CFMEU :: Forestry Division

CFMEU FORESTRY AND FURNISHING PRODUCTS DIVISION NATIONAL DIVISIONAL POLICY ON OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY This document sets out the Policy of the CFMEU FORESTRY AND FURNISHING PRODUCTS DIVISION on Occupational Health and Safety for the information of Members, Representatives and Officials. Included with the Policy is an introduction and overview which provides a background for the reading and application of the Policy. This Policy is binding on all CFMEU FORESTRY AND FURNISHING PRODUCTS DIVISION Members, Representatives and Officials. Any queries about the Policy should be directed to either the Branch or Divisional Office. 1. INTRODUCTION The Unions emphasis on prevention of occupational disease and injury is paramount. The nature of Union's involvement in occupational health and safety through occupational health and safety representatives and committees and securing workplace health and safety agreements will continue to direct the Union's major initiatives in health and safety. A Objective The principle of Union policy on health and safety is to meet the rights of the workers to SAFE and HEALTHY work, this will involve: 1. The right to participate in decision making processes which will affect their health and safety. 2. The promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental, and social well-being of workers in the Timber Industry. 3. The prevention among workers of departures from health caused by their working conditions 4. The protection of workers in their employment from risks resulting from factors adverse to health. 5. The placing and maintenance of workers in an occupational environment adapted to physiological and psychological needs. B PRINCIPLES The Union recognises that the basic principles which should inform the Union approach to health and safety are that: 1. Workers have a right to work in an environment that healthy, safe and free of the adverse effects of stress, employers have an obligation to provide this work environment. 2. Workers have a right to know what hazards they are exposed to in the workplace, and employers have an obligation to provide this information. 3. Improvements in members health and safety can predominantly be achieved by collective action to improve conditions, rather than by personal changes in "lifestyle", hence health and safety is a legitimate Union issue. 4. Improvements in members health and safety should be won through reducing hazards at the source, and modifying the workplace to fit the needs of people rather then through modifying people's behaviour, or adapting them to fit the demands of a hazardous workplace. 5. Victims of occupational injury and disease should be cared for by comprehensive financial compensation without prejudice to common law action, and by readily available rehabilitation and health care services. 2. CURRENT POLICY Important gains have been won by Unions in the field of occupational health and safety since a policy was adopted by the ACTU in 1979. There is still a long way to go and the CFMEU FORESTRY AND FURNISHING PRODUCTS DIVISION reaffirms the need for increased attention to be paid to occupational health and safety matters in the workforce. The Union realises that priority should be given to a program for the prevention of occupational injuries and diseases rather than to one of accommodation to hazards. Reforms are needed in Australias compensation, rehabilitation and occupational health services systems. 3. EDUCATION AND TRAINING Education and training in accident prevention and occupational health needs to assume much greater importance in the workplace. The Union will seek to provide information and educative processes to members through approved courses by the CFMEU FORESTRY AND FURNISHING PRODUCTS DIVISION, ACTU and TUTA to ensure: 1. General education of working population as to occupational hazards, and attitudes to health and safety including multi-lingual services for migrants 2. Training of Union � elected safety representatives. 3. Training of safety officers to be graded, paid educational leave to be provided by the employers, with the emphasis of the training on the value of human life rather than on technical or financial constraint. The Union believes that apart from pursuing policies which require Government and managerial action, it is our responsibility to inform members of occupational health and safety hazards at the workplace. We will ensure that occupational health and safety is not compromised or rights bargained away, and that the working environment is changed to prevent accidents and diseases. 4. PREVENTING STRATEGY The Union will seek to use the standards as set down by the ACTU and codes of practice as set down by NOHSC and VOHSC as minimum standards when negotiating with employers to achieve improvements in the quality of the work environment, they will cover such problems as: 1. Physical Hazards � eg: noise vibration, heat, cold, dusts and fibres; 2. Chemical Hazards eg: flammable and explosive materials, sensitising agents , toxic substances; 3. Biological Hazards eg: biological dusts, pathogens; 4. Psychological Hazards eg: stressful work systems; 5. New Technological eg: automated machines; 6. Safety Hazards eg: unguarded machines 7. Prevention of major occupational injuries and diseases eg: back injuries, skin disease, cancer, allergies, noise. The Union will give priority to improving the workplace by implementing the standards dealing with the above problems. When negotiating, such improvements through the workplace and collective frame works the Union should refuse to accept payment for adopting hazardous or unsafe working practices. Where the hazard is intractable, and safety equipment has to be worn or used, then exposure to the hazard should be reduced to the lowest possible level and appropriate working conditions negotiated. 5. HEALTH AND SAFETY AGREEMENTS The Union will seek to establish with employers and commit to writing, health and safety agreements to improve standards of health and safety in all work areas, and will regard existing standards regulations and codes of practice, such as those produced by SAA, VOHSC, NOHSC and MRC, as the minimum acceptable levels. These standards are to be incorporated within formal written instructions on health and safety. All agreements reviewed at regular intervals. 6. WORKERS Workers have the right to work in a safe environment and therefore they should have the opportunity to be trained in safety, first aid and fire protection. The employer should take the responsibility to ensure that paid time off and access to training is provided; Workers should have: Information on all legal rights and employer obligations as to health and safety. Where necessary information should be translated in different languages; Access to on-site first aid and ready access to qualified occupational health nurse and doctor; Access to outside specialist on occupational health and safety; The right to raise complaints and not be victimised for raising complaints or stopping work over health hazards; Full access to free approved protective equipment and clothing when recommended; The right to personal health examination, as well as a right of access to their own records, and a further right to have information in those records kept confidential by occupational health centre, staff, unless they give written consent for its release; Workers have a responsibility in the course of performing their work to take reasonable care of their own safely and that of other persons who May be affected by their act or omissions. 