AGL2610 | Operational assurance overview: Health and Safety: Legislation

The main legislation dealing with this subject is the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. This Act imposes a duty of care upon the Department to ensure safe working conditions for all its staff. This means that managers have a day to day responsibility to ensure that their staff are not exposed to undue risk. This duty of care is also imposed on businesses that operate quarries. They must, as far as is reasonably practicable, safeguard the health, safety and welfare of employees and others on their premises. In particular, they must provide and maintain:

• safe plant and safe system of work;

• safe handling, storage, maintenance and transport of work articles and substances;

• necessary information, instruction, training and supervision;

• a safe place of work, with safe access and egress; and

• safe working environment with adequate welfare facilities.

As well as having to comply with Health & Safety legislation, quarry operators have to comply with the Quarries Regulations 1999 (web). These regulations are intended to protect the health & safety of people working at a quarry and others who may be affected by quarrying activities.