Work Health And Safety
Work health and safety law places duties on several parties at the same time, and they overlap rather than transfer.
The PCBU. The person conducting a business or undertaking holds the primary duty, to ensure health and safety so far as is reasonably practicable. This is the organisation, not an individual.
Officers. People who make or participate in decisions affecting a substantial part of the business hold a personal due diligence duty. It cannot be delegated.
Workers. Take reasonable care of their own safety and that of others, and follow reasonable instructions.
Others at the workplace. Visitors and members of the public, on a narrower basis.
The point most often missed is that duties are concurrent. A contractor being on site does not move the PCBU duty across to them.
Safe Work Australia publishes the model WHS laws. This is general information rather than legal advice, and obligations vary by state and territory.
See Sentrient’s work health and safety course and GRC system.
Mistake #1 – Most businesses underestimate the impact of a ‘worst case scenario’
So let’s start with a person you’ve probably heard a few of your work colleagues mumble about. After a ‘worst case scenario’ has played out. Yes, that’s right. We’re talking about Murphy’s Law, which has become somewhat of a cliche when it comes to risk mitigation or conversations around ‘worst case scenarios’ in life and in the […]
MOST POPULAR POSTS
