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How to Achieve a Healthy and Safe Workplace

Everyone in your workplace has a WHS duty. If all those duty holders satisfy their WHS legal duty you will have a safe and healthy workplace.

However, this ideal state is not yet achieved in all Australian workplaces. Fatalities, serious and other workplace injuries still occur in many workplaces (particularly in the Transport, Postal & Warehousing; Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing; Construction; Mining; and, Manufacturing Industries), for example the Safe Work Australia Notifiable Fatalities November 2014 Monthly Report tells us there were 213 work related deaths from January to November 2014.

A Key Factor in Workplace Incidents

Managers and Supervisors have a vital role in helping to ensure a safe and healthy workplace by preventing workplace incidents. Their supervisory actions should result in the satisfaction of the PCBU's duty of care to ensure the health and safety of workers.

In some instances, workplace incidents may come down to lack of supervision having brought about a chain of events leading to an incident.

It is expected that all staff including managers and supervisors are provided with the “information, training, instruction or supervision that is necessary to protect all persons from risks to their health and safety arising from work carried out as part of the conduct of the business or undertaking,” (WHS Act Section 19 (f)). See a summary of training that may be required under the WHS Act.

Managers, Supervisors, and other workers require information or instruction, training and supervision in matters such as:

  • risk management

  • first aid

  • hazardous manual tasks

  • bullying, discrimination and harassment policies

  • health effects of noise exposure

  • your accident and emergency procedures

  • handling hazardous chemicals

  • correct use of personal protective equipment (PPE)

  • how to safely operate equipment and machinery

  • high-risk activities, e.g. working at heights

  • working in confined spaces

  • work that requires specific qualifications or licensing to perform

  • your health and safety policies

  • any other policies, procedures and practices that apply to your workplace



 

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