What type of information must or should be displayed on our worksite’s OHS noticeboard?
Your OHS noticeboard will ideally display a wide variety of helpful and important information, reflecting a well-organised worksite that places a high priority on worker safety.
The Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013 (WIRC Act) mandates that employers display an 'if you are injured at work' poster in every workplace.
Section 71 of our OHS Act - Obligation to keep a list of HSRs - requires a written list of each HSR and dHSR for each DWG to be prepared, kept up-to-date, and displayed or otherwise made accessible (paraphrased).
More broadly, under section 22(c) of the Act, an employer must provide information to employees concerning health and safety at the workplace, including the names of persons to whom an employee may make an inquiry or complaint about health and safety (paraphrased).
WorkSafe’s Compliance Code: First Aid in the Workplace advises in clause 72 that employers need to provide safety signs to ensure first aid facilities are adequately signed, and details to assist workers locate first aid officers are provided (e.g., telephone numbers, locations, or a photograph if the first aid officer has provided one).
The employer’s section 22 duty to provide information concerning health and safety might see the inclusion of:
- Safety and wellbeing policy and role statements
- Safety issue resolution flowchart
- Contact details for safety, wellbeing, and injury management.
- Health and Safety Committee members, dates, and minutes
- EAP and peer support contacts
- Incident, hazard, and near-miss reporting process
- Safety alerts
- Safety information sheets
- Incident overview sheets
- Worksite safety and inspection checklists
Consider also the requirement to display PINs - 60(4)(b)(ii) and Inspector Notices s.115(2)(b). Note that these don’t have to be on the OHS Noticeboard, but it is the logical place to display them.
Some Enterprise Agreements (EAs) will include specific clauses under ‘Union Rights’ and ‘OHS’ headings that mandate certain information be displayed by negotiated agreement. We encourage you to review your EA to see if there’s anything there that might have been missed.
And of course, your Union may have special insights into industry-specific requirements for your sector. We strongly encourage workers to contact their Union for expert advice and assistance.