The New Model Work Health and Safety Laws
The New Model Work Health and Safety Laws
The New Model Work Health and Safety Laws
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14 th AAPA Road Construction <strong>and</strong> Surfacing<strong>Health</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Safety</strong> Conference<strong>The</strong> <strong>New</strong> <strong>Model</strong> <strong>Work</strong> <strong>Health</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Safety</strong><strong>Laws</strong> – Preparing your Organisation forChangeDate: Tuesday, 8 June 2010© Sparke Helmore Lawyers 2010adelaide | brisbane | canberra | melbourne | newcastle | perth | sydney | upper hunter
Important term in focusPCBUEMPLOYERPCBU3© Sparke Helmore Lawyers 2010
Some key definitionsSUBSTANCEHAZARDOFFICERRISKDEFINITIONSMEDICALTREATMENTREPRESEN-TATIVEPLANTSTRUCTURE4© Sparke Helmore Lawyers 2010
Definition in focusworkerVOLUNTEERPERSONOFPRESCRIBEDCLASSEMPLOYEESTUDENTGAININGWORKEXPERIENCECONTRACTORAPPRENTICEORTRAINEEWORKERSUB-CONTRACTOROUT-WORKEREMPLOYEEOFLABOUR HIRECOMPANYEMPLOYEEOF SUB-CONTRACTOREMPLOYEEOFCONTRACTORNote: A PCBU is workerif an individual5© Sparke Helmore Lawyers 2010
<strong>Health</strong> <strong>and</strong> safety (H&S) dutiesHEALTH AND SAFETY DUTIESDUTIES NOTTRANSFERABLEMORE THAN ONEDUTYCONCURRENTDUTIESMANAGEMENT OFRISKS6© Sparke Helmore Lawyers 2010
<strong>Health</strong> <strong>and</strong> safety dutiesrisksmanagement ofELIMINATE(S)REASONABLYPRATICABLERISKCANNOTELIMINATEREASONABLYPRATICABLEMINIMISEREASONABLYPRATICABLE7© Sparke Helmore Lawyers 2010
<strong>Health</strong> <strong>and</strong> safety dutiespracticablereasonablyTIMEACCOUNT+WEIGHTLIKELIHOOD OFHAZARD OR RISKOCCURRINGDEGREE OFHARM THATMIGHT RESULTFROM THEHAZARD OR RISK+ +WHAT PERSONKNOWS OROUGHTREASONABLY TOKNOW ABOUT+THE HAZARD ORRISK+WAYS OFELIMINATING ORMINIMISING THERISK+THE COSTSASSOCIATEDWITH AVAILABLEWAYS…8© Sparke Helmore Lawyers 2010
<strong>Health</strong> <strong>and</strong> safety dutiesprimary duty of carePCBUREASONABLYPRACTICABLEWORKERENGAGEDCAUSED TO BEENGAGEDWHOSE ACTIVITIES IN CARRYING OUTWORK ARE INFLUENCED ORDIRECTED BY THE PCBUWHILE AT WORK© Sparke Helmore Lawyers 20109
<strong>Health</strong> <strong>and</strong> safety dutiesprimary duty of careREASONABLYPRACTICABLEPCBUREASONABLYPRACTICABLEH&S OFOTHERS NOTPUT AT RISK…PROVISION ANDMAINTENANCEOF A WORKENVIRONMENTWITHOUT RISKSTO H&SPROVISION ANDMAINTENANCE OFSAFE SYSTEMS OFWORKPROVISION ANDMAINTENANCE OFPLANT ANDSTRUCTURESHEALTH OF WORKERSAND THE CONDITIONSAT THE WORKPLACEARE MONITORED FORTHE PURPOSE OFPREVENTING ILLNESSSAFE USE,HANDLING, STORAGEAND TRANSPORT OFPLANT, STRUCTURESAND SUBSTANCESPROVISION OF ANYINFORMATION, TRAINING,INSTRUCTION ORSUPERVISION THAT ISNECESSARY TO PROTECTALL PERSONS FROM RISKSTO THEIR H&SPROVISION OFADEQUATEFACILITIES FOR THEWELFARE OFWORKERS…INCLUDINGENSURING ACCESSTO THOSE FACILITIES10© Sparke Helmore Lawyers 2010
PCBUfurther dutiesMANAGEMENT ANDCONTROL OF AWORKPLACEINCLUDES ENTRY,EXIT OR ANYTHINGARISINGREASONABLYPRACTICABLEPCBUMANAGEMENT ANDCONTROL OFFIXTURES, FITTINGSOR PLANT ATWORKPLACESINCLUDESOCCUPIER OFRESIDENCE ASPART OF CONDUCTOF A BUSINESS ORUNDERTAKINGREASONABLYPRACTICABLE11© Sparke Helmore Lawyers 2010
Other duty holdersDESIGN PLANT,SUBSTANCE ORSTRUCTURESMANUFACTUREPLANT,SUBSTANCES ORSTRUCTURESINSTALL,CONSTRUCTORCOMMISSIONPLANT ORSTRUCTURESPCBUREASONABLYPRACTICABLEIMPORT PLANT,SUBSTANCES ORSTRUCTURESSUPPLY PLANT,SUBSTANCESOR STRUCTURES12© Sparke Helmore Lawyers 2010
Duty of officersDEFINITION OFOFFICERPOSITIVE LEGALOBLIGATIONDUE DILIGENCE13© Sparke Helmore Lawyers 2010
