WorkSafe is currently undertaking a construction safety focus targeting the erection of precast concrete panels, the onsite management of temporary braced precast panels and mobile cranes.

Inspectors will be visiting construction sites across Victoria to verify that precast panel works are being done safely, mobile cranes are being maintained in a safe condition and the risks associated with working with or around precast panels are being controlled.

Read More: Construction Safety Focus October 2017

Credit: Work Safe Victoria (06/10/17)

The WorkSafe Legislation Amendment Act 2017 (WLA Act) received Royal Assent on Tuesday 26 September 2017.

It makes amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (OHS Act), the Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013 (WIRC Act), the Accident Compensation Act 1985 (AC Act) and the Dangerous Goods Act 1985 (DG Act).

Amendments to the WIRC Act, AC Act and DG Act came into effect on Wednesday 27 September 2017, while amendments to the OHS Act will come into effect on a day to be proclaimed.

The amendments are designed to improve workplace safety by:

• strengthening compliance and enforcement tools
• ensuring penalties under health and safety laws act as a sufficient deterrent and breaches can be appropriately investigated
• ensuring that injured workers and their family member are entitled to fair and equitable compensation, and
• improving the workability of the four Acts.

For more information contact WorkSafe via email legislation@worksafe.vic.gov.au.

Read the press release

Read the notice in the Victorian Government Gazette

​Credit: WorkSafe Victoria (06/10/2017) 

​According to the Diversity Council Australia (DCA) in any one year, around one million Australian adults have depression, and more than 2 million have anxiety. Untreated mental health conditions cost Australian employers $10.9 billion every year through absenteeism, reduced productivity and compensation claims. But the good news is that for every $1 invested in effective mental health initiatives there is a return of $2.30.

This October, commit to improving health and safety in your workplace as part of World Mental Health Day.
To help, we’ve put together some free resources for building a mentally healthy work environment.
​
1. Download our guide to developing a Psychological Injury Prevention program
Building a better health and safety culture starts with informing your staff. We've developed a guide to developing a program for preventing psychological injuries in the workplace which you can download today.

The penalties for failing to notify WorkSafe of ‘notifiable’ safety incidents and to preserve the scene of an incident have been quadrupled after amendments to the OHS Act 2004 passed through State Parliament on 21 September 2017.

The amendments also make the offences of failing to notify, and preserve the scene, indictable. The maximum fines for these offences will be $38,057 for individuals and $190,284 for companies.

A reasonable excuse defence has been inserted. Master Builders will ask WorkSafe to produce guidance that clarifies ‘reasonable excuse’.

WorkSafe has already prosecuted seven times in 2017 for the offences of failing to notify and preserve the scene. Master Builders has called regularly on WorkSafe to tell employers about the duties as there is very little awareness of the duty within the building community.