Occupational Health and Safety Regulations and Guidelines

Occupational Health and Safety Regulations and Guidelines

There are a number of health and safety regulations and guidelines that employers need to be aware of. These include:

The Occupational Health and Safety Act

This act sets out the general duties of employers, workers and others in relation to health and safety in the workplace. It also establishes the powers and duties of the health and safety representative, health and safety committees and the Occupational Health and Safety Commission.

The objectives for this video are that, by the end, learners should be able to (1) describe the agencies and organizations that regulate occupational health and safety, (2) locate regulations and guidelines relevant to a particular workplace hazard, and (3) apply occupational exposure limits to assess exposure risks.

The Workers Compensation Act

This act provides for the payment of compensation to workers who are injured at work or who contract an occupational disease. It also sets out the rights and obligations of employers, workers and others in relation to workers compensation.

The Fair Work Act

This act sets out the rights and obligations of employers, employees and independent contractors in relation to hours of work, leave entitlements, termination of employment and other workplace relations matters.

The Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act

This act provides for the payment of compensation to Commonwealth employees who are injured at work or who contract an occupational disease. It also sets out the rights and obligations of employers, employees and others in relation to workers compensation.

The Work Health and Safety Act

This act sets out the general duties of employers, workers and other persons in relation to work health and safety. It also establishes the powers and duties of health and safety representatives, health and safety committees and WorkSafe inspectors.

The model Work Health and Safety Regulations

These regulations set out specific requirements in relation to a range of health and safety matters, including managing risks, providing information and training, maintaining plant and structures, managing hazardous substances, electrical safety and first aid.

The Mine Health and Safety Act

This act sets out the general duties of employers, workers and other persons in relation to mine health and safety. It also establishes the powers and duties of mine health and safety representatives, mine safety committees and Mine Safety Inspectors.

The Coal Mining Safety and Health Act

This act sets out the general duties of employers, workers and other persons in relation to coal mine health and safety. It also establishes the powers and duties of coal mine health and safety representatives, coal mine safety committees and Coal Mine Safety Inspectors.

The Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act

This act sets out the general duties of employers, workers and other persons in relation to petroleum operations on the continental shelf. It also establishes the powers and duties of health and safety representatives, health and safety committees and Petroleum Safety Inspectors.

The Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act

This act sets out the general duties of employers, workers and other persons in relation to offshore petroleum operations. It also establishes the powers and duties of health and safety representatives, health and safety committees and Offshore Petroleum Safety Inspectors.

The Workplace Gender Equality Act

This act promotes and improves gender equality in workplaces. It requires employers to report on a range of indicators relating to gender equality in their workplaces, and provides for the establishment of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency.

The Equal Opportunity Act

This act makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person on the grounds of race, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status or religious belief. It also makes it unlawful to harass a person on any of these grounds.

The Age Discrimination Act

This act makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person on the basis of age. It also makes it unlawful to harass a person on the basis of age.

The Racial Discrimination Act

This act makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person on the grounds of race, colour or national or ethnic origin. It also makes it unlawful to racially vilify a person.

The Sex Discrimination Act

This act makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person on the grounds of sex, marital status, pregnancy or potential pregnancy. It also makes it unlawful to sexually harass a person.

The Disability Discrimination Act

This act makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person on the grounds of disability. It also makes it unlawful to harass a person on the basis of disability.

The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act

This act establishes the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, which is responsible for investigating complaints of discrimination and harassment. The commission can also provide conciliation services to resolve complaints.

The Fair Work Act

This act sets out the framework for the national workplace relations system. It provides for the fair and effective regulation of workplace relations, and promotes harmonious, productive and cooperative workplace relations.

The Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act

This act sets out the framework for the registration and regulation of unions and employer organisations. It promotes democracy, transparency and accountability within these organisations.

The Occupational Health and Safety Act

This act sets out the general duties of employers, workers and other persons in relation to occupational health and safety. It also establishes the powers and duties of health and safety representatives, health and safety committees and WorkSafe Inspectors.

The Workers Compensation and Rehabilitation Act

This act provides for the payment of compensation to workers who are injured at work, and for the provision of rehabilitation services to assist injured workers to return to work.

The Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act

This act provides for the payment of compensation to Commonwealth employees who are injured at work, and for the provision of rehabilitation services to assist injured employees to return to work.