8 December 2010
Paul O’Connor, CEO of Comcare, today encouraged employers and workers in the Comcare scheme to get involved in the public comment period on the model Work Health and Safety Regulations and priority model Codes of Practice that opens today.
Safe Work Australia works in partnership with Commonwealth, state and territory governments and employer and employee representatives to deliver harmonised work health and safety laws across Australia with the aim of achieving the best possible approach to safety for all Australian workplaces.
Paul O’Connor said the public comment period is a good opportunity for businesses, industry and workers to express their opinions on the model Work Health and Safety Regulations package.
“Harmonised work health and safety laws will affect all Australian workplaces in varying degrees. It is important that we all provide input during this consultation process to ensure the new laws are relevant to all federal workplaces.
“These proposed laws support the aim of Comcare, which is to influence and achieve the highest possible outcomes in workplace health and safety,” said Mr O’Connor.
Model work health and safety laws will ensure organisations can comply with one set of laws regardless of the number of states or territories in which they operate. This will ease the burden on business owners and other jurisdictions by reducing their compliance costs.
Mr Tom Phillips AM, Safe Work Australia Chair, said the harmonisation of work health and safety laws will allow businesses to effectively manage workplace safety, providing greater certainty for employers and enhancing safety protections for workers.
“The safety of all workers is our main priority, the model laws will help to improve workplace safety standards across all industries,” said Mr Phillips.
The suite of documents available for public comment includes an exposure draft of the model Work Health and Safety Regulations, priority model Codes of Practice, and an Issues Paper. A Consultation Regulatory Impact Statement will be released shortly after the commencement of the public comment period. The public comment period will close on 4 April 2011.
Visit www.comcare.gov.au to view Comcare’s calendar of activities to prepare for the Commonwealth’s implementation of the model work health and safety laws. To participate in Comcare focus groups being conducted in every State and Territory during February and March 2011, register your interest through the Comcare website. For enquiries please call Comcare on 1300 366 979 or send an email to OHS.help@comcare.gov.au
For more information on the public comment process, visit www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au.
Public submissions can be sent to submissions@safeworkaustralia.gov.au.
Media enquiries
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