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CPPSEC3001A


Maintain workplace safety
in the security industry

Version 1.2 JPR CPPSEC3001A Maintain Workplace Safety in the Security Industry Nov 2011

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Maintain Safety Policy and Procedures Awareness within
the Workplace

OHS Policies and Procedures Knowledge and Compliance

Knowing where your employers OHS policies and procedures are kept is one thing, but do
you know what is in them and do you ensure that you comply with the requirements at all
times?
Safety is the number one priority underlining all security work, and it stands to reason that
you need to be able to work safely at all times and contribute to OHS issues in a positive
manner and encourage others in your workplace to do the same.
Everyone is responsible for maintaining a safe working environment. The Worker Health and
Safety Legislation and equivalent federal legislation imposes responsibilities on each person
at the workplace and sets out the requirements for injury and dangerous occurrences,
reporting, codes of practice and administration of the requirements of the Act.
Organisational policy and procedures are
written to reflect the requirements of the Act.
Therefore, the safe working procedures
need to be fully understood and followed to
the letter by all within the workplace.
Worker Health and Safety Legislation and
Guidelines outlines responsibilities that each
person has to comply with in regards to OHS
in the workplace and the possible financial
costs and criminal charges that may be
taken against not only companies but
individuals who breach these legislative
requirements.
This means that you personally could be
held to account for any of your own actions
that directly or indirectly through any act or
failure to act that results in injury or loss in
breach of OHS laws.
To avoid being placed in this situation it is vital that you know and comply with all OHS
policies, procedures and legislation that you are required to adhere with in your workplace.

This could be achieved by locating, reading and following all OHS policies,
procedures and safe work instructions; and ensuring that you actively participate in
the reporting and documenting of all real and potential risks or hazards you come
across in the workplace using your organisations internal reporting systems.

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Maintaining Awareness Communicating the OHS Message
The Act applies to all work places and therefore to all employers and employees. It is
designed to provide a broad and flexible framework involving employers and their
associations, and employees and their unions in achieving a safe work place.
According to the Act, employees must be involved in all decisions affecting their own health
and safety. Members of a work group are required to participate in the development of the
policy and procedures at their workplace. This includes monitoring and improving the
policies, procedures and work place practices within the organisations OHS systems.
The duty of employers is to protect the health and safety of employees in the workplace.
They are required to provide a safe and healthy working environment. Employers are also
required to ensure that all reasonably practicable steps are taken to protect people at or near
the workplace from health and safety risks.
This requires each company to have in place policies,
procedures and safe work practices that protect the
visitors to the workplace in addition to their employees.
The duty of employees is to act responsibly and perform
their work according to OHS legislation and their
employers OHS policies and procedures. They are also
required to take reasonable care to protect their own
and others health and safety at work.
This means that security staff has a responsibility for the health and safety of each other as
well as any visitors to or even clients in the workplace. Part of this responsibility is to also
communicate OHS awareness and its importance and this can be achieved by using
effective communication skills and appropriate interpersonal techniques.

This could be achieved by the reporting and documenting of all risks, making
recommendations to supervisors and management about improvements to safe
working practices / policies or contributing by assisting in the maintaining of
awareness of other workers within the workplace in the organisations OHS systems
and practices.






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Monitor Security Risk Control Procedures

Controlling Security Risks

Employers within any industry have what is termed a Duty of Care. A duty of care is a legal
responsibility owed by one person to another at common law. OHS legislation and
organisational policy and procedures are designed to ensure that employers, employees,
contractors, suppliers and others observe their common law duties in protecting people at
work and within the workplace.

The Security Industry is somewhat unique in that it actively uses security risk controls to
manage potentially negative duty of care incidents that could occur at any time. This is one
of the main reasons why it is important to have a working knowledge of your OHS
requirements relevant to your workplace; not only so you are safe, but others around you are
also safe.

To give an example;

Many people have Mobile Patrol services perform lock-up and alarm response
services as a risk control for their business:

o Depending on what type of business the client has will directly influence
what OHS considerations or procedures are required to be in place for that
Mobile Patrol service to be undertaken.
o You could be patrolling a private residence, an industrial manufacturing site,
a mining site, a shopping centre or any number of locations.
o Each site may have special requirements in how you are to perform the
actual patrol of the site; you may need to undergo a site induction or
accreditation to be allowed to enter or work at the site all which need to be
detailed in your OHS policies, procedures and safe work practices.
o Some sites may have strict guidelines in how to respond to security risk
situations, alarms or warning notifications occurring at or coming from the
site as part of your duties all which need to be detailed in your OHS
policies, procedures and safe work practices.
Working contrary to OHS policies and procedures relevant to security risk situations could
potentially have serious if not fatal consequences. Remember, you could be held liable if you
cause injury or damage as a result of you failing to comply with OHS obligations within the
workplace.

