Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, both “Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking” (PCBU) and workers (including employees and contractors) have health and safety (H&S) duties in the workplace. These relate to their own H&S and that of co-workers, clients, and members of the public. The Act requires you to have a high degree of engagement with your staff about H&S.

Whether you have two staff or two hundred, here are three-steps to ensure you’re covered:

1. Assess risks

With your team discuss potential risks and hazards that might face your business. Don’t overlook social hazards, such as bullying, stress, and burnout. They’re as important as physical risks.

Consider what you do to mitigate risk and whether you can do more.

2. Commit to a plan

Once you’ve assessed risks and hazards, you’ll need an H&S plan with procedures to mitigate risk. It must be actionable and practical. Consider how to adopt new procedures. You might need training, lists of first-aid equipment, a new induction process for incoming staff and policies on workplace health and safety that employees commit to. You also need a process for reporting notifiable events to WorkSafe.

3. Action your plan

Don’t let it gather dust. Implement as soon as possible and make time to get everyone on board.

H&S is an ongoing challenge. Run regular courses and drills to keep everyone up to date. Encourage staff to raise any new risks and hazards.

In hazardous sectors, set targets to measure the impact of your plan. For example, targets for keeping workplace injuries low, or to prevent sick days and burnout.