The long-awaited harmonisation of workplace health and safety laws across Australia brings both challenges and opportunities for Australian business and industry.
Model legislation is being introduced in most Australian jurisdictions, providing greater certainty to employers working across borders while maintaining high standards of safety and regulation for workers.
The new Work Health and Safety legislation is intended to take effect in all States and Territories from 1 January 2012. However, Victoria and Western Australia look set to delay the commencement of the reforms in those states and, based on recent statements from the Federal Government, there may be some ability for parts of the harmonised WHS Regulations to be delayed from commencing for up to 12 months or more where the new laws will impose new or significantly different duties.
Despite the legislative changes, significant differences in the workplace health and safety regimes and jurisdictions will remain. Industry groups and employers will still need to accommodate different regulators and safety requirements in the face of increased penalties and broader definitions of the term ‘worker’.
Our workplace health and safety lawyers know and understand the legislation and have acted for employers in a range of industry groups including resources, construction, manufacturing and agribusiness for many years.
We advise on all aspects of compliance and risk management and work closely with our clients to develop and implement health and safety policies and procedures.
Ongoing training on compliance issues and risk management is essential. We tailor and deliver training appropriate to your industry and workplace.
While the ultimate goal is an incident free workplace and safe employees, the very fact that human beings are involved means this can’t always be achieved.
With increasing responsibility on company directors and officers, and penalties including jail terms and severe fines (for which individual officers can be liable), the ongoing operation of your business and its future are at stake when facing an investigation or prosecution.
We have the experience and the expertise to advise and support employers through investigations, including those involving fatalities and/or serious injury, to defend prosecutions and provide advice about alternative options such as enforceable undertakings and to provide representation before the courts or during coronial inquiries.
We take workplace health and safety seriously. Because we know you do.
