Model Work Health and Safety Regulations
The draft model Work Health and Safety Regulations, priority codes of practice and an issues paper were released by Safe Work Australia for public comment in December last year.
Unions NSW is currently formalising comment on the Model Work Health and Safety Regulations. Various Union workshops have been completed to aid the comment document. It should also be noted that in 2007 we voted out the Howard Government because they took away our workplace rights and conditions. Labor gave a clear commitment to voters that they would “uphold existing safety standards”. The Productivity Commission also stated that new laws should “adopt the best provisions from current OHS statutes, ie a ‘race to the top’.
It has become quite clear that our current OH&S standards in NSW are at risk. Elected workplace representatives and Unions stand to lose inspection and enforcement powers. This will have a direct impact on workplace injury and fatality rates.
Public comment can be made up until 4 April 2011 at www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au