Sewage Exposure and Hygiene Safe Work Procedure

Suits plumbers, drainers, civil and flood clean-up crews, waste and cleaning businesses and event toilet servicing. It keeps sewage off skin and out of the mouth and eyes, sets up washing and change arrangements, and says what to do after a cut, splash or illness, without making vaccination a legal requirement.

What Is Included In Our Sewage Exposure and Hygiene Safe Work Procedure?

• Safe work procedure with an approval sign-off
• Infection hazards of sewage in general terms
• Washing facilities, clean area and change arrangements (WHS Regulation s 41 and the work environment code)
• Waterproof PPE and the order for taking it off
• Cuts, sharps, splashes and what first aid to give
• Vaccination as good practice only
• Illness reporting, notifiable illness tests and insurer reports
• Cleaning tools and disinfecting by the label and SDS
• Heat while wearing waterproof PPE
• Records, training, review and legislation references

Legislation and Codes of Practice Referenced

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld): s 19 (primary duty of care), s 26A (approved codes of practice), s 28 (duties of workers), s 36(c) (serious injury or illness), ss 35 to 39 (notifiable incidents), s 46 (other duty holders), ss 47 to 49 (consultation), s 273 (no levy or charge on workers for work health and safety)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld): ss 32 to 38 (risk management), s 39 (information, training and instruction), s 40(f) (extremes of heat or cold), s 41 (facilities), s 42 (first aid), ss 44 to 46 (personal protective equipment), s 699 (prescribed serious illnesses), Chapter 7 (hazardous chemicals, for cleaning products)
• Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003 (Qld): s 133 (employer’s report of an injury)
• Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice 2021 (Qld): sections 3.4 (hand washing), 3.7 (change rooms) and 3.8 (shower facilities). First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021 (Qld): section 3.3 and the appendix on standard precautions. Confined Spaces Code of Practice 2021 (Qld): section 3.3. These are approved codes of practice, and a business must follow an approved code or manage the risk in a way that gives an equivalent or higher standard (WHS Act s 26A)
• We found no Queensland Act, Regulation or approved code that deals with sewage exposure as its subject, sets a vaccination or health monitoring rule for it, or sets wash times or disinfectant dilutions. Public health, waste and environmental laws are outside this document
• This document is general information for Queensland workplaces and is not legal advice

What You Get

• An editable Microsoft Word document (6 pages), A4 portrait
• Business details and document control typed once and filled in on every page, plus a space for your logo
• Purpose, scope and a policy statement with an approval sign-off
• Definitions, and responsibilities for each role
• A step-by-step procedure that says who does what
• Records, training, monitoring and review, related documents and a revision history

Review it and adjust it to suit your business, your sites and the way your team works, and talk it through with your workers. If you have any trouble downloading this template, you can contact us at any time. Please make sure you read our Disclaimer before downloading.