Introduction to

Work Health & Safety

Management System
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CONTENTS
1. Compliance Resources _______________________________________________________________________ 5
Risk Management Service Resources: ___________________________________________________________ 5

2. State/Territory Health & Safety Acts ___________________________________________________________ 7

New South Wales – Occupational Health & Safety Act 2000 _________________________________________ 7
Australian Captial Territory – Work Safety Acty 2008 _______________________________________________ 8
Northern Territory – Workplace Health & Safety Act 2007 ___________________________________________ 9
Queensland - Workplace Health & Safety Act 1995 _______________________________________________ 10
South Australia – Occupational Health, Safety & Welfare Act 1986 ___________________________________ 11
Tasmania – Workplace Health & Safety Act 1995 _________________________________________________ 12
Victoria – Occupational Health & Safety Act 2004 ________________________________________________ 12
Western Australia – Occupational Safety & Health Act 1984 ________________________________________ 14

3. Work Health & Safety Management System ____________________________________________________ 15

Example - Sections in the Folder may include but not be limited to: ___________________________________ 15

4. About the WHSMS _________________________________________________________________________ 17

5. Framework _______________________________________________________________________________ 19
Work Health & Safety Management System – WHSMS ____________________________________________ 19
1. Documentation _______________________________________________________________________ 19
 Policies ___________________________________________________________________________ 19
 Documented accountabilities, roles and responsibilities _____________________________________ 20
 Document control and review _________________________________________________________ 20
 Registers and records ________________________________________________________________ 20
 Documented safe work procedures _____________________________________________________ 21
2. Safety Risk Management _______________________________________________________________ 21
 Hazard, near miss, incident and accident reporting, recording, investigation and analysis __________ 21
 Risk identification, assessment, control and review_________________________________________ 22
 Training and induction programs _______________________________________________________ 23
 Purchasing control __________________________________________________________________ 23
 Specific Work Health and Safety programs _______________________________________________ 23
3. Safety Management Processes ___________________________________________________________ 23
 Communication and consultation strategies ______________________________________________ 23
 Supervision which ensures employees are not placed at risk _________________________________ 24
 Monitoring, measurement and evaluation of implementation ________________________________ 24
 Management review including internal auditing and external auditing _________________________ 25

6. Sample Checklists _________________________________________________________________________ 27

Work On Roofs Risk Assessment Checklist _______________________________________________________ 27
Electrical Safety Checklist____________________________________________________________________ 29
Chemicals Checklist ________________________________________________________________________ 30
Hazardous Substance Management Checklist ____________________________________________________ 31
Generic Inspection Checklist _________________________________________________________________ 32

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1. COMPLIANCE RESOURCES
WHSMS – Work Health & Safety Management System
 Regulatory requirements NSW Occupational Health &
Safety ACT 2000 & supporting Regulation.
Policies and Procedures  AS/NZS 4801 Occupational health and safety management
and Guidelines Manual systems – Specification with guidance for use.
 AS/NZS 4804 Occupational health and safety management
systems – General guidelines on principles, systems and
Note: supporting techniques.
While every effort is taken to  SafetyMap (Victorian WorkCover Authority). Stage 1, can
ensure the standards prescribed be used as an auditing template for the HSMS
in the Manual are consistent
with applicable Work Health &
Safety legislation, they should
not be relied upon to ensure Risk Management Service Resources:
legal compliance. www.rms.org.au

Administrators and managers  Manuals

are responsible for ensuring  Policies and Procedures and Guidelines Manual
workplaces and other activities The Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) Policies, Procedures and
within their area of
Guidelines Manual assists administrators of the different Church
responsibility comply with all
relevant legislation. entities control their exposure to OHS and Public Liability risk.
 General OHS Information
Policies, procedures and  Health & Aged Care
guidelines contained in the
 Safety for Churches
manual are advisory in nature
until adopted by the governing  School OHS Resources
boards or committees of the  SDA OHS Policies, Procedures and Guidelines Manual
various Church entities. As such,
they may be modified as
required to meet local
requirements.

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2. STATE/TERRITORY HEALTH & SAFETY ACTS
New South Wales – Occupational Health &
In New South Wales, section Safety Act 2000
8(1) of the Occupational Health
and Safety Act 2000 requires What obligations do employers have regarding OH&S?
every employer to ''ensure the In NSW the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 places a
health, safety and welfare at general duty of care on employers to:
work of all the employer's
employees''. Section 8(1)  provide and maintain safe systems of work
outlines some of the  make arrangements for ensuring the safe use, handling,
obligations, which fall within storage and transport of equipment or substances
this general duty of care.  provide necessary information, instruction, training and
supervision.
These obligations include:
 ensuring that any premises What obligations do employees have regarding OH&S?
controlled by the employer
The Act requires employees to:
where the employees work
(and the means of access to  take reasonable care for the health and safety of persons
or exit from the premises) are at their place of work and those who may be affected by
safe and without risks to
their acts or omissions at work, and
health
 ensuring that any plant or  cooperate with any requirement imposed in the interests
substance provided for use by of health, safety and welfare by the employer or any other
the employees at work is safe person who is authorised to do so under the Act.
and without risks to health
when properly used What is Risk Management?
 ensuring that systems of work Risk management is a system that allows flexibility and the ability
and the working environment to adapt to changing circumstances.
of the employees are safe and
without risks to health Risk management is a 'best practice' approach to OH&S.
 providing such information, 'Best practice' in risk management means that OH&S
instruction, training and
management is integrated with all the functions and operations
supervision as may be
necessary to ensure the of an organisation to achieve the best possible OH&S outcomes.
employees' health and safety A safety risk management system would include:
at work
 providing adequate facilities Identifying the hazards
for the welfare of the This involves keeping records of accidents and injuries,
employees at work.
conducting safety inspections of the workplace and listing all
 Section 8(2) requires every plant and hazardous substances.
employer to ensure that
persons not in the employer's Assessing the risks
employment are not exposed This involves assessing how likely it is that a hazardous event will
to risks to their health or
occur and what the consequences are likely to be.
safety arising from the
conduct of the employer's Controlling the risks
undertaking while they are at
the employer's place of work. Controls should first try to eliminate the risk. If this is not
Section 9 imposes the same possible, the risk should be minimised using substitution,
obligation. modifications, isolation or engineering controls. Back-up controls
such as personal protective equipment should only be used as a
last resort. Control measures should be reviewed to maintain
their effectiveness and further refine the process.

