November 2020 - Work Health and Safety Bill passes Parliament

The Work Health and Safety Bill 2019 was passed by Parliament on 3 November 2020 and is awaiting royal assent. When assented, the WHS Act will not be operational until regulations are complete.  Work to develop the regulations is presently underway and will continue in 2021.

The new Work Health and Safety Act 2019 (WHS Act) will replace the current Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984, and elements of the Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 and the Petroleum and Geothermal Energy Safety Levies Act 2011 that relate to work health and safety.

This provides workplace participants with time to become familiar with the provisions of the WHS Act.  Transitional arrangements will also be in place to provide sufficient time for duty holders to adapt their safe systems of work to the new requirements.

The Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety is developing resources to assist workplace participants in adapting to the new laws.  These will be available closer to the date the new laws become operational and will include information about the new regulations.

Read more

Media statement - Premier Mark McGowan and Industrial Relations Minister Bill Johnston

WorkSafe
Alert
22 Oct 2020

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