Plant and equipment

Overview

 

Plant is a general name for machinery, tools, appliances and equipment.

Types of plant commonly found at UTS include lifts, cranes, hoists, power tools, hand-held tools, hand trolleys, and laboratory and workshop equipment.

Risk management

It is a legislative requirement to:

• Step 1: Identify the hazard

  Identify hazards related to plant and equipment.

• Step 2: Assess risk

  Assess the risk of these hazards causing harm. Risk assessments can be documented on the risk register.

  WHS Risk Register (UTS Staff access only).

• Step 3: Controlling the risk

  Take appropriate action to control (eliminate or minimise) the risks, suggested health and safety risk control measures for plant and equipment include:

  • Ensure that all plant with moving parts is appropriately guarded.
  • Provide training, information, instruction and supervision
    there is further information on the accreditation programs for laboratories and workshops.
  • Regularly inspect and maintain all equipment to the manufacturer's specification.

  • Safe Work Procedure

    Document a Safe Work Procedure (SWP) for the use of high risk plant and equipment.  Use the SWP to help communicate how the job is to be safely performed. The SWP should include emergency procedures (where relevant). 

 

Resources

Safe Work Australia (Australian Government)

• Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace – Model Code of Practice (opens an external site - PDF 929Kb)

WorkSafe (Department of Commerce, Western Australia)

• Plant and machinery (opens an external site)
  Provides information on plant safety and safe work practices for the use of a range of equipment.

CCH Australia

• Plant Safety – Managing Plant Hazards in the Workplace
  ISBN 1 86264 938 3