Workers have health and safety obligations and play an important role in helping to keep a workplace healthy and safe.
Who is considered a worker?
A worker is any person who carries out work for a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) under the Work Health and Safety Act 2020 (WHS Act), including:
- an employee
- a contractor
- a subcontractor
- a self-employed person
- an outworker who works away from their employer’s premises
- an apprentice or trainee
- a work experience student
- an employee of a labour-hire company placed with the host employer
- a volunteer.
Duties as a worker
While at work, you must take reasonable care for your own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by your actions or omissions. You must also:
- follow any reasonable instructions from the PCBU to help them comply with WHS laws
- follow any reasonable health or safety policies or procedures that the PCBU has informed you about.
Duties of others at the workplace
Any person at a workplace, including customers, visitors and volunteers, must take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions or omissions.
They must also, so far as they are reasonably able, comply with any reasonable instruction provided by the PCBU in accordance with the Western Australian work health and safety laws.
Compliance means:
- following operational procedures such as safe work method statements (SWMS)
- following relevant safety manuals and emergency procedures
- adhering to relevant codes of conduct
- understanding and following internal incident reporting processes and
- wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) as instructed.
Learn more about Volunteers at the workplace and Volunteer organisations.