The draft model Work Health and Safety Regulations and Codes of Practice for mining have been released for public comment, but "harmonisation" appears to be a long way off for this sector, with at least four jurisdictions looking to introduce their own laws.
Regulators issue warnings on no-go zones after electrocutions; Queensland disasters expose safety gaps, but employers reluctant to invest more in OHS; Tasmania says it could amend harmonised mining laws; and WorkCover SA suspends rehab provider for misconduct.
Queensland could follow Victoria's lead and introduce jail terms for workplace bullies, the State Industrial Relations Minister has hinted in announcing the establishment of a special reference group to examine the issue.
Western Australian Mines Minister Norman Moore has dismissed as "flawed" the belief that a lack of safety inspectors is linked to workplace accidents, and has warned miners that their safety management systems will be audited regularly.
A NSW transport company has successfully relied on the High Court Kirk decision to challenge a $200,000 fine it received over the death of an employee.
Commonwealth to ban synthetic cannabis detected in workers; WorkSafe Victoria to target employers without workers' comp cover; and Western Australian employers fined for electricity and notice breaches.
Master Builders Australia has urged the Senate to reject any changes to the Commonwealth Work Health and Safety Bill, which was introduced to the House of Reps this morning. Also in this article, Master Builders has called for the Federal Safety Commissioner's accreditation scheme to be reviewed before harmonised laws take effect.
In this update, OHS Alert outlines all the important OHS and workers' compensation legislative changes made in the second quarter of 2011. We also recap the most significant court and tribunal rulings and other developments in each jurisdiction.
