Biological hazards at work model Code of Practice now available

Biological hazards such as viruses, bacteria, parasites and certain types of fungi (like mould) can be found in all industries and workplaces, and exposure to these hazards can result in injury, illness and disease.

To assist employers with protecting workers and others from exposure to biological hazards in their workplace, a new model Code of Practice has been released. According to Safe Work Australia (SWA), the model Code of Practice: Managing the risks of biological hazards at work is the first Code of its kind in the world.

Offering guidance on identifying and implementing effective controls to meet WHS duties, the model Code of Practice is broad in scope and applies to any workplace where workers or others may be exposed to biological hazards.

Workers may be at risk of exposure if their work involves close contact with:

• other people;
• animals;
• contaminated or organic materials;
• environments with vectors, such as mosquitoes, ticks or mites.
   

Exposure can occur when biological hazards are:

• part of the work conducted (eg, farmers handling sick animals);
• associated with the work environment (eg, outdoor work in areas with mosquitoes);
• brought into the workplace from the community (eg, communicable diseases like the common cold).
   

Employers have a duty to manage the risks arising from biological hazards as much as possible under work health and safety (WHS) laws.

While the types of biological hazards and control measures that can be implemented vary by workplace, some baseline controls can significantly reduce risk. These include:

• maintaining a clean workplace with good air quality;
• training workers on hygiene practices; and
• encouraging vaccination for vaccine-preventable diseases.
   

The model Code of Practice can be found here, via the SWA website.

Image credit: iStock.com/Daniel Balakov. Stock image used is for illustrative purposes only.