Introduction
This topic deals with information regarding health and safety issues affecting the CWC. It covers:
- policy relating to health and safety in CWCs
- activities to prevent danger/risk – including monitoring, training, information sharing and risk management
- requirements for civil defence and first aid measures, and
- rules for communicable medical conditions.
Affected areas of operation
The following specific areas of operation are affected:
- hazard management
- selection of sites for work projects
- use of equipment and safe work practices
- provision for safety equipment
- food provided for offenders
- toilet facilities
- travel arrangements
- wet weather contingency plans, and
- staff training.
References
Legislative reference: Health and safety is governed by the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992.
Reference: For the specific procedures and hazard register information, refer to the Community Probation Service Health and Safety Manual.
Policy
The following policy applies to health and safety in CWCs:
- CPPS is responsible for providing a safe working environment for staff and offenders.
- The area manager is responsible for initiating and managing a health and safety culture that safeguards employees and offenders from any foreseeable hazards.
Monitoring activities
The following monitoring activities must take place to identify risk and hazards.
- A representative of the health and safety committee must carry out full checks every three months on:
- the workplace at the CWC
- travel arrangements to and from worksites, and
- arrangements at each worksite.
- The community work supervisor and probation officer are responsible for making regular checks each day at the worksite.
Training and information sharing activities
The following training and information sharing activities must take place to prevent risk and manage hazards within community work (CW).
- Service managers are responsible for providing adequate health and safety training for all staff.
- he probation officer must:
- use the hazard identification sheet to record any potential or existing hazards at the worksite of each proposed project, and
- ensure that hazard management is maintained.
- Staff are generally responsible for informing offenders about safety procedures:
- at induction, for situations at the CWC (i.e. travel to and from worksites and at worksites) and for how to register any occupational health and safety concerns, and
- at the beginning of a work project, for use of equipment, safe work practice, and wet weather contingency plans.
Specific risk management
The following are specific examples of preventive action that should be taken to manage risk areas and hazards.
- CWC staff must ensure that food for offenders is prepared and packed in a manner that removes all health risks to offenders. The probation officer is responsible for ensuring this requirement is adhered to.
- The probation officer must take into account health and safety issues when considering the allocation of an offender to a particular work party.
Reference: Volume 3A, Part I, Chapter 2, Section 2c, Information to Cover During CWC Induction. (Please refer to the related links section on this page).
Civil defence requirements
The following requirements apply to civil defence measures.
- If local civil defence requires CW involvement, the area manager and service managers must establish civil defence procedures for the area that:
- take local conditions and facilities into account, and
- coordinate with neighbouring areas to ensure use of resources is efficient and effective.
- The service manager must inform their staff about:
- the procedures, and
- any role they may be expected to play in carrying out the procedures.
- Staff must inform offenders of local procedures at induction.
- The civil defence procedures should be displayed at the CWC at all times (i.e. on notice boards).
First aid and recording requirements
The following requirements apply to first aid measures and the recording of accidents:
- There must be a suitable first aid kit available at the CWC.
- A first aid kit must also be available for each work party when away from the CWC. The kit should be held in a secure and accessible place.
- The community work supervisor must oversee all use of the first aid kit.
- At induction, staff must inform offenders of the area health and safety policy and staff must be trained in the procedure to follow in the case of an accident.
- Each CWC must maintain an accident register. All accidents, no matter how minor, and all “near misses” must be recorded in the register and on the worksheets as soon as practicable after the incident.
- In all cases where staff are concerned about the condition of an offender, professional assistance should be sought immediately by:
- calling an ambulance (or doctor), or
- taking the offender directly to a hospital or medical centre.
Note: If on a worksite, all offenders must accompany the injured person if no other supervision is available.
Legislative reference: The Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2001.
Communicable medical condition
The following rules relate to dealing with staff or offenders who have a communicable medical condition, particularly the human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV), the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), and strains of the hepatitis virus.
- As an offender may not be aware of a medical condition, staff should treat all offenders as if they do have a communicable medical condition.
- The requirement of the Privacy Act 1993 is that no information relating to such health details may be given to any person without the express written consent of the infected person.
- If an offender or staff member expresses concern regarding their health, they should be advised to consult a medical practitioner or, if applicable, a sexual health centre.
Legislative references:
