You must manage work health and safety (WHS) risks if you are:
- a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU)
- a designer, manufacturer, importer, supplier or installer of plant, substance, or structure
- WHS service provider
- an officer, such as a company director.
You can follow a step-by-step process to manage risks. This involves identifying hazards, assessing risks, controlling risks, and reviewing control measures.
Risk management helps you respond to change and improve your business. Eliminating and controlling risks in your workplace can:
- prevent workplace injuries and illnesses
- improve the health, wellbeing, and capacity of your workers
- improve quality and productivity of work.
If you are a PCBU you must eliminate risks in the workplace. If that is not possible, you must minimise the risks so far as is reasonably practicable. You must also consult your workers and health and safety representatives (HSRs) if you have them, about health and safety issues that may directly affect them.
Workers and others at the workplace also have WHS duties. For example, they have a duty to take reasonable care for their own health and safety at the workplace.
A person can have more than one WHS duty. More than one person can have the same WHS duty at the same time.
Resources and guidance
- How to manage work health and safety risks: Code of practice
This Code provides practical guidance to PCBUs on how to manage risks to health and safety. Work health and safety consultation, cooperation and coordination: Code of practice
This Code provides practical guidance to PCBUs on how to effectively consult with workers who carry out work for the business or undertaking and who are (or are likely to be) directly affected by a health and safety matter. It includes information on mechanisms to facilitate worker participation and representation.