preview

Workplace Health and Safety Essay

Good Essays

Workplace Health and Safety A quick start to the workplace health & safety act 1995 How do you meet your obligations? You must meet your obligations under the Act. This can be done in different ways, but you are obliged to take action to manage exposure to risk. Workplace health and safety standards Regulations -- some regulations are workplace health and safety standards that either prohibit exposure to a risk or prescribe ways to prevent or minimise exposure to a risk. To meet your obligations under the Act you must comply with these types of regulations. Advisory Standards - state ways to manage exposure to risks common to industry. To meet your obligation under the Act, you should follow advisory standards, …show more content…

• Following a regulation will provide you with a defence in a prosecution for a breach of an obligation. • Following an advisory standard or industry code of practice will also provide you with a defence in a prosecution for breach of an obligation. • If you do not follow an advisory standard or industry code of practice, you must show that you took reasonable precautions and exercised proper diligence in choosing a way to manage exposure to the risk, or that the breach happened as a result of factors over which you had no control. Workplace Consultation Workplace health and safety representatives are elected by coworkers to convey health and safety issues to their employer. Representatives are entitled to carry out inspections, Brochure -- 006 January 2001 Brochure Division of Workplace Health & Safety bro006v5 A Quick start to the Workplace Health & Safety Act 1995 January 2001 Page 2 of 4 review the circumstances of work injuries, work-caused illnesses and dangerous events. They are also entitled to participate in the workplace health and safety committee. A workplace health and safety representative does not need any experience or special qualifications. Workplace health and safety committees help in the co-operation between employers and workers. A committee

Get Access