The model WHS laws include:
Commonwealth and state and territory regulators oversee and enforce the laws in their jurisdictions. WHS regulators are supported by the National Compliance and Enforcement Policy, which sets out principles of how WHS regulators monitor and enforce compliance within their jurisdiction. The model laws have been implemented in all jurisdictions except Victoria. Some jurisdictions have made minor variations to make sure the legislation is consistent with their relevant drafting protocols and other laws and processes. The model WHS Act Cross-Comparison Table summarises these variations. For information on the operation of WHS laws in your jurisdiction, please contact your WHS regulator. Model WHS ActThe model WHS Act forms the basis of the WHS Acts that have been implemented in most jurisdictions across Australia. The main object of the Act is to provide for a balanced and nationally consistent framework to secure the health and safety of workers and workplaces. It does this by:
Safe Work Australia has published additional documents that complement the model WHS Act:
Model WHS RegulationsThe model WHS Regulations set out detailed requirements to support the duties in the model WHS Act. They also prescribe procedural or administrative requirements to support the model WHS Act (for example requiring licences for specific activities and keeping records). We have published some additional documents that complement the model WHS Regulations: Model Codes of PracticeModel Codes of Practice are practical guides to achieving the standards of health and safety required under the model WHS Act and Regulations. To have legal effect, a model Code of Practice must be approved as a code of practice in a jurisdiction. To determine if a model Code of Practice has been approved in a particular jurisdiction, check with your local WHS regulator. An approved code of practice applies to anyone who has a duty of care in the circumstances described in the code. In most cases, following an approved code of practice would achieve compliance with the health and safety duties in a jurisdiction’s WHS Act and Regulations. Like regulations, codes of practice deal with particular issues and do not cover all hazards or risks that may arise. Health and safety duties require you to consider all risks associated with work, not only those risks that regulations and codes of practice exist for. Approved codes of practice are not law, but they are admissible in court proceedings. Courts may:
NATLEX Database of national labour, social security and related human rights legislation
The Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act) provides a framework to protect the health, safety and welfare of all workers. It also protects the health and safety of others who might be affected by the work your business does. All workers are protected by the WHS Act. This includes:
The WHS Act also provides protection for the general public so that their health and safety is not at risk by work performed by your business. The WHS Act places the primary health and safety duty on a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU). A PCBU must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers in their workplace. Duties are also placed on officers of a PCBU, workers and other persons at a workplace. Most duties under the WHS Act are qualified by the term 'reasonably practicable'. The WHS Act also sets out the requirements for the following:
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