Safety at work
ATIS-025
Version 3.2
March 2010
Safety at work [PDF 62kb]
Workplace safety is a serious matter. Every person associated with a workplace in any way, has an obligation to ensure his or her own workplace health and safety and the workplace health and safety of others, regardless of their role in the workplace.
Information to get you started
What is it?
Employers have an obligation to ensure the health and safety of apprentices and trainees in the workplace. The overall objective of the Workplace Health Safety Act 1995 is to prevent death, injury or illness in workplaces, workplace activities or in specified high risk plants. Apprentices and trainees are considered to be workers under this Act.
Employer safety responsibilities
Under the Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995 employers are obligated to provide apprentices and trainees with an induction to the workplace (including hazard identification and risk prevention), training and ongoing supervision.
Other responsibilities include:
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providing personal protective equipment (including instructions on how to properly use and wear the equipment)
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controlling the risks of injury and disease from workplace machinery and equipment and workplace noise
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reducing the risk of injury and disease from the workplace environment
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preventing and minimising the risk of exposure to hazardous substances and manual handling injuries
Employers should also be aware of other legislation that impacts on their industry. For example, there are safety provisions relating to electrical apprentices in the Electrical Safety Regulation 2002.
Apprentice and trainee safety responsibilities
Apprentices and trainees have a responsibility to:
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comply with instructions given for workplace health and safety by the employer or the principle contractor (in a construction workplace)
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comply with correct use of personal protective equipment that is provided by the employer
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not willfully or recklessly interfere with, or misuse anything provided for workplace health and safety
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not willfully place at risk the workplace health and safety of any other person or himself or herself.
Who to contact?
For further information, contact:
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Workplace Health and Safety
Phone: 1300 396 915 -
Electrical Safety Office
Phone: 1300 650 662.