It is important to remember that over the course of your employment, although you may be working at various sites, you will remain an employee of people2people. The type of employment you are about to undertake involves people2people hiring out your services to one of our clients. In this situation, the client you are working for is known as the host employer. Both people2people and the host employer have certain obligations to meet in regards to your safety at work.

The responsibilities of people2people are as follows:

• To provide a general safety induction for employees prior to the commencement of employment
• To conduct an OHS assessment of the host employer's worksite
• To provide the employee with clear and concise information as to the tasks and duties required for each specific role, along with any hazards or risks involved
• To ensure that the host employer provides a site specific induction for all employees
• To follow up on any issues arising from initial OHS assessments or incidents throughout the course of the employment
• To provide workers compensation insurance for all employees

The responsibilities of the host employer are as follows:

• To provide and maintain a safe working environment for all labour hire workers, as they would their own employees
• To advise the labour hire agency of the job requirements, work environment, health and safety risks associated with the work, and the skills and knowledge required for the work
• To conduct site specific inductions and provide any other training for labour hire workers that enables them to perform their work safely
• To act on any risks or hazards that may affect the health and safety of all workers

The responsibilities of the employee (you) are as follows:

• To read and comply with the people2people OHS policy
• To comply with all relevant OHS laws, policies, procedures, and workplace instructions provided by the host employer
• To report all workplace hazards, incidents and injuries on the day they occur, both to the host employer and to people2people
• To take reasonable care to protect your own health and safety, and the health and safety of others in the workplace

As discussed, your host employer is required to provide you with a site specific induction. These inductions should occur as soon as possible after you begin your assignment, and as a minimum should cover the following areas:

• Amenities - locations of these such as kitchens, bathrooms, and break areas
• An overview of the host employer's OHS policies and procedures, and where this information can be located
• Emergency, warning, and evacuation procedures. Where is the emergency meeting point?
• Location of fire extinguishers
• Location of first aid kit
• How to report a hazard or incident. Who is the onsite OHS officer?
• Any specific tasks, skills or equipment required to effectively execute your role

If you do not receive an induction you should speak to your immediate supervisor, or call your consultant as soon as possible.

A hazard is something that has the potential to cause injury or harm to people or property. Hazards can take many forms, and may include:

• Exposed wiring in electrical appliances
• Objects or liquids left on floors
• Unsafe storage of files or equipment
• Unsecured electrical leads in high traffic areas
• Blocked stairways
• Blocked emergency exits
• Poor lighting

If you notice a hazard in the workplace, you should report it to your immediate supervisor, or to your onsite OHS Officer. This should be done as soon as reasonably possible to prevent yourself or someone else suffering an injury caused by the hazard.

If you are injured at work, your first priority should be to seek medical attention if you are directed to do so by your supervisor or OHS Officer, or if you feel it is required. If you haven't already done so, you then need to report the incident to the appropriate person onsite, no matter how minor it may seem at first. Finally, you need to report any incidents or injuries to people2people. You should do this by accessing the 'Incident/Accident Report Form' which can be found on our website. You need to inform people2people within 24 hours of your injury occurring. If your injury is ongoing, you should keep people2people informed of your condition and progress at all times.

If you suffer an injury at work, however minor, it is important that you report the incident to both your host employer and your consultant at people2people. This helps everyone to identify hazards, prevent the re-occurrence of any injuries, and to ensure the safety of all employees.

Some of the most common injuries in the workplace are caused by the bending, lifting and twisting that is associated with manual handling. For this reason, it is important to use the correct procedure if you are required to lift heavy objects such as computers, storage boxes, or even furniture.

The correct procedure for lifting heavy objects is as follows:

• Position yourself over the load
• Feet close to the load and apart for balance
• Bend your knees to get into the correct position to lift with your legs, not your back
• Get a firm grip on the load, looking forward at all times
• Keeping the load close to your body, lift by straightening your legs whilst keeping your back straight and continuing to look forward
• Turn your feet in the direction you want to go before you walk - don't twist your body first

If possible, always use any available lifting devices or ask a colleague for help. If you are unsure how to lift something, or don't think you can manage it on your own, don't lift it! Talk to your supervisor and work together to find a better solution.

Appliances are used throughout the office environment, and can include computers, photocopiers, phones, and even kitchen appliances. You should take the same precautions around the office as you do at home. All appliances should be tested and tagged for safety at regular intervals by qualified technicians. If you are using an appliance that doesn't have a current tested tag on it, stop, and talk to your supervisor or OHS Officer.

All electrical leads should be tucked away where they are not able to cause accidents. Behind desks or along walls are the safest places. Keep leads away from water, and never overload power points by piggy backing plugs or power boards.

Your workstation is probably where you are going to be spending most of your time during your employment. In most situations, it will consist of a desk, chair, computer, mouse, keyboard and telephone as a minimum. It is important that you are comfortable at your workstation as many long term injuries can occur from poorly ergonomically designed workstations. Important points to consider include:

• Chair height - your feet should be flat on the floor with a 90 degree angle at your knees
• Desk height - with your chair height set, your desk should be around elbow level. You can adjust your chair to find a middle ground
• Computer screen - this should be just below eye level so you are looking down to see it
• Under desk - make sure you have plenty of room to stretch your legs if you need to

It is a good idea to take a break every 30 minutes or so if you are working constantly at your computer. This will relieve eye tension and help prevent other forms of Repetitive Strain Injury. Even a short trip to the printer can help.

Housekeeping refers to the overall tidiness of your work area and the worksite in general. There are a few rules of thumb to consider here:

• Storage - try to avoid storing heavy items above shoulder or below knee level. Don't store items where they will block exits, especially emergency exits or stairways, even if it is only for a short time
• Floor surfaces - if you spill something on the floor, clean it up immediately. If you need to leave the area to get cleaning materials, make sure you alert someone to the spill
• Waste disposal - be sure to dispose of all rubbish in the designated areas in a timely manner. Don't let it build up!