Toxic Harmful Equipment usage Bayside Council NSW staff, workers, contractors
Dear Bayside City Council (NSW),
Please provide details of all actions taken by Bayside Council to protect workers from hearing and other injuries that may occur due to the usage of equipment inluding Petrol mowers, Petrol Leaf Blowers
Provide details of all the NSW Government Audiometric Testing has been done for all workers contractors volunteerswhen it was done and if council has received any Workers Compensation claims relating to the use of Equipment
https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/legal-ob...
Bayside Council currently has most workers still using Toxic, Excessively Noisy Leaf Blowers which are not battery operated
Most workers have still not had any of the required Audiometric Testing done.
Most workers including those who use the leaf blowers in parks, gardens, reserves, footpaths do not use Respiratory protrction Masks, Eye Protection or suitable Hearing Protection.
Many Councils are moving towards battery powered equipment instead of petrol due to the known detrimental damage petrol equipment causes to users, the public and environment.
Noise pollution
Leaf blowers can be very loud, with operators recording decibel levels as high as 100 dBA. Passersby within 50 feet can hear them at 83 dBA.
Environmental impact
Gas-powered leaf blowers contribute to air pollution and can harm wildlife.
More sustainable alternatives
There are more environmentally friendly tools and procedures that don't produce noise and pollution.
The ongoing usage by Bayside Council workers and lease holders on Government land of the toxic noisy polluting damaging leaf blowers needs to stop.
Why Leaf Blower Bans are on the rise
https://www.leafscore.com/eco-friendly-g...
Bayside Council will be liable for legal claims including the general public and council workers and council contractors
https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/saf...
"If you decide that a worker needs to frequently wear personal hearing protection to protect them from noise above the noise exposure standard, you must provide the worker with audiometric testing.
Measuring noise
The most common instrument to measure decibels is a noise (or sound) level meter. This measurement can be taken by a competent person, such as a certified occupational hygienist, or if you or one of your workers have the skills and experience, you do not have to find a specialist.
Once you know how many decibels the noise at your workplace is, you can use the noise ready reckoner to calculate the equivalent exposure to 85 decibels over eight hours.
Supporting information
Model Code of Practice: Managing noise and preventing hearing loss at work
Model Code of Practice: How to manage work health and safety risks
Infographic: Hazardous noise in the workplace
Infographic: Noise hazards and sound levels
Infographic: Keep the noise down!
The interactive safe work method statement (SWMS) tool provides information on preparing, using and reviewing SWMS for high risk construction work."
EPA
The Protection of the Environment Operations Act (POEO Act) 1997 defines OFFENSIVE NOISE in New South Wales as noise that:
Is harmful to people outside of the property it's coming from
Unreasonably interferes with the comfort or rest of people outside of the property it's coming from
Is prescribed by the regulations
https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whol...
NSW EPA
leaf blowers can be toxic and harmful to the environment and human health:
Air pollution
Gas-powered leaf blowers emit large amounts of harmful air pollutants, including hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide. They can emit more air pollutants than a car that has driven over 700 kilometers at 48 km/h.
Toxic exhaust
More than 30% of a leaf blower's fuel/oil mixture is emitted unburned as an aerosol that contains toxins. These toxins can irritate the eyes, skin, and respiratory tract, and have been linked to cancer.
Noise pollution
Leaf blowers can contribute to hearing loss, stress, hypertension, headaches, and other problems.
Dust and particulate matter
Leaf blowers generate dust and particulate matter that can cause breathing problems.
Injury risk
Leaf blowers pose a risk of injury to operators.
To reduce your exposure to leaf blowers, you can:
Use a rake or broom instead
Use a leaf blower at half the power
Wear safety goggles and a face mask
You can also reduce stormwater pollution by:
Sweeping up leaves, litter, and soil from gutters and driveways
Covering piles of soil, sand, or mulch
Placing leaves and grass clippings in garden compost"
Bayside Council has a strict duty of care to provide a safe non toxic non detrimental non harmful environment including in the usage of equipment in all public areas especially near kids playgrounds, Parks, Public Reservesm Beachesm Footpaths, Council managed roads and other council areas and workplaces and properties.
Yours faithfully,
Better Bayside
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Safework NSW Australia
https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/saf...
Under the model WHS Regulations, you must eliminate or minimise the risk of your workers getting work-related hearing loss.
You must also identify and manage risks of noise.
Protecting workers from noise
The model WHS Regulations says you must:
identify noise hazards
conduct noise assessments
use suitable control measures, and
provide personal protective equipment to workers.
You must also provide audiometric testing for workers who you require to frequently wear personal hearing protection for their work.
Audiometric testing
In audiometric testing, the tester plays a series of tones and the listener shows whether they heard them.
It’s a simple procedure, and you must provide it to your workers who often use personal hearing protectors to protect them from noise:
within 3 months of them starting work, and
at least every 2 years
For a list of audiometric testing providers, contact your local WHS regulator.
Better Bayside left an annotation ()
https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/your-environm...
Help reduce particle pollution and your exposure to it
Help reduce particle pollution in your area by following these tips.
Avoid using leaf blowers and other types of equipment that raise a lot of dust - use a rake or broom instead.
If you use a leaf blower, use it at half the power which reduces the amount of dust generated, reduces noise pollution and saves energy.