As an entrepreneur in South Australia, you have many different legal responsibilities. Foremost, you must manage the safety of your employees, establishments, and workplaces. To do this, you must be knowledgeable about the safety requirements that apply to your location and business type. 

For SMB owners like yourself, it can be hard to adapt to constant changes brought by the Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) legislation of 2012. A consultation firm such as WHS Matters offers services that can help you implement WHS regulations into your business. 

From site inspection to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) planning, WHS Matters offers plans and solutions that can help you in providing a safe and non-stressful work environment to your employees. While you concentrate on business operations, they will find solutions for every risk factor that your company may face in the future. 

Whether your business is big or small, OHS/WHS legislation applies to it. Availing of OHS services from a reliable provider can reduce or eliminate workplace accidents, injuries, and illnesses. With this, you can reduce the probability of getting prosecuted and spending thousands of dollars covering liabilities. 

The Nature of the WHS Act of 2012

WHS is sometimes referred to as occupational health and safety (OHS). It involves risk management and health and safety management for South Australian businesses. Additionally, it also promotes the wellbeing of your employees, suppliers, and customers. 

The implementation of an effective OHS system can cost time and money, but it’s integral to the success of your business. If you don’t take action, you may face fines, prosecution, and losses. 

WHS laws require business owners to provide compensation insurance to their employees. South Australia’s WHS Act of 2012 provides for the welfare, health, and safety of individuals engaged or employed in an industry in the state. 

The 2012 Act, along with WHS regulations, set up safety and health duties. These provide protection from risks and hazards in the workplace. However, the obligations don’t only fall on business owners and their managers, but also on workers. 

According to the WHS Act of 2012, anyone who breaches WHS duties can be fined or given a criminal offense. For corporations, the maximum penalties range from 500,000 to 3 million AUD. For individual workers, the penalty could range from 50,000 to 600,000 AUD. 

SafeWork SA, the regulator, enforces the WHS Act. The organization has the legal powers to obtain search warrants and enter workplaces. Inspectors can issue improvement, infringement, and prohibition of orders. 

The Codes of Practice serves as a guide for employers like you. The Codes of Practice include measures that you can take, and a set of written rules that your workers should follow. This is discussed in section five. 

To prevent inspectors from penalizing your business, you should avail of the services of a consultancy firm such as WHS Matters. The success of an OHS management system depends on the efficacy of the OHS plan. 

In the planning phase, WHS Matters will define the objectives of the policy. They will also detail the processes that will be used to implement the legislation. Consultants will first gather information about your business.

Later on, the consultants will define the boundaries of your management system. At this point, they can define the hazards present in your workplaces. After allocating financial and human resources, they will provide a quote for you. 

WHS Matters provides valuable support for expanding businesses. They understand internal requirements, including healthy working conditions and equipment safety. 

What Can You Gain?

A safe work environment is a legal requirement, according to the Work Health and Safety Act of 2012. Other than this, here are more benefits you can enjoy by implementing an effective OHS system. 

• You will not lose any skilled worker.
• Improve productivity and streamlines workflow.
• Reduce accidents and injuries in the workplace.
• Reduce the cost of workers’ compensation.

What Should You Do?

As an entrepreneur, earning high profits is integral to the success of your business. Liabilities and workplace accidents can sometimes cost a lot of money. Your income could be affected. At times, you may have to take a huge amount from your capital. 

Under South Australia’s WHS legislation, you must ensure the wellbeing of your workers. You mustn’t put them and others at risk, while working for you. In other words, their health and safety rely on you, the owner of the firm they’re employed in. 

As long as you have the capacity to control and influence an issue, it’s your duty to safeguard the people who are involved in your business. To do this, you must provide the following:

• Safe structures and machinery
• A safe workplace
• Tested methods of working
• Secured facilities
• Proper equipment and safety gear
• Effective policies for handling substances, structures, and storage of machinery
• Supervision, instructions, training, and information required for safety
• You must also monitor the health and working conditions of your employees

Can your workers tolerate the heat in your warehouses? Are they comfortable under the conditions of their work environment? Put yourself into their shoes so that you can answer these questions. 

Or, you can otherwise employ consultants and supervisors from WHS Matters. They can assess the conditions of a particular area or establishment. What’s more, they know how to properly integrate WHS laws into your business.

Legal compliance isn’t just an option, but a requirement. Are you aware of all your responsibilities as a business owner in South Australia? Can you follow and implement all of them? When lives are at stake, one wrong move can cause your business to collapse.

You should rely on experts, the people who are trained to assess work environments and implement safety regulations. With their trained eyes and years of experience, they can immediately identify hazards and risk factors. They can address operations that are too risky. They can also provide alternatives to inadequate training procedures. 

Your business may have departments for managing issues with regards to information, finance, and human resources. The effective implementation and management of WHS policies is as important as the other areas of your business. 

To promote WHS in your firm, professionals must establish a standardized OHS system. As much as possible, work, health, and safety policies must be integrated into daily business operations. An OHS plan or WHS system should be a part of your management system. It must include the following:

• Effective and safe practices
• Resources and processes for development
• Tried and tested procedures
• Organizational structure
• Planning activities
• Methods for achieving WHS policies

The policies, procedures, and processes should enable your organization to achieve its objectives. Objectives cover many elements of your business’ operations, which include product quality, financial success, legislative conformance, and worker management. 

For example, an environmental management system allows for the improvement of workplaces and OHSMS. The latter enables you to control occupational safety, risks, and health. 

What Your Employees Must Do

Workers are also required to follow WHS laws. If they don’t comply, they will also be fined. With an effective management system, you can encourage your employees to follow set policies. Use the provided solutions of WHS Matters to promote the WHS laws in your workplace. 

The people who work in your business have obligations to their colleagues and themselves. As stated in the WHS Act of 2012, their duties are as follows: 

• Take good care of their safety and health
• Follow WHS instructions
• Adhere to the policies included in your business’ OHSMS
• Refrain from endangering others
• Follow your business’ WHS procedures and policies
• OHS Requirements in South Australia

WHS Matters considers the policies and regulations below in implementing OHS laws and establishing an OHSMS in your business operations. They also provide comprehensive instructions for following them. 

• The Act

This outlines your duties as a business owner. It also details the responsibilities of your workers to themselves and others. 

• The Regulations

The regulations set specific requirements for risks and hazards, including manual handling and noise control. 

• Codes of Practice

This provides information for meeting requirements stated in the Act and Regulations. The Codes of Practice is invaluable since it’s the ultimate guide for the implementation of the WHS laws. 

The people from WHS Matters can help you understand every clause and section included in the Codes of Practice. They recognize the importance of occupational health and safety in achieving excellent work performances. 

WHS Matters will not only assist you in implementing the laws but also help you improve your workers’ productivity. Increased productivity, coupled with effective safety regulations, can reduce losses and boost profits.

Conclusion

WHS Matters develops policies for workers’ compensation and OHS issues across South Australia. They don’t regulate WHS laws. State governments are responsible for enforcing the policies included in the WHS Act of 2012. Rather, WHS Matters provides solutions and systems that help business owners effectively implement the regulations in their business. 

Health and safety issues can sometimes be a problem for business owners. Improper implementation of WHS legislation can affect the workflow and productivity of your workers. Having an effective OHS management system can improve operations, employee wellbeing, and workplace climate. 

WHS Matter’s OHS/WHS management system eliminates risk factors that can compromise the safety of your workplace. The practical and standardized system, explained above, helps in streamlining business operations. It promotes continuous safety improvement by assisting managers and business owners in delivering effective safety policies.