WHS laws could be amended, and prosecutory functions expanded, with a former Federal Court judge being appointed to review the adequacy of a WHS investigation into the murder of a nurse.
Companies and officers accused of WHS breaches could bear the onus of proving they took all reasonably practicable steps to prevent an incident occurring, while the offence of industrial manslaughter will be added to the national model WHS Act, with Labor taking power in the Federal election on the weekend.
A NSW WHS Bill enabling nationwide criminal record checks of safety representatives has passed Parliament without amendment, despite warnings that the new laws place "no limits" on a minister's powers to veto an elected representative.
The "encompassment" of high-risk work licences under the national model WHS Regulations can lead to situations where hazardous tasks are performed by workers without the necessary training, a special paper on crane licensing has revealed.
A new industry safety standard developed in response to a teenage worker's death, which also attracted one of the highest WHS fines in NSW history, includes guidance on preventing unapproved modifications of scaffolding and will prevent injuries and fatalities, the NSW Government has claimed.