Applying the Safe Place, Safe Person, Safe Systems framework to the management of biohazards

Biological hazards (biohazards) are present from exposure to infectious micro-organisms, toxic substances of biological origin, and plants and animals. Animals are among the few animate objects with which workers interact, placing them in a special class of workplace hazards. This study describes the application and evaluation of the Safe Place, Safe Person, Safe Systems framework to the management of biohazards encountered when working with animals, with a purpose of examining the efficacy and suitability of the framework. This study consisted of a review of the literature on biohazards in animal-related professions, typically in the context of veterinary practices and zoos, and their management in the workplace. Risks associated with working with animals can be divided into three categories: direct physical risks, infectious diseases from animals (zoonoses); and hypersensitivity risks. The key finding in this study was that the Safe Place, Safe Person, Safe Systems framework was versatile and could be successfully applied to animal-related professions to promote OHS improvements and to provide a systematic, planned approach to fulfilling OHS responsibilities. It was apparent that a customised OHS MS will allow sufficient freedom to enable workers to exercise their experience, education, judgement and skills as required, and the variable and unpredictable nature of biohazards suggested the use of more fluid methods such as dynamic risk assessments and perhaps less formality in the overall application of the framework elements.