co-ordinators and workplace rehabilitation providers.

Workplace rehabilitation providers offer specific services to the worker and employer, such as assessing the functional capacity of a worker, providing advice about modifying work tasks or environments, and rehabilitation counselling.

Of course at the heart of the scheme is the injured worker and their employer. Getting an injured worker back to work safely is in the best interests of the worker (and their family, friends and social networks), because work is generally good for our physical and

emotional health. The longer you’re off work, the harder it is to get back to work, and the negative impacts increase for your physical and emotional wellbeing.

Work practices and workplace culture and relationships are just as important as return to work plans and programs. They can make an injured worker feel supported during the return to work process, which can positively affect their ongoing recovery and productivity. Employers play a key role in shaping these factors for positive outcomes.

Last year (2018–19 financial year), 7,600 people were injured at work. Most of them recovered and went back to work. But sadly, some people die from or in a work-related incident. The workers compensation scheme provides financial support for the dependants of deceased workers (including weekly payments or lump sum payments; compensation for the medical expenses incurred by the worker; and compensation for counselling and burial/cremation).

Finally, overseeing the scheme is the WorkCover Tasmania Board. The Board ensures the scheme is fair and sustainable; one way it does this is by engaging an independent actuary to analyse the scheme’s performance and identify future trends and any possible problem areas. The Board also advises the relevant Minister on the effectiveness of the scheme and the relevant laws.

The Board regulates some of the key players we’ve discussed here. For example, medical practitioners must be accredited to assess permanent impairment; workplace rehabilitation providers must be accredited to deliver their services. Employers who wish to self-insure must be granted a permit to do so; insurance companies must be licensed to cover employers.

For all these stakeholders, there are criteria and conditions that must be met, and the Board conducts audits and other monitoring programs to ensure these obligations are met.

No matter what their role or function, everyone in the scheme is focussed on improving the health outcomes for injured workers.

Who’s who: Insurers

Who’s who: Employers, workers

Who’s who: The WorkCover Tasmania Board

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Want more details? The Workers Compensation Handbook: The Basics can help you navigate through the workers compensation and injury management processes, and contains more detail about the people and matters outlined in this article. Go to worksafe.tas.gov.au and search for ‘GB010’.

16 Workplace Issues No. 96 August 2020

The WorkCover Tasmania Board does not prescribe fees for services provided by medical practitioners and other service providers to injured workers on workers compensation.

Employers are required to pay the reasonable and necessary expenses incurred by injured workers as a result of workplace injuries.

The Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 states that medical practitioners must not charge a fee that is in excess of the fee they would normally charge (taking into account any normal applicable discount) for a non-workers compensation related matter. A fine of up to $17,200 may be issued where excessive fees are charged.

The Board recognises the AMA schedule of fees as a guide to setting fees.

Find more information at worksafe.tas.gov.au through the compensation button on the home page.

New tool for Inspector processes

Workers comp insurance rates

Medical practitioner fees and charges

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Each year, WorkCover Tasmania publishes a set of suggested industry premium rates for workers compensation for each industry.

The purpose of this is to better inform the marketplace of the cost of workers compensation insurance cover:

• licensed insurers may use these suggested rates as a guide to setting their premiums for the following year

• employers may refer to these suggested rates as they consider quotes for workers compensation from insurance companies.

The average suggested premium rate across all industries for 2020–21 is 2.22% of wages, an increase of 0.14% from 2.08% in 2019–20. At an industry level the suggested rates vary from 0.40% to 9.30% of wages.

To find out the suggested rate for your industry, ask your insurer or broker for the ANZSIC code your business falls under then go to the WorkSafe Tasmania website at worksafe.tas.gov.au and search for ‘suggested industry premium rates’.

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WorkSafe Tasmania is implementing a new IT management system that will streamline the way inspectors manage inspections, investigations, notices and more.

InSpectIt — which stands for Inspection, Safety, Performance, Compliance and Investigation network — is currently being rolled out across WorkSafe’s three regions.

The system allows inspectors to capture more information at the scene of an inspection or incident, for example, and generate inspection reports, notices and other records on the spot, rather than going back to the office and writing and sending it from their desk. This simplifies necessary admin tasks like report writing, but ultimately streamlines the way that inspectors perform and complete their statutory functions. It also means speedier responses for the workplaces involved.

Burnie Senior Inspector Amanda Wells has been involved in the development and testing of InspectIt, as well as helping her colleagues navigate the new system. ‘The system allows us to be consistent across the Inspectorate when generating inspection reports and notices, and help us do our work without unnecessary duplication,’ said Amanda.

By improving the way important details and data is collected, InSpectIt also means WorkSafe has a better database of information to draw upon when determining strategic priorities, proactive programs and campaigns.

