Federal Liberal Senator Eric Abetz is likely to be tasked with overseeing the model WHS Act and industrial relations, following the Coalition's comprehensive election win on the weekend.
Employers should think very carefully before signing statements made to safety inspectors following incidents, with inspectors' coercive powers under the model WHS Act potentially leading to "unmeritorious" decisions to prosecute, an OHS lawyer warns.
Revised WHS construction Code released for comment; Vic launches firefighter hotline as "presumptive" laws progress in Tas; and Nanomaterials project opens the door to effective toxicity testing.
Company officers will be explicitly prohibited from taking out insurance policies for OHS fines, under a proposal to the Federal Government by South Australia's Attorney-General.
Most workers find it difficult to understand and comply with workplace health and safety documents that use the formal language of legislation, codes of practice and other government publications, a New Zealand study has found.
The Heavy Vehicle National Law, originally scheduled to take effect this weekend, has been delayed for at least a month because of IT "integration issues". Also in this article, WorkCover NSW has published a guide to placarding requirements for chemicals stored at workplaces.
SWA agrees to re-release WHS Code, plans deemed diseases list; Victorians warned about wind, as firefighter safety initiative launched; Anti-lock brakes to be compulsory from next year; and OHS Alert upgrade information.
Safe Work Australia has released the final version of its model Code of Practice on workplace traffic management, as well as four industry-specific guides to the Code, while WorkSafe ACT has published a guide on WHS management plans for construction contractors.
An employer group has warned that the business costs of engaging external workplace bullying investigators - as advised by the draft model Code of Practice on bullying - will be excessive, while unions have called for the Code to be strengthened.
