Work health & safety: core principles and responsibilities
By CBD College · Reviewed by our training team · Updated 8 June 2026 · 4 min read
Work health and safety (WHS) rests on a few core principles — preventing harm before it happens, involving workers, protecting everyone at the workplace and continuously improving. Under WHS law, employers (as the 'person conducting a business or undertaking', or PCBU) must provide safe systems, assess and control risks and train and consult workers; workers must take reasonable care, follow procedures and report hazards. Risk is managed using the hierarchy of control.
The core principles
- Prevention — eliminate or reduce risk before incidents occur
- Participation — involve workers in safety decisions
- Protection — a safe environment for everyone at the workplace
- Continuous improvement — review and adapt safety practices over time
Employer (PCBU) responsibilities
- Provide safe equipment, systems and procedures
- Assess risks and put controls in place
- Give information, training and supervision
- Consult workers on WHS matters
- Meet legislative requirements
Worker responsibilities
- Take reasonable care for your own and others' safety
- Follow WHS policies and procedures
- Use equipment and substances safely
- Report hazards, incidents and near misses
Managing risk: the hierarchy of control
Hazards are controlled from most to least effective: eliminate the hazard, then substitute, isolate or use engineering controls, then administrative controls and finally personal protective equipment (PPE). A Certificate IV or Diploma of WHS teaches you to apply this in a real workplace.
Frequently asked questions
What is a PCBU?▾
A 'person conducting a business or undertaking' — the WHS term for the employer or business that holds the primary safety duty.
Who is responsible for safety at work?▾
It's a shared duty: the PCBU holds the primary duty, but workers, officers and others all have responsibilities under WHS law.
Get qualified with CBD College
BSB41419 Certificate IV in Work Health and Safety — nationally recognised, delivered by experienced WHS trainers. See dates and book online.
See dates & book online