APA (NSW) Member Update
Sector to Sector Fluid Deployment
Friday 9 December 2016
Dear Member,
Members from the Western Sydney Nepean Blue Mountains (WSNBM) Sector have contacted us this week with respect to correspondence received from management indicating that staff may now be required to carry out fluid deployment across Sectors from time to time. Historically, fluid deployment has been primarily kept within the Sector.
The management decision has raised a number of significant safety concerns for our members which APA (NSW) takes very seriously.
Clause 22(c) of the Operational Ambulance Officers (State) Award states that deployment to another station within the roster will only occur within reasonable travelling distances (having regard to the circumstances of each case).
APA (NSW) asks its members to be diligent in looking after their work health and safety by considering the following when deployed to another Sector:
- Whether the requested deployment poses an unreasonable travel distance or time;
- Whether the requested deployment is likely to result in unreasonable overtime/excessive extension of shift overtime;
- Whether it is a crew or single officer being deployed;
- Potential safety and fatigue risks that may arise as a result of single officer being deployed (eg. being responded to job en-route single, driving excessive hours single etc);
- General fatigue, well-being & safety risks.
In considering the above, members may need to liaise with the Control Centre to determine the circumstances surrounding the deployment. If members believe the deployment to pose significant concerns to their safety and well-being; APA (NSW) advises members to refuse the deployment and clearly state your reasons why. Should the Control Centre or management continue to push for the deployment, please contact APA (NSW) for assistance immediately. APA (NSW) will always support members with reasonable work health and safety concerns.
To further assist and guide you, please find attached APA (NSW)’s Recommended Strategies for Safety Booklet. A hard copy of this is available on request.
Regards,
APA (NSW) Executive
Your Choice, Your Voice
Keep up to date with APA (NSW) news at www.apansw.com.au/News
A printable copy of this update may be found here.
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