SafeWork Australia has released the 10-point national COVID-19 Safe Workplace Principles, intended to safeguard people in the workplace against COVID-19.
According to SafeWork Australia, the principles make it a hub of guidance and tools on the workplace health and safety implications of the pandemic.
It said the National Cabinet agreed last week to the principles SafeWork announced.
The principles can be summarised as:
1. All workers have the right to a healthy and safe working environment.
2. The COVID-19 pandemic requires focused approaches to work health and safety as it applies to businesses, workers and others in the workplace.
3. Businesses must assess the way they work to identify, understand and quantify risks and address those risks.
4. Businesses, workers and others must work together to adapt and promote safe work practices, ensure their workplaces are ready for the social distancing and that hygiene measures are an important part of the transition.
5. Businesses and workers must actively control against the transmission of COVID-19 while at work.
6. Businesses and workers must prepare for the possibility that there will be cases of COVID-19 in the workplace and be ready to respond immediately.
7. While existing state and territory jurisdiction of WHS remains critical a commitment to a consistent national approach is key.
8. Safe Work Australia will provide a central hub of Work Health and Safety (WHS) guidance for Australian workplaces to use to form the basis of their management of health and safety risks posed by COVID-19.
9. States and Territories have the role of providing advice, education, compliance and enforcement of WHS and will use the SWA central hub in fulfilling their statutory functions.
10. The work of the National COVID-19 Coordination Commission will complement the work of SWA.
The detailed National COVID-19 Safe Workplace Principles can be accessed at this PS News link.
