Browsing: WHS Harmonisation (National) | Page 21

Safe Work Australia has released harmonisation guides on the interpretation and application of the terms PCBU and "reasonably practicable", and on the duties of officers. It has also found that nearly one in three employees in high-risk industries "get so involved" in their work they forget about safety.

Harmonisation in turmoil as Victoria demands 12-month delay; and South Australian employers promised lower premiums under proposed incentive laws.

Safe Work Australia has released for public comment 15 more draft model Codes of Practice, including those that address workplace bullying, fatigue, first aid, construction and demolition work, the design of buildings and structures and hazardous chemicals.

OHS duties should be included in the job descriptions of all company executives before harmonised work health and safety laws take effect, according to employment lawyer Ben Urry.

In a panel discussion at the Comcare conference in Melbourne, the OHS director general of the Department of Defence has outlined steps the employer is taking to prepare for harmonised safety laws.

The cost of implementing harmonised safety laws for employers will be "remarkably small", the Ai Group has acknowledged on the release of the Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) for the model Work Health and Safety Regulations.

Australia's OHS regulators will from January focus on "encouraging and assisting compliance" with the Work Health and Safety Act in the event of an alleged breach, and will be more likely to investigate employers that have been issued improvement notices in the past, according to the National Compliance and Enforcement Policy.

WRMC endorses harmonisation, with conditions; and Essential safety news from NSW, Victoria and Queensland.

Safe Work Australia has released its second suite of mine-specific draft model Codes of Practice for public comment, but the harmonisation process suffered another hiccup on Friday, with the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry declining to endorse the draft Regulations at the SWA members meeting in Sydney.

The draft model Work Health and Safety Regulations and Codes of Practice for mining have been released for public comment, but "harmonisation" appears to be a long way off for this sector, with at least four jurisdictions looking to introduce their own laws.