Prisons

A snapshot of how people employed in the prison industry get injured at work, and tips to help prevent these types of injuries from occurring.

Injury hotspots pages contain helpful information for

training and induction materials
occupational health and safety content
preventing injuries in the workplace.

Prisons

Hazards

Hazard 1
Lifting heavy equipment
Provide appropriate mechanical aids and equipment (for example, lifting/moving devices for large, bulky or awkward objects, and height-adjustable trolleys and workstations).

Ensure mechanical aids and equipment are used properly and maintained in accordance with manufacturer specifications.

Train employees and contractors in the selection and use of any mechanical aids and equipment and safe handling methods (for example work is between shoulder and mid-thigh height and with the elbows close to the body, work upright where possible).
Hazard 2
Psychosocial
Psychosocial hazards are factors in the design or management of work that increase the risk of psychological or physical harm. Examples include:

work-related violence

work-related fatigue

workplace bullying

work-related gendered violence including sexual harassment

violent or traumatic events

remote and isolated work

high and low job demands

low job control

poor support.

Ensure systems are in place to identify, assess and control risks to psychological health in consultation with employees and contractors and any HSRs. Systems should include processes for regularly reviewing and revising risk control measures to ensure effectiveness.

Consider the design and management of work. For example:

Are employee and contractor tasks appropriate for skill level and experience?

Do employees and contractors have adequate training, resources and support?

Is workload allocated to ensure it is reasonable and appropriate to skillset?

Do employees and contractors have clear roles and reporting lines?

Ensure systems are in place for employees and contractors to report psychosocial hazards and risks. Employees and contractors should be confident their concerns will be addressed in a fair and timely manner.

Provide employees and contractors with adequate support. For example, supervisory support, peer support and Employee Assistance Programs (EAP).
Hazard 3
Repetitive work
Ensure employees and contractors are not exposed to repetitive work for long periods, for example:

use job rotation

work variation

provide sit-stand stools and anti-fatigue mats.

Ensure employees and contractors are not exposed to work that requires a significant amount of high force for long periods.
Hazard 4
Slips trips and falls
Provide adequate lighting in work areas, stairways and walkways.

Ensure floor surfaces are level, non-slip or slip-resistant and kept dry and clear of clutter and obstructions. Apply safety grips/lines if necessary.

Ensure all stairs and steps have handrails.

Regularly tidy and remove clutter so it does not accumulate.

Clean up spills immediately.

Ensure employees and contractors wear appropriate footwear (for example non-slip).
Hazard 5
Using machinery and tools
Provide appropriate tools and machinery. For example, ergonomically designed handheld tools that are:

lightweight

low vibration

noise restricted

fitted with over-torque clutches and safety guards.

Ensure tools and machinery are used properly and maintained in accordance with manufacturer specifications.
Hazard 6
Work-related violence
Ensure appropriate security measures are in place. For example:

toughened glass

no blind spots

access and egress control

barriers

no areas where staff can become trapped.

Provide appropriate personal protection, including methods to obtain assistance. For example:

duress alarms

mobile phones

CCTV.

Develop and implement appropriate policies and procedures to reduce the risk of work-related violence. For example:

exchange of information between shifts and officers

incident notification

appropriate rostering and staffing levels

client assessments.

Ensure all employees and contractors understand policies and procedures. For example, policies and procedures should be promoted during employee induction and training.

Provide access and encourage employees and contractors to use employee counselling/support services, where possible.

Train employees and contractors on how to identify and defuse potentially volatile situations.

Encourage employees and contractors to report all incidents and provide appropriate incident response and feedback.

Information about common injuries

By highlighting the areas on the body where workers in their industry are likely to get injured, users are encouraged to click within the interactive graphic to reveal the most common causes of those injuries.

Injury hotspots then list the leading hazards in each industry or occupation, along with tips to help address those hazards.

Putting injury hotspots into action

Injury hotspots is a quick and easy tool that people can use for:

improving general safety awareness
training and induction materials
promoting occupational health and safety programs
preventing injuries in the workplace.

Injury hotspots disclaimer

This information does not give rise to any liability of, or claim against, WorkSafe Victoria. It does not give rise to any right, expectation, duty or obligation that a person may not otherwise have. It does not give rise to any defence that would not otherwise be available to a person.

This information does not affect the operation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 or the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017.

Please note these injuries and hazards are based on historical claims data. There may also be new common injuries and hazards emerging at your workplace which will need to be addressed.

Prisons

Injury hotspots pages contain helpful information for

Prisons

Hazards

Lifting heavy equipment

Psychosocial

Repetitive work

Slips trips and falls

Using machinery and tools

Work-related violence

Information about common injuries

Putting injury hotspots into action

Injury hotspots disclaimer

Information

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