Maintaining Good Workplace Safety
Business owners and managers have a responsibility when it comes to workplace health and safety, ensuring their staff maintain good physical health and mental health in the workplace. No one wants to see their workers get hurt or worse, so ensuring you have good safety practices is a business necessity that you need to have in place and revisit regularly.
Work health and safety (WHS) involves the safety, health, and wellbeing of individuals in the workplace. This includes the legal responsibilities employers have to maintain a safe and healthy environment for their employees.
On this page, you can find out more about your responsibilities and access helpful tools. Your business is unique to you and your industry, so we encourage you to seek further information and direction through NT WorkSafe.
Did you know that in the Northern Territory during 2021-2022, the most common work injury claims were for body stress, followed by falls, trips, and slips, and incidents involving being struck by moving objects?
Source: 2021-22 Key NT work health and safety statistics
You can start taking proactive steps to ensure you and your staff are safe at work immediately.
Safety Prevention
NT WorkSafe provides resources and assistance around workplace safety prevention
Small Business Safety Assistance
Find video resources, compliance checklists and helpful tips to meet your workplace safety responsibilities
Worker rights and compensation
If you are an employee and need information about your rights or workers compensation
Workplace Safety Responsibilities
As a business owner or manager, your workplace safety responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- Identifying hazards: can they be eliminated, put things in place to control these hazards
- Create workplace inductions: include information about potential risks, policies and procedures, how to work safely, deal with emergencies
- Keep a controlled environment, free from any hazards
- Keep records about what you have done to manage safety
- Empower and educate your staff to identify hazards and deal with them in a safe way
Tools Available
Be equipped to ensure that your workplace is a safe and healthy space for everyone. It is not too late to start or refresh your safety practices.
NT Worksafe has a comprehensive collection of resources that are designed to make this part of your business easier to put in place. There are strategies, checklists and expert advice that you can use.
For a comprehensive toolkit, see:
These resources are also a great place to start to find more information:
Safety and Violence in the Workplace
Keeping your workplace free and safe from violence is crucial for the wellbeing of your team and the success of your business. It’s important to create an environment where everyone feels respected and secure. Simple steps like clear communication, setting expectations for behaviour, and having a plan in place can prevent issues before they start. Remember, a safe workplace is good for you, your employees, your customers and your community.
Here are resources to help you understand and prevent violence in the workplace
Psychosocial hazards and workplace safety
Mental health in the workplace is another important safety consideration. It is also vital to a resilient and successful business. Mental health issues can affect both employers and employees.
It is important for employers to create a positive and inclusive environment, as well as ensuring their own healthy mental wellbeing. Learn how you can put in place preventative measures, as well as respond to mental health concerns in the workplace.
Find out more about Managing psychosocial hazards at work and the legislation around positive duty to prevent and eliminate risks and hazards to workers physical or psychosocial health and safety in the workplace.
Upskill with the positive duty checklist.
For more information around Mental Health, explore the following page:
Need Further Assistance
If you are still unsure, struggling to find the time to put safety practices in place, or need extra assistance, NT WorkSafe is available to help you manage health and safety in your workplace.
An inspector can visit your workplace and show you how to apply the resources in your workplace.
P: 1800 019 115
E: ntworksafe@nt.gov.au
You may be eligible to apply to the Business Growth Program to access consultants to develop system and practices to maintain a safe and healthy workplace for your workers.
