Introducing Safety & Health Responsibilities
Employers provide students with valuable opportunities to gain experience in the workplace. It is important to understand that employers have responsibilities towards you, and that you also have responsibilities towards them.
While you are at a workplace on a work placement or for work experience, the employer is responsible for ensuring the workplace is safe and that your safety or health is not harmed in any way.
You must also take responsibility for looking after your own safety and health, and not put others at risk.
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Safety and health at work is everyone's responsibility. |
These responsibilities are outlined in the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984, which is supported by the Occupational Safety and Health Regulations 1996. The Regulations contain more detail than the Act. Employer and employee safety and health responsibilities are covered in more detail later in this module.
Young workers are usually keen to work hard and do well. They also have a much higher risk of being injured at work than older workers.
WorkSafe, which is part of the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection, believes one reason so many young workers are injured is that they are not made aware of their rights to be properly trained, supervised, cared for and provided with a safe and healthy environment.
