The document emphasizes the importance of workplace housekeeping in counseling and community services, highlighting how negligence can lead to accidents, stress, and adverse health outcomes. It discusses the impact of environmental factors on worker well-being and the necessity of addressing issues such as workspace ergonomics and stress management. Additionally, it presents the concept of vicarious trauma in caregivers and stresses the interconnectedness of self-care, advocating for comprehensive WHS policies in the field.

1. QUEST ION 3
WHS housekeeping encompassesall of the regular routines in the
workplace thatcontributeto health safety.
What do you think the key aspectsof WHS housekeeping are for the
counselling and community servicesthat may not be as relevant to
other fields?
Note: The following information from the self-care toolkit
may be
helpful http://www.community.nsw.gov.au/docswr/_assets/m
ain/lib100056/managers_fact_sheet_01_stress_burnout.pdf
House keeping is a critical issue when it comes to safety in
the CSO workplaces. Too frequently hazards are
intentionally overlooked due to the cultural mentality “that’s
not my job” or ‘I didn’t do it – let someone else fix it” and
“suck it up cupcake” etc. The reality is, slips, falls, cuts and
stress related issues, is the result of poor House Keeping.
In 2012, 192 people died in Australia due to work related accidents,
two of those people were in the social assistance industry. In 2009,
female community and personal service workers accounted for the
second highest rate of injuries in the workplace. It is clear that
people being killed; sustaining injuries or contracting diseases in the
work environment remains a critical issue. The Australian
Government strategy for 2012-2022 is to drive improvements in
workplace health and safety in Australia, to ensure that all workers
have a safe and healthy working environment.( READING 1.)
A key aspect of House Keeping in, “counselling and community
services” is actually minimising Work Space Stress, creating a
relaxed and healthy work environment. This is achievable, by
creating a calm working area, Example:
Mo has just been relocated into a new office. Compare to Mo’s
previous office situation the ergonomics aren’t right (the lights are
too dim, the air is chilly, noise is unbearable high etc.) Mo’s new
office is located further from his place of residents, there often
arrives feeling tired, stressed and irritable. This has a knock on
effect after a couple of weeks with co/workers and family etc., and
work levels (KPI etc.) drop below acceptable levels.
To counteract these hazards, Mo talks to the HSR and Bro
(supervisor), after a success meeting strategies are put in place to
manage these grievances. Mo workspace is well lit and inviting, the

2. air is warm and comfortable. Mo is now able to telecommute two
days a week, and while Mo can still hear telephones and her
colleagues conversation in the office, (Mo listens to “white noise”
through her headphones and is rarely interrupted by these sounds.)
If this above situation wasn’t rectify in the positive outcome, or
simply ignored, then this environment would lead to contributing to
the Work Space Stress (WSS), which is detrimental to all concern.
WSS is usually any physical conditions that the individual
concerned finds irritating, frustrating, uncomfortable or unpleasant.
(i.e. poor lighting, background noise, chairs or desk (RSI),
overcrowding, climate control hot or cold, travelling time to job)
It no benefit in saying “Suck it up cupcake”, as this will just
aggravates, and escalates the problem, invention and prevention is
a far better approach. As in the above example Mo had a meeting
with his supervisor and HSR, to resolve his issues.
Although the concept of secondary traumatic stress is less than two
decades old, there is a growing body of studies detailing the
existence of many different survivor groups. For example,
counsellors with high domestic violence caseloads have been
shown to have classical symptoms of vicarious traumatization.
Specific challenges of this kind of work included difficulties with
confidentiality, fear for the safety of their clients, and feelings of
isolation and powerlessness (Iliffe & Steed, 2000).
A formal definition of vicarious trauma, developed by Pearlman and
Saakvitne (1995) is as follows: “The inner transformation that
occurs in the inner experience of the therapist (or other
professional) that comes about as a result of empathic engagement
with client’s trauma material”.
Vicarious traumatization is a term that describes the cumulative
transformative effect on the helper of working with survivors of
traumatic life events. The symptoms can appear much like those of
posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but also encompass changes
in frame of reference, identity, and sense of safety, ability to trust,
self-esteem, intimacy, and a sense of control. The presence of
vicarious traumatization has been noted in many groups of helping
professionals who have close contact with people who have
experienced traumatic events. Caregivers are at even higher risk if
they have a history of trauma in their own backgrounds and if they

3. extend themselves beyond the boundaries of good self-care or
professional conduct. (Sandra L. Bloom, M.D.)
Working with victims of violence and interpersonal trauma is so
difficult because it changes caregivers who are willing to listen.
Confrontation with the magnitude of interpersonal violence shatters
our own protective assumptions as we let in the reality of “It really
happened.” As we wrestle with this reality, we come to recognize
that “It could happen to me” and feel all the vulnerability that goes
along with that recognition. For some, their own past history of
interpersonal violence or child abuse is a personal reality because
“It did happen to me” and all the unwanted reminders of an
unresolved past are triggered by the patients’ stories. The recurring
sense of helplessness that victims feel may also impact the helpers,
bringing with it a sense of hopelessness, expressed as “There’s
nothing I can do.”
The following statement below, might be irrelevant to the average
aspirant out there, but it’s the Community Sector Workers that have
the overall responsibility in dealing with a majority of these incidents
in one way or another (Individual seeking financial assistance,
counselling etc.) as a result of death or injury. Therefore the
emotional and psychological strain on the CSW and their families
can be quite significant as well. That is why the aspects in “WHS
housekeeping are for the counsellingand community servicesthat may
not be as relevant to other fields” and special measures of care
incorporate into their WHS policies. EXAMPLE:
The term “self-care”spans a full range of issues: physical, emotional,
intellectual, and spiritual. Some conceptualise this construct by considering
the dimensions of mind, body, and spirit, or in terms of thinking, feeling, and
behaving. It is referred to as “wellness”, a “healthy balance”, “resilience”, and
simply, mental health. It is important to note, though, that no matter how one
breaks down the dimensions of self-care,in the end, all of these different
aspects are interconnected. Failure to take care of oneself in one realm can
lead to consequences in another.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s January 2012
white paper, “Injury and Illness Prevention Programs,” cites some
interesting statistics.
 Every day, more than 12 workers die on the job — that’s more than
4,500 per year.1

4.  Every year, more than 4.1 million suffer serious job-related injury or
illness.1
You can learn more about disability-related costs in one of my other
blog posts, “The dollars of disability.”
Admittedly, such national numbers may not seem relevant to you.
Perhaps you work for a small or medium-sized company. But if you
are in risk, safety or HR, think of how much time and how many
resources you and your organization spend on workers’
compensation claims. Just think how stressful it is on you and your
team when a colleague is suddenly away from work for an
undetermined period of time.
- See more at: http://workplacepossibilities.com/blog/7-ways-to-
build-a-safety-culture/#sthash.ZLHVOydd.dpuf
.