Timber › Notes › 2.5 Work health and safety
2.5 Work health and safety
- Government legislation: WHS Act 2011 (NSW) and Regulation; duties on the PCBU, officers and workers; SafeWork NSW is the regulator.
- Industry requirements: standards (Australian Standards, codes of practice e.g. for noise, hazardous chemicals, manual handling); policing (inspectors, notices); prosecution (fines, court).
- Risk assessment: identify, assess (likelihood × consequence), control (hierarchy of control: eliminate, substitute, isolate/engineer, administrative, PPE), review.
- Safety training and human factors: induction, machine competency, refresher training; fatigue, distraction, complacency, rushing.
- Workplace culture and WHS communication: consultation, HSRs and committees, toolbox talks, signage (prohibition, mandatory, warning, emergency), safety data sheets (SDS) for chemicals.
- Timber hazards: blade contact, kickback, wood dust (hardwood dust causes nasal cancer), noise-induced hearing loss, manual handling of sheets, flammable finishes and oily rags, formaldehyde, treated timber, hidden metal in recycled timber.