I have a contract to provide home help to elderly people. What obligations do I have to my home-help workers?
As a principal or as an employer, you must take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure the safety of your home-help workers while they are working.
'All practicable steps' involves having systems in place that identify and control any hazards so that they do not cause harm to anyone while they are working.
'All practicable steps' also means making sure your workers understand how to safely perform any tasks required of them, such as heavy lifting; and to safely use any equipment commonly found in the home, such as ladders or electrical appliances or mechanical equipment.
See our publication A Principals Guide to Contracting to meet the HSE Act 1992 for guidance on your Health and Safety obligations to contractors and business people who work for you.
Date Modified: Wednesday, December 08, 2010
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and should not be used as a substitute for legislation or legal advice. State sector employers
and employees may be affected by some differences in the laws that apply to them (e.g. State
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