Work Health and Safety Policy

Purpose. This policy says how Foundations Community Hub keeps staff, learners, volunteers, contractors and visitors safe in the cafe, learning rooms, op shop, warehouse, garden and grounds.

1.Purpose and scope

The hub will provide a safe place to work, learn and visit. This policy applies to everyone on both sites, including learners on placement and volunteers. It is read with the Emergency Management and Evacuation Plan and the Incident and Hazard Report Form.

2.Legal framework

The hub must meet its duties under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Victoria) and the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations. The hub will consult staff, learners and volunteers about safety through team meetings and the monthly volunteer catch-up.

3.Responsibilities

The Centre Manager is accountable for safety across the hub. Coordinators must check their areas for hazards, train their teams and act on incident reports. Everyone must follow the procedures, use the equipment provided, wear the required protective clothing and report hazards and incidents on the day.

• Centre Manager: safety system, training and reporting to the committee
• Coordinators: hazard checks, training and incident follow up in their area
• Staff, learners and volunteers: safe work, reporting and asking when unsure
• Contractors: sign in, follow the induction and the site rules

4.Main hazards

The main hazards at the hub are hot surfaces, sharp knives and slips in the cafe, manual handling of donation bags and furniture in the warehouse, garden tools and sun exposure, trip hazards in shared spaces, and aggressive or distressed visitors at the front desk. Each area keeps a hazard list and the controls for each hazard.

5.Reporting hazards and incidents

Every injury, near miss and hazard must be reported to the coordinator straight away and written on the Incident and Hazard Report Form before the end of the shift. The coordinator will record it in the Incident and Hazard Register within one working day. Serious injuries must be reported to WorkSafe Victoria by the Centre Manager.

6.Induction and training

Everyone must complete the safety induction before their first shift and a refresher every two years. Cafe workers must complete food safety training and manual handling training. Garden and warehouse workers must complete manual handling and tool safety training.

7.First aid and emergencies

First aid kits are kept in the cafe, the front desk, the warehouse and the garden shed and are checked monthly. At least one first aid trained person must be on site whenever the hub is open. Everyone must know the evacuation routes and assembly point shown on the plan in each room.