You may employ people with English as a second language, including temporary workers for seasonal work (for example, backpackers during fruit harvesting seasons).
As the Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU), you have a duty of care to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that the health and safety of people are not put at risk from work carried out.
If your workforce includes migrant workers, the health and safety those workers may require additional consideration to ensure this duty is met.
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 aimed at workers 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
Migrant worker protections: Australian Government Office of Home Affairs