World asbestos congress calls for James Hardie ban; ACCI releases latest edition of small business safety guide; Queensland workers' comp reforms passed; and Victorian employer fined $8,000 for failing to pay compensation.
Employers should ensure they advise workers of the purposes of medical appointments and the consequences of non-attendance, the WA Compensation Magistrate's Court has ruled.
Under proposed amendments to NSW's OHS Act, WorkCover inspectors will be able to order employers to stop work if they don't have workers' compensation insurance.
National: Asbestos week starts today; OHS managers in strong demand; NSW: $100,000 to improve asbestos awareness; Victoria: Fact sheets available on proposed compensation changes; New OHS Act far from "cutting edge", say unions; WorkSafe warns on lifting clutches; New guides on noise and falls prevention; WA: Information on new OSH laws; and Fatal fall prompts safety reminder.
The NSW Government has announced it will oversee a trial of a safer sharps technology to reduce needlestick injuries, and plans to extend the timeframe for launching OHS prosecutions, in response to the recommendations of a parliamentary inquiry into serious injury and death in the workplace.
The Victorian Government has introduced a new Bill that would compensate injured workers whose employers fail to offer suitable employment, and streamline the common law process.
As well as imposing substantially higher penalties and jail terms for breaches, Victoria's new OHS Bill introduces a new duty on the designers of workplaces and makes it easier to prosecute corporations' senior officers, who have previously been effectively immune.
NSW: Review announced for asbestos compensation scheme; WorkCover unit to assist small, medium businesses; Victoria: New guidance for farmers on falls prevention; and National: Tips for avoiding computer-induced eye strain.
