Mention workplace health and safety (WHS) and some people may zone out or groan at the prospect of doing a compliance course.
But as an employer, WHS is extremely important. Turning a blind eye to WHS can result in prosecution, fines, jail or worse – serious injury or even death.
Chisholm Workplace Safety trainer Patricia Beale is a bit of a guru in the space. Patricia has run her own workplace safety consulting business and worked across many different industry sectors for more than four decades.
Patricia currently teaches the Certificate IV in Work Health and Safety at Chisholm.
Here, she explains why every employer needs to be across WHS and ensure their staff are safe at work.
What is workplace health and safety?
The Australian Government’s business.gov.au website defines work health and safety (WHS) as managing risks to the health and safety of everyone in your workplace, including your:
- workers
- customers
- visitors
- suppliers
“Workplace health and safety is about making sure that the hazards and risks of doing the work that the business has as its key operations is as safe as it can be,” says Patricia.
Why is it important for businesses and industry?
For one, workplace health and safety is a legal requirement. Each state and territory has different WHS requirements that businesses need to be across.
If you’re not, you’re in breach of the legislation. And the ramifications can be extremely serious.
Take, for example, Victoria’s laws for ‘workplace manslaughter’, which came into effect in July 2020. Negligent employers found guilty of ‘workplace manslaughter’ now face fines of up to $16.5 million or 25 years in jail.
Patricia says workplace health and safety management is also, quite simply, good business practice.
“You don’t start running a business to waste resources – that includes your investment in dollars and your investment in the people you recruit to do the work,” she says.
“Poor risk management exposes the business to harm – loss, damage, death, illness and psychological harm.”
Why WHS is great for your employees/workplace?
Putting solid WHS practices in place can help reduce injury and illness in the workplace, improve staff productivity, and help with staff retention.
Effective WHS also reduces the cost of workers’ compensation claims. According to Safe Work Australia’s Australian Workers’ Compensation Statistics 2020-2021 report, there were 130,195 serious claims in 2020-2021. The main causes were body stressing (37%), falls, trips and slips (23%) and being hit by moving objects (16%).
How to make sure you’re compliant
Your industry and location will impact the kinds of WHS requirements you need to fulfill. For example, if you work on a construction site, you’ll need a White Card.
“All employers have the duty protect their employees’ psychological as well as physical health by effectively identifying the work-based hazards involved and managing those risks,” says Patricia.
There is significant guidance information provided for employer and others on risk management for the range of workplace hazards on each state or territory regulator's website (for example, WorkSafe Victoria).
You can also find details about the relevant Act, regulations, codes of practice and regulating agency in your state or territory on the Australian Government’s business.gov.au website.
For industry-specific information, head to the industry information pages.
What courses are on offer?
Chisholm offers a range of Workplace Safety Courses to get employers and their staff up to speed with the latest WHS requirements.
The Certificate IV in Work Health and Safety, for example, equips students with the tools needed to implement effective WHS procedures in the workplace. It’s perfect for supervisors, WHS personnel, and workers in other WHS-related roles.
Chisholm also has a range of short courses and tickets on offer:
- Confined space induction
- Breathing apparatus and confined space rescue training
- Confined space refresher
- Construction induction (White Card)
- HSR initial OHS training course
- HSR refresher OHS training (work-related stress)
- Work safely at heights
These can be completed on campus, as group training or within your workplace.
Like to know more?
To find out more, head to Chisholm’s Workplace Safety Courses page or get in touch and we will happily answer your questions.
About Patricia
Patricia Beale has more than 40 years’ experience working in the workplace health and safety space.
In March 2023, her invaluable contributions to the profession were recognised at the Australian Institute of Health & Safety’s (AIHS) College of Fellows Investiture Ceremony, held at Government House, Yarralumla.
