If you’ve been injured in an accident at work, or are a new business needing guidance on who is responsible for health and safety in the workplace, we’ve got you covered. Workplace health and safety or WHS responsibilities fall on many shoulders, from the shop floor to head office and beyond, with oversight at Federal Government levels.
Maintaining a healthy and safe workplace for your employees should be one of your top priorities as a business. If you need guidance on WHS responsibilities for employers or are an employee seeking guidance on filing a workers’ compensation claim, reach out to your Melbourne safety experts at Your Safety Partners. We aim to ensure that all Australians are safe at work, regardless of their job, company or position.
The Role of Employers
Employers are primarily responsible for ensuring a safe working environment for their employees. As outlined in the Work Health and Safety Act (2011), employers or “Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU)” must “ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers at the workplace.”
More specific duties of employers include:
- Conducting frequent risk assessments of potential dangers in the workplace.
- Maintaining communication with employees about hazards in the workplace.
- Generally maintaining a sanitary, safe working environment.
- Addressing employee concerns promptly through the proper regulatory authorities.
- Providing adequate training to employees on how to use equipment or perform tasks with safety being the priority.
For example, one case study conducted by Safe Work Australia outlines how employer OHS responsibilities are reflected in the construction industry.
The Role of Employees
Just as their employers have a role to play in workplace safety, so too, do employees. To maintain workplace safety, employees should:
- Vigilantly observe all safety protocols at all times.
- Remain informed of changes to safety protocols or procedures.
- Report hazards immediately to senior staff.
- Attend all safety briefings and training sessions as requested by management.
- Wear proper PPE at all times (if required).
- Actively engage with management on matters of safety.
Some examples of proactive employee involvement in WHS initiatives include:
- Do not wait for management to address a safety issue. Make them aware of it first!
- Make suggestions (in writing) about how workplace health and safety could be modified.
- Listen and engage with safety staff during training sessions.
- Take seriously your role in maintaining a safe working environment.
- Do not come to work if you are hungover, overly tired, or otherwise unwell. Your safety and that of your colleagues are too important to not take the day off if necessary.
The Role of Safety Officers/Managers
Safety officers or managers are often employees brought on board to oversee the implementation of safety protocols. Their key responsibilities include:
- Developing workplace policy regarding health and safety.
- Working with other employees to manage risks and hazards in the workplace.
- Monitoring all employee and employer OHS responsibilities and compliance.
To be an OHS supervisor, one should have the following qualifications:
- Fierce attention to detail.
- An understanding of the rules and regulations concerning WHS/OHS.
- WHS policy implementation experience.
- A Diploma of Work Health and Safety, or other accreditation in the field.
At Your Safety Partners, we work alongside your company’s safety officers, offering customisable training programs and support to ensure that all safety managers understand their responsibilities and how to execute your company’s health and safety policies to protect your business and employees.
The Role of Government and Regulatory Bodies
In Australia, workplace health and safety is regulated at the state level, though they are mostly uniformly implemented across the country under the Work Health and Safety Act (2011). The regulatory body is Work Safe Australia and they conduct safety inspections, audits and enforce workplace safety laws across the country. Learn more about their role here.
The Role of External Consultants
Sometimes, external consultants like Your Safety Partners can be brought in to aid in drafting workplace health and safety policies for your specific business. Or, provide insight into where existing policy falls short, following any safety incidents.
We provide audits of existing safety protocols, employee training for regular employees and safety officers and compliance support to ensure that your business complies with regulations at all levels of enforcement.
By using external consultants such as Your Safety Partners, you guarantee an impartial overseer of your business’s safety policies. This impartiality allows us to take a critical approach and removes the employer/employee dynamic that can sometimes be problematic when discussing workplace safety.
If you’ve been searching for the right consultant for your workplace health and safety protocols, choose Your Safety Partners. As Melbourne’s leading source of workplace safety consultancy, we ensure that you and your employees are informed, trained, represented and as safe as possible at work. Contact us today to book your consultation!