As described by the Model Work Health and Safety Act, the primary duty of care of a person conducting a business or undertaking is to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers engaged, or caused to be engaged by the person; and workers whose activities in carrying out work are influenced or directed by the person, while the workers are at work in the business or undertaking. The directive further states that, without limiting those subsections, a person conducting a business or undertaking must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the provision of any information, training, instruction or supervision that is necessary to protect all persons from risks to their health and safety arising from work carried out as part of the conduct of the business or undertaking.
These sections and subsections form part of Division 2 of the Model Work Health and Safety Act, describing the Primary Duty of Care of a person conducting a business or undertaking.
Supervision is the oversight and review of occupational activities relating to the performance of work, running of teams, and the business overall. In a health and safety context, supervision may refer to the monitoring of workers and work processes to proactively identify and control risks, the monitoring of safety performance more generally, or a worker's awareness of what they are doing, as the smallest unit of supervision is self-supervision. Supervision is therefore a core mechanism through which a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) discharges their duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that work is performed safely, competently, and in accordance with established systems of work. Effective supervision provides the structure through which expectations are communicated, behaviours are guided, and risks are identified early, allowing corrective action to be taken before harm occurs.
Supervision may be undertaken formally as may be done during a probationary period or period of training to ensure a worker is meeting minimum competency and demonstrates the ability to meet the demands of the job in such a way as to be allowed to go about their work independently. Formal supervision is structured, documented, and typically aligned with defined competency frameworks, safe‑work procedures, and organisational expectations. It may involve scheduled reviews, direct observation, competency assessments, and progressive sign‑off of skills as the worker demonstrates safe and reliable performance. Formal supervision is essential where workers are new to the organisation, new to a task, or returning from injury, and where the risks associated with the work require assurance that the worker can perform safely without direct oversight. In this way, formal supervision functions as both a protective measure and a developmental process.
Supervision may be undertaken informally wherein oversight is provided through routine interaction, collegial support, and the natural flow of work within teams. Informal supervision occurs continuously as experienced workers, team leaders, and supervisors engage with and are within the work environment, providing guidance, answering questions, and intervening when unsafe behaviours or emerging risks are observed. This form of supervision is particularly important in dynamic environments where conditions change rapidly, where workers may be exposed to variable demands, or where psychosocial and interpersonal factors influence performance. Informal supervision reinforces safe behaviours, supports early identification of hazards, and fosters a culture in which workers feel comfortable seeking clarification, raising concerns, and engaging collaboratively in the management of risk.
Supervision programs can be used to closely or more generally monitor the effectiveness of provided information and applied training, and therefore inform the prioritisation of future instruction provided to workers, deficits in information, and training needed. Supervision therefore provides a practical monitor considering the sociotechnical interaction between the theoretical content of training and the lived reality of work, allowing supervisors to observe how well workers apply knowledge, adhere to controls, and navigate the complexities of their tasks. Patterns of error, hesitation, or unsafe improvisation can indicate gaps in training or deficiencies in the clarity of procedures. Conversely, strong performance and consistent safe behaviour can validate the effectiveness of existing systems. Supervision programs therefore serve as an essential diagnostic tool within the broader safety management system, enabling continuous improvement, targeted upskilling, and the refinement of safe‑work practices to ensure that controls remain aligned with the needs of the workplace.
Each workplace is different, with different demands, methods of business, and is staffed by people whose capacities, needs, and risk profiles are different. Managing ergonomic, environmental, and occupational health and safety challenges requires a business to examine and engage with the ecosystem of factors that give rise to risk, and how that risk may affect people. Each workplace is different and so sometimes the same problem will require different solutions. This applies to workers as well - every person is different and so may require different support, supervision, or resources to perform comfortably and sustainably. Under Work Health and Safety law, consultation with the workforce, the control of risk as far as is reasonably practicable, and the provision of information, training, instruction and support to the worker by the workplace, is essential to meet obligations to provide workers with a workplace that is as free of risk as far is reasonably practicable.
In our capacity as consultants, Atlas Physio will explore and scope the business and its needs, examining how exposures, risks, and processes contribute to the hazard ecosystem, best inform the design and arrangement of procedural, policy-based, and practical risk controls. Our solutions are tailored to the needs of those with whom we work, implemented in a simple, sustainable, and supportive fashion, designed to be robust and resilient, and to support the ongoing life of the business as well as the sustainable wellbeing of the workers who undertake the day to day activities of work.
At Atlas Physio, we provide reporting, structured control, and ongoing management of risk onsite, on the road, and wherever work is done. We are open seven days a week, and are happy to offer a brief complimentary discussion to explore the needs of your business and your workers if you are an employer, and your needs if you are a worker. Reach out today to arrange a discussion and take the first step toward managing risk and working safely, supported by expertise that is practical, reliable, and designed to deliver lasting results.