Occupational Health and Safety Legislation

From the department of Treasury and Finance

Working Together for Safer, Healthier Workplaces is a package
of administrative and legislative reforms designed to provide
employees and employers with more support on health and safety,
and to address the social and economic cost of work-related deaths,
injuries and illness.

Why are the reforms needed?

Too many Victorians continue to die, get injured or become ill as
a result of their work. This year 29 Victorians have died as a result
of a work-related accident (as at 13 December 2004).

Our over-riding goal is to improve Victoria’s health and safety
system and prevent work-related deaths, injuries, and illness and
the associated high social and economic costs.

Good safety is good for the community and good for business.

Work-related deaths, injuries and illness tragically affect workers,
their families, workplaces and the community.

Since the introduction of the Occupational Health and Safety Act
1985, workplaces and working arrangements have changed
dramatically. The legislation needed to be modernised to adapt
to these changes.

The first major review of the Occupational Health and Safety
Act conducted by Chris Maxwell QC, found that while the current
Act had served Victoria well and was basically sound, reforms were
needed to make it work better and to meet the needs of workplaces
today and into the future.

Click here to view the Maxwell Report.

What will the reforms do?

The reforms will make WorkSafe a more constructive, transparent,
accountable and effective organisation able to provide employers
and employees with the advice and assistance they need to make
their workplaces safer and healthier.

The reforms will create safer, healthier workplaces by:

Transforming WorkSafe into a more constructive, transparent,
accountable and effective regulator.

Modernising the language and layout of the Act, making it easier
to understand.

Providing greater clarity and certainty about the obligations
of duty holders.

Fostering increased participation by employers, employees and
their representatives in workplace health and safety issues.

Promoting fairness, consistency and transparency in the enforcement
of the legislation, and Bringing penalties broadly into line with other jurisdictions.

The combination of a transformed WorkSafe and modernised,
straight forward legislation will deliver long-term social and
economic benefits for the community and for business.

Additional information about the changes is contained in the
following fact sheets.

Occupational Health and Safety 2004 - Overview (390 Kb PDF)
Occupational Health and Safety 2004 - Small and Medium Businesses (385 Kb PDF) Occupational Health and Safety 2004 - Safer Workplaces (345 Kb PDF)
Occupational Health and Safety 2004 - Facts and Figures (362 Kb PDF)
Occupational Health and Safety 2004 - Transforming WorkSafe (362 Kb PDF)