In July this year a new ruling will be enforced that means employers can be liable for workplace manslaughter. This is massive and a scary thought for those industries that operate in dangerous conditions where this could potentially happen.
Just in 2019 Worksafe Victoria accepted over 27,000 claims and 24 workplace fatalities occurred in Victoria alone.
There are steps that you can take as a business to ensure that you provide a safe workplace and allows your employees go home to their families at the end of the day. Each state has their own version of WorkSafe and they have trained inspectors travelling everyday to make sure that the employer is providing this safe environment.
WHAT CAN I DO AS A BUSINESS?
Providing a safe environment for your employees is paramount. Depending on your industry, this could mean that certain equipment is maintained and serviced on a regular basis.
You must also have WorkCover insurance for your particular state. If there is an incident in the workplace, then this insurance will provide the employee with an income while they are unable to work, cover medical and rehabilitation costs and also cover legal costs if they arise.
Each state is different, so please refer to the links below for your state;
VIC; www.worksafe.vic.gov.au
NSW: www.workcover.nsw.gov.au
QLD: www.worksafe.qld.gov.au
SA: www.rtwsa.com
WA: www.workcover.wa.gov.au
NT: https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/
ACT: www.accesscanberra.act.gov.au
DO I NEED TO REGISTER FOR WORKCOVER?
If you employ, then generally you will need to register for WorkCover insurance.
This could mean that you are a on-man-band and are the only working employee in the business.
There are exemptions however, for instance, in Victoria if you have no apprentices and you are unlikely to pay more than $7,500 per financial year in remuneration (which includes Superannuation), then you maybe exempt. Always check with your insurer when employing to confirm if insurance is required for your particular situation.
WorkCover Insurance is just like any other insurance for your business. It gives you peace of mind that IF anything does happen to your employees then you will be covered. Each year you will need to provide the insurer with the Certified Remuneration for the past year and also an estimate for the following year. Calculated Accounts can provide this information to the insurer for you and ensure that you are not paying too much for the insurance.
If you have not taken out Workers Compensation insurance or feel that you may need to update your policy details, please contact us to get you back on track and put your mind at ease.