Workplace Issues No. 96 August 2020 17

Fruit Growers Tasmania Inc

Ondental Pty Ltd

Healthier Safer and Productive Workplaces

Grant RECIPIENTS

The WorkCover Tasmania Board congratulates the successful applicants of the Healthier, Safer and Productive Workplaces Grant Program 2019–20.

All four recipients applied to the Education and Training category, which focussed on developing education and training to assist workers and employers in identifying, improving and promoting WHS and wellbeing, including injury management, and preventing health hazards in the workplace (the other two categories were Innovation and Research).

The four recipients and their initiatives are:

Issue: Language barriers have been identified as a risk point for foreign seasonal workers in the fruit industry.

Initiative: The Tasmanian Fruit Industry Worker Induction Program will provide an effective visual learning resource for the Tasmanian fruit industry, giving employers the ability to conduct concise safety inductions, and have a greater confidence that workers are aware of key safety messages. Each worker who participates in this induction program will be tested on the safety principles contained in the video, which has multi-language capability to ensure that all pickers are more aware of WHS.

Issue: The risk of physical and mental injury is well documented in the dental profession; for example, the work involves poor posture, stagnant positions, and repetitive tasks.

Initiative: Dental Workwell is an online in-practice training program that provides the tools, guidance and know how to effectively manage and improve physical and mental health in the dental practice. It covers a pilates postural preventative and restorative program for neck and back health; a hand, wrist and arm mobility strength and function program; and a reducing stress and anxiety in practice program.

Issue: Agriculture is identified as a priority industry nationally in Tasmania, due to its high rate of injuries.

Initiative: The AgCard is a pre-farm employment induction program using the resources of Safe Farming Tasmania to give workers essential awareness and understanding of standard WHS procedures before they enter a workplace. It does not replace an on-farm induction, but rather attunes the worker to WHS habits and conversations they should be having once they start work. The aim of the pre-employment induction is to create a sense of ownership by the employee and the employer that we are all responsible for safety at work.

Issue: National and Tasmanian surveys have shown a high rate of sexual harassment for women working in agriculture.

Initiative: This project provides the opportunity to reduce the risk of bullying and harassment using a combination of behavioural based training and practical guidance electronic and printed tools, focused on rural workplaces. It will provide awareness of the types of behaviours that are unacceptable and develop measures to create a culture that does not tolerate sexual harassment and other forms of bullying and harassment. This includes improving induction programs to include discussion about what are considered unacceptable behaviours

Fruit Growers Tasmania Inc

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About the grants The Healthier, Safer and Productive Workplaces Grant Program support innovation, research, and education and training that will improve WHS, culture and injury management for workers and employers in Tasmania.

The Grant Program was open to workplaces, researchers and other eligible individuals and organisations who wish to make a difference to WHS, culture and injury management for Tasmanian workers and employers. This could be by conducting leading edge research, developing innovative engineering solutions, or preparing/delivering training programs.

Primary Employers Tasmania

Rural Business Tasmania Inc

Ondental Pty Ltd

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Workplace Issues No. 96 August 2020 19

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Be safe with asbestos With spring approaching, perhaps you have some home renovations on your weekend to-do list. Before you start, make sure you are asbestos aware.

Be asbestos aware Many people don’t know where asbestos can be found in and around their homes: in flooring and wall sheeting, in gutters and roofing, in fencing; in kitchens, bathrooms, garages and sheds — and many more. With research showing us that the next wave of asbestos-related disease will be amongst DIY home renovators. It’s been estimated that around 200,000–250,000 adults could be at risk of exposure to asbestos every year through unsafe home renovation activity. These are the men and women who are renovating their homes themselves and the family members, friends and tradespeople who help them. This number is not likely to decrease in the immediate future.

Awareness of the dangers of asbestos is high in Australia: around 75% in the general community and around 95% among tradespeople and DIYs. However, risk awareness does not translate into caution and protective behaviour; and in DIY renovators, safety is not top of mind. So it’s important to understand where asbestos is around your home, and the dangers of disturbing or removing it.

(Statistics: the Australian Government Asbestos Safety Eradication Agency)

What about building inspection reports? It’s not mandatory for building inspection reports to identify asbestos in homes. The seller is not obliged to tell you if the house contains asbestos, either. Therefore, it’s possible that asbestos may be present if your home.

As a general guide, if your house was built:

• before the mid-1980s: it’s highly likely it contains some asbestos products

• between the mid-1980s and 1990: it’s likely it would contain asbestos

Get an expert To know where asbestos is in your home, especially if you’re planning renovations, we recommend you get a licenced asbestos assessor. To find one, go to worksafe.tas.gov.au and search for ‘assessor search’.

They will:

• conduct an audit of your property to identify asbestos containing material

• provide you with a report with recommendations on removal or management strategies.

You may also consider getting an asbestos survey done before you purchase a property. Carefully read the report and any recommendations made by the asbestos assessor. If you’re unsure about any aspects of the report, ask them for further advice or explanation.

You should also provide a copy of the report to any tradies who intend to carry out work on your home, so they’re aware of the presence of asbestos in your property.

Asbestos awareness month Asbestos Awareness Month in November aims to educate Australians about the dangers of asbestos in and around homes, because Australia has one of the highest rates of asbestos related diseases in the world.

According to asbestos.awareness.com.au — where you ll find many practical resources for both tradies and DIY home renovators — many people wrongly believe that only fibro homes contain asbestos. ‘It s vital that Australians take the warnings seriously, that they stop playing ‘renovation roulette’ and protect themselves and their families from exposure to asbestos fibres during renovations and maintenance.

• after 1990: it’s unlikely it would contain asbestos.

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Cherry business prosecuted after death of orchard worker S D Reid Holdings Pty Ltd, trading as Reid Fruits, was prosecuted and fined $230,000 after the death of a cherry orchard worker.

Background A 50 year old male was employed on a casual basis at Reid Fruits’ orchard at Plenty. He had low literacy and English skills. He was inducted in the company’s trailer/tractor mounting procedure through two practical demonstrations; the company also had written procedures, but they were contradictory.

The worker’s tasks included picking up tubs of cherries and loading them into bins on a trailer towed by a tractor.

The trailer had been modified by the company’s production manager: a platform was installed on the trailer’s front to carry workers, and steps added on each side of the trailer in front of the wheels.

WorkSafe Tasmania’s investigation found these created an entrapment point due to the gap between the wheel and the step.

The incident On 9 January 2015, the worker was loading tubs of cherries into bins onto the modified trailer. He tried to mount one of the side steps as the tractor and trailer were moving forward. He either lost his balance or slipped, and as a consequence his left leg was trapped between the step and the rotating trailer wheel, pulling him under the wheel. The trailer rode onto the worker, causing fatal crush injuries to his abdomen, torso and legs.

What else should have been done The company should have: • ensured the gap between the metal step and the wheel was covered or altered so a

pinch point was not present, or its size reduced to prevent physical entrapment • provided an adequate induction process and/or documentation.

The charges S D Reid Holdings Pty Ltd was charged with one count of failing to comply with Health and Safety Duty – Category 2 contrary to Section 32 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2012.

The company pleaded not guilty to the charge, but was found guilty and convicted and fined $230,000.

Crane companyconvicted and fined, crane driver receives suspendedjail sentence

Pfeiffer Cranes Pty Ltd and one of its crane drivers, Glenn Gault, were prosecuted after Gault’s negligence caused a 1.9 tonne load of plaster to fall onto an Island Block and Paving Pty Ltd worker, causing serious injuries.

Pfeiffer Cranes was fined $50,000 and convicted and Gault received a 6 month suspended jail sentence.

The incident On 7 April 2017, a worker of Island Block and Paving was working with a builder on a construction site in Trevallyn. A crane was being used to lift pallets of plaster to the first floor of the building under construction. The lifting was complicated when the builder asked the plaster to be placed further away from the crane.

The crane has a safety system stopping the crane from moving when it senses it has reached 75% of capacity. When the crane reaches 100% of its capacity, alarms and lights also sound, which are visible both inside and outside of the crane.

The crane driver Gault overrode the safety system. On the fourth lift, while the load was being extended, the weight of the load caused the crane to fail and the boom to collapse, trapping the worker under the load. He sustained serious injuries.

A WorkSafe Tasmania investigation found the manual override had been used on more than 100 prior occasions..

The charges Pfeiffer Cranes Pty Ltd was charged with:

• one count of failing to comply with health and safety duty: Category 2 contrary to Section 32 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2012

• one count of failing to comply with health and safety duty: Category 3 contrary to Section 33 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2012.

Glenn Gault was charged with:

• one count of failing to comply with health and safety duty: Category 1 contrary to Section 31 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2012

• one count of failing to comply with health and safety duty: Category 2 contrary to Section 32 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2012.

Workplace Issues No. 96 August 2020 21

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We’re Business Tasmania. We’re here to help.

Hi, Business Tasmania here. We’re looking forward to working with WorkSafe Tasmania to bring you useful information in each edition of Workplace Issues magazine in 2020.

As Tasmanians start down the road to recovery, now is the time to consider your next steps. Here are a couple of top tips drawn from the recovery stage of our Emergency Preparation Toolkit (which you can find at business.tas.gov.au by searching for ‘toolkit’).

The Toolkit contains helpful information on what to do before, during and after an emergency event. Within the Toolkit are three checklists to help you tick off everything you need to do to plan for, survive, and get back on track after an unplanned disruption.

