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New OH&S Laws For Volunteers Delayed in Victoria
WorkSafe representatives informed members at a special presentation recently that Victoria is unlikely to implement the national OH&S legislation before 2013. Volunteering Australia says the harmonisation of OHS legislation through the model work health and safety WHS Act and the inclusion of volunteers means that volunteers are protected in a consistent way across the nation (17 November 2011) More...

Timber company receives more than 100 safety notices
A Victorian timber company has received more than 100 safety improvement notices in less than a decade has been convicted and fined. The Colac company was fined $70,000 for failing to comply with a safety improvement notice, and having an unguarded machine which injured a worker. (17 November 2011) More...

Steel company fined after work experience student's fingers amputated
A Western Australian steel fabricating company has been fined after a 16-year-old work experience student’s three fingers were partially amputated. Tropical Bay (trading as Transcoat Engineering), has been fined $25,000 after pleading guilty to failing to ensure the safety of a non-employee and, by that failure, causing serious harm (14 November 2011) More...

Businesses can delay OHS laws
With the OHS due to take place next year, businesses can now delay Work Health and Safety laws by up to 12 months if the transformation will embark significant change. Federal Workplace Relations Minister Chris Evans said the transitional arrangements will apply to the model occupational health and safety regulations and provide delayed commencement of up to 12 months or more where the new laws result in a new or significantly different set of duties (10 November 2011) More...

Australian Governments finalise historic OHS regulations and codes
The Minister for Workplace Relations, Senator has announced that the harmonisation  of OHS laws is one step closer with the majority of jurisdictions approving new work health and  safety regulations and codes of practice.  Seven out of nine jurisdictions have now approved the model regulations and codes of practice and  have committed to meeting the COAG deadline of 1 January 2012. Victorian and Western Australian  governments are the only two yet to sign up (09 November 2011) More...

Comcare court action over serious injury
Australia’s federal work health and safety regulator, Comcare has filed legal proceedings against Thales Australia Limited alleging it had breached federal work health and safety laws. The maximum civil penalty for the alleged breach is $242,000 (08 November 2011) More...

Timber company fined after worker losses two fingers
Timbertruss has been convicted and fined $160,000 after pleaded guilty in the Geelong Magistrates’ Court to three charges of failing to provide a safe workplace, and failing to provide training and supervision to employees. As a result Timbertruss. WorkSafe’s investigation found the company applied administrative controls, but failed to implement adequate physical barriers to prevent injury (08 November 2011) More...

Practice notes

QLD: Executive officers resources for new work safety laws
To help all Queensland workplaces get ready for the laws, the Bligh Government has provided:
·An information kit for businesses containing a guide to the legislation, fact sheets, DVDs and posters for workplaces.
·An online tool comparing the current Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995 with the new Work Health and Safety Act 2011.
Executive officers: Know your responsibilities under the new laws video  More...