Member assistance
Please read through our frequently asked questions. If you do not find the information you need, submit a Member Assistance form at the bottom of the page
Health, safety and wellbeing
Depending on the situation and if you are confident to do so, firstly try to manage the situation yourself by politely telling the person, in a calm and professional way, about the impact of their behaviour and that you want it to stop.
Keep diary notes of workplace bullying incidents. These will be important if you lodge a formal complaint with your workplace.
Check if your workplace has a bullying policy and procedure. These will tell you how your employer manages bullying incidents and how to lodge a formal complaint, if you wish to.
Get support. Being bullied is stressful. Enlist the support of your friends and family, a supervisor or manager (if they are not the person doing the bullying), an HSR or Job Rep. The Nursing and Midwifery Health Program can also help. www.nmhp.org.au
Report workplace bullying. If the bullying does not stop, you may need to lodge a formal written complaint in accordance with the bullying reporting procedures at your workplace.
Call us for assistance. We have a ‘Say NO to bullying’ information pack that we can send to you. We can also help you if you need assistance to lodge a formal complaint, or are not happy with the response you have received from your employer.
Download our Workplace bullying: a guide to assist members
or download our Workplace bullying is a serious health hazard poster
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Employers are required to involve HSRs in consultation by:
• providing all information to the HSR which will be provided to employees
• providing the information to the HSR a reasonable time before other employees if you can
• meeting with the HSR if they accept an invitation to meet or if a meeting is requested by the HSR
• giving the HSR the opportunity to express views
• taking the HSR’s views into account
This includes when:
• identifying hazards, assessing risks and deciding how to control risks
• assessing the adequacy of workplace welfare facilities (such as dining rooms, toilets or first aid).
• determining the membership of any health and safety committee
• deciding on health and safety policies and procedures
• proposing changes to the workplace that could affect the health and safety of employees, including changes to the equipment or substances used or how work is done
Consultation needs to involve:
• sharing information about anything that could affect workplace health and safety – information must be timely and in a form that can be understood by employees, including in other languages where appropriate
• giving employees a reasonable opportunity to express their views – employees should be encouraged to play a part in the problem-solving process
• taking those views into account – employees should help to shape decisions, not hear about them after they are made.
More information:
WorkSafe:
• Guide for Workers - Consultation publication
• Consultation web page
• HSR Portal
• a handbook: 'Consultation on health and safety '
Download the OHS Act 2004 from the Victorian government legislation repository website.
Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act you are protected from discrimination if you raise a concern about health and safety, are an employee who has utilised a workplace right as a health and safety representative or a member of an occupational health and safety committee or have assisted those persons. If you believe you are receiving unfair treatment as a result of these, please fill in the form below
Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act the employer has a duty to provide equipment or ways of working that allows workers to be safe and without risks to health, so far as is reasonably practicable. Employers are required to consult with employees (or their health and safety representatives) on what equipment they are to provide in order for employees to undertake their work safely. This may involve testing different equipment prior to a decision being made. For further information fill in the form below.
Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, your employer must provide adequate information, instruction, training or supervision to staff so that they can work in a way that is safe and without risks to health.
In deciding how training is delivered, the employer has an obligation to consult the affected employees or their health and safety representatives before this decision is made. Many employers opt for online training. Should employees feel that this is inappropriate, a request can be made to the employer to provide face to face training.
First, seek appropriate treatment. You must ensure that an incident report has been completed. If, as a result of your injury, you require time off work or medical treatment, you have the right to claim for compensation. To do this you must complete a Victorian WorkCover Authority Worker’s Injury Claim Form. If you are claiming weekly payments, your GP must provide a Certificate of Capacity to accompany your claim form.
Information about lodging a claim is available from the WorkSafe website.
The Nursing and Midwifery Health Program Victoria is an independent support service for nurses, midwives and students of nursing and midwifery experiencing health issues related to their mental health or substance use concerns.
The service provides confidential, sensitive and compassionate screening, assessment, referrals, individual support sessions and groups for those seeking help to manage these health concerns. Phone 9415 7551 during office hours, Direct Line 1800 888 236 for assistance with substance use issues out of hours or visit www.nmhp.org.au for more information.
Generally, separate toilets need to be provided in workplaces where there are both male and female employees. However in workplaces with both male and female employees where the total number of people who normally work at the workplace is 10 or less, and there are two or less employees of one gender, one unisex toilet may be provided.
In terms of meal facilities, the Victorian WorkCover Authority Workplace Amenities and Work Environment Compliance Code states that employees need to have access to hygienic facilities for preparing and eating meals while at work. For further details, read the code.
Your employer is required to provide adequate systems of work which are designed to prevent incident of occupational violence and aggression.
If a violent or aggressive incident occurs, your employer is required to investigate this incident and put appropriate controls in place to prevent or reduce the likelihood of a future incident occurring. As an employee, you must ensure that an incident report is completed for all violent or aggressive incidents. Also, tell us about any violent or aggressive incidents you experience in the workplace. This should not replace the incident report you complete to notify your employer.
In short, there aren’t any. Part 3.1 (Manual Handling) of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (2007) does not have either weight or maximum force limits. It comes down to a risk assessment process, looking at factors such as the frequency, size, shape, degree of movement and forces required to undertake the manual handling task. The risk assessment process should identify the safest way of performing the task.
If you have a work related injury or illness you are entitled to submit a claim for compensation. Your general entitlements will include weekly payments and medical and like expenses. When we say ‘like’ expenses, we refer to things like travel costs to and from appointments, assistance with household work, and aids and appliances.
Information about submitting a claim can be found on the Victorian WorkCover Authority website.
© This work is copyright. Apart from any use permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process, nor may any other exclusive right be exercised, without the permission of The Secretary, Australian Nursing & Midwifery Federation (Victorian Branch), Melbourne, 2023.