Victoria's OHS reforms fail to address the reality of the modern era of workplace arrangements, according to an OHS law expert who has written a book on the State's new Act.
Employers have a duty to prevent employees' inexplicable departures from safe work practices, even though they may be difficult to foresee and guard against, a judge of the NSW IRC in Court Session has warned.
Commonwealth: Employers have new rehabilitation duties; NSW: New code of practice for bulk container design; Tractor rebate scheme announced; WA: Truck drivers still not taking enough breaks; Unsafe portable generators banned; UK: New statistics on work-related illness; and National: Latest guides and safety alerts.
Manual handling has emerged as a major priority area for nine employment sectors in NSW, which will develop industry-specific action plans to improve safety over the next three years.
A Victorian plant manufacturer that altered the design of a machine's guard in an attempt to improve its safety for users has been found guilty of two OHS offences in NSW.
The ACT Government has announced it will repeal laws it introduced last year requiring asbestos audits, but will push for a national accredited asbestos training module for trainees and apprentices.
NSW Safety Summit to develop industry action plans; Victorian Ombudsman to deal with WorkCover claims agent and self-insurer complaints; and WA court bars broadcast of alleged pregnancy-related sacking.
