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Occupational Health and Safety

Disclaimer

Pro Forma

The links below open Microsoft Word documents that can be edited for your own use.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Safe and Healthy Workplace

The Work Health Act provides the legal framework under which employers and employees must operate to achieve a safe and healthy workplace

This is everyone's responsibility. Employers (ie the health service) now known as a "person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) must provide the facilities and resources necessary for a safe working environment, whist workers (employees) have a responsibility to work in a way that protects themselves, their work mates and their clients.

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Workplace Health & Safety Representatives (HSRs)

To maintain a safe workplace requires a process whereby potential hazards are identified and corrected.

One of the objects of the Work Health and Safety Act (the WHS Act), is to provide for fair and effective workplace representation, consultation, co-operation and issue resolution in relation to work health and safety.

A person who conducts a business or undertaking (PCBU) must consult, so far as is reasonably practicable, with workers who carry out work for the business or undertaking and who are (or are likely to be) directly affected by a work health or safety matter.

Part 5 of the WHS Act allows for workers to be consulted and represented through health and safety representatives (HSRs) and committees.
Anyone can be a HSR you just first need to form work groups and then call for nominations to be a HSR for the group. If only one candidate then you are elected.  Where HSRs have been elected, the PCBU must consult with them. HSRs can choose to do a five day HSR course and your employer must give you the time and pay for the course and your wages.  No special qualification is needed to be a HSR.

A Health and Safety Committee (HSC) brings together workers and management to assist in the development and review of health and safety policies and procedures for the workplace. A HSC must be established when a HSR or five or more workers makes a request to the PCBU.  

Smaller workplaces may not have the resources for such a committee.The responsibility to regularly inspect the workplace and report to staff and the health board to have identified hazards addressed lies with all staff. The process could include:

A Workplace Health and Safety checklist (see Proformas) can be used by delegates as a tool to use during inspections. For smaller workplaces it is not feasible to have such committees. Instead the issue of health and safety should be included on clinic meeting agendas, and staff can rotate the responsibility of workplace inspections.

NTWorkSafe is responsible to administer and enforce the Workplace safety legislation in the NT and has a has a range of Information Sheets for employers and employees, OH&S committees as well as and other information about specific hazards and preventive strategies.

Safe Work Australia has published a Worker Representation and Participation Guide with information for workers in health and safety matters at the workplace, as well as guidance on resolving health and safety issues.

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Health & Safety Policies

Each workplace should have an Occupational Health and Safety Policy that states clearly the obligations of the employer and employees in achieving a safe and healthy work environment. The policy should also address particular health and safety issues relevant to the enterprise.

The draft policy (see Pro forma) provides a guide for health services from which to develop your own policy.

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Workers Compensation

Each service requires a clear process whereby injuries or illnesses caused by work can be reported and workers compensation claims are made. What is required is included in the section on Accounts (Insurances). However, any injury , or any incident which could have led to an injury, should be followed by an investigation as to the cause so that such an incident can be prevented in the future. It is a good idea to keep a book of injuries and incidents so that periodically the service can get an idea of how often accidents happen, and whether preventive action is being taken.

Further assistance and information.

Record Keeping

The Workplace Health and Safety Act and Regulations require an employer to have appropriate systems to actively manage health and safety in the workplace. Records need to be kept to demonstrate compliance with legislation and include:  

OHS Management System Records

Operational records include Engineering certification; Environmental monitoring; Inspection, calibration and equipment maintenance; operator licences /certification; Plant/machinery maintenance; Structural steel reports; Supplier and contractor information.

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