Oh&s

Within Australia, each state and territory is responsible for implementing and enforcing laws

concerned with occupational health and safety (SafeWork SA 2008). Such laws make up an

Occupational Health and Safety Act and provide every worker with the right to work in a safe

and healthy environment. To address what must be done in order to maintain and provide a

safe and healthy workplace, there are regulations and codes that are adopted under the OH&S

Act. A regulation sets out general principles that can be implemented for a safe and healthy

workplace and also states what procedures must be followed when health and safety issues

arise or when a workplace involves a particular hazard (SafeWork SA 2008). A code of

practice provides practical guidance on how to achieve the requirements of the regulations

(SafeWork SA 2008). A regulation is legally enforceable and should be used in conjunction

with the Act whereas a Code of Practice is not legally enforceable and should be used in

addition to the Act and the Regulations (Monitor a Safe Workplace 2010). As well as

Regulations and Codes of Practices, there are also Standards and guidance material which can

be used to assist with meeting the requirements of Regulations (SafeWork SA 2008). They

provide workplaces with a guide to the minimum level of performance for a workplace

process or product. Standards and guidance material are not legally enforceable.

Different Codes of Practices and Standards may be different for each workplace. At

Healthscope Pathology, the following Codes of Practices and Standards are used to provide a

safe and healthy workplace.

. Approved Code of Practice for Manual Handling

. Approved Code of Practice for Occupational Health and First Aid in the Workplace

. Approved Code of practice for the Control of Workplace Hazardous Substances

. Approved Code of Practice for the Labelling of Workplace Substances

. Approved Code of Practice for Working Hours

o National Code of Practice for Noise Management and Protection