An employer owes a general overarching duty of care to provide a
safe system of work, to promote the safety and health of all
persons at work, and to prevent, so far as is practicable, exposure
to hazards in the workplace.1 It can be said that, in
general terms, the majority of employers are sufficiently aware of
their obligations arising under the Occupational Safety and
Health Act 1984 (WA) (the Act) with respect
to physical safety. This is particularly the case in industries
such as mining, oil and gas and construction, where work is
traditionally more "physical" than in professional
services organisations.
However more subtle hazards are commonly ignored, or are not
easily identified, when it comes to physical and mental health
issues arising in professional services organisations. In
particular, where employees attend work related social functions,
whether it be during the normal working hours or outside these
hours, potential hazards and risks are easily
