Browsing: WHS Harmonisation (WA) | Page 4

Employers are being advised against starting training for Western Australia's new WHS Act, suggesting planned changes to the "green" Bill will be significant and the Regulations could differ considerably from the national model WHS Regulations.

• Rio subsidiary and individual fined over death and fall; and
  
• WA reveals January 2017 plan for WHS Act and GHS.

Both unions and a ministerial advisory panel have raised concerns over the sluggish development of Western Australia's mirror WHS laws, while a new report has identified the three greatest hazards faced by the State's mine workers.

The proposed harmonised WHS Bill for the Western Australian resources sector is unlikely to impose significant start-up or ongoing costs on employers, and includes five changes that could increase safety standards, according to a new consultation paper.

Western Australia's proposed mirror WHS laws for the resources sector should include a duty of care at worker accommodation facilities, suicide-specific provisions and a special Code of Practice that addresses rosters, fatigue and bullying, the parliamentary inquiry into FIFO arrangements has recommended.

• Royal Commission into rising WA work deaths demanded;
  
• Safety alerts issued in three jurisdictions; and
  
• High-risk licences expiring in South Australia.

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?

New safety laws have taken effect in most jurisdictions this month, while some planned regulations have been scrapped.

Western Australia will retain a separate dangerous goods safety Act after it introduces mirror WHS laws, but will consolidate its six sets of dangerous goods regulations into an "omnibus" package, the State Government has announced.

• Five options flagged for WA safety laws;
  
• New WHS regulations postponed in Queensland;
  
• Tasmania's safest employers and workers announced; and
  
• Did you miss our latest quarterly update?