Occupational Safety & Health – managing the prison environments

Recently our Industrial Officers have received many queries about various tasks assigned Officers, and other queries about the safety of the working environment, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In many cases the queries fall under the ambit of ‘occupational safety and health’. Here is a useful and succinct summary of what should be happening.

Until otherwise advised your workplace is still governed by the Occupational Safety & Health Act 1984 and Occupational Safety & Health Regulations 1996.

The duties and responsibilities of employers and employees have not changed. The role of elected Health and Safety Representatives has not altered. The ‘general duties’ of local Senior Management Teams also remains the same and is detailed in s.19 of the Act.

During this time, in accordance with the Act and Regulations, WAPOU expects:

• Each prison/unit to be developing, reviewing and managing a comprehensive Risk Management Plan that is tailored to the specific facility and its available resources and infrastructure. It should also include risk reviews of work practices and processes. This is a critical and urgent task.
• OSH Committees to be activated, empowered and resourced to identify and address the risks as a matter of urgent priority.
• OSH Hazard Notices and Incident Reports to be completed and submitted wherever risks are not being adequately managed (risks include failures to consult on OSH issues and failures to provide relevant OSH information).
• Ongoing consultation and communication with all staff so that risks continue to be identified and everyone is clear on the strategies in place to deal with them. Employees also have duties that are detailed in s.20 of the Act.
• The rights of employees to refuse unsafe work to be upheld. NOTE: Refusal may only occur if it is consistent with the provisions of s.26, s.27 and s.28 of the Act. Do not refuse work unless you are clear about your rights and entitlement.

Union members in each prison/unit should be raising OSH issues with their local OSH Committees in the first instance and are strongly encouraged to keep local WAPOU Delegates advised of the issues.

Elected OSH representatives (union members only) and local WAPOU representatives can contact their WAPOU Industrial Officer for further advice or support whenever required.