Workplace safety, directly from the Victoria Legal Aid website states:
In Victoria, the law says that employers and employees are responsible for healthy, safe workplaces. This means that both you and your employer must make sure your workplace is safe and without risks to your health or the health of your co-workers.
It also means you:
- must take care when you’re working so that you do not hurt yourself or others
- should tell co-workers and management when equipment is unsafe
- should not do anything that could put people in danger, such as play practical jokes that might hurt someone.
If you are an independent contractor or an employee of a labour hire company, the company that is hiring you is responsible for your health and safety if they have control of the work. This means they have the same responsibility for you as they do for other their other employees.
WorkSafe Victoria manages the state’s workplace safety system. If your employer doesn’t provide you with a safe workplace, you can make a complaint to WorkSafe and they may investigate this further. WorkSafe can do a range of things, such as issuing a compliance notice or enforcement order, or prosecuting employers and individuals.
Your employer and others cannot treat you badly because you have made a complaint about workplace safety. This may be unlawful discrimination or unlawful adverse action (in breach of the general protections). See Workplace bullying and discrimination and the Fair Work Commission website for further information.
EVERY VICTORIAN DESERVES TO LEAVE WORK SAFELY.
EVERY DAY.
Visit the How safe is your workplace? website for more information.