SAFETY AND SECURITY
WORK HEALTH AND SAFETY
The Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (MAAS) is committed to providing a safe and healthy
environment for all staff, volunteers, contractors and visitors.
It is the responsibility of all Managers and Supervisors to continually review their operations and
working conditions and whenever necessary provide adequate training and instruction to all
employees and volunteers in relation to health and safety.
All staff and volunteers are required to comply with all local safety rules, report unsafe conditions to
their immediate Department Supervisor and be involved in and committed to a continuing program,
that will ensure the optimal levels of health and safety are achieved.
OBJECTIVES OF THE NSW WORK HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT 2012
MAAS will ensure that it fulfills its responsibility to adhere to the following objectives:
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Promote the health, safety and welfare of people at work
Protect people against risks at work
Provide consultation between employers and workers
Identify, assess, eliminate and control hazards
Promote community awareness of WH&S issues
Improve WH&S standards over time
Protect people against risks from equipment used in public places
The Museum must ensure the health, safety and welfare of its workers through:
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Safe work premises/work environment.
Safe plant and substances.
Safe systems of work.
Adequate provision of information, instruction, training and supervision.
Adequate facilities for workers
RESPONSIBILITIES OF WORKERS
Workers must ensure the health safety and welfare of themselves and others through:
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Taking reasonable care, while at work, for the health and safety of people.
Co-operating while at work, with his or her employer or other person so far as is necessary,
to enable compliance with any requirement under this act.
Workers must NOT:
 Interfere with things or misuse things provided for health, safety and welfare
 A person must not by intimidation or by any other act or omission, intentionally hinder or
obstruct or attempt to hinder or obstruct, the giving or receiving of first aid to an ill or
injured worker
 Deliberately create a risk (or the appearance of a risk) to the health and safety of people at
a place of work with the intention of causing a disruption of work at that place
WORK HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITMENTS
MAAS is committed so far as is practicable with the following:
 A safe workplace and a safe and healthy working environment
 Safe systems of work
 Machinery, equipment and substances in a safe condition
 Information, training and supervision necessary to ensure that each worker is safe from
injury and risks to health
 Effective consultation with workers on all issues, which may affect health and safety at work
 Effective injury and illness reporting, recording and investigation and effective rehabilitation
measures for all workers who suffer from work related injuries and illnesses.
VOLUNTEER RESPONSIBILITIES
All volunteers must ensure that they adhere to the WH&S policies and procedures of the Museum of
Applied Arts and Sciences (MAAS). It is important that volunteers report all hazards or any unsafe acts
or conditions to their Manager or Supervisor, to assist in the prevention of accidents and injuries.
Volunteers are required to follow the Museum’s evacuation procedures in an emergency situation and
adhere to all instructions provided by their Manager/Supervisor.
If a volunteer is injured in the workplace, they must report the injury to a first aid officer within 24
hours of the injury occurring. The Manager/Supervisor must be informed of any accident/injury that
occurs in the workplace.
SAFE WORK METHOD STATEMENTS
A Safe Work Method Statement is essentially a document outlining the risks associated with a particular task,
activity, situation or location. The Safe Work Method Statement analyses the potential or risk arising to ones
safety from the work you plan to undertake, the risk assessment then outlines precautionary action one should
take to minimise harm.
This section of the handbook is able to demonstrate to you the purpose of a Risk Assessment and to get you
thinking about the risks associated with your voluntary position.
A Hazard is the task, object or circumstance that has the potential to cause harm eg, working in cold or hot
conditions, working near traffic or lifting heavy objects.
A Risk is the harm or result that could occur when people interact with the hazard, eg hypothermia, heatstroke,
broken bones, strained back. The severity of a risk takes into account the likelihood of harm and the
consequence should harm occur.
Safe Work Method Statements are a strategy implemented to eliminate or minimise an identified risk.
All volunteers should ensure they are aware of the Safe Work Method Statements relevant to their role, a copy
will be provided to you from your Department Supervisor.
FIRST AID FACILITIES AND SERVICES
To obtain first aid assistance at the Powerhouse Museum:
Contact the Security Department on: 9217 0506 X2506
First aid services and facilities are managed by the Security Department. Please make sure you know
where the nearest first aid room and first aid box are located. Only staff that are authorised and hold
a valid first aid certificate are permitted to render first aid.
To obtain first aid assistance at the Powerhouse Discovery Centre:
Dial ‘9’ to contact Discovery Centre office staff to reach the closest First Aid Officer.
First Aid Stations with stocked first aid kits are located in the office and kitchen in the Display Store
and in each of the collection stores. A dedicated First Aid Room with rest facilities is located on the
upper level of F-store, directly off the Loading Dock area (refer to the site map in this brochure for the
location of the First Aid Room). All first aid accidents, incidents, injuries or illness must be reported to
a First Aid Officer.
To obtain first aid assistance at Sydney Observatory:
Dial 9921 3485 at Sydney Observatory to reach the Duty Officer.
First Aid Stations with stocked first aid kits are located in each of the buildings at Sydney Observatory.
All first aid accidents, incidents, injuries or illness must be reported to a First Aid Officer.
First aid report
The first aid officer will complete a first aid report every time first aid is provided. Report forms are
kept in the first aid rooms and boxes. Completed forms will be forwarded to your Department
Supervisor and the Health and Safety Manager.
First aid staff
All security supervisors and duty officers are trained to the level of Occupational First Aid, these staff
are in charge of the first aid rooms. Other first aid trained staff hold the Senior First Aid Certificate.
The names of the first aiders are listed on the first aid boxes in the first aid rooms.
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
EVACUATION PROCEDURES
There will be three (3) public address (PA) announcements:
1. On the “BEEP BEEP BEEP” (alert) signal: prepare to leave collect personal effects and await
instructions. Request visitors to remain with you.
2. Over PA you will hear “MUSEUM, MUSEUM, MUSEUM…Staff proceed to…”.
This is a message for staff to evacuate to outside location.
3. On the “WHOOP WHOOP WHOOP” (evacuation) signal move to the assembly area via the fire
evacuation stairs. Emergency wardens will control the evacuation and direct you to your assembly
area.
4. Leave immediately. Do not run. Do not use lifts
5. If you are away from your normal area follow the exit signs or move as directed by an Emergency
Warden.
DURING AN EMERGENCY EVACUATION:
An audible alarm will be heard across the whole site and staff, visitors and volunteers should
leave the site by the nearest exit and meet at the muster point. Please do not run.
The muster point is outside the main gate to the Sydney Observatory grounds, as you exit,