Work Health and Safety (WHS) ministers have agreed to a range of recommendations to improve the incident notification provisions in the model WHS Act. These should be finalised by early 2025.
Work Health and Safety (WHS) ministers have agreed to a range of recommendations to improve the incident notification provisions in the model WHS Act. These should be finalised by early 2025.
Incident notification requirements were reviewed as an outcome of the 2018 Review of the model WHS laws. The changes should provide clarity and certainty of existing provisions, and address gaps in the current requirements, particularly in relation to notifications for psychosocial hazards and psychological harm, including serious workplace violence and attempted suicide. Some of the changes to address gaps are the notification of:
- dangerous incidents involving falls, electrical hazards and mobile plant.
- all serious injuries and illnesses including serious head injuries, serious crush injuries and serious bone fractures.
- violent incidents that may not result in a serious physical injury or illness, but that expose a worker or other person to a serious physical or psychological risk.
- serious work-related injuries and illnesses that are not already notifiable through the timely notification of a worker’s absence period (or likely absence period) of 15 or more consecutive calendar days due to psychological or physical injury, illness or harm arising out of conduct of the business or undertaking.
Each jurisdiction will need to implement the changes under its own WHS/OHS laws.
Read more: SWA news