This could be achieved by ensuring that you have read and thoroughly understand
your OHS policies and procedures relating to security risk situations. If you are
unsure about what the policies and procedures mean or what you need to do when
responding; seek assistance from appropriate persons like supervisors or managers
for clarification.
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Identifying Inadequacies or Shortfalls in Resources
Without detailed procedures in the Security industry; you cannot work safely, effectively or
comply with mandatory OHS laws. Yet just simply having a policy that sits on a shelf and is
not reviewed or continuously monitored is as bad as having no system at all.
Any inadequacies or shortfalls in the OHS practices or policies or even resources designed
to deal with security risk situations or other hazards within the workplace need to be actioned
promptly by using the appropriate processes outlined within your OHS procedures.
Changes to client sites / client requirements, work practices or security risk safety issues
need to be raised promptly with the appropriate persons. Incident reports detailing
occurrences need to be collated and recorded so they can be factored into any security risk
control changes designed to meet the subsequent changes to policy, procedure or safe work
practices relevant to the specific site or workplace in general.
It is a requirement under OHS legislation to record and
document all potential hazards and dangerous situations;
they form part of the continuous improvement cycle of
OHS. It is everybodys responsibility to report security
risks, hazards or dangerous events so these can be
minimised as security reports are a real time source of
information that can indicate risk or risk potential.
Employers must ensure that appropriate steps are
undertaken to rectify the identified real or potential
problem and take all reasonable steps to minimise the
risk of it occurring, reducing the future impact should it
occur again or to completely prevent it from happening
again in the future.

In order to do this, any incidents must be documented and this information made available to
appropriate persons so that all sources of security risks are factored into the creation of
future policies and procedures. This would also include reports regarding previous or current
situations where there are insufficient resources to perform the work safely or effectively.


This could be achieved by ensuring that you record and report to appropriate persons
all real and potential risks and hazards that you encounter in the workplace. Reports
should also address issues encountered relating to insufficient or inadequate
resources to meet OHS requirements or shortfalls in OHS policies and procedures to
meet changes within the work environment.



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Support OHS Training

OHS Inductions Identify the Needs
As previously mentioned, all employers are required to develop and maintain an OHS
system. The system must provide policies and procedures for safe work practices and allow
for effective consultation between employer and employees in maintaining a safe and
healthy workplace.

Training in company OHS policies and procedures should
be a significant component of the organisations induction
program. A comprehensive induction program should allow
for the identification of any gaps in OHS training that may
be required to be provided in order to ensure that
employees are fully trained to work safely and maintain
workplace safety.

Those identified gaps should be addressed by relevant
OHS training as soon as practicable. Any additional training
required should be organised according to the
organisations OHS policies and procedures timetables
related to OHS training throughout the calendar year.
Any significant changes in process, procedure or the work environment should also be
addressed through regular OHS updates and relevant required training as it occurs within
the workplace.


This could be achieved by actively engaging in OHS training and encouraging others
to do the same. Seek out opportunities to expand your OHS skills and knowledge by
attending advanced OHS training.









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OHS Maintain the Tone, Everyone Wants to Go Home
Once inducted, each employee has a responsibility to stay abreast of changes to OHS
policies and procedures and actively contribute to maintaining OHS awareness and
compliance within the workplace. Opportunities for continued participation in ongoing OHS
training should be encouraged and organised training arranged based on needs or gaps
identified during the induction process or as the need arises.

OHS needs to be inclusive and all staff needs to be
encouraged to participate in the OHS culture of the
workplace. Many industries have inherent risks and
hazards, and the Security industry is one of them.

Assisting team members in maintaining workplace safety
by encouraging and mentoring them is an effective way
of limiting the potential for incidents to occur. At the end
of the shift, everyone wants to go home.

Hierarchy of Hazard Controls

In many cases a range of control methods must be used to control hazards. This means that
various strategies to be considered in order of preference. It is known as the hierarchy of
hazard controls.

The emphasis is on controlling the hazard at the source. This is done by giving preference to
the use of the controls outlined in strategies 1 to 5.

These types of strategies should be used, where possible, because they treat the risk more
effectively at the source.

Whichever methods you use, remember that in each case their effectiveness should be
monitored regularly.


1. ELIMINATE or try to ensure that hazards are eliminated when new equipment and
work systems are planned for the workplace.

2. SUBSTITUTE less hazardous materials, equipment or work tasks.

3. ISOLATE the hazard through the use of remote techniques.

4. ENGINEERING the hazard such as a trolley for lifting heavy loads.

5. Establish appropriate ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES such as:

J ob rotation to reduce exposure or boredom; or timing the job so that fewer
workers are exposed
Standing Orders / Policy & Procedures and on-site housekeeping procedures
Training on hazards and correct work procedures.

6. Provide suitable and properly maintained PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
and training in its use.

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This is why it is important to understand your policies and procedures thoroughly across all
aspects of your operational requirements. Certain tasks you may perform will require you to
be more eyes on when undertaking them given the higher risk rating


This could be achieved by regularly reviewing your OHS policies and procedures for
changes that may affect the way you are required to perform your tasks or duties
safely. Assist others by means of coaching or mentoring and share your OHS
knowledge and skills to help contribute to the lifting of overall OHS compliance and
awareness within the workplace.

Version 1.2 JPR CPPSEC3001A Maintain Workplace Safety in the Security Industry Nov 2011