Workers have obligations under work health and safety laws.
A worker is a person who carries out work in any capacity for a business or employer or ‘person conducting a business undertaking’ They can be:
- an employee
- a trainee, apprentice or work experience student
- a volunteer
- an outworker
- a contractor or sub-contractor
- an employee of a contractor or sub-contractor
- an employee of a labour hire company.
While at work a worker must:
- take reasonable care for their own health and safety
- take reasonable care for the health and safety of others
- comply with any reasonable instructions, policies and procedure given by their employer, business or controller of the workplace.
Workers can also be considered visitors under some circumstances.
Your safety responsibilities as a worker
As a worker, you must take reasonable care of yourself and not do anything that would affect the health and safety of others at work.
You must follow any reasonable health and safety instructions from your employer. It is important that you:
- work safely
- follow instructions
- ask if you’re not sure how to safely perform the work
- use personal protective equipment (PPE) in the way you were trained and instructed to use it
- report injuries and unsafe and unhealthy situations to your supervisor
For more information visit – https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/legal-obligations/worker-obligations
