Regardless of risk controls put in place to prevent incidents occurring in your workplace, they can still occur. For example, people can be injured and require immediate medical treatment, a fire could start, or contaminants released. It is necessary to be prepared for any foreseeable incident.
Prior to commencing work at any workplace, make sure you know what to do in an emergency. This includes availability of an emergency plan, equipment and personnel, alarms and evacuation procedures.
Emergency Plans
All workplaces must have an emergency plan that has been specifically developed, proven and periodically tested for the particular workplace and its specific hazards and covers the range of potential incidents. All persons at the workplace must receive information, training and instruction about implementing the emergency plan.
If you are at an active workplace, check with the site office/controller of the property for their Emergency Plan and follow the plan in event of any emergency. If you are at a residential dwelling or other unattended site, you may need to develop your own or use/adapt the following Emergency Plan:
EMERGENCY PLAN & EVACUATION PROCEDURE
- Site supervisor or lone worker to be prepared for and coordinate prompt emergency response
- Site supervisor to communicate plan and consult with all workers
- Preparation: check emergency equipment, including phone communications from the site
- If working alone, report to base: on arrival, expected duration/or at regular intervals and on departure (or as arranged) and base to monitor
- During the Risk Assessment: confirm effectiveness of this emergency plan, all persons in attendance who may have to be accounted for, and availability of emergency equipment
- Site communications/alarm: Voice call “Danger, Danger, Evacuate, Evacuate” – “danger” might be Fire or other threat. If in a building an EWIS EVAC system Alarms likely to be Beep, Beep, Beep, for Alert and Whoop, Whoop, Whoop sound alarm to Evacuate.
- Safe assembly point: Move directly to the identified safe area as per the plan (eg near street front of property), report to supervisor and await emergency services
- Notify Emergency Services: Dial 000 (or 112 for mobile phones) for police, fire, ambulance, rescue
- Emergency numbers for medical, utility and other services: Refer to the base or listing in work vehicle
- In the event of fire, other incident or rescue and resuscitation: call for urgent assistance and use instructions in this Chapter
- Ensure your own safety first before attending to others
- Assist injured persons and provide first aid if required
- If possible, you know how and it’s safe to do so, shut down plant and energy sources
- Provide first aid and rescue equipment relevant to potential incident: Obtain from work van/vehicle or designated first aid location
- Information regarding hazardous chemicals: located in vehicle or designated location
- Undertaking a headcount to determine if all persons that were at the workplace are accounted for
- Do not re-enter the premises or property unless authorised to do so
- Contact your office regarding ongoing incident investigation, counselling and debrief.
Fire precautions and alarms
If specific fire procedures apply at your workplace, these will govern the emergency steps to be taken in the event of a fire. Otherwise, if a fire is detected, immediately raise the alarm, and only if it is safe to do so and you have been trained should you attempt to fight the fire using the appropriate fire appliance.
Dial 000 or on mobiles you can use 112, as it will give the strongest signal.
Make yourself familiar with the location of fire extinguishers, fire hydrants/hoses and exits in your workplace, and know which type to use and how to operate them (s3.3). Take used, or partly used fire extinguishers to your Supervisor for replacement or recharging. Keep access to fire fighting equipment and alarms clear. Make sure you know what the alarm sound is and what evacuation procedure to follow – this should be covered in your site induction.
Which extinguisher to use on what fire
Limited indicates that the extinguishant is not the agent of choice for the class of fire, but that it may have a limited extinguishing capability.
Electrical Fires: CO2 is the preferred type of extinguishant because it evaporates and leaves a minimum of residue.
Never use Water, Wet Chemical or Foam on electrical fires – if possible, turn the power off first.
Procedure for use of portable fire extinguishers
Portable fire extinguishers are for small fires only – don’t endanger yourself when using them.
- Select and confirm that the extinguisher is suitable for use on the type of fire (see table).
- Pull the pin or release any other locking device.
- Aim low, pointing the extinguisher nozzle at the base of the fire.
- Squeeze the handle to release the extinguishing agent.
- Sweep from side to side at the base of the fire until the fire is extinguished.
Following use of an extinguisher: arrange to have it recharged immediately.
First Aid
Providing immediate and effective first aid to workers or others who have been injured or become ill at the workplace may reduce the severity of the injury or illness and promote recovery. In some cases, it could mean the difference between life and death.
The selection of First Aid requirements will vary from one workplace to the next, will always depend on the nature of the work, the type of hazards, the workplace size and location, as well as the number of people at the workplace. These factors must be taken into account when deciding what first aid arrangements need to be provided.
