Dental Health Services Victoria

Reporting an incident
OHS representatives
Responsibilities 
OHS meeting minutes

Reporting an incident

If you have had an incident or near miss at work involving your health and safety, you must report it using the online Victorian Health Incident Management System (VHIMS):

1. Go to the VHIMS system (link will be activated on 28 February 2011)
2. Login and report your incident in the system.
3. For queries please contact Andrea Stone, on x1312.

OHS representatives

Additional resources for OHS representatives:

• Audit tool (PDF, 115KB)
• Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004
• Occupational Health and Safety Act Summary 2005
• Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2007
• Australian Standards/ New Zealand Standards
• Occupational Health and Safety Act Codes of Practice
• Guidance Notes
• Policies and procedures (Safe Operating Procedures and Job Safety Analyses)
• WorkSafe

Responsibilities of employer

To provide and maintain ‘so far as is reasonably practicable’ a work environment that is safe and without risk to health.

Employers must ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of their employees when at work by:

• maintaining places of work under their control in a safe condition, and ensuring safe entrances and exits.
   
• making arrangements for ensuring the safe use, handling, storage and transport of plant and substances.
   
• providing and maintaining systems of work, and working environments, that are safe and without risks to health.
   
• providing the information, instruction, training and supervision necessary to ensure the health and safety of employees.

Responsibilities of employee

To take reasonable care, cooperate with the employer and report any incident immediately.

Employees must:

• take reasonable care of the health and safety of themselves and others.
   
• co-operate with employers in their efforts to comply with occupational health and safety requirements.
   
• report near misses, hazards or incidents and any risks associated with their work.

Employees must not:

• interfere with or misuse things provided for the health, safety or welfare of persons at work.
   
• obstruct attempts to give aid or attempts to prevent a serious risk to the health and safety of a person at work.
   
• refuse a reasonable request to assist in giving aid or preventing a risk to health and safety.
   
• disrupt the workplace by creating undue health and safety fears without reasonable excuse.

Responsibilities of OHS representatives

OHS representatives are responsible for:

• consulting with supervisors and managers to develop and promote measures to ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees at work.
   
• conducting risk assessments and risk control within their departments to eliminate or minimise risks and hazards.
   
• evaluating risk controls in their departments and implement safer working conditions in consultation with supervisors and managers.