Duty of officers – due diligence definedACQUIRE &KEEP UP TODATEKNOWLEDGE OFWORK H&SMATTERSGAIN AN UNDERSTANDINGOF NATURE OFOPERATIONS OF BUSINESSOR UNDERTAKINGENSURE HAS AVAILABLEFOR USE APPROPRIATERESOURCES &PROCESSES TO ENABLEHAZARDS ASSOCIATEDWITH OPERATIONS TOBE IDENTIFIED & RISKSTO BE ELIMINATED ORMINIMISEDENSURE HASAPPROPRIATEPROCESSES FORRECEIVING &CONSIDERINGENSURE HAS &IMPLEMENTSPROCESSESFORCOMPLYINGWITH ACTEnsure has appropriateprocesses for receivingVERIFY <strong>and</strong> considering PROVISIONinformation regarding& USE OFincidents, hazards &RESOURCES &risks & responding in aPROCESSEStimely way.AND GENERALLY OFHAZARDS & RISKSASSOCIATED WITH THOSEOPERATIONSINFORMATIONREGARDING INCIDENTS,HAZARDS & RISKS &RESPONDS IN A TIMELYWAY© Sparke Helmore Lawyers 2010Note: Reasonablesteps <strong>and</strong> use ofexamples14
Duties of workersTAKE REASONABLECARE FOR OWNH&STAKE REASONABLECARE THAT ACTS OROMISSIONS DO NOTADVERSELY AFFECT THEH&S OF OTHER PERSONSCOMPLY WITHREASONABLE INSTRUCTIONTO COMPLY WITH ACT BYPCBUCOMPLY WITH ANYREASONABLE POLICY ORPROCEDURE OF PCBURELATING TO WORKPLACEH&S THAT HAS BEENNOTIFIED TO WORKERSNote: broad definition of ‘worker’15© Sparke Helmore Lawyers 2010
Table of penaltiesCategory Description Maximum penaltyCategory 1Category 2Category 3© Sparke Helmore Lawyers 2010Most serious casesBreach of a health <strong>and</strong> safety duty<strong>and</strong> the person is reckless as torisk of death or serious injury orillness to that individual(burden of proof – withoutreasonable excuse)Breach of a health <strong>and</strong> safety duty<strong>and</strong> the failure exposes anindividual to a risk of death orserious injury or illnessBreach of a health <strong>and</strong> safety duty(without risk of death or seriousinjury or illness)PCBU = $3 millionIndividual (as PCBU or officer ofPCBU) = $600,000 <strong>and</strong>/or 5 yearsimprisonment<strong>Work</strong>ers <strong>and</strong> other persons =$300,000 <strong>and</strong>/or 5 yearsimprisonmentPCBU = $1.5 millionIndividual (as PCBU or officer ofPCBU) = $300,000<strong>Work</strong>ers <strong>and</strong> other persons =$150,000PCBU = $500,000Individual (as PCBU or officer ofPCBU) = $100,000<strong>Work</strong>ers <strong>and</strong> other persons = $50,00016
Incident notificationDEATH OF APERSONSERIOUSINJURY ORILLNESSDANGEROUSINCIDENT17© Sparke Helmore Lawyers 2010
<strong>Model</strong> OHS Actparticipationconsultation, representation &PROVISIONALIMPROVEMENTNOTICESCONSULTATION,COOPERATIONBETWEEN DUTYHOLDERSRIGHT TO CEASEOR DIRECTCESSATION OFUNSAFE WORKCONSULTATION,REPRESENTATION& PARTICIPATIONCONSULTATION WITHWORKERSISSUERESOLUTIONHEALTH &SAFETYCOMMITTEESHEALTH & SAFETYREPRESENTATIVES(HSR)18© Sparke Helmore Lawyers 2010
<strong>Model</strong> OHS Actpermit holderworkplace entry by WHS entryGENERALENTRY TO INQUIREINTO SUSPECTEDCONTRAVENTIONSPROHIBITIONSWORKPLACEENTRY BY WHSENTRY PERMITHOLDERENTRY TOCONSULT &ADVISEWORKERSDEALING WITHDISPUTESWHS ENTRYPERMITSREQUIREMENTSFOR WHS ENTRYPERMIT HOLDERS19© Sparke Helmore Lawyers 2010
<strong>Model</strong> OHS lawsenforcement measuresREVIEW OFDECISIONSIMPROVEMENTNOTICESENFORCEABLEUNDERTAKINGSPROHIBITIONNOTICESPERFORMANCEAND CULTUREINJUNCTIONSENFORCE-MENTMEASURESNON-DISTURBANCENOTICESCONTINUOUSIMPROVEMENTREMEDIALACTIONGENERALREQUIREMENTSAPPLYING TONOTICES20© Sparke Helmore Lawyers 2010
Next Steps November 2010 - January 2011: <strong>Model</strong> Regulations,<strong>Model</strong> Codes of Practice <strong>and</strong> Issues Paper for publiccomment. June 2011: <strong>Model</strong> Regulations <strong>and</strong> Codes of Practicesubmitted to <strong>Work</strong>place Relations Ministers Council foragreement. July 2011: All <strong>Model</strong> WHS Regulations <strong>and</strong> <strong>Model</strong>Codes of Practice provided to jurisdictions for six montheducational/transitional phase. 1 January 2012: Commencement date of <strong>Model</strong> Act<strong>and</strong> <strong>Model</strong> Regulations21© Sparke Helmore Lawyers 2010
Thank youadelaide | brisbane | canberra | melbourne | newcastle | perth | sydney | upper hunter© Sparke Helmore Lawyers 2010
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