You may employ people with English as a second language, including temporary workers for seasonal work (for example, backpackers during fruit harvesting seasons).
If you’re a Person Conduction a Business or Undertaking (PCBU), you must adapt your work practices according to the different needs of your workers.
Specific issues to consider for your migrant workers may include:
- language barriers
- cultural or religious differences
- literacy difficulties
- limited knowledge of local legislation and safety standards
- reluctance to engage with authority figures.
Therefore you may need to:
- consider how to convey information about safety to those with a limited knowledge of English
- consider accessing English language support for workers
- arrange for any necessary support to be provided by others within the workplace
- encourage supervisors to be understanding and approachable.
Resources
Migrant workers: Safe Work Australia These facts sheets are aimed at workers and are in different languages. They explain work health and safety responsibilities and workers compensation.
Employer resources: Migration Tasmania
Employer Resources: Multicultural Access Point, Tasmanian Government