Occupational Health Safety
Task 1: OHS Laws and Institutional Frameworks
The Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act sets out the laws about health and safety requirements affecting workplaces, work activities and the use of plant and substances. Besides that, the OHS Act is an essential framework in the workplace to cultivate good safety habits in all individuals so as to stimulate a strong safety culture in the workplace. The Act establishes a framework for people by preventing or minimising their exposure to risk.
One of the key features of the OHS Act is that it establishes a workplace health and safety board that encourages industry participation and cooperation. Another feature is that the OHS Act imposes workplace health and safety obligations on people who may affect the health and safety of others by what they do or fail to do. It is important to know that the OHS does not only affect the employers, but also the workers and everyone in the workplace too.
Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, employers have responsibilities for their workers and any other persons who may be present at their workplace. An employer can be defined as any person or organization that has engaged the services of others, and in this case, the employer will be the ‘Body Beautiful’ corporation. Of course, the workers also have a part to play in the OHS Act. Generally, a worker has a broader definition than an employee and a worker is defined someone who receives wages or commission, regardless of the number of hours worked each week, and includes workers who work away from the employer’s premises.
An employer must ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of all employees. The duty of employers is the broad duty of care under common law. Basically, the employer has a duty to provide safe premises; a duty to provide safe plant and equipment and a duty to provide a safe work system. Employers are required to:
• provide and maintain a safe working environment
• provide and maintain safe plant and
The Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act sets out the laws about health and safety requirements affecting workplaces, work activities and the use of plant and substances. Besides that, the OHS Act is an essential framework in the workplace to cultivate good safety habits in all individuals so as to stimulate a strong safety culture in the workplace. The Act establishes a framework for people by preventing or minimising their exposure to risk.
One of the key features of the OHS Act is that it establishes a workplace health and safety board that encourages industry participation and cooperation. Another feature is that the OHS Act imposes workplace health and safety obligations on people who may affect the health and safety of others by what they do or fail to do. It is important to know that the OHS does not only affect the employers, but also the workers and everyone in the workplace too.
Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, employers have responsibilities for their workers and any other persons who may be present at their workplace. An employer can be defined as any person or organization that has engaged the services of others, and in this case, the employer will be the ‘Body Beautiful’ corporation. Of course, the workers also have a part to play in the OHS Act. Generally, a worker has a broader definition than an employee and a worker is defined someone who receives wages or commission, regardless of the number of hours worked each week, and includes workers who work away from the employer’s premises.
An employer must ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of all employees. The duty of employers is the broad duty of care under common law. Basically, the employer has a duty to provide safe premises; a duty to provide safe plant and equipment and a duty to provide a safe work system. Employers are required to:
• provide and maintain a safe working environment
• provide and maintain safe plant and
References: Australia. University of Wollongong. Roles and Responsibility for occupational health and safety. Retrieved from http://staff.uow.edu.au/content/groups/public/@web/@ohs/documents/doc/uow016892.pdf Gregory Chan, David Koh and Lee Lay Tin.(2008) Hong Kong. Labour Department.(2004). Guidance notes on Health Hazards in Construction Work. Retrieved from http://www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/oh/OHB82.pdf Law Netman.(2010) Ministry of Manpower.(2010). WSH Regulatory Framework. Retrieved from http://www.mom.gov.sg/workplace-safety-health/wsh-regulatory-framework Natalie van der Waarden.(2004) Neale Towart.(2002). FAQ. Retrieved from http://unionsafe.labor.net.au/faqs/ Queensland.(1995) Roberta L. Carroll.(2009). Risk management handbook for health care organizations . San Francisco, Calif. : Jossey-Bass The State of Queensland, Department of Justice and Attorney-General Tony Lipanovic.(2010). Workplace Bullying - Chief Executive Officer resigns admitting ‘unbecoming behaviour ' in $A34 million lawsuit. Retrieved from http://www.articlesbase.com/human-resources-articles United States Department of Labour