Bulletin

Safety Bulletin – January 2023

Australia – ILO convention for preventing workplace harassment and violence to be tabled

The Australian Government has stated that the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Convention 190, which recognises that everyone has a right to a work environment free from harassment and violence, will be tabled in Parliament. ILO Convention 190 discusses that harassment and violence, including sexual harassment, can constitute a human rights violation and needs to be addressed within occupational health and safety. The Convention will become a national commitment once ratified, and will lead to amendments to the Fair Work Act 2009.

Read the address to the International Trade Union Confederation here.

Australia – WHS Bill to adopt model WHS amendments introduced

The Australian Government has introduced the Work Health and Safety Amendment Bill 2022to Parliament which will adopt changes to the Model WHS Act, including prohibiting insurance for WHS penalties, and including negligence as a fault element in Category 1 offences. Other amendments include allowing health and safety representatives to choose a course of training, expanding inspector powers in certain circumstances, clarifying the process related to WHS notices, and extending the timeframe for requesting the regulator to bring a prosecution for a Category 1 or 2 offence. An amendment will also be made to clarify Safe Work Australia’s information-gathering powers.

Read the Bill here.

South Australia – New Radiation Act and Regulations announced

The EPA has announced that the new Radiation Protection and Control Act 2021 and Radiation Protection and Control Regulations 2022 will commence on 11 February 2023. The Act will introduce a general duty of care, a risk-based harms approach, as well as establish offences for radiation harm.