Under the work health and safety law, a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) must ensure the health and safety of workers and others at the workplace.
To manage the risk of exposure to diseases in the workplace, a PCBU must:
- apply a risk management approach to eliminate and/or minimise the risks in the workplace so far as is reasonably practicable
- consult with workers and/or their health and safety representatives to help manage these risks.
Preventing infectious diseases at work
To minimise the risk of catching or spreading infectious diseases at work, follow standard precautions. These measures help protect all workers, especially those who are pregnant or immunosuppressed, and may require additional steps for specific diseases. Standard precautions include:
- care of intact normal skin
- protection of damaged skin by covering with a waterproof dressing or by gloves
- proper handling and disposal of sharps
- practice good hygiene to prevent most infections
- use personal protective equipment
- containment of all blood and body fluids, i.e., confining spills, splashes, and environmental contamination to the smallest amount possible.
Report serious illness and infectious diseases
Under the work health and safety law, PCBUs must ensure that workers and others in the workplace are protected from the risk of infectious diseases, such as blood-borne viruses, COVID-19, mosquito-borne diseases, HIV, Hepatitis B and C, or zoonoses. Workers may need to notify the PCBU if they have been exposed to, or may have exposed, a coworker or member of the public to certain infectious diseases.
If you have a short-term infectious illness, speak with your medical practitioner about the type of work you do and whether you need to stay home until you recover to avoid infecting others. The regulator must be notified of any work-related infection. Some diseases must also be reported to the Department of Health. For more information, see notification of serious injury or illness.
PCBU responsibilities for Hepatitis B vaccination
There there is a high risk of Hepatitis B at work, PCBUs should include a vaccination protocol in their infectious disease prevention and control policy. When needed, vaccination should be provided free of charge. Workers must be provided with comprehensive information about Hepatitis B and the vaccine, and encourage them to discuss their options with a medical practitioner.
For more information, see Hepatitis B in the workplace.
Finding used syringes at work
The Department of Health provides guidelines for the safe handling of used syringes found in the workplace. If you find used syringes at work, notify the PCBU immediately. PCBUs should provide information and maintain a clear policy outlining the correct procedure to follow in such situations.
HIV transmission from casual contact at work
HIV cannot be transmitted through casual contact in the workplace. It is not spread by:
- toilets or bathrooms
- food
- cutlery or crockery
- air - unlike the viruses that cause colds, HIV cannot be spread through the air.
No one is immune to sickness—diseases can affect any of us, especially in workplaces where we spend so much time side by side. When illnesses spread, they don’t just affect individuals; they can disrupt entire teams. By looking out for each other and following simple, everyday precautions, we can help keep everyone in the workplace healthy and safe.