Workplace safety and workers’ health in the ACT are to be the subjects of a review aimed at ensuring the Territory is adopting best practices.
Minister for Workplace Safety and Industrial Relations, Rachel Stephen-Smith and Minister for Regulatory Services, Gordon Ramsay announced the review, saying it would evaluate the appropriateness and effectiveness of the ACT’s current work health and safety compliance and enforcement strategies.
“The safety of workers and ensuring they get home safely each day is an ongoing priority for the ACT Government,” Mr Ramsay said.
“We are committed to continual improvement to ensure the highest possible standards.”
The review will specifically consider the approach to safety compliance and enforcement detailed in WorkSafe ACT’s Compliance Framework and the appropriateness and effectiveness of WorkSafe ACT’s governance structure.
It will also consider the appropriateness and effectiveness of WorkSafe ACT’s organisational structure and the ACT’s collection, use and analysis of data.
The Ministers said Victorian Director of Consumer Affairs, Claire Noone had been engaged to lead the review and report to them in September.
“Dr Noone brings significant expertise to this work, having recently chaired Victoria’s Independent Review of Worksafe Compliance and Enforcement,” they said.
Ms Stephen-Smith there was more to do to ensure that all workers in the ACT were in safe and healthy workplaces, and the Government had an important role to play alongside employers, workers and unions.
“This will be the first broad review of the ACT’s work health and safety compliance and enforcement arrangements since the adoption of national model work health and safety legislation in 2011,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.
