Workplace Health and Safety Advice

Workplace Health and Safety advice is free if you know where to look. Here at Safety Concepts we take pride in the work we do to help businesses in Australia understand their responsibilities. However Safety Concepts are not the only ones to bring together information about OHS and post it free on their site. There are many government and quasi government authorities you can access to obtain up to date information, news releases or legislative changes that relate to your industry or state.  Safety Concepts has put together a list of high traffic sites you might add to your favourites. With such a large number of agencies involved in workplace safety it was always going to be difficult to create a complete list so there may be some you think we have left out. Please let us know of any that we missed and you believe should be on the list. Just blog us the details and we will add them.  So here is our list of OHS agencies and a little about what they do:

Australian Safety and Compensation Council ASCC  www.ascc.gov.au     Changed its name from National Occupational Health and Safety Commission in 2005. The ASCC is not a regulatory authority and does not make or enforce laws. It leads national work on prevention of workplace injury and improved worker compensation schemes. It also provides a national forum for all states and territories to create policies on OHS and workers compensation. 

ACT WorkCover www.workcover.act.gov.au  Administration and enforcement of the legislation covering occupational health and safety workers compensation and labour relations in ACT.

WorkCover NSW  www.workcover.nsw.gov.au  This is a statutory authority of NSW government responsible for adminstration and enforcement of state OHS legislation.

NSW Workers Compensation Commission www.wcc.nsw.gov.au  The commission provides a forum and a resolution process for disputes arising from workers compensation claims.

NT WorkSafe www.worksafe.nt.gov.au Responsibility for regulation of occupational health and safety and workers compensation through Northern Territory. It sets standards in safety and works with industry to provide interpretations of laws and guidance.

Workplace Health and Safety Queensland www.deir.gov.au/workplace/ The role of this government department is to improve productivity and safety in Queensland workplaces. Its core business is administration and enforcement of the law, policy development, compliance improvement and education.

WorkCover QLD www.workcover.qld.gov.au  This is a Queensland Government owned statutory authority operating as a commercial entity. The main provider of workers compensation cover to employers in the state since 1997.

Q-COMP www.qcomp.com.au  This authority regulates the Queensland workers compensation scheme. The Act enables this authority to enforce and regulate in its main role.  

WorkCover SA www.workcover.com Provides a workers compensation scheme underwritten by private insurers and is responsible for workers rehabilitation in South Australia.

SafeWork SA www.safework.sa.gov.au  This is South Australia’s OHS agency responsible for regulation enforcement and adminstration of state laws.

Victorian WorkCover Authority www.workcover.vic.gov.au This agency is responsible for safety programs, education and advice on health and safety matters. It is the manager of Victoria’s workplace safety system covering law enforcement, management of compensation schemes and rehabilitation.

WorkSafe WA www.worksafe.wa.gov.au  This is the government agency responsible for the administration of the Occupationl Health and Safety Act 1984. It promotes prevention of workplace injury to industry in Western Australia.

WorkCover WA  www.workcover.wa.gov.au  Workcover’s role is to manage the state’s  worker’s compensation scheme and injury management scheme. It focuses on minimising the impact on workers with workplace related injuries or disease.

Australian Maritime Safety Authority www.amsa.gov.au This authority is committed to provision of safety and environment protection services.

COMCARE www.comcare.gov.au  Comcare is responsible for workplace safety, rehabilitation and workers compensation where employers come under commonwealth jurisdiction.

Federal Safety Commissioner www.fsc.gov.au  The role of the Commissioner is to improve safety and OHS in teh construction industry in Australia.

National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority www.nopsa.gov.au  A statutory Authority regulating coastal waters and administering offshore petroleum safety legislation.

Standards Australia www.standards.com.au  Standards Australia develop standards of public benefit and promotes Australian design and innovation. All OHS standards are managed by Standards Australia.