1. HEALTH AND SAFETY REPRESENTATIVES Health and safety representatives will be accountable to the membership through normal Union channels. In particular they will be Union members, elected by Union members and operate as part and parcel of the Unions normal shop floor organisation. In order to perform their role effectively, they will have the following rights and powers: 1. To inspect all or part of the workplace at any time, taking photographers samples or measurements as required; 2. To have access to all health and safety information to the workplace, provided information on individuals is obtained only with consent of that individual and shall not be used to the detriment of that person; 3. To call in a government inspector and to accompany that inspector during any visit he or she May take to the workplace and to receive a copy of any report made; 4. To initiate prosecutions through the Union in respect of breaches of regulations, where the government inspectorates fail to act; 5. To stop work and order workers and others at risk out of the areas where an immediate threat to health and safety is suspected (with no loss of wages) pending the Arbitration of and inspector; 6. To be informed of any accident or hazardous event immediately it occurs and to carry out emergency inspection of the site before anything has been disturbed (apart from changes made for safety reasons), and to be given copies of any reports prepared by the employer relating to the occurrence; 7. To represent workers in safety disputes or internal enquiries after accidents; 8. To be consulted by the employers on all changes to the workplace which May have implications for the health and safety of the workers they represent; 9. Paid leave for the purpose of health and safety Training run by the Union; 10. To perform all their activities in the workplace on paid time, and to have adequate facilities for performing them; 11. To call in consultants or advisors funded by the employer to the workplace at any time after notifying the employer. The health and safety representatives has a responsibility to keep the Union advised of all relevant matters and should act in consultation with the Union officials where it is reasonable to do so. Safety representatives should not be victimised or discriminated against in any way in respect of the performance of the duties of the safety representative. Nor shall they incur any additional legal responsibility because of their position as a representative. 2. JOINT UNION HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEES Joint Union � Management Health and Safety Committees should function according to the following procedures: 1. They should be given wide terms of reference to consider any matter relevant to workers health and safety raised by either side; 2. They should have at least equal numbers of Union representatives and be chaired on a bipartisan basis; 3. All relevant matters should be reported to employees; 4. They should call upon experts or consultants as the need arises and call upon advisors as required. 5. They should regularly consider: Written reports on accidents and injuries, together with recommendations as how such accidents and injuries can be avoided in the future; Results of all environmental and personal monitoring carried out at the workplace (and the causes for any excursions or high readings should be investigated and recommendation for their elimination be considered). Results of all medical monitoring, in aggregate with due regard to protection of personal information; Written reports on all health and safety disputes, with recommendation as to how they May be resolved; Proposed changes to workplace or work processes together with their implication for health and safety (no changes should be carried out until safe operating or handling procedures have been agreed upon. 6. They should develop joint policies and standards based on ACTU and Union standards and criteria, which define a safe and healthy working environment and then monitor the adherence to these standards by the employer. 8. MANAGEMENT The CFMEU FORESTRY AND FURNISHING PRODUCTS DIVISION believes that management has for far too long recognised safety and occupational health problems only so long as they do not cost too much money or interfere with their often unfettered prerogatives to direct labour to meet product goals and profits. The Union asserts that occupational health and safety cannot be seen in narrow economic terms, management has often paid little regard to the real advantage of decreasing accidents and work related illnesses and the consequential reduction in workcare premiums and payouts which should result. Management have duties and responsibilities in developing and maintaining safe systems of work and working environment in conjunction with and by agreement with the Union. These shall include: 1. Carrying out safety audits of hazards associated with the workplace, including amongst other things, noise vibration, heat and cold, light, as well as exposure to toxic substances and potentially harmful substances; 2. To take all steps to design out in consultation with the Union all hazards in the workplace; 3. Instituting a recognised and approval industrial Hygiene Program; 4. Providing and appropriate occupational health medical service if necessary through regional arrangements with resident nursing and medical staff; 5. Monitoring where appropriate the health of all present and retired workers known as suspected to be working with hazardous materials; 6. Maintaining complete records of all hygiene monitoring health checks epidemiological studies and effluents emitted to the environment; 7. Disclosing regularly all health and safety records (other than personal records not released by the person involved) to Union's health and safety representatives and Government Departments. Individuals shall have access to all their own health records. 8. Informing safety representatives of all hazards, identifying them by name, together with chemical composition of all materials associated with the workplace; 9. Advising the Union and their safety representatives of all changes in processes and new equipment being introduced, allowing adequate time for workers and their representatives to examine the health and safety implications, and to recommend acceptable safeguards; 10. Providing qualified safety officers and ensuring the appointment and training in the employers time of qualified first aid attendants without cost to the employee; 11. Consult with the Union in the design and construction of new factories, workshops and offices and in any change to such establishments; 12. Providing induction programs (multi � lingual if necessary) for all new employees or those transferred to locations, instructing them in safe working practices and advising them on any particular occupational hazards. 10 SPECIFIC ACTION The CFMEU FORESTRY AND FURNISHING PRODUCTS DIVISION recognises that there is a need for the following specific areas of activity: 1. The development and promotion of specific standards in respect of occupational health and safety in the Forestry and Furnishing Products Industry ie: Manual Handling Machine Guarding Timber preservatives 2. the need to promote the most appropriate level of integration between Federal and State Government activities. 3. To promote within the Union a higher level of concern in respect of occupational health and safety.