PUN301: OHS Policy & Law- Mr Bill Bolt Case Study- First Aid Officer- Report Writing Assignment

Internal Code: 1HJEH

Report Writing Assignment:

This Case Study follows Assessment 1 and relates to the same business and key staff. Rattle Engineering has won a contract with a Prime Contractor to the Department of Defence. As a subcontractor to an existing prime contractor to defence, Rattle Engineering receives job taskings from both the prime contractor and directly from the Department of Defence. The business extended on the scope of engineering works they previously undertook, and now undertake Non-Destructive Testing (NDT), import components, manufacture components as well as test and repair components. Currently the business employs 40 staff and are in the process of recruiting an additional 10 more. They have not as yet engaged any specialist contractors to support this defence related work which now takes up 80% of their business. While the Department of Defence have offered some “on base” facilities for the company to use, which is known as government furnished premises, at this time they only undertake work in their existing engineering facility at Banyo, Brisbane, Queensland and transport components between the Department of Defence Base and their factory. Refer to Attachment 1 for key company roles. Case Study Element 1 Last Monday, Mr Bill Bolt, the factory foremen was in the process of advertising for the employment two additional staff and preparing the job lists for the current weeks work, as well as planning the following weeks work. On the Friday prior, the Chief Engineer advised him that it appeared that they were not going to meet their first deadline which was due in two weeks. Furthermore, that he wasn’t looking forward to advising the Managing Director of this fact, however, they were both meeting next Tuesday at the Defence Force Base with the Prime Contractor and were hoping they would be able to secure an extension without any penalty. He tasked Bill to finalise the process of recruiting two more staff as soon as possible. As Bill Bolt was preparing the work plan, he reflected how all the new safety systems were costing him time on his production line. In particular, this related to one of the new machines that now required two staff to manually feed material in, due to the nature of the safety guard. Previously, it had been a one person job task because the old machine did not have the hindrance of this type of improved safety guard. At that point, he decided he would remove the safety guard, and that this would allow the machine operator to manage the processing of the material and the welder he had re-tasked to assist the machine operator, could return to the welding line. Taking this option just maybe, they could meet their production target and not incur a penalty. It would only be for two weeks since one of the positions he was recruiting was for the worker that assisted the Machine Operator. Achieving the production outcome would impress the Chief Engineer and the Managing Director. The Machine Operator, Dave Dingle, didn’t mind this change to his machine. Being a long-term employee, he had always preferred the old machine anyway, and he too was frustrated with these new safety procedures. The Welder didn’t mind, because he didn’t like being a labourer and preferred to just undertake welding tasks. Bill Bolt also knew the new safety manager was away on a course this week. On Tuesday morning, Dave Dingle, the Machine Operator, arrived at work after a big night of activities. On Monday nights he played touch football and last night he also stayed on after the game for some alcoholic drinks. As a result he had far too many alcoholic beverages. As he placed the material into the machine on his own, he reflected just how loud the machine was on his large headache. Feeding the material into the machine, with his left hand he rubbed his sore head and his right hand was then suddenly pinched in the machine, crushing two fingers and amputating another two. He appreciated that the emergency stop bump button was right beside his knee as he stopped the machine and screamed out for help. Advise the Managing Director, using IRAC, on the legality of removing the guard on the machine. Case Study Element 2 When Bill Bolt heard the incident, he directed that no-body stop work and no-one was to call an ambulance until he checked out the situation (he wanted to put the machine guard back on before the authorities saw it had been removed). When he arrived at the machine the First Aid  Officer was attending to Dave Dingle. He ignored Bill’s direction and phoned the Ambulance.As Bill Bolt was still putting the guard back on, the Ambulance Paramedics arrived at the factory. Bill directed them not to enter the premises until he sorted a couple of things out. The First Aid Officer saw this and screamed out to them advising what the injuries were and the declining health state of the injured Dave Dingle. As Bill Bolt was the person in control of the workplace at that time, he had refused permission for the Ambulance Paramedics (Authorised persons) to enter the premises. Advise the Managing Director, using IRAC, on the authority of Ambulance Paramedics in this situation. Case Element 3 Because the First Aid Officer had called the Ambulance using the emergency number triple zero (000), Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) were automatically notified. About an hour after injured Dave Dingle was transported to the hospital by the Ambulance Paramedics, two WHSQ Inspectors arrived at the Rattle Engineering front office. Bill Bolt met the Inspectors in the front office and advised that the Safety Manager was away  on a course and both the Managing Director and the Chief Engineer were off-site at a meeting. He further advised that it wasn’t convenient just now for them to be at the workshop and directed them to return the following week when the Safety Manager could take them through the factory. They insisted on entering and Bill Bolt directed them not to enter the factory.