The first of seven action areas targeted by the draft strategy is Health and Safety by Design. In this section is an outline of how structures, plant, equipment and substances can be designed so risks are eliminated or minimised before they enter the workplace.

It also wants work processes and systems to be designed and managed to eliminate or minimise risks.

Supply chains are the number two action area. The draft strategy outlines a range of issues, including how all those in the supply chain must “understand their cumulative impact and actively improve the health and safety of the supply chain”.

The other action areas include Work Health and Safety Capabilities, Culture and Leadership, Research and Evaluation, Government, and a Responsive Regulatory Framework.

By 2022 the draft strategy is aiming for a 20 per cent reduction in the number of injury fatalities, a 30 per cent reduction in incidence rates of claims resulting in one or more weeks off work, and a 30 per cent reduction in the incidence rate of claims due to body stressing.

The draft strategy is open for public comment until May 2012.

We understand  Safe Work Australia will release more draft model work health and safety codes of practice for public comment in April, while other draft codes are being tweaked before they are submitted to the Workplace Relations Ministers’ Council for final approval.

Want to know more or need help?

Why not contact Safety Concepts and speak with one of our Safety Consultants.

The presence and location of asbestos should be indicated if reasonably practicable by a label.

Registers are required for workplace buildings built up to 31 December 2003 – compared to current cutoff date of 1 January 1990.

Asbestos management plans and training are required for naturally occurring asbestos.

PCBUs must provide health monitoring for certain workers involved in removal work or other asbestos-related work.

There is a requirement to notify the regulator of:

• licensed asbestos removal work
• demolition of a pre-31 December 2003 structure or plant in an emergency
• asbestos fibre levels exceeding 0.02 fibres/ml during Class A asbestos removal work.

A new licence category for individual ‘asbestos assessors’ required for Class A asbestos removal work – air monitoring, clearance inspections and clearance certificates.

An independent competent person is required for clearance inspections and clearance certificates for Class B removal work.

Both Class A and Class B licence holders must be a PCBU.

There are new obligations when the demolition or refurbishment of a structure or plant built or installed before 31 December 2003 is undertaken:

• a PCBU with management/control must, so far as reasonably practicable, ensure ACM is removed before demolition
• a PCBU must before refurbishment of structure or plant where asbestos is likely to be disturbed, identify and, so far as reasonably practicable, remove the asbestos before refurbishment
• there are requirements for when an ‘emergency’ requires something to be demolished (e.g. structure is structurally unsound). There is a procedure to reduce risk of exposure to asbestos and notify the regulator prior to demolition.

Want to know more or need help?

Why not contact Safety Concepts and speak with one of our Safety Consultants.

Workers have died or sustained serious injuries after their work vehicles exploded. These explosions occurred when gas from leaking portable gas cylinders ignited inside the vehicles. In many cases, the ignition source was the vehicle’s electrical system.

Flammable gas cylinders include those containing oxygen, acetylene, liquefied petroleum gas and propane or butane throwaway-style cylinders.

These incidents could have also killed or seriously injured members of the public.

Control measures

Gas cylinders should be stored and transported in vehicles with cargo areas open to the air, and not stored inside closed type vehicles. When storing or transporting fuel gas cylinders,

ensure:

• main cylinder valves are tightly closed

• there is no leakage from the main valve area (e.g. using a gas detector or soapy water test)

• cylinders are secured in an upright position to prevent them tipping or falling over

• cylinders cannot be struck by other objects (e.g. loose tools and materials)

• cylinders are always removed from the vehicle before the gas is used

• at least one 10B dry-powder fire extinguisher is fitted in the driver’s cabin.

Open-type vehicles

Open-type vehicles have cargo areas open to the air with unrestricted ventilation. The cargo areas of some open-type vehicles with sides (e.g. utility vehicles) can potentially retain escaped gas. This is due to escaped gas flowing to and accumulating in low, enclosed and poorly ventilated areas. If you are not sure if your cargo area may allow gas to accumulate, assume it can until a competent person determines otherwise.

