Education
According to WorkSafe Victoria, if you work in the education sector, the main risks of harm you face are from:
- Office and classroom ergonomics
- Falling from height
- Handling people
- Lifting and carrying
- Slips trips and falls
- Work-related stress, bullying and harassment (psychosocial hazards)
- Working with machinery
Please note that there are more risks, and the aforementioned list is not exhaustive.
In the education sector, workers and students face a range of physical risks that can lead to injuries or health issues. Teachers and students are particularly susceptible to ergonomic hazards due to prolonged periods of sitting or using computers in classrooms and offices, which can result in musculoskeletal disorders if proper ergonomic practices are not followed. Maintenance staff encounter risks such as falling from heights while performing repairs or maintenance on school buildings, and they may also face injuries from lifting and carrying heavy equipment or supplies. Additionally, staff who work with students with special needs may face physical risks associated such as strains or sprains, if not properly trained in safe handling techniques. Slips, trips, and falls are common hazards for all individuals in the school environment, often occurring in hallways, staircases, or outdoor areas, especially when surfaces are wet or cluttered. Furthermore, maintenance staff who work with machinery are at risk of serious injuries, including cuts, fall from heights, amputations, or hearing loss, if safety protocols are not strictly adhered to.
Beyond physical risks, psychosocial hazards pose significant challenges in the education sector, affecting the mental health and well-being of staff and students alike. Teachers, managers, and office admin teams often experience work-related stress due to heavy workloads, tight deadlines, and the emotional demands of managing student behavior or parent interactions. This stress can lead to burnout, anxiety, or depression if not managed effectively. Bullying and harassment are pervasive issues that can impact anyone in the school community, including students, teachers, and support staff, leading to severe psychological consequences such as low self-esteem, depression, or even suicidal thoughts. Addressing these psychosocial hazards is crucial for fostering a safe, supportive, and productive educational environment, requiring proactive measures such as stress management programs, anti-bullying policies, and open communication channels to support those affected.
Training Compliance
Your training needs analysis should consider what courses are necessary for you to provide to your team under OHS legislation and may include:
- OHS training for managers and any person in a supervisory capacity
- RIIWHS204EWork safely at heights
- Health and Safety Representative (HSR) Initial OHS Training
- HSR Refresher OHS Training
- Asbestos awareness training
- Manual handling
- Health and safety in the office
- Emergency warden
HAZCON can help you with this.
For a full list of training courses that HAZCON can provide please click here – Training Courses.
Tailored Training
HAZCON has delivered a range of training courses to government departments/ organisations as well as individual universities, schools and colleges. These include tailored courses for specific onsite education requirements. We engage closely with all clients to provide tailored training products to meet your needs. Typically we will have the conversation with you to ensure that any relevant policies and procedures are included as necessary. We can also check that these are current and compliant.
HAZCON enjoys excellent course feedback mainly due to our expertise in OHS and client requirements in the education sector, and would welcome the opportunity of working with you
Some of HAZCON’s valuable clients include:
- Department of Education
- Diocese of Sale Catholic Education Limited
- Deaf Children Australia
- Beaconsfield College
- Chairo Christian School
- Firbank Grammar
- Lavalla Catholic College
- Monash University
- Warrandyte High School
Point of Difference
The point of difference with using HAZCON is our people, our knowledge and our experience of working both in and with the education sector;
Since 1994, HAZCON has been committed to offering quality training services to our clients. Our extensive experience and knowledge of OHS in Australian workplaces gives us the ability to provide our clients with professional OHS assistance and training that is coherent, targeted and relevant to each workplace.
Excellence is our business, dynamic is what we are!
Other Services
Overview of Asbestos Health & Safety Services
HAZCON regularly travel the length and width of Australia auditing buildings before demolition or renovation, or on a 5 yearly schedule or after significant removal works, to update a buildings’ asbestos register to inform the building owner of the current state of asbestos containing materials onsite.
Whether you have 1 building, a school, or a portfolio of 500+ properties, we can project manage the roll out of nation-wide or state-wide audits in a sensitive way to fit in with the flow of your organisation.
Asbestos is heavily regulated by the OHS Regulations 2017 and this places a number of requirements onto Employers and persons who manage and control workplaces.
HAZCON personnel have many years’ experience in the asbestos field across a wide range of industries. We offer a full asbestos advisory service including audits, risk assessments, sample analysis, air monitoring and clearance inspections.
We also have a number of specific Asbestos Management Programs which will assist you to manage asbestos in the workplace. This can be in the form of an electronic database made available on your intranet or via a DVD based format.
HAZCON also provides training on your specific asbestos management policies and procedures to maintenance staff and we can update your Asbestos Register to ensure compliance with all legislative requirements.
In order to get an audit proposal organised you can provide us with the following information:
Audit Request Checklist
Client Details Required
- Name and Position;
- Company Name and Address;
- Phone Number; and
- Email address.
Building Details
- Site Address (if different to company address);
- Age and Size of building;
- Site Plans; if available; and
- Accessibility to site details.
Division 6 Audit:
- Destructive / invasive audit prior to demolition or refurbishment.
- Review of existing Division 5 Asbestos Register to ensure that it is current and to further investigate previously inaccessible areas including ceilings and subfloors.
HAZCON’s Division 6 Asbestos Audits generally include a Hazardous Building Materials Audit which will determine the presence of:
- Synthetic Mineral Fibres (SMF)
- Lead containing paint
- Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
Dangerous Goods, Hazardous substances and Chemical Training
HAZCON often is called upon to provide training to upskill the employees of companies around Australia. We have a 4 hour course that provides individuals with knowledge about Hazardous Substances and Dangerous Goods. We also deliver a full day 8 hour accredited course, TLID0021 Store and handle dangerous goods and hazardous substances. This course is held at your organisations’ site. During the day, there is a theory assessment which contains a mix of multiple choice questions, short answers as well as a simulated practical work demonstrations. A simulated practical work demonstration may involve spill management, where suitable material will be used by the student to demonstrate competency.
If your organisation identifies a particular process or team that requires a particular set of skills, our HSE Consultants can work with you and your documentation, to develop a tailored/customised training that can go into as much detail on various topics as you require. Ie. 1 hour focus on spill managment, a 2 hour focus risk assessment etc.
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We pride ourselves on the impact we make for our clients.
Here’s what some of them have to say about their experiences working with us.
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