The Work Health and Safety Amendment (Review) Bill 2020 (NSW) passed through the NSW Upper House on 4th June 2020 and was assented to (became law) on 10th June 2020. This Bill introduced a raft of new amendments to the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) (WHS Act) and Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 (NSW). One particularly significant change…
A joint Four Corners investigation with The Age (In Melbourne) and Sydney Morning Herald has found the schemes in Victoria and NSW are facing significant financial troubles. The investigation has revealed concerns that an underpayment scandal at the country’s biggest provider, icare in NSW, could cost up to $80 million — double what had been originally reported and the State…
The health and safety of employees Officers have an obligation to ensure the safety, health and welfare of their workers and others for the business undertaking they are responsible for. This obligation hasn’t been relaxed by the current government changes and clearly COVID-19 is a hazard to workers. This means it is imperative that as an employer, you have a COVID-19 plan in place to ensure you reasonably…
Reference Guide Injury management is an integrated, systematic process of returning injured workers to their pre-injury status. It is highly dynamic and interpersonal in nature and requires active collaboration and co-operation between all involved. It needs to focus on people, positive attitudes and supportive workplaces as much as it does on efficient processes. Injury management encompasses activities which directly affect…
Contractor management can be a very difficult area of your business to manage. Your WHS obligations aren’t absolved because you engaged the services of a contractor, as legally contractors are regarded as workers. Recent cases such as Refrigerator Contractor falls to death show how easily it can go wrong and the importance of effective controls being in place. A four-step…
While your business may not require large supplies or varieties of hazardous chemicals to function, all businesses will handle certain types of chemicals, examples include cleaners and sanitisers. These materials can cause serious injury if workers are exposed to them and not immediately treated. Similarly, some flammable liquids may be stored in your facility for specific uses which can cause…
With October now becoming a distant memory, the reformed Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) is now well and truly enforced. Under the reforms, everyone involved in the transport function of a heavy vehicle has a non-transferable positive duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety of their transport activities related to the vehicle. This responsibility is otherwise…
Statistics published by Safe Work Australia for 2015-16 report the average time off work for a Musculoskeletal Disorder is between 5-6 weeks. The average Workers Compensation claim cost for this type of injury in 2015-16 was $50,000. So the impact on your worker’s compensation premium could be significant, never mind the additional burden of being a person down in your…
