WorkSafe has communicated that they are initiating a project on Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) laws in the Child Care industry, with childcare centres located in metro and regional WA being randomly selected for inspection.
WorkSafe has a number of inspectors who have the legal right to enter your workplace at any time.
If they come to your workplace, they will notify the person in charge that they’ve arrived. As the employer, you must inform your elected Safety and Health Representatives of WorkSafe’s presence.
The inspector will carry out an inspection of your workplace and focus on WorkSafe’s priority areas:
- electricity
- falls from heights
- hazardous substances
- manual handling (particularly lifting)
- machine guarding
- mobile plant
- slips, trips and falls
The WorkSafe Inspector will conduct an examination of your workplace and make enquiries as necessary. They may examine your plant and equipment, take photos, ask for documents, and interview people at your workplace.
It is an offence to obstruct, threaten or interfere with an inspector while they are undertaking their duties.
If during an inspection, the inspector forms an opinion that your workplace is not complying with WA’s OSH laws, they can issue verbal directions, improvement or prohibition notices or a combination of these.
CCIWA offer support to businesses to check compliance. If you would like to know how CCIWA can assist you to be prepared for a visit from Worksafe, please call 9365 7415.