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 Australian Captial Territory – Work Safety Acty
Overview of Work Safety Act 2008
2008
Safety Duties, scope and coverage
The Work Safety Act 2008 The 2008 Act extends the scope and coverage of the OHS
wholly replaced the legislation to all people who have a ‘worker-like relationship’. The
Occupational Health and concept of ‘employee’ is replaced by a broad definition of
Safety Act 1989, when it came ‘worker’ which includes employees, independent contractors,
into full effect on 1 October outworkers, apprentices, trainees and volunteers who work in
2009. employment-like settings. Visitors to the workplace are also
covered.
The Act provided the A.C.T.
with work safety laws which, Safety duties are extended and clarified such that ultimate
according to the government, responsibility is given to those who control the creation of risks
were ‘urgently needed’ to and who are able to eliminate or minimise them.
‘address contemporary
changes to work and Duty holders are only responsible for matters over which they
employment arrangements have control and only owe a duty to the extent of that control.
and to address emerging risks
such as occupational violence, The principal duty holder is a 'person conducting a business or
bullying, stress and fatigue’. undertaking'. This includes employers, principals, head
contractors and franchisees. Building designers, designers,
manufacturers, importers and suppliers of products used in the
Corporate officer liability course of work also have safety duties under the Act.
Directors and senior officers
Risk Management and Safety Management
are liable in certain situations
where a corporation is The Act incorporates risk management principles, requiring duty
determined to have breached holders to eliminate or reduce risk as far as reasonably
the Act. The prosecution must practicable, and to provide the highest level of protection from
prove that the officer was risk for matters within their control. Eliminating hazards and
reckless as to whether the controlling risk at the source is given priority through
breach would occur; was in a concentrating on the safe design of workplaces, systems and
position to influence the items used for work.
conduct of the corporation; Consultation
and failed to take reasonable All employers (broadly defined), regardless of the number of
steps to influence the their workers, have a general duty to consult all of their workers
conduct of the corporation. on matters that may affect their health and safety.

The emphasis has moved to the ‘what, when and how’ of

meaningful employer/worker consultation. Employers and
workers can adopt the consultative arrangement which they
believe will best suit them within the overall requirements of the
Act.

Health and safety committees and/or health and safety

representatives are provided for, along with any other
arrangements with which the employer and workers agree.

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 Northern Territory – Workplace Health & Safety
Overview of Workplace Act 2007
Health & Safety Act 2007
Workplace Consultation
The Workplace Health and
The Act provides for the election of Health and Safety
Safety Act continues the
Committees, where more than 20 persons are working at a
Northern Territory Work
workplace, whether or not they are employed or engaged by the
Health Authority (established
principal employer.
under previous legislation)
which is responsible for The employer who has control or management of that workplace
managing occupational health must, if requested by a majority of those persons, establish a HSC
and safety in the Territory. for that workplace no later than 3 weeks after being requested to
do so.
This includes regulation of
Workplace Health & Safety Regulations
dangerous goods, electrical,
mining, explosives, Sets out the duties of employers, workers, self-employed
machinery, and construction persons, occupiers of workplaces, owners of buildings and plant,
safety. designers , installers and erectors of plant or structures,
manufacturers, and importers and suppliers.
The Authority has an advisory
and information role as well Responsibility is given to all stakeholders to ensure, as far as
as a compliance, investigation practicable, that their workplace is kept free from risks to health
and prosecution role. and safety.
The extent of that responsibility depends on the amount of
control they have over a particular activity or work area in the
normal course of their duties.
Where control is shared between more than one person, there is
joint responsibility and each must meet their obligations to the
fullest extent possible (reg 14).

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 Queensland - Workplace Health & Safety Act
Overview of QLD Workplace 1995
Health and Safety Act 1995
The Queensland Act provides
The aim of the Queensland
Workplace Health and Safety Act For the workplace health and safety representatives and
1995 is to prevent disease or workplace health and safety committees be elected to foster
injury caused by workplaces, consultation between workers and employers.
workplace activities or specified
high risk plant. It also provides for the appointment of workplace health and
safety officers.

The Act ensures that employer, Workplace health and safety compliance standards, as set out by
union, expert, community and regulation, must be complied with, as must workplace health and
government viewpoints are safety advisory standards which state ways to identify and
provided through a peak body, manage exposure to risk to ensure workplace health and safety.
the Workplace Health and Safety
Council, which provides advice
Persons who may affect the workplace health and safety of
to the Minister about promoting
and protecting workplace health others (by their acts or omissions) have workplace health and
and safety. safety obligations imposed on them.
Codes of Practice
Codes of practice state ways to manage exposure to risks:

Abrasive Blasting 2004

Asbestos management code
Asbestos removal code
Cash in Transit 2001
Children and Young Workers 2006
Concrete Pumping 2005
First Aid 2004
Forest Harvesting 2007
Formwork 2006
Foundry 2004
Hazardous Substances 2003
Horse Riding Schools, Trail Riding Establishments and Horse Hiring
Establishments 2002
Manual Tasks 2010
Manual Tasks Involving the Handling of People 2001
Mobile Crane 2006
Noise 2004
Occupational Diving Work 2005
Plant 2005
Prevention of Workplace Harassment 2004
Recreational Diving, Recreational Technical Diving and Snorkelling 2010
Risk Management 2007
Rural Plant 2004
Safe Design and Operation of Tractors 2005
Scaffolding 2009
Steel Construction 2004
Sugar Industry 2005
Tilt-Up and Pre-cast Construction Industry 2003
Tower Crane 2006
Traffic Management for Construction or Maintenance Work 2008
Tunnelling 2007