The cargo area should be assessed by a competent person for its potential to retain gas, and to identify the likely areas where gas could accumulate. Consider installing vents in these areas.

Closed-type vehicles

Closed-type vehicles are vans, utilities and other vehicles that have cargo areas with restricted natural air movement and ventilation. This includes vehicles where gas cylinders are stored under canopies, inside service bodies or toolboxes, and vehicles where cylinders are covered by tarps or tonneau covers.

If you cannot avoid using a closed-type vehicle, it should be fitted with a separate gas storage cabinet that is vapour-tight from the rest of the vehicle.

The gas cabinet must be secured to the vehicle and be big enough to store all cylinders carried in the vehicle, including empty cylinders. It must be designed to ensure gas from leaking cylinders cannot accumulate inside the cabinet but is vented to the atmosphere outside the vehicle (see Figure 2). The cabinet door must be securely sealed whenever cylinders are stored in the cabinet.

The cabinet must have:

• one or more permanent vents or drains positioned at the bottom of the cabinet (either floor or side), with an internal diameter of at least 25mm

• vents located so they cannot be blocked when the cylinders are in the cabinet

• a way of securing cylinders in an upright and stable position (e.g. straps)

• a visible flammable gas label on the outside

• regular inspections and maintenance of door seals and vents.

Gas cabinets must also be installed and maintained in accordance with the manufacturers’ instructions. Gas cabinets are available from plumbing wholesalers, gas suppliers and safety equipment suppliers.

Information and training

Ensure workers are informed and trained in procedures for:

• checking and testing for leaking cylinders

• securing cylinders and sealing gas cabinets

• regularly checking cabinet seals and vents

• dealing with damage to the gas cabinet, gas leaks or explosion.

Want to know more or need help? 

Why not contact Safety Concepts and speak with one of our Safety Consultants.

Determining the competency of operators should already be a part of employment screening and daily pre-start procedures. A PCBU should consider the following when assessing plant operators:

• Has the worker completed competency based training and assessment on the item of plant in question?
• Can the worker provide evidence of having previously operated the item of plant in question to perform similar tasks in a similar environment?
• Can the worker demonstrate knowledge of pre-start inspection requirements to ensure an item of plant can be operated safely?
• Does the worker have knowledge of the specific risks and control measures associated with the item of plant in question?
• Are there specific hazards or circumstances, associated with either the plant or the activity to be performed, which require specialist knowledge or experience? Does the worker meet this requirement?

Additional supervision or training may be required after an initial assessment, either as a result of the operator’s competence or the specific hazards associated with the task.
PCBUs should maintain records of competency assessments to ensure that evidence can be provided to an inspector or other duty holders if required.

Workplace Health and Safety Queensland is working with the construction industry through the Queensland Major Contractors Association and the Civil Contractors Federation to ensure appropriate guidance and advice is available.

Want to know more or need help? Why not contact Safety Concepts and speak with one of our Safety Consultants.

Often we focus on the workers who perform ‘high risk’ tasks such as operating guillotines, presses, angle grinders and bandsaws. The workers who do the housekeeping (including sweeping, vacuuming and removing rubbish and waste product) or clean the machinery and equipment are equally at risk of workplace injuries.

Injuries can be caused by hazardous manual handling tasks, and machinery and equipment which has not been shut down, de-energised or isolated.

Examples of how these workers have been injured include

• maintaining an awkward posture such as bending whilst cleaning floors (sweeping, mopping or vacuuming)
• exerting high force to remove stains or spills on benches, floors, machinery and equipment or moving waste from the collection bin to the disposal bin
• becoming entangled or crushed by moving machine parts.

Most of these injuries could have been prevented by:

• providing equipment or mechanical aids to enable the worker to maintain a neutral body position
• isolating or de-energising machinery and equipment
• providing training and supervision on safe manual handling techniques and how to use or isolate machinery or equipment.

