Health And Safety

MANAGING HEALTH AND SAFETY

INTRODUCTION
3. Establishment of training for all
The Occupational Health, Safety & Welfare Act
employees in health & safety
1986 requires every employer to ensure, so far as
The training needs for various levels
is reasonably practicable, that each employee is
within the organisation need to be
safe from injury and risks to health whilst at work.
determined. There are legal requirements
To meet these obligations it is necessary for every
relating to the provision of this training under
employer, whether they employ one or more
the Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare
workers to have a system in place to manage
Act 1986.
health and safety.


4. A system for hazard management
An effective system should encompass the
following six elements:
This system will need to provide a method for the

identification, assessment and control of workplace
1. The development of a written Health and
hazards and risks. It will need to determine where the
Safety Policy Statement
responsibility rests within the organisation for
instigating assessments eg. managers, health and
This is a requirement of the Occupational
safety committee, etc. and where the records of
Health, Safety & Welfare Act 1986 and should
assessments will be kept. All assessments must be
include the designation or name of the
carried out in consultation with employees.
Responsible Officer(s) whose appointment(s)

are also required by the Act, a statement of
5. The investigation of work-related injury and
commitment by the organisation to health and
incidents
safety and the arrangements in place to carry
through these commitments. The
This is required of the Occupational Health, Safety and
responsibilities of the various parties for health
Welfare Act 1986 which determines the investigation of
and safety should also be stated.
the causes of work-related injuries and fatalities to be

an aspect of occupational health and safety.
2. A system of joint consultation

The purpose of this investigation is not to apportion
Any matter relating to health and safety must
blame but to establish all the factors involved in the
be decided in consultation with employees.
incident, in order that appropriate action may be taken
The Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare
to prevent a recurrence.
Act 1986 provides for the election of health and

safety representatives by workers and for the
To meet the above requirement a system needs to be
setting up of health and safety committees in
in place which determines the method of investigation,
given circumstances.
type of report form to be completed, and by whom. It

is then necessary to determine the flow path of the
Where action has been taken to do the above,
report and where the record of investigation is to be
consultation may take place through these
kept. (A diagram and guidelines of the procedure to be
individuals. However, where there is no health
followed can be found in SAFEGUARD - BASIC
and safety representative or committee some
ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION TECHNIQUES.)
other system of consultation, eg. regular staff
meetings with health and safety on the agenda
must be implemented. In the absence of any of
these, the employer must consult with each
individual employee.
This information is provided to offer guidance on a particular aspect of legislation. It is not to be taken as a statement of law and must not be construed to
waive or modify any legal obligation.

A business unit of the Department for Administrative and Information Services

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6. Regular review of health and safety systems
This needs to be done as an ongoing
procedure. Where health and safety specialists
/ consultants are used by an organisation they
can advise and assist in all the above
elements, but responsibility remains with the
employer, through the Responsible Officer.
Day to day administration of specific aspects of
health and safety management may be
delegated but the responsibility cannot.


FURTHER INFORMATION
SafeWork SA
GPO Box 465
ADELAIDE SA 5001
Tel. 1300 365 255
(If calling from a mobile phone or from interstate
tel. (08) 8303 0400)
website: www.safework.sa.gov.au
Issued November 2000
Review

Safeguard Managing Health & Safety continued
This information is provided to offer guidance on a particular aspect of legislation. It is not to be taken as a statement of law and must not be construed to
waive or modify any legal obligation.

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