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 South Australia – Occupational Health, Safety &
Overview of Occupational Welfare Act 1986
Health Safety and Welfare
Duties
Act 1986
The Act instructs employers to prepare and maintain (in
The chief objects of the South
Australian Occupational Health consultation with their employees and their health and safety
Safety and Welfare Act 1986 are: committee/representative) OHS policies. Employers must also
prepare and maintain, and bring to their employees’ attention, a
 ‘to secure the health, reasonably detailed written statement setting out their own
safety and welfare of workplace OHS arrangements, practices and procedures.
persons at work; and
 to eliminate, at their The Act provides for the election of health and safety
source, risks to the representatives and for training of these representatives.
health, safety and
welfare of persons at Discrimination prohibited
work; and
 to protect the public
It is prohibited for an employer in South Australia to discriminate
against risks to health or against an employee for the reason that the employee has made
safety arising out of or in a complaint, provided information to an inspector, or is or was a
connection with: Health and Safety Representative or is or was a member of an
OHS Committee.
- the activities of persons at
Offence not to comply
work; or
Employers are considered to have committed an offence if they
- the use or operation of
do not comply with the Act. If an employer contravenes the Act,
various types of plant;
knowing and being recklessly indifferent to, that the
 to involve employees contravention was likely to endanger seriously the health or
and employers in issues safety of another, this is considered to be an aggravated offence.
affecting occupational Monetary penalties can be as much as doubled for such an
health, safety and offence and the employer may receive a prison sentence of up to
welfare; and 5 years.
 to encourage registered
associations to take a
constructive role in
promoting
improvements in
occupational health,
safety and welfare
practices and assisting
employers and
employees to achieve a
healthier and safer
working environment.’

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 Tasmania – Workplace Health & Safety Act 1995
Overview of Victorian
Overview of the Workplace Employer offences
Occupational Health and
Health and Safety Act 1995
Safety Act 2004 An employer commits an offence if it dismisses an employee, or
Provides for the health and acts in any way detrimental to any employee, because:
It aimsofto:persons employed
safety  the employee has assisted or given information to an
in, engaged in or affected by inspector; or
 secure the health,
industry, and provides for the  the employee has acted as a witness against the
safety and welfare of
safety of persons using employer; or
employees and other
amusement structures and  the employee makes or has made a reasonable complaint
people at work
temporary public stands. relating to OHS to the employer or an inspector; or
 protect the public
 the employee performs or has performs the functions and
The Actfrom
placestheduties
healthofand
care duties of a Safety Representative, or as a member of an
safety risks of
upon employers, employees, business
activities Health and Safety Committee; or
responsible officers, self-  the employee refuses to perform work because of risk to
 eliminate workplace
employed persons, designers, health and safety.
risks at the
manufacturers, source
importers,
 involve employers, The Act specifically states that persons must ensure that they are
suppliers and installers, and
employees
persons in control of and the not, by the consumption of alcohol or a drug, in such a state as to
organisations
workplaces. that endanger their own any other person’s safety at a workplace.
represent them in the
Employeesformulation
are givenandthe right Codes of Practice
to refuse to work if thereofis a
implementation  Code of Practice for Risk Management of Agricultural
health, safety
risk of imminent and
and serious Shows and Carnivals
welfare
injury to, standards.
or imminent and  Hairdressing Industry Code of Practice 2004 (Commenced
serious harm to the health of, 28 April 2004)
No-one mayand
putthe
another
any person, employer  Forest Safety Code (Tasmania) 2002 (COP006)
person
is not immediately ableinto
at a workplace
(Commenced on 26 February 2003
danger
remove the risk.  Code of Practice for the Safe use of Reinforced Plastics
It is an offence, without
(revised version) (Commenced 3 July 2002)
lawful excuse,work
for any
is person
If alternative  Code of Practice for the Tasmanian Abalone Industry
to recklessly
available, theengage
employee in is
(COP008)
conduct
requiredthat exposes,
to perform or may
that  National Code of Practice for the Control of Work-Related
expose,
work. a person at a
Exposure to Hepatitis and HIV (blood-borne) Viruses
workplace to the risk of
[NOHSC: 2010 (2003) 2nd Edition]
serious injury.
 Code of Practice for the Safe Removal of Asbestos
Throughout the Act, the [NOHSC: 2002(1988)]
meaning of 'health' includes  National Code of Practice for the Control and Safe Use of
psychological health as well Inorganic Lead at Work [NOHSC: 2015(1994)]
as physical health.  National Code of Practice for Noise Management and
Protection of Hearing at Work (3rd edition)
 National Code of Practice for the Labelling of Workplace
Substances
 National Code of Practice for Synthetic Mineral Fibres
 Working at Heights in Commercial Construction (COP004)
 Managing the Risk of Falling in Housing Construction
(COP003)
 Code of Practice for Sawmill Operation
 Traffic Control at Work Sites (June 2004)

Victoria – Occupational Health & Safety Act

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2004
Your responsibilities to ensure health and safety

The OHS Act 2004 imposes general OHS duties on employers, the self-employed, employees, designers,
manufacturers, suppliers and others. You may have more than one duty. For example, you may have
duties as an

employer and as designer or supplier or as an employer and as a sub-contractor or supplier of plant. (The
accompanying table sets out in broad terms the duties of each duty holders.)

These general OHS duties require a person, in most instances, to ensure health and safety so far as is
reasonably practicable. This requires the person:

 to eliminate risks to health and safety so far as is

reasonably practicable; and
 if it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate risks to
health and safety, to reduce those risks to far as is
reasonably practicable.

Reasonably practicable
A duty holder is not expected to do the impossible. What is ‘reasonably practicable’ in a given situation is
to be determined objectively. The duty holder must do what a reasonable person would do in the
particular circumstances by putting in place reasonably practicable measures.

In determining what is ‘reasonably practicable’, account must be taken of:

 the probability of a person being exposed to harm

 the potential seriousness of injury or harm
 what is known, or ought to be known, about the risk
(people responsible for health and safety are required to
inform themselves of current and relevant information)
and how to eliminate it
 the availability, suitability and cost of eliminating or
reducing the risk.

Officers of organisations are accountable

Only those people at the most senior levels of organisations who are genuinely in a position to prevent
contraventions of the Act will be held to be ‘officers’. The duty of an officer is to exercise reasonable
care. They must use the level of sound judgement, prudent decision-making and taking of action that any
reasonable person would, to prevent and reduce hazards and risks to health and safety. (Officers who
are volunteers are not liable.)

