AUSTRALIA New Workplace Safety Laws Questioned

Unions are reportedly coming out against a proposed move in Australia to form a national system of workplace safety laws. (See WCK related blog https://blog.reduceyourworkerscomp.com/?p=748.)

According to a report in Australia’s The Age, union members believe most of the benefits from such a move would favor employers and not employees. Among their concerns are that worker safety could be endangered by the changes, mainly that a lack of safeguards in place would not ensure employers were prosecuted over health and safety breaches.

A meeting of state and territory ministers recently agreed to the release of the ”model” laws for six weeks of public comment – although Western Australia, the only non-Labor participant, indicated it was not likely to join the national system as proposed.

According to a number of businesses, complying with different laws in the states and territories has been a big problem, reportedly leading to more ”red tape” or compliance costs. Key employer groups, like the Australian Industry Group, the Business Council of Australia, and the Minerals Council of Australia recently released a joint statement requesting government’s support of a national system. (workersxzcompxzkit)

The Access report, commissioned by regulator Safe Work Australia, reportedly discovered businesses would be the biggest winner from the switch to national laws while employees would experience little or no benefits from the changes.

Author Robert Elliott, executive vice president, Amaxx Risks Solutions, Inc. has worked successfully for 20 years with many industries to reduce Workers’ Compensation costs, including airlines, health care, manufacturing, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality and manufacturing. He can be contacted at: [email protected] or 860-786-8286.

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