A senior departmental officer has assured critics of the SRC Amendment Bill that Comcare has the expertise and resources to regulate complex, heavy industries.
Reducing suicide rates under Mates in Construction's suicide-prevention strategy is not only good for workers and their families, but saves industry and government millions of dollars, according to a report.
In this update, OHS Alert examines the most important workplace safety and workers' comp news from the third quarter of 2014, including Safe Work Australia's controversial decision to dump draft Codes of Practice in favour of guidance packages, and other legislative developments.
Proposed laws for protecting NSW public servants, and others excluded from the Fair Work Act's anti-bullying provisions, should complement the Commonwealth legislation and be overseen by the State IRC, according to State Greens MP David Shoebridge.
A company that created a "hidden danger" when it loaded a truck is more liable for a worker's serious injuries than the worker's employer, the NSW Court of Appeal has found in a $5.75 million damages case.
A worker who witnessed suicides and other distressing incidents during his employment is likely to be awarded lump sum compensation for PTSD, after the NSW WCC rejected his employer's claim that the condition was secondary to an arm injury.