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 Western Australia – Occupational Safety &
Overview of Occupational Health Act 1984
Safety and Health Act 1984
Obligations
Safety and health in Western
Australian workplaces is Under the Act, there are three types of instruments to help you meet
your workplace health and safety obligations - regulations, Australian
regulated by the Occupational
Standards and Codes of practice.
Safety and Health Act 1984
and the Occupational Safety If a regulation exists about a risk, you must comply with the regulation
and Health Regulations 1996 before any code of practice or guidance note.
supported by codes of
practice and guidance notes. If an Australian Standard, or part of a standard is referred to in a
regulation, the standard or relevant part of the standard must be
The Occupational Safety and complied with.
Health Act 1984 provides for
the promotion, co-ordination, If there is no regulation about a risk but there is a code of practice or
administration and guidance note, you must either:
enforcement of occupational
safety and health in Western  do what the code of practice or guidance note says; or
 adopt and follow another way that gives the same level of
Australia.
protection against the risk.
The Act places certain duties If there is no regulation or code of practice about the risk, you must
on employers, employees, choose an appropriate way and take reasonable precautions and
self-employed people, exercise proper diligence to ensure you meet your obligations.
manufacturers, designers,
importers and suppliers. It General Duties of Care
also places emphasis on the The general duties of care requires architects, builders and engineers
prevention of accidents and to design and construct buildings so that they do not contain hazards to
injury. safety and health.

In addition to the broad These hazards include the use of hazardous substances such as
duties established by the Act, asbestos, toxic glues and solvents and physically unsafe design features
the legislation is supported by such as slippery floors.
a further tier of statute,
Persons in charge of a site shall, so far as is practicable, provide and
commonly referred to as
maintain an environment in which people are not exposed to hazards.
regulations, together with a
This would include:
lower tier of non-statutory (a) provide and maintain workplaces, plant, and systems of work such
codes of practice and guidance that, so far as is practicable, people are not exposed to hazards;
notes. (b) provide such information, instruction, and training to, and
supervision to ensure people are not exposed to hazards;
(c) consult and co-operate with safety and health representatives, if
any, and other employees at his workplace, regarding occupational
safety and health at the workplace;
(d) where it is not practicable to avoid the presence of hazards, ensure
people are provided with adequate personal protective clothing and
equipment as is practicable to protect them against those hazards.

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3. WORK HEALTH & SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Example - Sections in the Folder may include but not be limited to:
1. Administration (WHS Policy; Consultation; Legal Compliance; Health & Safety Risk Management
Plan; Job induction; Job Descriptions; & Training documentation)
2. Emergency Planning
3. Critical Incident Management
4. Emergency Equipment
5. First Aid
6. Accidents/Incident Reporting
7. Workplace Inspections
8. Hazard Identification & Control (Risk Assessment & Hazard Register)
9. Asbestos
10. Contractor Safety
11. Chemicals & Hazardous Substances
12. Document control
13. Electrical Safety
14. Environmental Issues
15. Ergonomics
16. Information Management
17. Kitchen Safety
18. Ladder Safety & working at heights (fall prevention policy & procedures)
19. Manual Handling
20. Noise
21. Personal Security, harassment and bullying
22. Plant Safety (machinery and equipment)
23. Preventive Maintenance
24. Security
25. Slips, trips and falls
26. Technology Safety issues
27. Vehicles and Transport
28. Workshop Safety
29. Young Workers

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4. ABOUT THE WHSMS
Effective System
The Work Health & Safety Having everything documented however, does not necessary
Management System is based mean that an organization has an effective Work Health & Safety
on policies, procedures, System in place. While not knowing about a risk is not an excuse
instructions and records. and is punishable by the courts, knowing the risk and not
ensuring effective risk controls seems worse.
 Policies:
Documenting work health and safety in a folder, manual or
demonstrate
computer system means nothing if the procedures and
management intent and
instructions are not adequately implemented.
objectives.
Structured Approach
 Procedures: Apply a structured and integrated approach to tasks and
demonstrate activities. Consider legal, management, employee, stakeholders
organisational functions. and environmental requirements, standards and codes of
practice.
 Records:
With these in mind conduct a Risk Assessment of all activities and
demonstrate
tasks you perform so the activities and tasks that pose a high and
organisational
medium risk can be identified.
compliance.
Apply the Hierarchy of Risk Controls (elimination, substitution,
isolation, engineering controls, administrative controls and
Documentation personal protective equipment). It is always better to eliminate
The benefit of having a Work a task or activity rather than waste resources on controlling
Health and Safety Folder or something that does not add value. And engineering controls are
Manual is that an organization always preferable to procedures and training.
can produce documentary As part of the process, document:
evidence demanded by
regulators, during litigation and  Task sequences in an activity, clearly stating who does
audits etc. what and how;
 Legal requirements pertinent to the tasks performed;
 Employee safety controls and environment controls;
 Checklists / forms need to be documented and completed
in accordance with relevant procedures as they
demonstrate compliance with procedure;
 Investigation and corrective and preventive actions to be
documented;
 Training needs to be documented. Competency and
training records to be maintained;
The Folder
The folder or manual should provide the skeleton framework for
the Work Health and Safety Management System. Details,
completed forms and records to be maintained in separate files.

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5. FRAMEWORK
Work Health & Safety Management System – WHSMS
The framework of a WHSMS has 3 sections:

1. Documentation:
 Policies
 Documented accountabilities, roles and responsibilities,
 Document control and review,
 Registers and records,
 Safe work procedures.

2. Safety Risk Management:

 Hazard, near miss, incident and accident reporting, recording, investigation and
analysis,
 Risk identification, assessment, control & review
 Training and induction programs,
 Purchasing control,
 Specific occupational health and safety programs.

3. Safety Management Processes:

 Communication and consultation strategies,
 Supervision which ensures employees are not placed at risk,
 Monitoring, measurement and evaluation of WHSMS implementation,
 Management review including internal auditing and external auditing.

