The passage of an amended industrial manslaughter Bill, through South Australia's Parliament, has been described as a "game-changer" for WHS compliance. Meanwhile, the Commonwealth jurisdiction's WHS Act is being amended to empower those directly affected by workplace safety incidents to provide advice to regulators.
A major company and a state government are among the latest entities to formerly commit to phasing out silicosis-causing engineered stone and implementing a WHS ban on the substance.
A court has rejected a worker's claim that her employer unlawfully threatened to lodge a workers' compensation claim, against her will, after she raised safety concerns affecting her mental health.
Australia has taken a big leap towards banning engineered stone products, with the country's WHS ministers agreeing to release a "powerful and compelling" Safe Work Australia report that recommends the ban, and warns there is no evidence that alternative measures can curb the alarming rate of silicosis in engineered stone workers.
Significant amendments were made to workplace health and safety laws in every Australian jurisdiction in the third quarter of 2023, including many increasing penalties and making it easier to prosecute duty holders. This major report - the only one of its kind in the country - examines all the need-to-know legislative changes, workers' compensation developments and court decisions from July, August and September.
Unsafe workplace layouts, and training and first-aid failings, were among the WHS issues that attracted improvement notices in a major compliance project targeting violence and aggression in a hazardous industry.
An injured worker's bid for permanent impairment compensation has been "unravelled" by a Facebook photo of him playing hockey, in a decision examining the responsibilities of claimants to disclose their activities.
An employer has been fined after failures in its communication protocols led to a client assaulting a worker, who should have been told the client had a history of inappropriate behaviour.
PCBUs could be handed WHS fines of up to $100,000 in civil penalty cases launched by affected parties like workers, deceased workers' families and unions, under proposed reforms that have reached the consultation phase in South Australia.
