Opponents of WHS provisions that exclude the right to claim the privilege against self-incrimination and reverse the legal burden of proof are being given an opportunity to convince the Australian Law Reform Commission to scrap them.
Two national employers are facing category 2 safety charges, in the second and third criminal proceedings filed under the Commonwealth jurisdiction's mirror WHS Act. Meanwhile, a Western Australian company has been fined for height-safety breaches.
A major law firm has outlined the key issues that the COAG review of the model WHS Act is likely to - or should - address in the coming months, as well as its "top 10" most important employment-related court and tribunal decisions for 2014-15.
Unions are using International Workers' Memorial Day tomorrow to call for company directors to be jailed for up to 20 years for serious safety breaches, and for governments to crack down on workplace exposure to hazardous substances.
Creating flexible safety cultures and complying with the due diligence requirements of the WHS Act hinge on "fanatic discipline", "empirical creativity" and "productive paranoia", according to Norton Rose Fulbright partner Michael Tooma.
The final quarter of 2014 was a busy three months for workplace health and safety and workers' compensation, with major legislative changes and other developments in all jurisdictions. What did you miss?
A senior departmental officer has assured critics of the SRC Amendment Bill that Comcare has the expertise and resources to regulate complex, heavy industries.