1. Documentation
 Policies
Address the commitment of the organisation and management to the implementation of a work health
and safety in the workplace.
Management must identify what the organisation wants to achieve in work health and safety and
document this as a policy statement. This could be in consultation with employees.
A WHS Policy demonstrates a company’s commitment to workplace safety and should be posted on a
notice board in the workplace.
Examples of objectives in the WHS policy statement could include the elimination of all workplace
injuries and a commitment to protect the human resources of the business. The policy statement could
also include recognition of the importance of the legislation requirement to protect the health and safety
of people in the workplace.
Information about the responsibilities of various groups within the workplace, such as management,
supervisors and employees would also be described.
A WHS policy statement should be signed by a senior manager, dated and reviewed approximately every
two or three years. In addition to a WHS policy, a WHS Consultation Statement is also required outlining
how consultation on WHS matters will be performed.

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Larger organizations may also choose to prepare policy statements addressing specific issues such as
manual handling, working with chemicals, workplace violence, smoke-free working environments, to
name a few. These would be supported by procedures and other documentation.

 Documented accountabilities, roles and responsibilities

In order to manage work health and safety, people need to be aware of their role. For example the role
of a supervisor includes supervising staff on a daily basis to ensure they can work safely and are not
placed at risk.
People need to be aware of their responsibilities for various tasks and processes. These responsibilities
need to be documented so that people are clear about what is expected of them, in the same way that
performance management uses documented position descriptions. Management must identify the
responsibilities, document and communicate these. Keep in mind that this should be practical and
realistic, for example employees are responsible for reporting all injuries and identifying hazards to their
supervisor.

 Document control and review

Documentation such as policies, risk assessment forms, safe work procedures, and inspection checklists,
etc. Should have some control, this will include a document number, document title, date of release,
authorizing officer, and a date for review.
Documents which have been prepared should be reviewed periodically, for example every two or three
years would be reasonable, as changes occur in organizations and documentation can become outdated.

 Registers and records

A WHS Management System will contain various registers and records, and this will depend on the type
of work being conducted. The following registers and records should be considered. This list is not
exhaustive but is a good starting point for records which may be needed. Some of these are mandated
under legislation.
 Risk assessments (including general risk assessments as well as plant risk assessments,
manual handling risk assessments and hazardous substances risk assessments).
 Hazards which have been reported
 WHS Consultation meetings with employees
 Training conducted internally and externally, including attendance registers.
 Investigations of near misses, incidents, and accidents
 People trained in first aid
 Maintenance schedules and maintenance conducted
 WHS inspections conducted
 Personal protective equipment issued
 Emergency evacuation drills conducted
 Health surveillance conducted, and the results of these
 Workplace environmental monitoring
 Confined Space Entry (including entry permits and risk assessments)
 Hot work permits for hot work conducted
 WHS Documentation prepared
 Purchasing where WHS implications have been considered
 Subcontractors WHSMS
 WHS system review (internal review and external review)
 Registers:
 Register of Injury book
 Hazardous Substances held on site, which include Material Safety Data Sheets
(including registers of hazardous substances held by contractors or others on site)

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  Plant and Equipment, including electrical equipment.
 Dangerous Goods held on site.
 People holding Certificates of Competency and other skills

 Documented safe work procedures

These are often prepared following a risk assessment which has identified a task containing some degree
of inherent risk.
Safe work procedures should contain a step by step description of:
 a task,
 the hazards associated with each step; and
 the control measures used to manage the risk of each hazard. An example would be
how to safely operate an item of plant or equipment, or how to conduct the
maintenance on an item of plant or equipment.
Safe work procedures can be prepared for a variety of purposes, such as communicating a process to be
followed when performing an activity. Examples of written procedures include:
 The steps to take following an injury to a person in the workplace.
 How to investigate an accident
 How to conduct risk assessments
 WHS considerations prior to purchasing

2. Safety Risk Management

 Hazard, near miss, incident and accident reporting, recording, investigation and
analysis
Organizations need to have an effective means of determining where and when a deficiency in ensuring
the health and safety of its people has occurred. These deficiencies may or may not have resulted in an
injury. However it is important to identify these situations as they point to deficiencies in the WHSMS.
Tools used to gather and record information about hazards, near misses, incidents and accidents. There
are usually both formal methods and informal methods. These include the following:
 First Aid Registers
 Near Miss Reports
 Consultation meetings
 Complaints and comments
 Employee reports to supervisors
 Surveys
 Inspections
 Internal and external audits
 Workers compensation claims
 Risk assessments
Documented procedure
There should also be a documented procedure for reporting and recording hazards, incidents and injuries
within the organisation which includes reporting to the supervisor or manager. This procedure should be
communicated to everyone so that people are aware of the process for addressing hazards, incidents
and injuries.
Accident investigation
Where there has been an injury sustained from an accident, an investigation should be conducted to
determine the causes so that preventative measures can be put in place to avoid future injuries or

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incidents. Placing blame on an employee prevents us from finding the real causes of an accident and
must be avoided. Use a documented procedure.
There will be external reporting requirements to the local WHS authority and workers compensation
insurer.

 Risk identification, assessment, control and review

Risk identification, assessment, control and review is a legal requirement.
Identifying and assessing hazards
The first step in WHS risk management is to identify hazards and this can be achieved in several ways, as
outlined above. Hazards will include physical manifestations of the workplace but also the processes,
activities and tasks being performed and how they are being performed.
Once hazards have been identified they need to be assessed to determine how much of a risk they
create in the workplace. Factors to be considered when assessing each hazard include:
 The severity of an injury which could occur in the workplace,
 How often a person is exposed to the hazard, and how long a time period are they
exposed (ie frequency and duration of exposure),
 Number of persons exposed to the hazard, and
 Human differences which may need to be considered.
For specific risk assessments such as plant risk assessments, manual handling risk assessments, confined
spaces risk assessments, and hazardous substances risk assessments, there are additional specific factors
which need to be considered. In these situations, Codes of Practice and relevant Standards must be
consulted.
Ranking hazards
Based on an assessment of risk for each hazard it should then be possible to rank the hazards from high
risk to low risk. Again, there are tools which can be used for this, such as WorkCover NSW’s Hazpak
rating system which rates risks from one (high risk) to six (low risk). This allows prioritization for
controlling the hazards to take place.
Controlling hazards
The third step in WHS risk management is to find control measures which can be used to eliminate or
reduce the risk which a hazard creates. There is a generally accepted methodology called a hierarchy of
control because the methods at the top of the list are considered to be more effective than those at the
lower part of the list, in securing health and safety at work.

