Saturday, March 13, 2010

White Card: Australia's Attempt at Reducing Death and Injury at Work

By Tony Hatch

It is not everyone who is well versed with what exactly a white card is. In fact this card is of Australian origin and it basically applies to Occupational Hazards and Safety at construction sites. It is a creation of the law that is expected to be respected by all those who intend to work at construction sites.

A white card, more commonly known in Australia as a Blue Card, is a card of accreditation granted by the department of government dealing with hazards and occupational risks. This card gives anyone working at a construction site the permission and authority to work. Therefore without one you cannot get a job at a construction site.

A card of this nature is not simply applied for and granted instantly. You must complete a course that deals with a variety of issues. Generally the course teaches workers to respond to hazards, potential and occurring, and to reduce the extent of damage that has been sky-rocketing in recent years. When workers have this sort of know how they are always in a better position to save their lives, as well as the lives of their co-workers.

Essentially the course is 6 hours in length and is not difficult once you have applied and have been accepted. Acceptance is the only real issue at hand since it is never guaranteed. You must complete an Evidence of Identity (EOI) test that is basically a test that makes use of your ID. That is why you will be asked to bring appropriate ID.

On top of the basic EOI test there is the added requirement that you must have an application fee. Such a course is not free as we all think at first, a certain amount of money has to be paid for your application to be processed. Currently, online tests cost around $50, while in person tests can cost a lot more.

The course deals with a variety of topics of considerable necessity. It first deals with how workers must identify, control and respond to hazards at construction sites. Without such important knowledge a lot of accidents can occur and potential hazards will continue to exist unnoticed. That is why the course is somewhat compulsory as this information is crucial at saving lives.

Apart from that there is instruction on the Australian law dealing with construction workers. Workers are therefore taught about the law as it specifically applies to workers. They are also instructed on their basic rights as workers and what they can do if their employers exploit and underpay them. But this is not all.

Something else that is taught is workers responsibilities. Workers must know what is expected of them so that they do not go about being negligent. A worker who knows his responsibilities to himself and others is far better than one who does not.

About the Author:

0 comments:

Post a Comment