Protecting workers’ mental health is just as important as their physical health. A workplace that supports mental well-being not only safeguards workers’ health but also helps maintain a safe and productive environment.
Psychosocial hazards are factors in the design, management, or social interactions of work that can cause physical or mental harm. These hazards stem from:
Having conversations with your workers lets you gain first-hand knowledge and experience that will help build a healthy and safe workplace. Workers are much more engaged in the workplace if they understand the organisation’s objectives and their role in achieving these. This can also foster trust in management and lead to improved productivity.
Consulting with workers and their representatives on health and safety matters is also a legal requirement under work health and safety laws.
The draft code provides guidance on the application of a risk management process to avoid or minimise the harm from psychosocial hazards and risk factors.
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A Balcatta machining and heavy metal fabrication business has been fined $250,000 (and ordered to pay $5990 in costs) over a 2021 incident that resulted in serious injury to a worker.
Twoex Pty Ltd – trading as West City Engineering – pleaded guilty to failing to provide and maintain a safe work environment and, by that failure, causing serious harm to an employee, and was fined in the Perth Magistrates Court yesterday.
A high risk work licence (HRWL) is required when carrying out certain high risk work including operating cranes, boilers, forklifts, hoists, reach stackers, reciprocating steam engines, rigging, scaffolding and turbines.
A HRWL is recognised in all states and territories of Australia, enabling the holder to perform high risk work under consistent standards.
The requirements to hold a HRWL do not apply if you are:
A workplace assessment should be conducted and reviewed regularly to identify any hazards in the workplace. This is so that control measures can be implemented to eliminate or minimise potential risks. Risk management can help you to respond to change and improve your business by preventing injuries and illness in the workplace, as well as improving the health and wellbeing of your workers and increasing productivity.
A hazard is something in the workplace that can cause harm to people. Common types of workplace hazards include:
Workers have health and safety obligations and play an important role in helping to keep a workplace healthy and safe.
A worker is any person who carries out work for a business, which can include:
Everyone has a duty to take reasonable care for their own health and safety and for others in the workplace, especially the employer, who are also known as person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU).
Employers, also known as a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) must give their workers the information, tools, training and instructions they need to do their jobs safely. This should be easy to understand and cover topics including:
