Author: John Cassel

Summer is well and truly upon us and already we have experienced some wild weather with storms, flash flooding, rain and excessive heat. Please ensure you have plenty of water with you at all times and are keeping up with your fluids regularly (only have the occasional electrolyte / energy type drinks). If you have any concerns, please seek medical advice or call the AATM WHS Team in 3881 3008.

For more information on Heat Stress, please look at the following informative links:

https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/agriculture/workplace-hazards/sun-safety

https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/injury-prevention-safety/hazardous-exposures/heat-stress

https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/injury-prevention-safety/hazardous-exposures/heat-stress/managing-exposure

https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/injury-prevention-safety/hazardous-exposures/heat-stress/health-effects

Acquired Awareness Training Centre and Acquired Awareness Traffic Management are delighted to be working with Max Employment to assist in training and employing unemployed clients of Max Employment.

We have been successful in placing a number of Max Employment clients and expect this fantastic opportunity to grow further this year.

This is a win win for the unemployed as they are trained in an industry that has high demand for good quality workers well into the future.

The Acquired Awareness Training Centre offers quality training in the following courses from our Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast training rooms.

• Traffic Control (Full Course and Refresher Course)
• Traffic Management Implementation (Full Course and Refresher Course)
• Traffic Management Design (Full Course)

For course dates, please click here. If you would like to book into or enquire about our courses, please feel free to contact us on 3881 3008 (select 2 for Training).

Thank you to all those who worked so hard to make 2017 such a great year for AATC.  From Friday 15^th December 2017 the AATC Team will be taking some well-deserved time off, returning on Monday 8^th January 2018.  Have a safe and enjoyable Christmas break and see you all in the New Year!

Sadly, a non-AATM Traffic Controller has passed away after being struck by a vehicle on 6^th November 2017 whilst performing Traffic Control duty on the Bruce Highway (Sunshine Coast).  Our thoughts and condolences are with the Traffic Controller’s family and friends at this time.

This tragic event is a timely reminder to ensure you:

• Always participate in the traffic control pre-works Risk Assessment, understand the identified hazards (site specific dangers) and the controls (how your worksite/tasks have been made safe)
• Have an unobstructed escape route that leads to ‘a safe location’
• Keep well clear of the ‘travel path’
• Do not turn your back on approaching traffic
• Have clear and concise UHF radio communications
• Do not stand, walk or work in a crush zone (e.g. between traffic and work vehicles or plant, behind trucks, TC utes or other plant)
• Do not reverse without a spotter

Have you become desensitised? Would you know if you are?

Completing the same tasks each day can lead to people becoming desensitised to how high-risk traffic control and other tasks are.  Do you find yourself doing any of the following:

• Standing in the travel path with no stopped vehicles?
• Not focusing on the high-risk task at hand?
• On the phone whilst performing Traffic Control duties?
• Are you following the TCASAP?

If you do believe that you have become desensitised to your work environment, you need to take a moment to stop and think about workplace dangers. Think about when you first started and how aware you were of your environment.

Due to the high demand for our Traffic Management Design course, AATC have added one last Traffic Management Design course date for 2017.

For more information on enrolling into this course, please contact AATC on 07 3881 3008 (select 2 for training).

More information on the Traffic Management Design course can be found here.

October is National Safe Work Month – a time to commit to building safe and healthy workplaces for all Australians.

If you would like to take part in National Safe Work Month, or find out more facts, please visit the National Safe Work Month website by clicking here.

Acquired Awareness currently have a couple hundred of 450mm Traffic Cones in stock that we no longer use.

If you would like to claim some, we’ll be selling them at $1 per cone!

Please feel free to drop by the Brendale depot and collect some, or call AATM on 07 3881 3008 for more information on these.

*Please note: these traffic cones are not for use on roadways*

*Image from http://wspd.org.au/*

‘Take a Minute, Change a Life’ is the theme of the 2017 World Suicide Prevention Day. These words are at the heart
of suicide prevention and together with R U OK Day, it is a reminder to take a minute to notice what is going on
around you – including family, friends, colleagues and even yourself. Research shows hundreds of Australians are
impacted by suicide death each year. Please contact your local doctor or Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467.
Check out events near you – click here.