Workers Health & Safety
The Australian Strategy promotes the vision of healthy, safe and productive working lives. A safe and healthy work environment is one of the International Labour Organisation’s Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Health and safety is also widely recognised as a key dimension of job quality. The nature of work, and workplaces, across Australia is changing. This is not a recent development. The work that underpins the economy and the jobs that this entails have changed significantly over the long-term.
Each state or territory has its own WHS laws and a regulator to enforce them. The WHS framework for each state or territory includes: an Act that outlines your broad responsibilities
Workers Health & Safety or occupational health and safety (OHS) is a multidisciplinary field concerned with the safety, health, and welfare of people at work (i.e., while performing duties required by one’s occupation). Workers Health & Safety is related to the fields of occupational medicine and occupational hygiene[a] and aligns with workplace health promotion initiatives. Workers Health & Safety also protects all the general public who may be affected by the occupational environment
This Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy sets an ambitious vision for WHS outcomes in Australia –safe and healthy work for all.
Australian work health and safety strategy 2023-2033When to use PPE ?
Personal protective equipment (PPE) helps to keep workers safe and healthy at work.
PPE is one of the least effective control measures. Hence it must only be considered after applying higher level measures, such as removing a hazard or substituting it for something safer. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is anything a worker uses or wears to keep them healthy and safe.
PPE can include:
hard hats
earplugs
gloves
goggles
respirators
sunscreen
safety harnesses
safety boots, and
high-visibility clothing.
Highlighted are the ones wihich are Vending Specific PPE
Safe Work Australia
Safe Work Australia is an Australian Government statutory agency established in 2009. It includes Members from the Commonwealth, and each state and territory, Members representing the interests of workers and Members representing the interests of employers. It works with the Commonwealth, state and territory governments to improve work health and safety and workers’ compensation arrangements. It is a national policy body, not a regulator of work health and safety. The Commonwealth, states and territories have responsibility for regulating and enforcing work health and safety laws in their jurisdiction. Achieving the goal of reduced worker fatalities, injuries and illnesses will require sustained effort across identified priority action areas, including information and awareness, national coordination, data and intelligence gathering, health and safety leadership, and compliance and enforcement. The Strategy was launched in 2023 and is agreed by Safe Work Australia Members and ministers with responsibility for work health and safety (WHS), demonstrating the commitment of all parties to work cooperatively to drive continual improvements in
Australia’s WHS performance.
What is SWMS?
The aim of a SWMS is to:
- describe the activity or task to be undertaken
- identify the resources, manpower and skills associated with the task
- assess and select control measures (as appropriate)
- systematically plan the activity so it can be completed efficiently and effectively.
You may be asked to complete a safe work method statement (SWMS) and an example of what you may need is attached below.
Safe Work Method Statement TemplateReferences for this pages are:
| https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/ | https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/ | https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/resources/guides/safe-work-method-statements |
