Everyone has a role to play to ensure that health and safety is a priority in the workplace. The Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act) and Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 require persons who have a duty to ensure health and safety to ‘manage risks’ by eliminating health and safety risks so far as is reasonably practicable, and if it is not reasonably practicable to do so, to minimise those risks so far as is reasonably practicable.
Duty holders have a very important role in preserving health and safety during an emergency situation. As indicated in the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011, duty holders ensure health and safety by managing risk through the elimination of risks to safety and health using reasonable practices. If the methods are not reasonable or practical to do, risks should be minimised as possible.