Prisons
These are the most common injuries and hazards for people working in the prison Industry, as shown by injury claims.
Prisons
These are the most common injuries and hazards for people working in the Prison Industry, as shown by injury claims.
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Injury Hotspot skeleton diagram, text information below.
Hazards
- Hazard 1Lifting heavy equipment
- Provide appropriate mechanical aids and equipment (eg lifting / moving devices for moving large, bulky or awkward objects, height-adjustable trolleys and workstations) and ensure they are used properly and maintained in accordance with manufacturer specifications.
- Train employees in the selection and use of any mechanical equipment and aids and safe handling methods (eg work is between shoulder and mid-thigh height and with the elbows close to the body, work upright where possible).
- 6 per cent of the injuries were to a persons arm.
- 10 per cent of the injuries were to a persons shoulder.
- 12 per cent of the injuries were to a persons back.
- Hazard 2Slips 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 wear appropriate footwear (eg non-slip).
- 12 per cent of the injuries were to a persons knee.
- 12 per cent of the injuries were to a persons back.
- 8 per cent of the injuries were to a persons leg.
- Hazard 3Using unpowered tools
- Provide appropriate mechanical aids and equipment (eg power tools that are ergonomically designed and lightweight, low vibration, noise restricted and fitted with clutches and safety guards) and ensure they are used properly and maintained in accordance with manufacturer specifications.
- Ensure employees are not exposed to repetitive work for long periods (eg by using job rotation, work variation) or work that requires a significant amount of high force.
- 10 per cent of the injuries were to a persons shoulder.
- 8 per cent of the injuries were to a persons leg.
- Hazard 4Work-related stress bullying and harassment
- Develop and implement appropriate policies and procedures for workplace bullying and harassment.
- Encourage a positive workplace culture, including reporting of bullying and harassment.
- Ensure all employees (including emergency and student teachers, temporary staff) understand what bullying and harassment is, and the procedures for reporting incidents (eg policies and procedures should be promoted during employee induction and workplace bullying prevention or training).
- Provide access and encourage employees to use employee counselling / support services, where possible.
- Train employees on how to identify and defuse potentially volatile situations.
- Encourage employees to report any workplace stress factors (eg work demand, low control, poor support, lack of role clarity, organisational culture) and control appropriately.
- 27 per cent of the injuries were to a persons psychological system.
- Hazard 5Work-related violence
- Ensure appropriate security measures are in place (eg toughened glass, no blind spots, access / egress control, barriers, and no areas where staff can become trapped).
- Provide appropriate personal protection, including methods to obtain assistance (e.g. duress alarms, mobile phones, CCTV).
- Develop and implement appropriate policies and procedures (eg exchange of information between shifts and officers, incident notification, appropriate rostering and staffing levels, client assessments).
- Ensure all employees understand policies and procedures (eg policies and procedures should be promoted during employee induction and training).
- Provide access and encourage employees to use employee counselling / support services, where possible.
- Train employees on how to identify and defuse potentially volatile situations.
- Encourage employees to report all incidents and provide appropriate incident response and feedback.