The WHS Officer program has been put in place to assist Senators and Members to meet their duties under WHS legislation, including to:
- identify hazards and risks to health and safety
- ensure that adequate first aid facilities are available in the workplace, and
- co-ordinate emergency procedures within the workplace.
Each Senator or Member nominates a MOP(S) Act employee within their office to be perform the following roles:
The following table sets out which WHS roles are required in each of a Senator or Member’s office(s).
| WHS Role | Offices outside of Commonwealth Parliament Offices and Parliament House | Parliament House Office | Offices within Commonwealth Parliament Offices | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electorate Office(s) | Ministerial Office | Capital City Office | |||
| WHS Site Officer | Required | Required | Required |
Required Only in ministerial wing or where an employee is permanently located in an office |
Required |
| First Aid Officer | Required | Required | Required | Not required Function performed by DPS through Nurses’ station & security guards |
Required |
| Emergency Officer | Required | Required | Required | Not required Function performed by DPS |
Required |
| Deputy Emergency Officer | Required | Required | Required | Not required Function performed by DPS |
Required |
MOP(S) Act employees nominated to perform these roles in their office(s) should ensure that they:
- complete their required training as soon as practicable
- carry out the duties and obligations of their role.