On 31 March 2022, the Work Health and Safety (WHS) laws replaced the health and safety elements of the Mines Safety and Inspection laws. For information visit www.demirs.wa.gov.au/whs
Transitional arrangements may be in place for the compliance requirements on this page.
All health and safety notifications, forms and guidance for mining and petroleum has moved to the WorkSafe website
The information below has been left for historical compliance reference purposes
What is the role of safety and health representatives in consultation?
A safe workplace is more easily achieved when employers and workers talk to each other about potential problems and work together to find solutions. This is why the law requires employers to consult workers on safety and health matters.
Employers must consult and cooperate with safety and health representatives (if any) and workers about safety and health at the workplace. Safety and health representatives must also consult before issuing a provision improvement notice (PIN).
How can safety and health representatives contribute to incident investigations?
A safety and health representative is an invaluable source of knowledge that can help those undertaking a site investigation. Representatives bring an understanding of workplace systems, health and safety, and experience in liaising with workers and supervisors.
Representatives may also be requested by a mines inspector to assist in a departmental investigation.
For those taking part in an investigation, Investigating incidents - information sheet for safety and health representatives provides information on how an investigation is run. It describes the principles involved in conducting an investigation and provides procedural hints.
What is the purpose of provisional improvement notices (PINs)?
Only elected safety and health representatives who have completed the training to become a qualified safety and health representative can issue a provisional improvement notice (PIN).
PINs are issued at the mine where the safety and health representative works (or if elected by a group, at a mine where any member works) if he or she believes that there is a breach of the mines safety and inspection legislation and consultation has failed to resolve the issue.
The pamphlet below provides answers to the following questions:
- What is a PIN?
- Who can issue a PIN?
- Is there any consultation before a PIN?
- What must the employer do if someone is issued with a PIN?
- What if a person misuses the power to issue?
Provisional improvement notices (PIN) – for petroleum and geothermal energy industries.
A provisional improvement notice (PIN) may be issued to the responsible person at the workplace by an elected safety and health representative.
Related information
Below is the list of documents and links that you may find useful.