Work Safety Bill 2008 - Exposure Draft
On 6 June 2008
the Government released an exposure draft of the new
Work Safety Bill 2008 for six weeks consultation. The
exposure draft
provides an optimal framework for ensuring work safety including:
·
Coverage: the expansion of duties and
obligations to apply to contemporary work and employment
arrangements that go beyond the bounds of the traditional employment
relationship;
·
Expanded safety duties: the safety duties are
extended and clarified to ensure responsibility attaches to those
who control the generation of risks and who are in a position to
eliminate or minimise the risks; and
·
An express duty to consult: all employers must
consult workers about work safety and flexible consultation
arrangements are provided.
A number of
factors have guided the development of new work safety legislation
including:
·
the OHS Council’s review of the scope and structure of
the OHS Act
www.psm.act.gov.au/ohscouncil.htm;
·
national work (through the Australian Safety and
Compensation Council (ASCC) and the Council of Australian
Governments (COAG) to harmonise and develop nationally consistent
OHS principles
www.ascc.gov.au/ascc/HealthSafety/OHSstrategy/;
and
·
the new governance arrangements for the delivery of
OHS regulatory functions through the Office of Regulatory Services.
Click here to download the exposure draft
guidance material and consultation arrangements:
www.legislation.act.gov.au/ed/db_32565/default.asp
Link to
Minister’s official media release on the exposure draft:
www.chiefminister.act.gov.au/media.asp?section=56&title=Andrew%20Barr,%20MLA
Consultation Arrangements
The Canberra community is invited to make written submissions
on the exposure draft. The guidance material asks a series of questions
that may be addressed in submissions. All comments and
submissions must be received by COB on Monday 21 July 2008
To assist the community, employer and employee
organisations to provide comments and submissions on the exposure
draft, the
following consultation opportunities will be available:
Community
Briefing: Monday 16 June 10am-12noon, Legislative Assembly
Exhibition Room. The OHS Commissioner and the Office of
Industrial Relations, will provide background information on the
process of developing the exposure draft and the major changes proposed to the
existing legislation, followed by a question and answer session.
Copies of the exposure draft will be available and morning tea will
be provided. To register for the briefing please phone 6207 5583
Face to Face
Feedback Sessions: 30 June2008 – 2 July 2008.
Individuals and organisations will be able to book a session with
the Office of Industrial Relations to ask questions and provide oral
feedback on the exposure draft. To book a session please phone
6207 5583
Contact
For further information please contact:
WorkSafety@act.gov.au |
