Safe Work Australia Chair, Mr Tom Phillips AM, is today reminding people to get their comments in on the nine draft model Work Health and Safety (WHS) Codes of Practice. The public comment period closes this Friday 16 December 2011.
The model Codes of Practice provide practical guidance to support the model WHS Act and model Regulations. The Commonwealth, New South Wales, Queensland, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory have enacted the provisions of the model WHS Act for commencement from 1 January 2012.
The nine draft model Codes of Practice for comment closing at midnight AEDT on Friday 16 December 2011 are:
- Safe Design of Building and Structures
- Excavation Work
- Demolition Work
- Spray painting and Powder Coating
- Abrasive Blasting
- Welding and Allied Processes
- Safe Access in Tree Trimming and Arboriculture
- Preventing and Managing Fatigue in the Workplace, and
- Preventing and Responding to Workplace Bullying
Mr Phillips said that the public comment period for these model Codes of Practice has been open for three months and has provided businesses, industry, workers and the community with opportunity to make submissions on these Codes of Practice and how they may affect their individual workplaces.
“Safe Work Australia has received more than 150 submissions to date. The submissions have shown us that Australians are very keen to be involved in the development of the work health and safety laws.”
“All submissions received during the public comment period are reviewed and relevant changes are made to the model Codes of Practice. The Codes of Practice are then endorsed by Safe Work Australia before being submitted to the Select Council on Workplace Relations for final approval” said Mr Phillips.
Final versions of these model Codes of Practice will be available on the Safe Work Australia website.
The draft model Codes of Practice are part of a suite of documents being developed by Safe Work Australia, the Commonwealth, states and territory governments as part of harmonising work health and safety laws across Australia. This work aims to achieve the best possible approach to safety for all Australian workplaces.
For more information on the model work health and safety laws or how to submit comments on the model Codes of Practice, visit www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au
More Information:
Safe Work Australia media enquiries
Phone: 0434 664 294
Email: media@safeworkaustralia.gov.au