The Hierarchy of Hazard Control:

 Elimination
 Substitution More effective
 Isolation
 Engineering Controls
 Administrative Controls
Least effective
 Personal Protective Equipment

Once control measures have been determined, they should be implemented to reduce the risk of injury,
near miss, incident or accident.
It is also important to review hazards and their controls, to ascertain whether the hazards have been
effectively controlled, and whether additional problems have been created.

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 Training and induction programs
As part of their duty of care for the health and safety of employees and others working in the workplace,
organizations also need to determine what training is needed by the various people. Training records
should also be kept for all training.
Inductions for new employees and any contractors and labour-hire employees are also needed.

 Purchasing control
When purchasing is poorly controlled there can be work health and safety implications in an
organization. Purchased equipment, goods and services should be assessed for WHS implications, and
this should occur prior to purchase and be documented. Price alone should never determine the
outcome of a purchase. WHS considerations when purchasing should include:
 Are there applicable Australian Standards for this purchase?
 Are there any hazards which need to be taken into account with this purchase, such as
noisy equipment, machine guarding?
 Has there been a risk assessment conducted for this item which can be reviewed prior
to purchase?
 What information is available when we make this purchase, so that it can be used
safely, for example material safety data sheets for chemical substances?
 What training is required in our workplace as a result of this purchase?
 If a new purchase affects the health and safety of our staff, has the WHS Committee or
WHS Representative been consulted prior to purchase?
 For services being purchased, what WHS procedures, policies and systems does my
supplier have in place?

 Specific Work Health and Safety programs

WHS programs address specific issues and hazards which need to be controlled. WHS Programs are a
combination of elements designed to address the specific issue being targeted.
There are many programs to choose from, depending on your particular business requirements and your
legislation compliance to date. Examples of WHS Programs which could be implemented include:
1. Emergency evacuation and emergency management
2. First aid program
3. WHS consultation program
4. Manual handling program
5. Risk assessment program
6. Office ergonomics program
7. Plant safety program
8. WHS awareness program
9. Drugs and alcohol program
10. Employee assistance program
11. Chemical safety program
12. Workplace violence program
13. Biological hazards program
14. Confined space entry program
15. Safe work at height program

3. Safety Management Processes

 Communication and consultation strategies
For any business process to operate effectively there needs to be good communication and opportunities
for consultation with people working in the organization. This also applies when managing occupational
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health and safety and in most Australian jurisdictions it is a legal requirement to establish a formal
consultation mechanism.
Consultation requires the sharing of relevant information on matters which may affect health, safety and
welfare with employees. It also requires that they are given the opportunity to express their views and
opinions so that these can be taken into account when decisions about the health, safety and welfare of
persons at work are being made.
Examples of WHS consultation mechanisms include WHS Committees, WHS Representatives, ‘tool box’
meetings, regular staff meetings. It is important when establishing the consultation mechanism to be
used in your organization, that you review the relevant legislation so as to ensure that the mechanism
you establish is compliant with the legal requirements in your jurisdiction.
Communication is the sharing of information, policies, procedures, etc. And should be a two way
process. For this reason it is important to establish some mechanisms which suit the particular business,
to allow for regular communication on occupational health and safety. Examples of WHS communication
mechanisms include:
 Notice boards
 Emails and internal intranet systems
 Register of Injuries books
 Daily discussion
 Periodic meetings
 Hazard and near miss reporting
 Company newsletter
 WHS consultation meetings (WHS Committee/WHS Representative)

 Supervision which ensures employees are not placed at risk

How do you know that your employees are working safely, have the correct tools and processes and are
not being placed at risk?
Supervision is critical in ensuring the health and safety of people at work on a day to day basis and relies
upon supervisors knowing about health and safety laws and their responsibilities under those laws. It is
therefore important that supervisors are trained in managing WHS as well as the other aspects of their
position. Many are not aware that supervision to ensure occupational health, safety at work is a legal
requirement.

 Monitoring, measurement and evaluation of implementation

During the implementation of your WHSMS, it will be useful to measure and evaluate the progress
towards a workplace which is free from WHS risks.
Monitoring processes may include the following:
 Trends in reported injuries, near misses and hazards, including Australian Standard
criteria for lost time injury and frequency rates.
 Review of accident investigation outcomes in improving WHS and injury management.
 Successful and effective consultation outcomes.
 The active interest and involvement of employees in WHS, including feedback
received.
 Communication strategies implemented over a period.
 Risk assessments and workplace inspections conducted.
 WHS improvements which have reduced the level of risk.
 The completion of WHS training.
 Completed documentation such as safe work procedures.
 Purchasing control in considering WHS aspects before purchasing goods and services.
 Successfully completed and implemented WHS programs.

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 Management review including internal auditing and external auditing
Part of the continuous improvement process requires that senior management review the WHSMS to
ensure that it meets the policy objectives and achieves the intent of the organization in terms of
occupational health and safety effectiveness.
This type of internal auditing should be documented and performed regularly, for example every two
years. The internal audit should examine the WHSMS implementation and should also consider previous
audit results to determine if deficiencies previously identified have been adequately addressed.
It is customary for external audits to identify strengths and weaknesses within an WHSMS so as to allow
improvements to be targeted over the next time period.
Management review is an important aspect of as WHS Management System as it allows for critical
review of the systems designed to safeguard the health and safety of the workforce, and also allows for
the minimisation of the negative consequences of litigation.

