Health and Safety Law Reform delayed

Posted by Andrew on November 26, 2014

The EMA reports that the new Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Michael Woodhouse has signaled that the Health and Safety Reform Bill is now likely to be enacted around September or October next year, rather than April as was previously planned.

EMA’s manager of industrial relations and safety, Paul Jarvie, says the delay has been due to the election, the Christmas break and the Government’s desire to pass the new law and regulations as a single package. The regulations are currently being drafted, for public comment hopefully early in the New Year.

The regulations will cover:

1. General workplace and risk
2. Employee engagement, representatives and committees
3. Asbestos
4. Working with hazardous substances
5. Major hazard facilities

Points 1 and 2 above will likely affect all businesses while the others (3,4,5) are sector specific.