WHS Consultation and Training Requirements in Australian Law

Posted by SkillMaker in Nov, 2014

What are WHS consultation and training requirements in Australian law?

The WHS and consultation requirements are a strict set of guidelines established by Australian law in regards to how an employer provides information to their employees about Work Health & Safety issues.

What are WHS consultation and training requirements in Australian law like?

The WHS consultation and training requirements in Australia are like written rules telling an employer what they must do to make certain that each individual that works for them understands the WHS act, understands what the WHS act means for them, and understands how to utilize the policies the company has implemented in regards to the WHS act.

 

What is the purpose of WHS consultation and training requirements in Australian law?

The purpose of the Work Health & Safety consultation and training requirements in Australian law is to establish a uniform way that employers provide the WHS act information to their employees. In order for a company to be in full compliance with the WHS act regulations they have to provide their employees the information in the described manner.

What is the principle structure of WHS consultation and training requirements in Australian law?

There are several elements that make up the principle structure of the consultation and training requirements according to Australian Laws.

  • The employer is required to consult all employees about work health & safety
  • The Work Health & Safety consultation must include every member of the staff
  • Anytime that the Work Health & Safety systems are changes every employee must be consulted
  • There must be elected occupational health and safety committees to oversee the consultation of employees and to vote on behalf of employees in any matter concerning the work health & safety policies of the company
  • Elected occupational health and safety representatives must be provided to help all employees stay informed
  • Alternative arrangements can only be made if they are first agreed on by the employer and all employees

What are the different types of WHS consultation and training requirements in Australian law?

The different types of WHS consultation and training include:

  • Providing the employees with elected occupational health and safety committees to see to their rights in everything concerning the WHS
  • Providing elected occupational health and safety representatives that can go to meetings with senior company representatives and represent the rest of the employees in WHS matters
  • To provide written materials detailing the WHS laws, policies, and methods of reporting incidents to every employee when they are hired, and to every employee whenever there are any changes made to the Work health & Safety policy of the company

What terms are used when complying with WHS consultation and training requirements in Australian law?

Common Terminology associated with WHS

  • WHS is Work Health & Safety
  • PCBU means Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking
  • Worker refers to a person who directly works for the company, works for the company as a contractor or subcontractor, is a volunteer, trainee, or outworker
  • HSR is a health and safety representative
  • HSC is a health and safety committee
  • Work group refers to the people who are being represented by an HSC
  • Reasonably practicable means that the employer will do everything they can to prevent dangerous situations in the workplace while taking into account the likelihood that an accident might occur, the degree of harm it could do if it does occur, whether there is a way to minimize the risk and the cost of eliminating the risk
  • PIN is a Provision Improvement Notice that is a written notice provided by a WHS trained person to the PCBU describing a breach of the WHS Act
  • Workplace refers to where the physical work is actually done for the employer
  • WHS entry permit holder is a union representative that represents a group of employees in negotiations with the employer
  • Structure refers to a building, pipeline, shaft, tunnel, or component of anything that has been constructed

Where can I find more information about a WHS consultation and training requirements in Australian law?

The following websites have additional information to help you understand the WHS consultation and training requirements.

http://www.australianbusiness.com.au/whs/resources/whs-act-terminology.aspx

http://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/201223/TSS_WHS_Reference_Group_Terms_of_Reference.pdf

http://training.gov.au/(S(1bhr5zvxgctp50dryj0eo33y))/Training/Details/BSBWHS403A

 

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