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6. SAMPLE CHECKLISTS
Work On Roofs Risk Assessment Checklist
All Roofs or 
Could a person fall 1.8 metres or more?
Is the roof, or part of it, constructed of brittle or fragile material, such as asbestos cement
sheeting, fibreglass or similar material?
Are suitable signs conforming to regulatory requirements present on all brittle roofs?
Is fragile or brittle material used to cover any opening in the roof eg. fibreglass skylights?
Where a person could fall through the roof, does the space between rafters exceed 600
mm?
Are there any holes in the roof that a person could fall through or are large enough that a
person’s leg could go through?
Is there an increased risk of falling because of slippery roofing materials such as highly
glazed tiles?
Does the area into which a person could fall contain any hazards that could cause injury,
eg. reinforcing steel starter bars, building materials, a concrete surface or a trench?
Sloping Roofs
Does the pitch of the roof exceed 25 degrees?
Or
Where the roofing material is asbestos cement, fibreglass or similar fragile/brittle
material, does the pitch of the roof exceed 15 degrees?
Flat Roofs
Will the work be carried out within 2 metres of the edge?
And
Could a person fall 1.8 metres or more?
Or
Is the potential fall height 3 metres or more?
(Fall protection is required on a flat roof if the potential fall height is 1.8 meters or more and work is done within 2 meters of the edge,
OR there is a potential fall height of 3 metres of more regardless of the distance from the edge of the roof the work is being done.

Access
Is a safe means of access provided?
If a ladder is used:
 Does the ladder have non-slip feet?
 Is the ladder secured against displacement?
 Do persons have a safe landing place when stepping off the ladder?
 Do the stiles on the ladder extend at least one metre above the landing place?
 Is the clearance between metal or wire reinforced ladders and any electrical conductor
wires (powerlines) at least 4 metres?
 Can persons using the ladder use both hands to climb? (tools etc. should not be carried
by hand)
Other Hazards
Indicate other hazards that are involved in the task:
Falling objects?
Manual handling?
Noise?
Exposure to elements, including ultraviolet radiation from the sun?

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 Risk from falling objects?
Power lines?
Electrical leads and cables?
Electrical power tools and plant?
Plant?
Hazardous substances?
Pipes conveying hazardous substances, dangerous goods, or hot substances such as hot
water?
Energised or pressurised equipment, including pipelines?
Other? (Specify– attach details if necessary)

A  indicates a control is required to safeguard health and safety. Hazards associated with working on
roofs should be controlled according to the requirements of the relevant regulation and code of practice
for safe work on roofs. Other hazards should be controlled as required by relevant regulation and code
or practice.

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Electrical Safety Checklist
Workplace: Date:

Area Inspected: Signature:

Observation
or X or X or X or X
Annual inspection by a licensed electrician
All leads tagged by electrician
No temporary leads on floor
No frayed or damaged leads
No broken plugs, sockets or switches
No piggyback plugs used
Safety plugs used on exposed power outlets (for
infants)
Portable electrical equipment in good condition
RCD safety switches tested
RCD safety switches provided for all power tools
Access to emergency isolation switches
Emergency shut-down procedures in place
All power boards fitted with overload switches

Comments:

Action:
Items marked X to be transferred to appropriate documents:
 CORRECTIVE ACTION FORM
 HAZARDS REGISTER
 MAINTENANCE REQUEST

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Chemicals Checklist
Many chemicals used in work tasks are hazardous. To manage hazardous chemicals, the first step to take
is to check with your supplier if any chemicals you use are hazardous. If a chemical is a hazardous
substance, your supplier must provide a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) if you ask for it. This provides
information on safety risks and how to manage them. The MSDS must be made available to your
workers. You need to maintain a register listing the hazardous substances you use. You must also train
your staff in the safe use of a hazardous substance.
You should involve your staff in filling out this checklist.
If you mark any NO box on the checklist, you need to take action to make your workplace safer.

Date checklist completed:

Date checklist to be reviewed:
(annually or when there is a change to the workplace)
Name of person who completed checklist:
Position title: Workplace:

Storage and labelling

Are chemicals safely stored? Yes / No
Are chemicals clearly labelled? Yes / No

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)

Do you have MSDS for all hazardous chemicals in the workplace? Yes / No

Training
Do staff understand and have access to MSDS? Yes / No
Have workers been trained in storage, use, disposal and emergency procedures relating to the chemicals?
Yes / No

First aid and emergency procedures

Do you have first aid facilities to deal with splashes or other chemical emergencies (eg deluge showers, eye
washes)? Yes / No
Do you have equipment to deal with accidental release of chemicals (eg containment barriers, absorption
material)? Yes / No

Personal protective equipment (PPE)

Do you provide adequate PPE Yes / No
(eg gloves, eye protection) as required?
Do you and your workers maintain PPE in accordance with the manufacturers’ instructions? Yes / No

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Hazardous Substance Management Checklist

Are there established arrangements for consultation on hazardous substances between management
and employees or their representatives? Yes / No

Have hazardous substances present in the workplace been identified? ..................... Yes / No

Do MSDSs exist for all identified hazardous substances? ........................................... Yes / No

Is the Hazardous Substances Register up to date? ...................................................... Yes / No

Is the Register accessible to employees and health & safety reps? ............................. Yes / No

Have existing health risks associated with the use of hazardous substances been assessed?
Yes / No
Are procedures in place for gathering information about hazardous substances and developing
effective control measures before substances are introduced to the workplace? ....

Are risks from hazardous substances considered when planning, designing or purchasing new Yes / No
equipment or processes? ...........................................................................................

Are there procedures for emergencies and first aid? .................................................. Yes / No

Are adequate first aid facilities available when required? ........................................... Yes / No

Are all injuries, ill health and incidents involving hazardous substances recorded, investigated and Yes / No
analysed for trends? ....................................................................................................

Are hazardous substances records kept as required by the regulations? ................... Yes / No

Do new and transferred employees receive general instruction in health and safety policies and Yes / No
procedures? ..................................................................................................................

Does the workplace have a hazardous substances training program? ........................ Yes / No

Are there procedures for ensuring that employees receive appropriate training before they begin Yes / No
working with hazardous substances, or when work practices change? ......................

Are procedures in place to ensure risk assessments are reviewed every

5 years? Yes / No

Are control measures regularly reviewed? .................................................................. Yes / No

Are systems in place to ensure that hazardous substances procedures are regularly reviewed?
Yes / No
Is hazardous substances risk control taken into account when assessing the performance of senior
managers, line managers and supervisors? .................................................................
Yes / No

Yes / No

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Insert Name of Workplace
Generic Inspection Checklist

Area Inspected: ____________________________ Date of Inspection: __________

Inspection completed by: ______________________________________________________

Regular workplace inspections using a prepared checklist are an integral component of good WHS
practice. Checklists should reflect workplace requirements. Use this model as a basis for developing one
or more checklists for use in your workplace. Delete items that are irrelevant and add relevant items not
included below.
Do not delete items simply because you do not follow the practice indicated by the requirement in your
workplace – it may be one you should consider. For example, if you do not inspect and tag electrical
equipment it may be time to introduce this practice.
The frequency of inspections should reflect the level of risk in the workplace. You may want to inspect
some areas, such as workshops or science laboratories, weekly and other areas such as general purpose
class rooms monthly. You may also wish to develop separate checklists relevant to the requirements of
different sections or departments.