Using a risk management approach to tailor first aid that suits the circumstances of your workplace, while also providing guidance on the number of first aid kits, their contents and the number of trained first aiders that are appropriate for some types of workplaces.
The risk management approach involves the following four steps:
- identifying hazards that could result in work-related injury or illness
- assessing the type, severity and likelihood of injuries and illness
- providing the appropriate first aid equipment, facilities and training in line with the compliance code
- reviewing your first aid requirements on a regular basis or as circumstances change
Additional precautions should be taken before providing first aid on electrical workers if working on or near energised electrical equipment. such as ensuring the worker and the area is clear of live supply.
A list of additional items that may be included in first aid kits used in the electrical industry include:
| Item | Number | Item description |
| 1 | 1 | Contents list kept with first aid kit |
| 2 | 1 | Adhesive dressing strips, sterile, packets of 50 |
| 3 | 1 | Adhesive dressings tape, 2.5cm (minimum width) |
| 4 |
1 1 1 |
Bags, plastic, for amputated parts
Small Medium Large |
| 5 | 2 | Dressing, non-adherent, sterile, 7.5cm x 7.5cm |
| 6 | 2 | Eye pad sterile, large size, 8cm (minimum width) |
| 7 | 1 | Gauze bandages, 5cm x 150cm (minimum length) |
| 8 | 1 | Gauze bandages, 10cm x 150cm (minimum length) |
| 9 | 4 | Gloves, disposable, single |
| 10 | 1 | Silver thermal rescue blanket, 180cm x 125cm (minimum size). Caution – silver thermal rescue blankets are electrically conductive. |
| 11 | 1 | Safety pins, assorted packet of 12 pins |
| 12 | 1 | Scissors, universal with toothed edges, suitable for cutting heavy clothing. 12.5cm (minimum length) |
| 13 | 1 | Splinter forceps, 11cm blunt ended, sterile, disposable |
| 14 | 6 | Saline solution syrette, sterile, minimum 10ml per syrette |
| 15 | 1 | Antiseptic swab, medicated, pre-packaged (pack of 10 sachets) |
| 16 | 4 | Triangular bandages, minimum 90cm |
| 17 | 6 | Wound dressing, sterile, non-medicated, large BP standard dressing No. 15 – 10 cm x 10cm |
| 18 | 1 | First aid pamphlet as approved by safety regulator |
| 19 | 2 | Water based cooling gel burn treatment – Shall consist of 2 dressings:
1 x Facial dressing with eye, nose & mouth cut-out 1 x Body dressing approximately 60cm x 40cm |
| 20 | 1 | CPR / pocket face mask |
| 21 | 1 | Combine dressing, sterile, minimum size 90mm x 200mm |
| 22 | 2 | Wound dressing, sterile, non-medicated, small, BP standard dressing No. 13 – 7.5cm x 7.5cm |
| 23 | 3 | Bandage, heavy cotton, stretch (crepe bandage) 75mm width, minimum 150cm un-stretched length |
| 24 | 1 | Sting relief lotion |
Automated external defibrillators
Providing an automated external defibrillator can reduce the risk of fatality from cardiac arrest and is a useful addition for workplaces where there is a risk of electrocution or where there are large numbers of members of the public.
Automated external defibrillators are designed to be used by trained or untrained persons. They should be located in an area that is clearly visible, accessible and not exposed to extreme temperatures. They should be clearly signed and maintained according to the manufacturer’s specifications.
- Wherever possible, workers should ascertain if and the location(s) of defibrillators whenever they commence working at a new premises; and
- It is recommended that an automated external defibrillator is available for any work where there is a risk of electrocution.
- You can download relevant mobile phone app(s) that allow workers to quickly determine the locations of the closest defibrillators, and also contribute the locations of any of their own defibrillators to assist in case of emergency.
Poisoning
In the event of poisoning immediately refer to the applicable Safety Data Sheet for first aid and contact the Poison Information Centre on 13 11 26 and follow emergency plan procedures.
Resuscitation
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a combination of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and chest compressions that delivers oxygen and artificial circulation to a person whose heart has stopped. CPR is most successful when administered as quickly as possible. It should only be performed when a person shows NO SIGNS OF LIFE: Unconscious and Unresponsive and not breathing normally and not moving.
It is not essential to search for a pulse when a person is found with no signs of life. It can be difficult to find a person’s pulse sometimes and time can be wasted searching. If CPR is necessary, it must be started without delay.
Basic step DRS ABCD
