Changing Safety Laws
The legal landscape for workplace safety is changing ever more frequently, creating additional challenges and workload for managers and the business.
Psychosocial Regulations
As mentioned in recent newsletters, every Australian jurisdiction has now enacted regulations which prescribe pro-active requirements for employers in relation to psychosocial hazards, as opposed to waiting and reacting to any incidents or claims. Victoria’s OHS (Psychological Health) Regulations 2025 commenced on 1st December.
New Model WHS Act and Regs
In December last year Safe Work Australia (SWA) released a new Model WHS Bill and new Model WHS Regulations. The proposed WHS Act includes new incident notification requirements which include suicide, violent incidents, and extended absences from work eg 15 days or more, in addition to electrical arc flash explosions, mobile plant incidents, and serious falls.
The proposed WHS regulation changes include a new pre-requisite qualification to operate cranes. This change will require crane operators to also hold a “dogging” licence as well as their respective crane licence.
Person protective equipment (PPE) changes include ensuring the PPE is of a suitable size and fit for each worker, and the clause not tied to hierarchy of controls to ensure PPE requirements is not unintentionally limited.
New Exposure Standards – Welding, Lead, Silica
Exposure standard for welding aluminium has been reduced from 5 to 1mg/m3.
Queensland has introduced a heavy vehicle amendment requiring a safety management system to be in place.
South Australia has lowered the fall height threshold from 3m to 2m, bringing into line with other jurisdictions. They have also banned “claim farming” by health & legal firms.
The ACT released a new code of practice on managing risks associated with extreme temperatures, reflecting climate-related concerns.
Timing of implementation of these new laws will depend upon parliament in each state or territory adopting or amending their respective workplace safety legislation.
If you want to keep up to date with these and other evolving workplace safety requirements consider subscribing to an appropriate update service.
Safety Action provide a quarterly Legislative Update as part of our Safety Helpline service. If interested Contact us for a quote.
