Duties of Workers and Employees
In the Work Health and Safety (WHS) Act 2011, Section 28 outlines the specific duties of workers. It is designed to ensure that while an employer (PCBU) has the primary duty of care, individuals also carry responsibility for safety in the workplace. WHS Act (NSW) Section 28: Duties of Workers While at work, a worker must: Take reasonable care for his or her own health and safety; and Take reasonable care that his or her acts or omissions do not adversely affect the health and
Health and Safety Committees: What They Are — and What They Are Not
Health and Safety Committees (HSCs) play an important role in many NSW workplaces. When set up and used properly, they: ✅ strengthen consultation, ✅ improve risk visibility, and ✅ support better health and safety outcomes. When they are not set up and used properly, they may become something else entirely, such as: ⚠️ a forum for off‑topic debate, ⚠️ a substitute for management decision‑making, or worse, ⚠️ a place where managers attempt—intentionally or not—to offload resp
Three Categories of WHS Offences and a Table of NSW Penalty Units (2025-2026)
The NSW WHS Act 2011 has recently been amended. These amendments have included an increase in the penalty rates for WHS breaches. ....
Workplace fatality sees directors personally charged for breaches of duty under WHS Law
In many small businesses, directors are not only decision-makers but are also directly involved in day-to-day activities. This hands-on involvement brings unique advantages, but it also increases accountability under Work Health and Safety (WHS) law. Directors are recognised as “officers” of a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) and, as such, carry significant legal obligations. Their foremost responsibility is to ensure the business maintains an effective WHS
Business owners and Directors: Questions to ask yourself
Business owners, company directors and CEOs have mandatory legal requirements to ensure that the business they manage is meeting its...
$40,000 fine for warehouse traffic management plan failures
A warehousing company in Victoria has just been fined $40,000 for repeatedly failing to follow its traffic management system.
Lack of training leads to $100,000 fine
A family-owned business in Queensland that produces firewood and its director have just been fined over $100,000 in relation to a...
Truck Driver Killed by Oncoming Truck
20th June 2024. 5 minute read What happened? A large, refrigerated transport business has just been convicted and fined $800,000 in a...
What are the Key Components of Non-delegable WHS Duties for Businesses?
Non-delegable WHS duties are specific responsibilities that cannot be passed on to others. ...
Safe Work Australia Advice on WHS Consultation
Weekly WHS Article 8th November 2023 A PCBU must consult with their workers about work health and safety matters in their workplace....
What a Health and Safety Committee is Not
It has been over 10 years since New South Wales adopted the Model WHS laws. The WHS Act and WHS Regulation replace the repealed OHS Act ...
WHS penalties to increase...
Except for Victoria, all states and territories in Australia will see a significant increase in the value of WHS penalties, and the ...
Reporting processes must include Psychosocial hazards
Processes for reporting work health and safety hazards and incidents are integral to the Safety Management System for every business and ...