HLTWHS003 Maintain Work Health and Safety

Task:

Assessment

Knowledge questions

Read through each question posed carefully.  In your response, you should use terms and phrases that you defined in your Terms and Definitions assessment.  Reflect on your learning unit and your own research.  You should aim to present 180 words for each response, thereby more fully demonstrating your knowledge in this area of study.  A minimum of 150 words for each response is required.

1. Explain why personal protective clothing should be the last resort when it comes to protecting workers’ health and safety.

2. In your own words, define consultation, and outline when workers must be consulted on health and safety issues at the workplace. 

3. An accident has occurred at your workplace, and a person has been injured.  Provide at least three examples of the type of information that you would include in the accident report according to WHS legislation. 

4. Nicola is a dental assistant in a small practice.  She sometimes forgets to remove her disposable gloves when she follows a client back into the reception area to organise the payment of their account.  As her supervisor, you have seen this happen on a number of occasions.  Do you believe this is an issue?  Explain your response.  How would you address this situation and follow up on it? 

5. You have been asked to research existing or potential physical hazards at your workplace and look at some strategies for implementing controls.  Outline the processes that you would take to identify those hazards and, once identified, the types of risk controls that you might recommend. 

6. One of the clients at your dental practice becomes quite angry when he is handed his bill.  The receptionist, Joni, does what she can to calm him down, but his aggressive behaviour has started to escalate.  She walks from behind the reception desk to offer him a seat, but you can see that Joni is becoming quite scared, and you are concerned that the man may become physically violent.  As the most senior member of staff you decide to step in and ask the man to leave immediately.  He walks outside, but you can see he is still very angry and starting to kick cars in the car park, shouting obscenities.  What procedures would you put into place in this situation?  Once the situation was over, what risk controls would you ensure were put into place?  Would there be any residual risk?  Is there any information that you could share with Joni and others about safety precautions?