OHS practices - Fundamentals

Responsibilities

OHS is the joint responsibility of the employer and employee.

Employers must provide and maintain, as far as practicable, a working environment that is safe and without risks to health.

Employer responsibilities are to:

• provide and maintain safe plant and systems of work
• arrange safe systems of work in connection with plant and substances
• provide adequate welfare facilities
• provide adequate information on hazards, as well as instruction, training and supervision to employees, to enable them to work safely
• keep information and records relating to the health and safety of their employees
• employ or engage suitably qualified persons to provide advice to the employer in relation to the health and safety of their employees
• nominate a person with an appropriate level of seniority to be the employer's representative when health and safety issues arise or when OHS representatives carry out their functions under the legislation
• monitor conditions at any workplace under their control and management
• provide information to their employees, in such languages as are appropriate, with respect to health and safety at the workplace.

The employee must:

• take care of their own health and safety, and that of others who may be affected by their actions while in the workplace
• follow all reasonable directions given by the employer or the employer's representative in relation to health and safety
• not wilfully or recklessly interfere with, or misuse anything provided in the interest of health and safety, or place at risk the health and safety of any person in the workplace.