Getting Back to Basics: Understanding the Fundamentals of Good WHS Practice

This week, we’re revisiting the essential foundations of good Work Health and Safety (WHS) practice. Understanding these fundamentals is crucial for everyone, from senior leaders to frontline workers. It’s about creating a proactive, inclusive, and safety-focused culture that keeps everyone safe and engaged.

The key components of WHS fundamentals include proactively managing risks, consulting with workers genuinely, and providing the necessary training and support for safe work practices. These steps not only keep your business compliant but also create a safer, more productive environment for everyone.

Why WHS Fundamentals Matter

Good WHS practices are not just about meeting legal obligations—they should be woven into every decision and action taken in the workplace. When safety becomes a priority for everyone, it encourages a shared responsibility and builds trust between workers and management. If workers see safety as important to you, they’re more likely to follow procedures and voice their own safety concerns, making the workplace safer for everyone.

This National Safe Work Month, consider taking time to sit down with your team and chat. Use this as an opportunity to review the WHS fundamentals, discuss current safety practices, and find ways to improve. The goal is to embed these practices into your operations year-round, not just for a single month.

Key WHS Fundamentals to Focus On

1. Proactively Managing Your WHS Risks

Your responsibility as an employer is to eliminate or minimise health and safety risks wherever reasonably possible to protect workers and others (such as visitors) from harm.

Proactive risk management means:

• Identifying and Assessing Risks: Start by consulting with your workers to identify hazards in the workplace. Then, assess the risks by considering how severe the harm could be, how it might occur, and the likelihood of it happening.
• Implementing Controls: Aim to eliminate the risk first, if feasible (e.g., discontinuing a dangerous task or redesigning processes). If elimination isn’t an option, minimise the risks as much as possible using suitable control measures.
• Monitoring and Reviewing: Regularly monitor your controls to ensure they’re working effectively and review them whenever changes in the workplace occur. Safety management is not a one-time activity but a continuous process.

Consultation with workers is crucial throughout this process. Their on-the-ground knowledge and experience can reveal risks that might otherwise be missed. Open dialogue not only ensures compliance but also builds a stronger safety culture.

2. Genuinely Consulting with Workers

Consultation is more than just a requirement; it’s a powerful tool for creating a safer and more inclusive workplace. Workers often have valuable insights that can help you identify risks and develop better safety strategies.

Effective consultation means:

• Engaging workers in meaningful conversations about safety concerns and solutions.
• Consulting Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) if your workplace has them.
• Encouraging active participation, making workers feel their voices are heard and valued.

Consultation doesn’t have to be complex or time-consuming. Regular toolbox talks, team meetings, or informal chats can be effective ways to gather input and foster a safety-first mindset.

3. Training and Supporting Workers to Stay Safe

Training is a key part of your WHS obligations. Workers need the right information, instruction, and supervision to stay safe—especially when they’re new, inexperienced, or undertaking a new task.

To support safe working practices, you should:

• Provide Training Before Work Starts: Workers should receive adequate training before commencing their tasks, ensuring they have the skills and knowledge needed to perform safely.
• Induct New Workers Thoroughly: Inductions should include clear guidance on safe working procedures and the specific safety practices they need to know.
• Communicate Effectively: Ensure all information is accessible and easy to understand. For culturally and linguistically diverse workers, consider using visual aids like diagrams or conducting hands-on demonstrations.
• Supervise and Reinforce: Monitor workers, particularly in the early stages, to ensure safe practices are followed. Provide regular updates and refresher training to keep everyone aligned with best practices.

Safe practices shouldn’t just be a part of onboarding; they should be reinforced regularly and updated as conditions or procedures change.

Making WHS a Year-Round Priority

National Safe Work Month is a great reminder to reflect on WHS practices, but safety shouldn’t be a once-a-year focus. Making WHS fundamentals part of your daily operations helps build a workplace culture where safety is second nature.

Remember, a safe workplace is a thriving workplace—when safety is prioritised, everyone benefits.