WOOROOMAH SAFETY INDUCTION Handover for Facilitators
Bees are sent induction checklist after registration or by email. They are asked to attend the cottage (which is the working bee hub) on arrival.
▪ The following induction sheet will need to be printed in advance for each bee attending site including children.
Key steps
Welcome Bees
Show Bees where to set up personal camps i.e if new bees preferably near the cottage or woolshed toilets.
Ask our volunteers back to the cottage for their induction forms. These will need to be signed after induction
then they will be formally added to the white board attendance list.
Facilitators to take each bee through the ‘Wooroomah Safety Induction’
Be sure that yourself or another bee takes new bees to the places mentioned
TOOLBOX TALK / COMMUNICATIONS
▪ Every morning (unless otherwise specified) engage our volunteers in a meaningful morning gathering. This will include specific items i.e. daily tasks and jobs, fire info, safety etc.
▪ Ask how everyone if they have something to contribute to the morning. This simple gesture can show respect and love. Let people know how great they are and how appreciated they are for all they do – (and in my perspective – Tania) for just breathing.
▪ It’s important that you make it clear people are responsible for their own wellbeing. That means if volunteers need time out then they let you know. Then they action this self care. It’s important that volunteers are supported and loved in their decision to look after themselves.
WHITEBOARD – DAILY WHS
▪ List names of Bees including children or any visitors on site in a clearly legible list
▪ Make three columns – [DIET] [ON] [OFF] Site
▪ When anybody leaves site (but is returning) it is highlighted on the whiteboard next to their name – a tick in the off site column.
▪ List next to name in DIET : V – Vegan, Veg – Vegetarian for meals, M – meatees OR S – Special diet
▪ Changing kitchen crew can then see at a glance
▪ List meetings and items to be discussed
▪ Encourage others to write what they want to talk about
▪ List the name of the onsite FIRST AIDER
▪ Phone numbers that you need i.e. Board Members, Local Fire
▪ Put some happy stuff up i.e. I LOVE YOU☺Be Moved By The Energy Within you etc....
AMENITIES
Show Bee’s in person the volunteer amenities
▪ Toilets, Bathroom / Shower
▪ Tea / Coffee / Water
▪ Sink area for washing dishes – if bee is less than 10 people then wash hand inside – if more than 10 people attending (including children) then bathroom/shower room
▪ Site landline phone - available to everyone
▪ Wifi – password and coverage limits if applicable
▪ Mobile recharge in cottage – at own risk so please label or clearly identify these items.
FIRE SAFETY
▪ Whiteboard FIRE Ban notification (RFS website or ring Local Fire Brigade each day)
▪ Whiteboard where to meet if Fire or Emergency is called – take all new bees to this place in person ▪ Talk to Fire Warden – if Jack Wells is onsite he usually activates this role and updates on Fire Bans.
FIRST AID & SNAKES
(WE HAVE A BROWNEE THAT CIRCLES THE COTTAGE AND ANOTHER NEAR THE CREWS’ QUARTERS)
▪ Identify First Aiders on site, show where basic First Aid car carry kits are
▪ Snake bite First Aid information is accessible and visible near the landline – where to go if a snake bite (call Swan Hill Hospital).
▪ Snakes are in breeding season (summer) they are on the defence and therefore more aggressive,
COMMUNICATE VIA RADIO IMMEDIATELY TO EACH OTHER ANY SIGHTINGS and whiteboard.
▪ If available give everyone a compression bandage to carry in their pocket
RADIOS, HIGH VIS VESTS, EAR MUFFS, HARD HATS, SAFETY GLASSES, COTTAGE TORCH, GLOVES
▪ These will be pre-ordered and then stored in the cottage to distribute to each bee with spare gloves should people lose their gloves in the forest as does happen.
▪ High vis to be worn at all times in working hours (at the cottage high vis free choice but recommend folk take off their vests prior to dinner so that we can all relax a little)
▪ Covered shoes are to be worn at all times, including in kitchen
▪ Gloves, ear muffs, safety glasses and hard hats to be available, torches / batteries
▪ Radios on site and working – batteries to be charged at all times.
▪ Water bottle (water in it – haha), sunscreen, bushmans spray, aloe vera gel
▪ Snake info (we have a couple of brown snakes around the Cottage) ‘Be Aware’
▪ Wash Hands in Bathroom Area (Volunteers) – Kitchen Crew can wash in Kitchen
▪ Let people know where you are going and better still be in pairs or more.
▪ NO SMOKING IN OR NEAR THE KITCHEN / COMMON AREA
▪ RESPONSIBLE / MINDFULL CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL EVERY WHERE FOOD & KITCHEN (If working in kitchen)
Kitchen facilitators (previously) like to ask our volunteers if there is anything special they would like when the bulk shopping is done in Swanhill (by Tania 😊 - surprises that really weren’t a surprise but felt like a surprise lol).
Suggestions:
You can also use the fridges as notice boards – i.e. if volunteers want something specific then write it on the “something specific” fridge! With supplied whiteboard markers. This way volunteers have to take responsibility for asking what they want – you are not a freakin mind reader, haha well sometimes I was and you may be! You’ll become familiar with what people enjoy!
▪ Wear enclosed shoes working in kitchen
▪ Keep fridges clean
▪ Wipe down tables
▪ Name Fridges i.e. Communal , Vege Fridge, Cooks Fridge, Dairy and ? (give them a groovy name if you want) ▪ Name Cupboard Fridges i.e. Goodies, Cereals, etc....
HOUSE CLEANING
▪ Tell Bee’s / Volunteers that after every meal it is required to assist in clean up – the cooks work extremely hard in preparing and cooking meals and do not want to be left with clean up duty. I would make this clear at every meal also otherwise they will run!
▪ Toilets need to be cleaned also – allocation by asking (yes it’s a shitty job – haha excuse the pun, but if people want to poo in a clean dunny then ‘WEE’ ALL need to clean them too!
▪ Gloves for cleaning dunny’s should be made available in the toilet area along with cleaning items. (toilet cleaner, gloves). Theres plenty of toilet paper in the drums in the woolshed near dunnys or in the container (Boris)
▪ Bathroom – same with the bathroom – make available cleaning items to clean shower vestibule (haha what a name – vestibule!) anyhow I recommend a non chemical solution – a scrouge (a metal wire thing that is curly) to get the scum off and a soft cleaner of vinegar and bi carb. The water goes into the soil under the electrical lines.
TIME SHEETS & MEMBER FORMS
▪ Volunteers to fill out time sheets / membership forms (some may not want to do this – no solution to this) ▪ Fuel receipts to be processed by the budget facilitator.
CONFLICT RESOLUTION PROCESS
▪ If Bee’s or you are unable to sort out conflict with whomever you are in conflict with, speak to another onsite facilitator or trusted person for further discussion and / or resolution.
▪ There may be other facilitators contactable on phone who have facilitated Wooroomah working bees before.
▪ At the end of the day you may not have a resolution so let volunteers know that if they are unable to be respectfull in the time they are in each other’s company then they may have to leave the property.
▪ The duty of care to resolve conflict lies first with the ratified facilitators then also with each volunteer or parent of children attending.
FUN
▪ Important to have free time, everyone needs to rest and recooperate ▪ Swim and have gorgeous leisure time
LEAVING SITE
▪ Make sure you know who leaves the working bee. Take name/s off the whiteboard.
▪ Ask Bee’s / Volunteers to tell you or write on the white board when they are leaving the working bee.
Thankyou Tania and Elle for much of the scribing above