The document provides guidance to volunteers on workplace health and safety policies including conducting safe home visits, manual handling, cross infection, domestic violence, and insurance coverage. Key points are demonstrating commitment to volunteer safety, conducting safety assessments of homes prior to matches, ensuring a risk-free environment, and procedures to follow in unsafe situations.

1. WH&S
Workplace Health & Safety

2.  Occupational Health & Safety Act 2000 (NSW)
 Occupational Health & Safety Regulations
2001 (NSW)
Replaced 1 January 2012
Model Work Health & Safety Act 2010
 Work Health & Safety Act 2011 (NSW)
 Work Health & Safety Regulations 2011 (NSW)

3. Objectives of Harmonisation
The objects of harmonising work health & safety laws
through a model framework are:
WHS Act
• to protect the health and safety of
workers
• to improve safety outcomes in
workplaces
• to reduce compliance costs for
business
• to improve efficiency for regulator
agencies
3

4. What will be different
The new laws introduce a number of significant
changes:
A focus on cause and effect giving prominence to the duties of care,
consultation and representation
WHS Act
Moving away from the employment relationship as the basis of
obligations to ensure all who are involved in work being done will
have a duty of care – no loop-holes or gaps
Enhanced protection against discrimination, coercion, inducement
and misrepresentation that prevent a person from being involved
WHS
Broadened rights for representation and rights of representatives
including preserving union right of entry to workplaces
Provision for graduated enforcement, with alternative options for
improvement in health and safety
Significant increases in the maximum fines and the introduction of
categories of offence
4

5. NEW
TERMINOLOGY
Employer Replaced by the term ‘person conducting a
business or undertaking’ (PCBU)
Controllers, self Are also a PCBU with general duties of care
employed etc.
Employees Replaced by the term worker which is broadly
defined to include anyone who carries out work in
WHS Act
any capacity,
General duties of Will be subject to qualifier ‘reasonably
Employers practicable’ and will apply to all PCBUs
Duty of workers Workers have an expressed duty to take
reasonable care of themselves at work 5

6. NEW
TERMINOLOGY
OHS Replaced by health & safety representatives
Representatives (HSR) with increased functions and powers
OHS Committees Will be referred to as health and safety
committees with effectively the same functions
Workplace Defined to include any place where a worker
goes, or is likely to be, while at work.
WHS Act
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7. We demonstrate this commitment by ensuring all volunteers:
 Have access to support, advice and
supervision in a safe environment.
 Have a working environment free of
discrimination and harassment.
 Maintain high standards of personal
health practices.
 Are aware of the requirements of their
position.
 Have access to appropriate insurance.

8. SAFE HOME VISITING
Prior to a match a home safety assessment is conducted. The
assessment covers the following:
 Pets
 Smoking
 Access to the home
 Risk of physical violence
 Other indicators
Volunteers will NOT be placed into homes where there is a
foreseeable risk
During home visits remember:
 You are the guest
 If you feel unsafe at any time, leave the home as quickly as
possible and contact us straight away

9. MANUAL HANDLING
Any activity requiring the use of force
exerted by a person to lift, lower, push,
pull, carry or otherwise move, hold or
restrain any object or person,
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWlktm2tAyA

10. CROSS INFECTION
 Take common precautions and use common
sense.
 Visits will not take place if families or
volunteers have contracted any infectious
disease or illness.
 If you commence a visit and discover someone
in the family has an infectious disease or
illness, end the visit as soon as possible.
 Talk to us.

11. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
 Our programs do not work with families where
there is current domestic violence issues.
 If any information is disclosed to you during
visits please contact us immediately.
 If confronted with a domestic violence situation:
 Keep yourself safe, leave as soon as possible.
 Do not become involved in the situation.
 Contact us straight away.
 Never enter a house if you hear an argument.

12. INSURANCE
 All Volunteers are covered by Voluntary
Workers Insurance.
 In the event of injury to yourself:
 Notify us as soon as possible.
 Document the accident/incident in as much detail
as possible.
 Ensure all receipts and documentation is
retained.

13. INSURANCE
 Volunteers are strongly encouraged to have
comprehensive motor vehicle insurance.
 Volunteers are liable to damage to their
vehicle, others property damage and personal
injury to third parties. Barnardos is not insuring
you against such damage or personal injury
and will not be liable for such costs.