Answers to Typical OH&S Questions

‘The three parts to simple steps to OH&S for tree companies’

The QAA has recognized the need to produce a document pulling together the basic requirements of health and safety legislation in order to help tree businesses meet their WH&S obligations. On behalf of the Queensland amenity tree industry, the QAA applied and won significant grant funding to allow production and distribution of the Kit ‘Three parts to simple steps to OH&S for tree companies’ to 650 companies in Queensland.

Tailored to the Amenity Tree Industry, these guides provide an invaluable assistance with building Workplace Health & Safety Systems. The guides still require input and commitment from business’s to meet overall WH&S compliance requirements. It is intended that these guides will help business to improve the safety standards of the amenity tree industry and promote a new sense of professionalism.

The 3 OH&S Booklets are free when new members join the QAA. If you would like to purchase them, the cost is $95 per kit plus postage and handling. There is over $2000 worth of valuable information located throughout the 3 booklets.

Sponsored by ArborSafe Australia Pty Ltd

Q. I’m an owner operator and don’t employ anyone – do OH&S laws apply to me?
A. Yes. Regardless of the size of your business you are required to comply with all Qld OH&S laws.

Q. When I hire sub-contractors, aren’t they responsible for all their own OH&S?
A. No. Contractors are required to comply with OH&S laws. However you are responsible for your work sites and need to ensure they ARE compliant. It is a good practice to induct and train any sub- contractors you use in YOUR Control Measures for the Hazards and Risks present on your work sites.

Q. How many times do I have to do the Hazard Assessments?
A. You are required to perform Hazard Assessments each time you encounter a new hazard. For new Hazardous Items (e.g. when you buy a new chipper) you are required to perform a Hazard Assessment as there may be new hazards that come with this new purchase. After the assessment is completed and the Control Measures are implemented, you don’t need to perform this assessment again unless the chipper is modified or used in a different way. For new Hazardous Activities (e.g. each new tree felling operation on a different site) you are required to perform a Hazard Assessment as there may be new hazards that come with this new site.
For Dangerous Goods and Hazardous Substances (DG&HS’s) you are required to perform a Hazard Assessment with each new DG or HS purchased or used. After the assessment is completed and the Control Measures are implemented, you need to perform this assessment again every five years, or if the DG or HS is used, stored or transported in a different way. You should periodically review ALL your assessments to ensure the best levels of workplace safety.

Q. I have Safety Procedures in place – do I need all this other stuff?
A. You are required to have all the elements outlined in this kit as parts of a complete OH&S system. Procedures are an important element but will not provide a safe workplace on their own.

Q. How many Policies am I required to have?
A. There is no specific number of Policies required under the law. However, you may choose to develop a range of Policies that suit your management, staff, business and operational needs.

Q. How much supervision am I required to provide for workers?
A. You are required to provide sufficient supervision to ensure safe work methods are understood and followed. The amount of supervision will depend on individual worker and/or work group skills, competency and training.

Q. Am I required to purchase and do all the things my staff come up with in regard to safety?
A. You should encourage workers to discuss health and safety issues. The results of these discussions may be good practical suggestions for safety actions or purchases. You should evaluate all safety suggestions as to whether they would provide a safer and practical outcome. If they do, you should try to implement them. If not, explain the reasoning behind the decision. Remember many purchases of safer items can be made when old items are due for re-order or replacement.

Q. My opinion of the level of Risk on my assessments seems to be different to that of others?
A. Your assessment of the level of risk is YOUR assessment, there is no absolute right answer. Look at the Hazard and the likelihood of an incident occurring, then estimate the severity of the consequences should it occur. It is this likelihood and consequence that determines the level of Risk. E.g. Highly Likely + High Consequence (death) = Extreme Risk. Possible + Low Consequence (skin rash) = Low Risk. Highly Unlikely + Moderate Consequence (laceration) = Low Risk

Q. Is it right that I have a lot of the same Control Measures when I review my Master to-do-list?
A. Yes. You will find that many of your Control Measures involve the same methods. For example hearing protection may be a Control Measure for chainsaws, blowers and chippers. The key is to ensure that workers operating only a blower know they must wear ear muffs - even though this Control Measure is repeated for chainsaws and chippers.

Q. How do I know everyone is trained correctly?
A. Use the Induction process and Staff Competency Record (Pages 21 & 23 of Book 1) to identify the roles, responsibilities and skills required to perform the tasks asked of workers. Then keep a Training Register (Page 25 of Book 1) to record all on-the-job and external training. These processes will identify skills, further training required and history. They will also record that you evaluated them.

Q. What types of incidents must I report?
A. The employer and Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) should be notified of any incident requiring medical assistance at the site. Contact WHSQ on 1300 369 915. An inspector or police officer may need to investigate the scene of a serious workplace incident. Remember you must record even minor incidents – you can use the Incident Report Form (on the CD).

Q. How often should I review my OH&S system and procedures?
A. OH&S review should be a regular part of your business. This can be as simple as regularly discussing OH&S issues with workers and making sure everyone knows they have a role in alerting you to safety issues. Scheduling formal reviews of elements of the system should be done at a frequency that ensures on-going safety.

Q. Why does OH&S have to involve me making so many notes and filling out forms?
A. Forms, notes and meeting minutes can record events, assessments, actions and agreements. They are helpful business tools necessary for accountability and proof of actions. Apart from any legal benefits they also help with systemising staff, equipment, client and job management.

Q. When are staff responsible for safety?
A. Everyone is responsible for safety in the workplace at all times. An employer’s role is to provide the facilities, tools, training and supervision. It is the employee’s responsibility to utilise these provisions to perform their work tasks safely

About ArborSafe Australia Pty Ltd

ArborSafe Australia Pty Ltd was commissioned to create the QAA’s free Qld wide OH&S starter kit for all amenity tree companies.

ArborSafe Australia Pty Ltd offers OH&S and Business solutions tailored to the Amenity Tree industry nation-wide. Their OH&S products and services assist with every aspect of the OH&S compliance path. They are unique in offering OH&S systems tailored to the tree industry. They can also help with training, and a full compliment of services to ensure OH&S compliance is made as easy as possible.

ArborSafe Australia understands the tree industry. That’s why an ArborSafe system is your best choice for the path to OH&S compliance.

When it comes to OH&S compliance, arboriculture, unlike any other industry, presents a unique variety of hazards and risks. That’s why other ‘off the shelf’ systems, or outside consultants, may cause you to struggle in fulfilling your compliance needs. Thereby exposing you to further personal and financial risks.

ArborSafe OH&S systems save you many hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars over many other OH&S options. ArborSafe makes OH&S much simpler - and cheaper.