WorkSafe has guidance  to assist you  protect the safety of your workers who perform cleaning tasks including -

• Code of Practice for Manual Handling
• Isolating plant
• Working on energised plant
• Contractor management

So, as you sit and consider how safe your workplace really is, make sure you also take account of the cleaning tasks and take action to make them safer.

Need help?  Why not inquire about getting some safety consulting by Safety Concepts.

SA Government has every confidence that the nationally harmonised legislation will be approved by Parliament when it resumes in the New Year. The exact date is naturally a matter for the Parliament.

SafeWork SA’s planning for implementation of the new legislation will continue. This will build upon our extensive programme of preparation for the 1 January launch date, all of which remains entirely valid. Our WHS training will continue as will our engagement initiatives and preparation of administrative arrangements.

The Victorian Government has confirmed its support to the principle of harmonisation subject to a satisfactory assessment of the impact and benefits to Victoria.  The Government has initiated a supplementary Victorian specific assessment looking at the impact of the proposed laws on Victoria.  It has stated that this will take several months, and has called on the Commonwealth to defer for 12 months the implementation of nationally harmonised occupational health and safety laws.

WorkSafe continues to enforce Victoria’s existing Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004, Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2007 and Compliance Codes.

For further details of the Victorian Government’s position, refer to the following media releases of 14 September 2011 and 28 September 2011.

The model Work Health and Safety Act, Regulations and Codes of Practice

View the model Work Health and Safety Act; Regulations and associated Codes of Practice on the Safe Work Australia website.

Also available on the Safe Work Australia website are details of the public comment period for several additional draft model Codes of Practice.

A national compliance and enforcement policy, largely based on Victoria’s current approach, will assist in aligning how occupational health and safety laws are administered across Australia. View the policy here.

Public consultation

Draft model mining regulations have been developed to support the model Work Health and Safety Act and Model Work Health and Safety Regulations.  The draft model mining regulations were available for public comment from July to 14 October 2011, alongside draft codes of practice and an issues paper.

Safe Work Australia also released a mining Consultation Regulation Impact Statement and survey for public comment on 10 October 2011, with a closing date of Friday 11 November. Information on how to make a public submission on the mining Consultation Regulation Impact Statement is available on the Safe Work Australia website.

More information

• How will national harmonisation work
• What employers can do now
• Common questions about national work health and safety laws
• Visit the Safe Work Australia website

Transitional arrangements have been put in place in NSW to support businesses, industry and workers move to a new system of work health and safety (WHS) laws.

These arrangements start on 1 January 2012.

The transitional arrangements have been based on national transitional principles agreed to by all jurisdictions.

In summary, these transitional arrangements provide for:

• recognition of existing information, records or other documentation that is substantially the same as WHS requirements
• transitional periods of 12 to 18 months where there is a change in training requirements
• only requiring retraining or reassessment if the requirements are substantially different
• transitional periods of 6 to 12 months (in most cases 12 months) where a duty or requirement is new
• up to 24 months for some new obligations where industry might have difficulty in complying for reasons beyond their control. 

Educational and advisory approach

WorkCover is committed to ensuring that the transition to the new WHS legislation is as seamless as possible for businesses, industry and workers. WorkCover staff are always on hand to provide advice and assistance and we strongly believe that the best outcomes for businesses and workers are achieved when we work hand in hand with industry. 

From 1 January 2012, new nationally harmonised work health and safety legislation commences in New South Wales.  The new legislation will replace the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 and Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 2001.

The principles of safety and consultation remain in the new legislation and people who comply with requirements as at 31 December 2011 will be well on their way to complying with the new legislation on 1 January 2012.

WorkCover will provide information, guidance, education and advice to assist customers to achieve compliance with new requirements contained in the work health and safety laws. 

A range of transitional measures have also been put in place to assist customers where there are new or significantly changed requirements.  

