Managing health and safety

Duty holders who have a role in managing work health and safety risks include:

• persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU's)
• designers, manufactures, importers, suppliers and installers of plant, substances or structures, and
• officers.

Workers and other persons at the workplace also have duties under the WHS Act, such as the duty to take reasonable care for their own health and safety at the workplace

A person can have more than one duty and more than one person can have the same duty at the same time.

A PCBU must eliminate risks in the workplace, or if that is not reasonably practicable, minimise the risks so far as is reasonably practicable.

PCBUs have a duty to consult workers about work health and safety and may also have duties to consult, cooperate and coordinate with other duty holders.

Examples of where a PCBU will have a health and safety duty include when:

• the PCBU engages workers to carry out work
• the PCBU directs or influences workers in carrying out work
• other people may be put at risk from work carried in their business or undertaking, and
• the PCBU manages or controls a workplace or fixtures, fittings or plant at the workplace.

The WHS Regulations include more specific requirements for PCBUs to manage the risks of hazardous chemicals, airborne contaminants and plant, as well as other hazards associated with the workplace.