1. OHS–Occupational Health & Safety

2. What is OHS?
OHS is about the health, safety and welfare of all people in the workplace.

3. Legal framework
The OHS Act 2000 and OHS Regulation 2001 constitute the main legislative framework for injury prevention in the workplace.
The purpose of the Act and Regulation is to ensure workplace health and safety with an emphasis on risk management and consultation.

4. Duties of employers The employer is responsible for:
maintaining places of work, under the employer’s control, in a safe condition and ensuring safe entrances and exits
making arrangements to ensure the safe use, handling, storage and transport of plant and substances
providing and maintaining systems of work and working environments that are safe and without risks to health
providing the information, instruction, training and supervision necessary to ensure health and safety at work
providing adequate facilities for the welfare of employees
ensuring consultation with employees

5. Duties of employees Employees must:
take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and others at the workplace
cooperate with their employer to enable compliance with the OHS legislation.
Everyone at the workplace must:
not interfere with or misuse items provided for health, safety and welfare purposes
not hinder aid to an injured worker
not disrupt the workplace by creating health or safety fears.

6. OHS consultation Consultation arrangements should:
Provide for the sharing of relevant OHS information between employers and employees
Provide opportunities for employees to express their views about OHS issues
Ensure employees’ views are taken into account prior to decisions being made regarding health and safety

7. When to consult Consultation is required when:
Risks to health and safety are assessed or reviewed
Decisions are being made about measures to be taken to eliminate or control risks
Introducing or altering the procedures for monitoring risks
Decisions are made about the adequacy of staff welfare facilities
Changes are proposed to the workplace, system of work and substances used for work
Decisions are made about consultation arrangements

8. How to consult Consultation may be undertaken by any one or more of
the following:
OHS committee
OHS representative
Other agreed arrangement
Consultation also occurs in other workplace forums
such as staff meetings, team and committee
meetings.

9. Consultation arrangements at this workplace
What are the consultation arrangements at this workplace?
Where relevant, who is the OHS committee or OHS representative?
Where can a copy of the OHS consultation statement be found?

10. Risk management process
Identify hazards
Consult and Communicate
Monitor and Review
Assess risks
Eliminate or control risks

11. Hazard identification
Possible ways to identify hazards?
safety inspections
task analysis
complaints
staff meetings
regular maintenance requests
consultation
observation
records of injury, illness and near-miss records

12. Reporting hazards How are hazards reported?
Who do I report hazards to?

13. Consider what might happen
Assess the risk
Consider what might happen
Likelihood
Severity

14. Hierarchy of controls Eliminate the hazard Substitute the hazard
Controls should be considered in the following order:
Eliminate the hazard
Substitute the hazard
Isolate the hazard
Use engineering controls
Use administrative controls
Use personal protective equipment

15. Injury management If you are injured at work:
Notify the employer/workplace manager
Complete the register of injuries
Consult a doctor where necessary
Authorise the doctor to provide relevant information to GIO and DET
Participate in a return to work plan

16. Staff Welfare
Staff Support Officers
Employee Assistance Program

17. First Aid First aid procedures Location of first aid kits
First aid officer(s)

18. Emergency procedures
Emergency evacuation procedures at this workplace

19. Further information Fact sheets available on a range of risks
OHS-related enquiries:
Ask your principal
Contact your Staff Support Officer
Access information via the OHS webpage