Workplace Safety & Training obligations

“Where a worker may be required to autonomously adopt alternative work procedures in response to changing circumstance and those alterations may present serious risks to that worker or others, it would be prudent, at the very least, to ensure that “on the job” training was formalised and documented with a view to ensuring a comprehensive coverage of all facets of the work and full appreciation of any safety risks by the employee concerned.”

• Matthew Hourn is partner at Clinch Neville Long lawyers (www.clinchnevillelong.com.au).

Legal Tips For Your Employees

If you are the sort of employer who likes to guide your staff from time to time on how to improve themselves and if you have exhausted your diatribes on issues such as safety, working as a team, and not putting fag butts out the window, then law is the subject for you.

Here are 10 legal things that your employees need to know:

1. 1. Do not write down insults in emails. It’s too easy to prove if the company and you are sued for defamation.
2. 2. Illegal downloads (music, pornography etc.) do not disappear when you press the delete button.
3. 3. Don’t take the client list or reveal our secrets when you leave or we will sue your pants off.
4. 4. Emails can be binding legal contracts. Don’t unwittingly commit the company.
5. 5. Court cases waste time and money and take the focus off business, do don’t get us involved in disputes.
6. 6. If we get into legal proceedings because of you, even if you are in the right we are likely to settle the proceedings before we get anywhere near court having incurred a great deal of expense and time lost. In that event we will hate you forever.
7. 7. In every major court case now there is a “smoking gun” email. Don’t let it be yours.
8. 8. One man’s humour is another woman’s harassment and ticket to a payout.
9. 9. If the company gets sued for your negligence, then we can sue you too.
10. 10. We are responsible for every act you do as an employee. So watch it.