Health and Safety Duties in Australia

Summary

In this 5-minute safety video, Michael Terry from Momentum Safety and Ergonomics discusses health and safety duties under Australia's Work Health and Safety Act. The video outlines the responsibilities of three key players: businesses, officers, and workers. Businesses must ensure a safe working environment, officers must exercise due diligence, and workers must act safely and not adversely affect others. Penalties for non-compliance vary based on the severity of the risk and the recklessness of the offender.

Takeaways

• 📚 The video discusses health and safety duties under the Work Health and Safety Act in Australia.
• 🏢 Key players with duties include businesses or undertakings, Officers, and workers.
• 👷‍♂️ Businesses must ensure a safe working environment and comply with health and safety standards.
• 🛠️ Safe plant and structures, systems of work, and processes for handling chemicals are part of business duties.
• 📋 Businesses are also responsible for providing training, welfare facilities, and health monitoring.
• 👔 Officers must exercise due diligence, which includes understanding health and safety risks and ensuring resources and processes are in place.
• 👷 Workers are responsible for their own health and safety and must not adversely affect others' health and safety.
• 📜 Workers must comply with reasonable instructions, policies, and procedures provided by the business.
• 💡 The video highlights the importance of understanding and fulfilling individual roles in maintaining a safe workplace.
• ⚠️ Penalties for non-compliance vary based on the seriousness of the risk and the recklessness of the offender.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the 5 Minute Safety video series?

The main focus of the 5 Minute Safety video series is to tackle important health and safety topics in a concise manner, aiming to cover them within approximately 5 minutes.

Which Act does the video discuss regarding health and safety duties in Australia?

The video discusses the Work Health and Safety Act in Australia, which outlines the health and safety duties for various parties involved in the workplace.

What are the three main players identified in the Work Health and Safety Act?

The three main players identified in the Act are the business or undertaking, the Officer of the business or undertaking, and the workers.

What is the primary duty of a business or undertaking under the Act?

The primary duty of a business or undertaking is to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health and safety of its workers.

What are some specific duties of a business or undertaking as mentioned in the video?

Specific duties include providing a safe working environment, maintaining safe plant and structures, implementing safe systems of work, handling chemicals and substances appropriately, providing information and training, and ensuring welfare facilities for workers.

What does the term 'Officer' refer to in the context of the Work Health and Safety Act?

An 'Officer' refers to individuals who have significant influence over the running of the business, as defined under the Corporations Act.

What are the due diligence duties of an Officer under the Act?

An Officer must acquire and maintain appropriate knowledge of health and safety and the risks within the company, provide necessary resources, establish information gathering systems, and ensure processes are implemented and verified through audits.

What is the responsibility of workers under the Work Health and Safety Act?

Workers are responsible for taking reasonable steps to ensure their own health and safety and to ensure their actions do not adversely affect the health and safety of others, as well as complying with reasonable instructions, policies, and procedures.

What are the potential penalties for non-compliance with health and safety duties?

Penalties for non-compliance can vary and are categorized into three levels based on the seriousness of the potential risk or injury and the level of recklessness. Penalties can include fines and potential jail time, depending on whether the offender is a company, an officer, or an individual.

How does the video summarize the key takeaways regarding health and safety duties?

The video summarizes that businesses must ensure the health and safety of workers, Officers must exercise due diligence, and workers must ensure their actions do not adversely affect the health and safety of others and comply with reasonable policies and procedures.