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October is National Safe Work Month, so we’re asking you to take five and think safety in your business. This week, special counsel Gemma Sharp looks at common health and safety risks in the workplace and steps organisations can take to keep their workers safe.
October is Safe Work Month. So, we’re asking you to take five and think safety in your business.
Week 1 of National Safe Work Month asks you to consider some of the more common risks that may exist within your business and how to implement steps to manage them. Whether it be from slips, trips, falls, pushing, pulling, lifting or other manual handling tasks. These common health risks accounted for over 60% of workplace injuries in 2019 to 2020 and is a significant number of hours lost from the Australian economy.
Remember, all PCBU’s have a duty to ensure the health and safety of their workers and others and to do this they must ensure so far as reasonably practicable, that they maintain a work environment which is free from the risks to health and safety. They provide safe systems of work. They provide instruction, training and supervision to their workers on those systems, and then that they monitor the health of workers and work conditions.
No matter what industry you’re operating in, these common health and safety risks will be present. Codes of practice are implemented in each state and territory, which provide you guidance on how to generally manage the risks to health and safety, but also on how to manage the hazards posed by manual handling tasks. Remember, these are more than just merely guidance material, they’re the minimum standard by which you must ensure your systems meet.
So, this week of National Safe Work Month, make sure you take the time to check you have adequate systems in place. Remember, safety is everyone’s responsibility and whether it be in office, home office, construction site, farm, school or hospital, you need to ensure that you have adequate systems to manage your worker’s safety. If you have any questions about what I’ve discussed today or would like some assistance in reviewing your safety systems, please don’t hesitate to give us a call.
This publication is for information only and is not legal advice. You should obtain advice that is specific to your circumstances and not rely on this publication as legal advice. If there are any issues you would like us to advise you on arising from this publication, please let us know.
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Cooper Grace Ward acknowledges and pays respect to the past, present and future Traditional Custodians and Elders of this nation and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
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