Requirement Yes No Comment/Action Required

Floors
Even surface – no holes
Carpet – good condition, no tears, not
bunched
Tiles – good condition, none loose/missing
Loose boards firmly nailed down
Free of rubbish, wood shavings, saw dust,
etc.
Oil & grease spots wiped up
All spills cleaned up

Walkways/Passageways
Adequate lighting
Surface free of defects
Free of obstruction
Clear of leads, cables etc
Glass in doors & panels clearly marked

Stairs and Landings

Adequate lighting installed & operational
Good visual contrast between steps
Handrails where appropriate properly
secured
Slip resistant strips on edge of steps & in
good condition

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 Requirement Yes No Comment/Action Required

Fire & Emergency

Fire fighting equipment clearly visible &
shown by suitable signage
Fire extinguishers in place, recently
serviced, correctly charged & clearly
marked for type of fire
Sprinklers unobstructed
Location of all emergency equipment,
including alarms, emergency shut-off
devices, showers, eye-wash stations & spill
kits clearly visible & shown by suitable
signage.
Clear access to all emergency equipment,
including alarms, emergency shut-off
devices, showers, eye-wash stations & spill
kits.
Fire instructions available & displayed
Emergency lighting & exit signs functioning
correctly
Exit doors open easily from inside
Exits free of obstruction (internally &
externally)
Fire doors close properly – not chocked
open
Emergency phone numbers clearly
displayed

General Lighting
Adequate lighting
Good natural lighting
Good light reflection from walls & ceilings
No direct or reflected glare
Light fittings clean & in good repair
All light bulbs/fluorescent tubes working

Electrical
No cracked or broken switches, sockets of
plugs
All plug-in type electrical equipment fitted
with a current inspection tag
No frayed or damaged leads
Electrical tools & appliances in good
condition
No double adaptors
Power boards, appliances etc not
suspended from leads
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 Requirement Yes No Comment/Action Required
No strained leads
Electrical leads, tools, appliances etc well
clear of wet or damp conditions
Residual Current Devices, or safety
switches, used where required
Electrical leads & extension cords not
exposed to risk of damage from traffic,
trolleys, sharp edges, etc.

Amenities
Washrooms clean & tidy
Toilets clean & tidy
Lockers clean
Meal rooms clean & tidy

Housekeeping
Work areas kept clean & tidy
Materials & equipment stored safely
Floors in storage areas free of rubbish &
packing
Storage areas uncluttered

Hazardous Substances/Dangerous Goods

Chemicals are clearly labelled
Hazardous substances/dangerous goods
secured against unauthorised use
Warning signs clear & legible
Chemicals stored in designated storage
areas
Storage areas clean & tidy
Gas cylinders secured in an upright
position

Asbestos
Signs warning of presence of asbestos
clearly visible & in good condition
Material sealing asbestos is in good
condition, free of any visible damage likely
to allow the release of asbestos fibres
Equipment is not stored against or in
proximity to asbestos where storage is
likely to cause damage resulting in the
release of asbestos fibres

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 Requirement Yes No Comment/Action Required

Machinery
Operator only areas clearly marked
Operator controls clearly identified & in
good condition
Guards correctly fitted
Warning devices operational
Safe Operating Procedures clearly
displayed (where practicable)
Electrical leads & attachments in good
condition
Ignition keys removed when not in use
Access steps etc. in good condition
Free of obvious defects eg, bald tyres, fluid
leaks, missing panels

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

PPE in use where required
PPE correctly stored when not in use
PPE clean & maintained in good condition

Workstation Layout
Adequate space between furniture
All items in good condition
Desk or bench correct height for work
performed
Seat correctly adjusted for user
Cables secure behind work surface – well
clear of feet
VDU screen at correct height

Playground Equipment
Impact absorbing material in good
condition
Pine mulch (or similar) maintained to
depth recommended by supplier & evenly
spread
Fall zones free of debris & hard objects
Play equipment in good condition – all
bolts, screws etc tight, panels & rails
securely in place, non-slip surfaces, etc.

Safety Signs
Clearly visible & in good condition
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 Requirement Yes No Comment/Action Required

Car Parks
Surface of car park & driveways free of
potholes, cracks & other trip hazards
Adequate lighting
Traffic control signs clearly displayed & in
good condition
Drainage grates in good condition
Drainage adequate & in good condition

External Pedestrian Areas

Pathways free of cracks, holes, projections
& other trip hazards
Adequate lighting
Pathways free of fungus & other slip
hazards
Steps & changes of level clearly defined
Handrails in good condition
Drainage grates in good condition
Drainage adequate & in good condition

Sports and Play Areas

Hard surfaces free of cracks, holes,
projections & other hazards likely to cause
trips or slips
Grass areas even & well maintained & free
of hazards likely to cause trips or slips
Playing surface free of hazardous objects
Goal posts etc. in good condition
Goal post padding in good condition
Area surrounding perimeter of designated
sporting area (eg. basket ball court) free of
hazardous objects
Drainage adequate & in good condition

Gardens and Surrounds

Walls, gates & fences in good order
without gaps or protrusions
Gardens well maintained – debris, fallen
branches removed, lawns mown regularly
Gardens free of sharp objects (broken
glass, metal, wood splinters, syringes etc)
Hoses etc properly stored when not in use
Trees free of dead/dying & damaged

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 Requirement Yes No Comment/Action Required
branches

Security
Security lights function
External doors & windows shut easily
Locks to external doors & windows easy to
operate
External doors & windows lock securely
External self-closing doors shut fully

Corrective action has been initiated for all items requiring attention.

____________________________________________ ____________________________________
Printed Name Position (Principal, HOD etc)

____________________________________________ ____________________________________
Signature Date

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