Worker mindful compliance

Workers are more likely to identify issues, speak up about unsafe practices and conditions, report incidents, and contribute to improvements when engaged with their work.

Encourage interest and compliance in WHS by asking workers to think about how they undertake their work. Create opportunities for feedback and challenge workers to identify areas for improvement in procedures and systems. Recognise and acknowledge individuals and teams when they contribute to and improve your WHS systems.

The Safety fundamentals toolkit includes a Toolbox talk (DOCX, 0.02 MB) template to keep a record of issues raised and action taken. This is a good way to show workers you value their input.

Provide job-relevant and up-to-date knowledge, skills, training, and resources to support workers comply with WHS procedures. This will help them:

• understand and manage hazards themselves without policing
• understand they are responsible and accountable for ensuring the WHS of themselves and their co-workers
• follow workplace rules and WHS expectations.

Workplace environments can change quickly, such as outdoor work that is subject to the weather and work tasks conducted in changing terrains. Workers need to know what to do to manage their WHS and others when they encounter changed conditions. Knowing what to do and how to manage risks when encountering unfamiliar circumstances should form part of training provided to workers.

The Safety fundamentals toolkit has information and resources to help you manage risks and improve your worker capability to reduce risk by anticipating and controlling hazards

Involving workers in conducting risk assessments at the workplace can help foster worker mindfulness around tasks and when reviewing and updating procedures. This is because workers do the work and will likely understand better than others, how and why tasks are normally performed. Workers should be encouraged to provide their insights when designing or redesigning tasks. This will also help to create a culture of mindful behaviour at the workplace.

Workers often identify risks that others may overlook. Actively encourage workers to consider how they perform their work and share their concerns about where measures may fail. Take their views and suggestions into account when making decisions or planning changes.

The Safety fundamentals toolkit has information to improve your worker capability by providing them with information, training and supervision, and how to implement effective consultation strategies to achieve a safer and healthier workplace. As an employer, it's your responsibility to give your workers the information, training, and supervision they need to stay safe at work.