Social activities organised by your business, such as sporting matches and other friendly competitions, can be a great way to help your workers bond outside of work.
However, if you have organised an activity for your workers, the duty of care you owe your workers under health and safety legislation will extend to these work-related activities.
The key test of whether the function or activity is work-related is whether a reasonable person would consider that the business has endorsed or supported the activity.
Different activities carry different levels of risk and you need to be aware of any potential hazards and take steps to minimise the risks before the activity takes place.
That doesn’t mean you should avoid organising social activities for your workers.
Here are some tips for organising work-related activities:
identify potential hazards associated with the activity;
assess the risks posed by those hazards;
implement control measures to reduce or eliminate the risks;
ask workers to disclose any injuries or medical conditions that might make them unfit to participate;
have workers sign a waiver form prior to participating saying that you will not be held liable for any injuries they suffer as a result of the activity; and
if the activity is taking place outdoors, encourage your workers to be sun smart and to keep hydrated. You should also ensure your workers have access to shelter in case of bad weather.
Never pressure workers to participate in a work-related activity. Make it clear that participation is voluntary.
Below, Michael Selinger, Editor-in-Chief of the Health & Safety Handbook, will discuss a recent case in which a worker has made a personal injury claim for an injury suffered during a sporting match organised by his employer. Follow the advice above to make sure your business doesn’t end up in a similar situation.
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Answer:
Social activities organised by your business, such as sporting matches and other friendly competitions, can be a great way to help your workers bond outside of work.
However, if you have organised an activity for your workers, the duty of care you owe your workers under health and safety legislation will extend to these work-related activities.
The key test of whether the function or activity is work-related is whether a reasonable person would consider that the business has endorsed or supported the activity.
Different activities carry different levels of risk and you need to be aware of any potential hazards and take steps to minimise the risks before the activity takes place.
That doesn’t mean you should avoid organising social activities for your workers.
Here are some tips for organising work-related activities:
identify potential hazards associated with the activity;
assess the risks posed by those hazards;
implement control measures to reduce or eliminate the risks;
ask workers to disclose any injuries or medical conditions that might make them unfit to participate;
have workers sign a waiver form prior to participating saying that you will not be held liable for any injuries they suffer as a result of the activity; and
if the activity is taking place outdoors, encourage your workers to be sun smart and to keep hydrated. You should also ensure your workers have access to shelter in case of bad weather.
Never pressure workers to participate in a work-related activity. Make it clear that participation is voluntary.
Below, Michael Selinger, Editor-in-Chief of the Health & Safety Handbook, will discuss a recent case in which a worker has made a personal injury claim for an injury suffered during a sporting match organised by his employer. Follow the advice above to make sure your business doesn’t end up in a similar situation.
Explanation:
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