Category: consultation

Important OHS law reformer, Jeff Shaw, dies

Around 15 years ago, occupational health and safety law in New South Wales looked exciting.  The NSW Standing Committee on Law & Justice was  investigating OHS, and not just the laws.  There was a potential for the inquiry to make New South Wales a leader in innovation in this sector.

On 11 May 2010, the news broke that a leading supporter for the review, Jeff Shaw, had died.  Although his legal career ended in controversial fashion, Shaw’s activities in relation to industrial relations and OHS were notable.  SafetyAtWorkBlog looks briefly at Jeff Shaw’s OHS legacy. Continue reading “Important OHS law reformer, Jeff Shaw, dies”

Case study of existing hazards in the new legislative context

Last month Joe Catanzariti of the Australian law firm, Clayton Utz, wrote a short article that links two OHS issues in a manner that others should follow.

Catanzariti made the jump from a prosecution under current New South Wales OHS legislation (according to many the most draconian in Australia) to identify how such a decision would be made under the harmonise OHS law system through the Work, Health and Safety Act.  The perspective needs to be applied more as it assists greatly in transitioning our understanding of “old” law to the new. Continue reading “Case study of existing hazards in the new legislative context”

Harmonisation strategy will fail and legal costs for OHS will increase

The Australian Government’s plans to harmonise the country’s OHS legislation will fail.  In the Australian newspaper on 6 May 2010 the president of the Safety, Rehabilitation & Compensation Licensees Association, Dean Stone, said

“Harmonisation was aimed at having the same law in force across the country but it is simply not going to be able to do that…  Each of the companies moving back to the harmonised schemes will need more staff merely to comply with the different approaches.” Continue reading “Harmonisation strategy will fail and legal costs for OHS will increase”

Treatment of workers from Transocean oil rig

More information is coming to light about the treatment of survivors of the explosion on the Transocean oil rig.  According to an article (and podcast) on National Public Radio on 6 May 2010, company lawyers for Transocean had survivors sign waivers within hours of the disaster.

The article says:

“The form that they made them sign had, ‘I was here when it happened, I didn’t see anything.’ Or ‘I saw this and I was or was not hurt,’ ” says Steven Gordon, a Houston attorney who represents some of the survivors…. Continue reading “Treatment of workers from Transocean oil rig”

Australia to get a national workers’ memorial

Last year, Tasmania began building a memorial garden for people who have been killed at work.  South Australia has the Don Gage Memorial Walk.  Queensland unveiled its new workers’ memorial on 28 April 2010.  The Australian government has finally sought to establish a national memorial in Canberra in support of the International Day of Mourning.

According to media statements from the Minister for Workplace Relations, Julia Gillard, and Senator Doug Cameron (former National Secretary Australian Manufacturing Workers Union) a committee will look into establishing an appropriate memorial in Canberra. Continue reading “Australia to get a national workers’ memorial”

National recognition of Workers’ Memorial Day – US & UK

The United States President, Barack Obama, has officially proclaimed 28 April 2010 as Workers Memorial Day.

It may be a politically appropriate announcement given the multiple fatalities that have happened recently in the United States, which the President mentions, but this should not overlook the fact that the leader of one of the most influential countries in the world has acknowledged the International Day of Mourning. Continue reading “National recognition of Workers’ Memorial Day – US & UK”

Exploding restaurant kettle risks

WorkSafeBC is a regular provider of useful safety videos.  In mid-April 2010 the regulator released a latest video that reports on an exploding soup kettle in a restaurant that injured several workers with steel shrapnel and steam.

Safety prevention videos are costly to produce properly and WorkSafeBC has followed a process that is informative and simple but providing a slide show with an audio commentary.  This is a technique that makes use of the many incident photos that OHS investigators take without compromising the investigation and still offering a much more attractive and appealing safety alert.  It is a technique that other OHS regulators should consider.

Kevin Jones

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