Communicate with your team, customers, and stakeholders While it’s really important to keep everyone in the loop about all the precautions you’re taking to prevent the spread of the virus, don’t forget to think critically about information overload. Everyone is being flooded with much the same stuff, so make it your goal to provide relevant and useful information. If you’re simply saying that staff are being extra diligent in hand-washing, for example, perhaps it’s something you can skip.

Instead, why not let people know how they can engage with your business again? Take advantage of the Buy Something Tasmanian website (buysomethingtasmanian.com.au) and their marketing budget. Or if you’re a Tasmanian tourism business, engage with Make Yourself at Home, Tourism Tasmania’s big new intrastate marketing campaign (find details at tourism.tas.gov.au).

Assess your market

COVID-19 has radically transformed almost every aspect of business life, so it’s important to reassess your priorities and re-evaluate your products and services in line with what your customers now need. The world has moved online and it’s unlikely to go back to the way it was. Customers’ work and life routines have changed too. Does this opens up new possibilities for you?

Some businesses may have already begun to implement their digital strategies and improve the customer experience online. Now is a great time to review your online business strategy. This way your business will remain competitive and ensure customer needs are met. If you need help with your digital presence in particular, ask us about our Digital Ready program.

Seek support for yourself and your team

It’s totally normal to feel stressed and worried at a time like this. Uncertainty can really take it out of you and those around you. If you need to talk then Beyond Blue has excellent resources and is available to talk to 24/7, even if it’s just a bit of solidarity that you need. Go to coronavirus.beyondblue.org.au.

If you need more of a business-focused sounding board, we have a statewide network of independent business advisors who you can meet with for free. Just call us to arrange it. Plus, some great information can be found through your local chamber of commerce or your industry association.

Celebrate your achievements and record what you have learned Don’t forget to have a look at what you’ve done well, big or small. Have you been kind to others or given back to the community? Found new customers or forged new partnerships? Been more innovative or creative? Found new ways of delivering your product or service? Give yourself some credit where it’s due.

To access any of the support mentioned above or for more information, give us a call on 1800 440 026 or email us at ask@business.tas.gov.au.

Business Tasmania 1800 440 026 (9am 5pm, Mon Fri)

business.tas.gov.au

ask@business.tas.gov.au

facebook.com/BusinessTasmania

twitter.com/businesstas

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Everybody’s Talking... Questions and answers from our Helpline

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I did my white card training with an online provider, but WorkSafe declined to issue my card. What could be the reason for this? When you’re selecting an online course, you need to check that the provider is both a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) and that the course you are undertaking is training unit number CPCCWHS1001–Prepare to Work Safely in the Construction Industry. Otherwise, WorkSafe will not accept it. You also need to be IN TASMANIA when you complete the training. WorkSafe Tasmania is the card issuer (rather than the RTO sending the card), so your application needs to be lodged with Service Tasmania within 60 days of completing the training.

I lost my white card, but it was originally issued from another state. How can I replace it? When you first get your white card, it’s a good idea to take a picture of the card and number or write it down, and keep this safe. That way if you lose your card and need to replace it, you’ll know who to contact. WorkSafe Tasmania can only replace cards that we issue and have records on. Unfortunately, there is no ‘national database’ that lists cards issued in other states. If you need to ring around the other states to replace your card, see our list of contact details: go to worksafe.tas.gov.au and search for ‘interstate’.

I applied at Service Tasmania yesterday for my card but I need it now to get onto a site WorkSafe Tasmania has up to 60 days to issue or decline your card. In that period your certificate of attainment and receipt from Service Tasmania are sufficient to allow you to work on-site, so workplaces should not deny you entry. If you call our Helpline after two or three business days, we should be able to provide you with the card number or a confirmation letter.

My licence to perform high risk work is about to expire, but I am stuck on the mainland! What can I do? If you’re temporarily stuck interstate (because of border restrictions) and you don’t need to operate the equipment at the moment, you have a grace period of up to 12 months to renew in person at Service Tasmania. Remember: don’t operate without a current licence. If you need the licence to be renewed now, contact our Helpline on (03) 6166 4600. If you’re now living permanently on the mainland, renew it in the state you’re in. See our list of contact details at worksafe.tas.gov.au by searching for ‘interstate’.

For more information about high risk work licences and construction white cards, go to worksafe.tas.gov.au/ topics/licensing permits and registration

@worksafetasmania @worksafetasmania @WorkSafeTas

worksafe.tas.gov.au

1300 366 322 (within Tasmania)

(03) 6166 4600 (outside Tasmania)

wstinfo@justice.tas.gov.au

WorkSafe Helpline

Workplace Issues No. 96 August 2020 23

Working together towards health and safety this October Visit safeworkmonth.swa.gov.au for more

#safeworkmonth #safetytogether