This does not mean that WorkCover will not take enforcement or other compliance action in the event of serious breaches of the legislation.  Currently, anyone who is an employer in NSW must, so far as is reasonably practicable, ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of all the employees of the employer and that duty will continue after 1 January 2012.

However WorkCover and its Inspectors will consider relevant circumstances before taking any compliance action. 

Codes of practice provide practical guidance on how to meet the standards set out in the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011.  Inspectors will use the guidance provided in codes of practice to assist duty holders to achieve compliance with any new safety practices, processes and control measures recommended in approved codes of practice.

WorkCover understands that where new approved codes of practice are in place a period of adjustment is required for duty holders to gain an understanding of the detail in a code of practice and how it applies to activities at their workplaces.

 Codes of practice:

Some current NSW codes of practice will continue after 1 January 2012. This will be where there is no comparable national model code of practice available.  

All new and retained codes of practice are available on this website.

Call 13 10 50 for more information about transitional arrangements.

A worker was killed while a formwork shutter was being raised to about one metre above the ground by crane. Lengths of timber were being used as lifting points for the shutter when one of the pieces of timber broke. The formwork shutter dropped to the ground and fell over, striking the worker.

Could this happen anywhere your employees are working?

This alert is a reminder for you and your organisation to consider the effectiveness of your safety management systems in preventing an incident like this from occurring at a workplace.

For more information on how we can help click here

Issues raised in these submissions were considered by jurisdictions and employer and union representatives. Plans for the final package of model Work Health and Safety regulations were considered by the Workplace Relations Ministers Council in June 2011. WHSQ will distribute an eSafe special in September, dedicated to the national harmonisation of WHS laws and including articles on the regulations.

Second stage model codes of practice that support the implementation of the construction, electricity, plant and hazardous chemicals model regulations are being developed by Safe Work Australia and will be released for public comment in September 2011. It is intended that these codes be completed by 1 January 2012. They include:

• managing risks in construction work
• excavation work
• demolition work
• tilt-up and precast concrete in building construction
• falls in housing construction
• safe design of building and structures
• safe design of plant
• how to manage risks of plant in the workplace
• traffic management – construction
• traffic management – non-construction
• managing electrical risks at the workplace
• working in the vicinity of overhead electric lines and underground electrical services
• first aid
• health monitoring
• abrasive blasting
• managing risks of hazardous chemicals
• welding
• spray painting and powder coating
• heritage plant
• forest safety
• arborists.

Additional codes of practice are proposed for release post January 2012. A number of current Queensland construction codes will remain in place until this time. They include:

• concrete pumping
• scaffolding
• steel construction
• tunneling.

Transitional arrangements

Workplace Health and Safety Queensland has made arrangements to help ensure a smooth transition to the new laws commencing on 1 January 2012.

A fact sheet summarises the transitional arrangements, including information on the process for continuing prosecutions, investigations, principal contractors, enforceable undertakings, asbestos class B certificate holders and codes of practice.

As of 1 July 2011 all fees for earthmoving or particular crane (EPC) certificates have been waived as it is anticipated that these certificates will not be required from 1 January 2012 under harmonised work health and safety laws.

These certificates cover the operation of backhoes, front end and skid steer loaders, excavators, dozers, graders, scrapers and road rollers as well as remote operation bridge and gantry cranes.

Workplace Health and Safety Queensland is preparing a range of resources to help businesses and employees prepare for the introduction of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (QLD) on 1 January 2012, including:

• statewide information sessions during Safe Work Week in October 2011 (keep your eye on the website for registration details)
• videos of the information session content which will be available for download from the website
• a short video on responsibilities for executive officers under the new Act
• a kit with information tailored for the construction industry
• an online comparison tool highlighting the differences between the current laws and the new Queensland Act.

Workplace Health and Safety Queensland has also published an online comparison tool which highlights the differences between the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and Queensland’s current Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995.

Safety Concepts will continue to keep you updated as news comes in!