Safeguarding Your Health and Compensation Rights While Working with Sewage

Introduction

Your work involves handling sewage, including untreated sewage, sludge, effluent water, and biosolids. It's crucial to understand the infection risks associated with this work and how to protect yourself. Moreover, it's essential to be aware of your rights and potential future compensation claims in case of workplace accidents or injuries related to your duties.



What Is 'Sewage'?

Let's start by defining what we mean by 'sewage.' Sewage is the wastewater generated from homes, industries, and businesses, which includes everything from kitchens, laundries, bathrooms, and toilets. This wastewater undergoes treatment processes to remove contaminants before it is released, reused, or disposed of.



Infection Risks of Working with Sewage

Working with sewage exposes you to various infection risks, primarily due to potential contact with disease-causing pathogens in treated sewage, biosolids, and recycled water.



Infection Risks Include:

  • Waterborne diseases from pathogens
  • Germs causing gastroenteritis
  • Skin infections
  • Hepatitis A and B
  • Leptospirosis
  • Microbial pathogens, endotoxins, and parasites

Illnesses You May Encounter:

  • Gastroenteritis (nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea)
  • Skin infections
  • Hepatitis A and B
  • Leptospirosis, leading to influenza-like illness
  • Others based on the pathogens encountered

Who Is at Risk?

People who are at risk of exposure to sewage include:

  • Wastewater treatment plant workers
  • Laboratory workers and contractors
  • Inspectors, maintainers, and repairers of sewer systems and septic tanks
  • Plumbers, irrigators, and those maintaining wastewater or recycled water systems
  • Workers involved in sewage waste transport
  • Individuals applying biosolids to the land or irrigating with effluent

How to Manage the Risk

To protect your health and secure your compensation rights, it's crucial to follow these measures while working with sewage:



Responsibilities as a Worker

Comply with the Work Health and Safety Act 2011:

  • Take reasonable care for your own health and safety.
  • Follow health and safety instructions from your employer.
  • Use equipment properly and adhere to safe work policies and procedures.
  • Attend training and ask for explanations if something is unclear.
  • Report hazards, injuries, or work-related illnesses to your employer.

Responsibilities for Businesses

Employers and persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) have the duty to manage workplace risks under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011. This includes:

  • Ensuring safe systems of work.
  • Implementing safe work practices, providing information, training, and supervision.
  • Encouraging a culture of consultation and cooperation.
  • Providing personal protective equipment (PPE) and systems for its inspection, maintenance, cleaning, and storage.
  • Supporting occupational immunizations on a risk basis.

Four Steps to Manage Risk

Follow these four steps to manage the risk associated with working with sewage:

Step 1: Identify the Risk

  • Inspect your workplace for areas or processes with risk of exposure to sewage.
  • Talk to your workers and gather feedback on health and safety concerns.
  • Review relevant legislation and codes of practice to learn from others' experiences.

Step 2: Assess the Risk

  • Make a risk assessment to identify whether there is a risk to you or others.
  • Check if effective control measures are already in place.
  • Determine what actions you can take to control the risk and how urgently you should act.

Step 3: Control the Risk

Implement control measures in order, following the hierarchy of control. Measures include:

  • Minimizing contact with sewage.
  • Vaccination for workers with regular contact with untreated sewage.
  • Keeping the workplace clean.
  • Maintaining personal hygiene.
  • Using personal protective equipment (PPE).

Step 4: Review Risk Controls

Regularly review the control measures to ensure their effectiveness. If problems arise, repeat the steps and decide whether new controls are needed.



Additional Considerations

  • Follow proper procedures for reporting incidents, injuries, and diseases.
  • Provide information, instruction, training, and supervision for workers.
  • Use recommended personal protective equipment (PPE) based on the tasks and risks.
  • Ensure adequate washing facilities and personal hygiene practices.
  • Apply safety signage to remind workers to wash their hands.
  • Follow standard operating procedures to manage risk effectively.

Conclusion

Working with sewage is crucial for maintaining sanitation and public health. However, it comes with inherent risks. By understanding these risks and following the safety measures outlined in this guide, you protect your health and well-being while also securing your potential future compensation rights in case of workplace accidents or injuries related to your duties.


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