Regulator Publications
All workplace health and safety obligations upon employers and those engaging volunteers are governed under the relevant Act for each State and Territory, typically known as the Workplace Health & Safety Act.
Following a federal intervention, model legislation was drafted as a basis for state/territory review in order to harmonise the legislation across the jurisdictions to make it easier for national employers to meet their obligations across Australia. Whilst a number of States and Territories have adopted parts/all of these changes, many are still in the process of review.
Codes of Practice
In order for companies and individuals to better understand their legal obligations and assist manage the risk of falls in workplaces, each state and territory publishes a Code of Practice. Below is listed the most current series of publications available from the regulators that are specific to safe work at height.
It is recommended that employers consult with the relevant regulator website to ensure these publications are current and to also register for updates where this service might be available.
| Jurisdiction | Effective date of Publication | Status of adoption of Principles of Model Code | Link to current Code document |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safe Work Australia (federal) | 8 Feb 2015 | Issued Model Code of Practice | View |
| Northern Territory | 30 Dec 2011 | Has NOT adopted model code at this time | View |
| Australian Capital Territory | unknown | Has adopted model code | View |
| Queensland | 1st Jan 2012 | Has NOT adopted model code at this time | View |
| New South Wales | 1st Apr 2016 | Has adopted model code | View |
| Victoria | 31 Mar 2004 | Has NOT adopted model code at this time | View |
| South Australia | 25 Jun 2015 | Has adopted model code | View |
| Western Australia | 2004 | Has NOT adopted model code at this time | View |
| Tasmania | 1 Oct 2016 | Has adopted model code | View |
Building and construction sector WHS plan launched in NSW
Minister for Better Regulation, Matt Kean, has launched the SafeWork NSW Building and construction work health and safety sector plan to 2022, a high-level strategy designed to focus on the major causes of fatalities, serious injuries and illnesses.
Between 2013/14 and 2015/16 in the construction industry in NSW, there were 35 fatalities and 25,600 workers compensation claims costing $520.5 million. 1,208 of these claims were for workers who sustained permanent disabilities.
With $80 billion to be spent on infrastructure over the next four years, and workers predicted to swell to 400,000, it is critical that industry and SafeWork NSW work together to ensure every person working on a building site makes it home safely to their families at the end of the day.
With their industry partners, over the next four years they aim to:
- deliver interventions and initiatives for the hazards that are fatally or seriously injuring workers.
- ensure a level playing field when it comes to safety, by taking action against the ‘cowboys’ who are putting workers lives at risk.
- provide a stronger training and assessment framework for high-risk activities.
- collaborate on specific initiatives within the housing, mid-high rise, infrastructure and asbestos/demolition sub-sectors.
- provide consistent advice, and publications that are easy to understand.
See the SafeWork NSW website for the Building and Construction Sector WHS Plan and Minister Matt Kean’s media release.
Pocket guide to construction safety issued by NSW Regulator
SafeWork NSW have also released a Pocket guide to construction safety to help make safety simple for small businesses and subby’s. Small enough to fit in your back pocket, this guide gives a snapshot of safety responsibilities and is QR code enabled, so you can link electronically to the relevant technical resources – such as codes of practice or specifications.
The (free) hard copy Pocket Guide is available from the SafeWork NSW publications hotline on 1300 799 003, or you can view your copy on the SafeWork NSW website.
