Browsing: WHS Harmonisation (National) | Page 2

The national model Work Health and Safety Regulations have been amended to expressly ban hazardous work processes and update references to certain Australian Standards.

Six of Australia's eight harmonised jurisdictions have now implemented regulations explicitly requiring PCBUs to tackle psychosocial risks through a risk management process, with the latest, the Northern Territory, choosing to mirror the national model clauses instead of opting for variations adopted by two jurisdictions.

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.

The WHS regulations in Queensland have been amended to improve the harmonisation of Australia's safety laws, while the State has also tightened its "white card" safety training requirements.

A "WHS trends" survey has uncovered major concerns around jurisdictional divergences from the national model WHS laws, and found most large businesses perceive themselves as being high on the "safety culture maturity" scale.

• Model WHS changes flagged for hazardous facilities; and
  
• Your workplace's noise could be more hazardous than you think.

• Road death attracts plant-supply charge and fine; and
  
• Exposure limit for coal dust halved under model WHS laws.

• SWA finalises model WHS Code on psychosocial hazards;
  
• OHS Code on tackling language barriers released in Vic; and
  
• Silica advice and revised WHS Codes issued in ACT.

• Model WHS amendments for silica flagged in RIS;
  
• Workplace violence and lead (Pb) targeted in SA; and
  
• SafeWork NSW's "Speak Up" app hits 10,000 reports.

The national model Work Health and Safety Act, Regulations and related materials have been amended to reflect a wide range of recommendations from Marie Boland's independent review of the laws. Some states have already adopted some of the changes, while other jurisdictions are likely to follow suit soon.