Browsing: Authority/inspectorate (National) | Page 12

• WHS reviews urged ahead of impending psychosocial changes;
  
• COVID-era return-to-work outcomes revealed; and
  
• Crane, hydration and zoonoses developments from WA.

A union and two of its officials have failed to overturn a ruling that they unlawfully obstructed work on a major project. They claimed the finding was erroneous because their conduct involved ensuring a PCBU was complying with its WHS duties.

• Workplace justice warning issued for WHS Code commencement;
  
• New permanent impairment guide made under Comcare scheme; and
  
• SWMS guidance note issued in ACT.

• WHS laws around hazardous crane lifts explained; and
  
• Safety enforcement action captures company profits.

• Workers' comp fines increased by 1,000% in NSW; and
  
• SWA acts on WHS ministers' meeting with prohibition proposals.

• $300k safety fine sends warning on pre-start checks;
  
• Three safety Codes of Practice revoked in WA; and
  
• Comcare and WA safety awards open.

The national model WHS laws will be amended to include the offence of industrial manslaughter with a maximum fine on par with that in the country's only non-harmonised jurisdiction. Australia's WHS ministers agreed to the move yesterday, as well as to crack down on silica risks and explore an import ban on engineered stone.

A major employer has been fined $70,000 for serious contraventions of its consultation obligations, with the Federal Court finding it pursued a "commercial benefit" ahead of the safety of its workers and others affected by its undertaking.

The Federal Labor Government has committed to pushing - at today's meeting of Australia's WHS ministers - for bans on highly hazardous silica products, stressing that health and safety controls are unlikely to be applied at all stages of a product's lifecycle.

Employers are now expected to take greater ownership of the WHS challenges posed by global supply chain pressures and changing technologies - an expectation that will be enforced by regulators under Australia's new 10-year WHS strategy, which identifies six key emerging issues.