General Complaints and Feedback

Work health and safety

Before raising a workplace health or safety issue with us, constructive steps should be taken to have a safety issue resolved in the workplace.

These steps may include:

• reporting the issue verbally to your supervisor or manager
• reporting the issue through the workplace's hazard reporting procedures
• raising the issue with the health and safety representative
• raising the issue with management through your union representative

If these courses of action are not appropriate or successful, you can contact the WorkSafe Tasmania Helpline on 1300 366 322 for advice or assistance.

You can make a complaint to WorkSafe Tasmania if you’re concerned about:

Any matters relating to Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) not meeting their requirements under Tasmanian Health and Safety legislation, for example:

• Unsafe work conditions or work environment
• Unsafe work practices (e.g. failure to provide adequate personal protective equipment)
• Inadequate facilities (e.g. toilets, drinking water)
• Unsafe storage or use of plant, substances or structures
• Any matters relating to workers not meeting requirements under Tasmanian Health and Safety legislation (e.g. taking care his/her actions do not adversely affect the health and safety of other people).

What WorkSafe Tasmania cannot do

There are some things that fall outside the scope of the Work Health and Safety Act 2012 and therefore WorkSafe cannot act on. For example, WorkSafe cannot:

• mediate between the workplace parties involved
• provide legal advice (Tasmania Legal Aid can help)
• provide counselling (we can provide information about suitable mental health services such as Lifeline. Call 13 11 14)
• order the employer to discipline a person alleged to be a source of harmful work behaviour, or to terminate their employment
• take sides
• issue an order to stop bullying behaviour or stop sexual harassment (the Fair Work Commission has powers to issue these orders if required)
• provide services that fall outside the scope of the Work Health and Safety Act 2012.
• Decisions made by other regulatory bodies or tribunals, including
  • Environmental Protection Agency
  • Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal
  • Magistrates or Supreme court
  • Australian Maritime Safety Authority.
• Matters that are part of a formal dispute process, such as conciliation or tribunal proceedings.

If you're unsure whether your matter is something we can assist with, please contact the WorkSafe Tasmania Helpline on 1300 366 322 and we’ll help direct you to the right process or organisation.

WorkSafe Tasmania cannot investigate the outcome of any legal decision related to a Workers Compensation claim by a Court, the Fair Work Commission, or the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. If you wish to object to a legal decision, seek legal advice or contact Worker Assist.