Safety in the Workplace
Acts, Regulations, Codes of Practises and Penalties
Responsibility
OHS Act
~ Enable the development of uniform, equitable safety standards and protections for all Australian workers; Address the compliance and regulatory burdens for employers with operations in more than one jurisdiction
~ Create efficiencies for governments in the provision of OHS regulatory services
~ Achieve significant and continual reductions in the incidence of death, injury, disease in the workplace
These Acts vary between states so always make sure you inquire to your employer about them, and know what Acts you should be complying to.
Codes of Practice
~ Work procedures develop a safe work procedure that describes the task, identifies hazards and documents how the task is to be performed to minimise the risks.
~ Training instruction and information is given to your workers in the work procedure to ensure they are able to perform the task safely. Training, instruction and information must be provided to all workers and made sure that they understand the instructions.
~ Information and instruction also need to be provided to others who enter the workplace, such as customers or visitors.
~ Supervision required will depend on the level of risk and the experience of the workers involved. High levels of supervision are necessary where inexperienced workers are expected to follow new procedures or carry out difficult and critical tasks. You may prepare a risk register that identifies all hazards, what action needs to be taken to fix the problem, and who will be responsible for taking the action and by when
To ensure that controls remain effective, following actions may help you monitor the control measures and ensure that they remain effective:
~ Accountability for health and safety should be clearly allocated to ensure procedures are followed and maintained. Managers and supervisors should be provided with the authority and resources to implement and maintain control measures effectively
~ Up-to-date training and competency measures depend on all workers and supervisors having appropriate competencies to do the job safely.
~ Up-to-date information about hazards, such as plant substances and risks. May be updated by manufacturers and suppliers and should be checked to make sure controls are still relevant. New technology may provide more effective solutions than were previously available.
~ Regular review and consultation measures are more effective where there is regular review of work procedures
Penalties
If a manager or supervisor reasonably believes that a person has committed one or more violations of a particular Code of Conduct, the manager/supervisor may give to the person an infringement notice relating to the alleged violation(s). An infringement notice must be given within 12 months of the day on which the violation(s) was alleged to have taken place.
Video Explanation of Occupational Health and Safety Act
By Ruby Van Dongen
Year 11 Cert III Business 2016