Workplace Health and Safety

Workplace Health and Safety Student Program
Metal and Engineering Industry

Welcome to the Safety Sense Program, an on-line health and safety induction package for secondary school students undertaking work placements and work experience in the Metals and Engineering Industry as part of their school curriculum.

This package should be done after the Safety Sense General package.

Have you completed the General package and received your Safety Sense Certificate?

YES - Continue

NO - Go to Safety Sense General package

This package is designed to help young people improve their knowledge and understanding of occupational safety and health issues related to this industry before they enter the workplace. It is also useful for young people who are already in the workplace.

This package contains information on:

hazard identification;
induction training;
working safely with electricity;
personal protective equipment;
working safely with mechanical equipment;
manual handling;
hazardous substances;
noise.

This package will help you understand occupational safety and health hazards and laws and provide some practical solutions to common safety and health problems in the Manufacturing Industry.

If you complete this package successfully you will receive an on-line Safety Sense Certificate issued by the Department of Industrial Relations. This Safety Sense Certificate recognises your understanding of basic workplace health and safety in the Manufacturing Industry and prepares you for your experience in workplaces.

Safety Sense is a Workplace Health and Safety Queensland initiative.

Introduction

Your first job, whether it's full-time, part-time, casual or an apprenticeship, can be an exciting and demanding experience as new responsibilities and expectations are placed on you in a working environment.

Employers provide students with valuable opportunities to gain experience in the workplace. It is important to understand that employers have responsibilities towards you, and that you also have responsibilities towards them.

Safety and health at work is everyone's responsibility. It is important that you have a general understanding of safety and health for the industry in which you will be undertaking your work experience or work placement.

While you are at a workplace on a work placement or work experience, the employer is responsible for ensuring the workplace is safe, including:

providing safe work areas, machinery and equipment;
providing information, instruction, training and supervision; and
providing personal protective equipment.

The employer must ensure that your health or safety is not harmed in any way.
AND
You must take responsibility for looking after your own health and safety, and not put others at risk.

This includes:

following safety instructions;
using equipment carefully; and
reporting hazards and injuries.

Young workers are usually keen to work hard and do well. They also have a much higher risk of being injured at work than older workers.

Workplace Health and Safety Queensland believes one reason so many young workers are injured is that they are not aware of their rights to be properly trained, supervised, cared for and provided with a safe and healthy environment.

Common Hazards

There are common hazards that exist in the Metals and Engineering Industry. It is important to learn about these hazards and how to work safely in these environments.

Within this industry you may be involved in a range of work activities such as metal processing, welding and thermal cutting, metal fabrication, or casting metal.