Self employed and principals

In addition to employers and employees, self-employed persons and principals also have responsibilities for a healthy and safe workplace.

Self-employed persons' duties

Self-employed people have a number of responsibilities in relation to a healthy and safe workplace.

Self-employed people must take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure that nothing they do at work harms themselves or any other person.

They ought to be considering health and safety issues in planning work activities.

They cannot contract out of this obligation.

Self-employed people have to maintain accident registers of all accidents or incidents that harmed or might have harmed:
- the self-employed person while at work; and
- any other person, resulting from the work of the self-employed person while at work.
When an incident involving serious harm occurs at work, self-employed people must:
- Advise the local Departmental regional office as soon as possible by phone or fax.
- Mail or fax written notice to the nearest Departmental regional office office within 7 days.

If a self-employed person is also a principal (ie, contracting in other help) they have additional responsibilities.