The Diocesan Finance and Property Council has recently considered its responsibilities under the Workplace Health and Safety Act (1995) with regard to smoking in the workplace. The following sections of the Workplace Health and Safety Act seem most relevant:

Obligations of employers

28. (1) An employer has an obligation to ensure the workplace health and safety of each of the employer's workers at work.
(2) Also, an employer has an obligation to ensure his or her own workplace health and safety and the workplace health and safety of others is not affected by the way the employer conducts the employer's undertaking.

Obligations of workers and other persons at a workplace:

36. A worker or anyone else at a workplace has the following obligations at a workplace;
(a) to comply with the instructions given for workplace health and safety at the workplace by the employer at the workplace and, if the workplace is a construction workplace, the principal contractor for workplace health and safety at the workplace.
(d) not to wilfully place at risk the workplace health and safety of any person at the workplace;
(e) not to wilfully injure himself or herself.

In consideration of the above requirements of the Workplace Health and Safety Act (1995) it was decided to adopt a policy on behalf of the Roman Catholic Trust Corporation for the Diocese of Townsville that:

• There will be NO SMOKING within the workplace by any employee of the Roman Catholic Trust Corporation for the Diocese of Townsville or any of its agencies.

• There will be NO SMOKING in any Church/Diocesan buildings which are used by employees or volunteers.

• NO SMOKING signs are to be displayed where appropriate.

This Policy regarding NO SMOKING IN THE WORKPLACE is to be brought to the attention of all Diocesan employees and volunteers, and will be monitored by the Diocesan Workplace Health and Safety Officer.

This Policy will be effective from 1 March 1997.

DIOCESAN SECRETARY