Federal OHS takeover festering

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Ahead of the December release of the model OHS regulations and codes of practice for public comment, a Norton Rose survey has found that a large proportion of respondents want a Federal take over of OHS laws.

Six hundred and twenty four people responded to the Norton Rose email survey ahead of the December release of the model OHS regulations and codes of practice for public comment.

Ninety five percent of survey respondents came from within Australia, while five per cent of respondents came from overseas or a state unknown.

Almost 90 per cent of respondents reported wanting a Federal Government takeover of OHS, which doesn't bode well for the Federal Government's harmonisation plans.

To make matters worse, 61 per cent of respondents don't think the current harmonisation model will achieve true harmonisation of OHS laws in Australia.

However, 87 percent of respondents agree that unions shouldn't have the power to prosecute for OHS breaches.

And 94 per cent think the duty of care should be qualified by reasonable practicability.

But 67 per cent said employers should have the onus of proving reasonable practicability in the event of a prosecution for a breach of the duty of care.

The draft model OHS regulations and priority model codes of practice will be released for public comment in December for four months.

Wednesday 24 Nov, 2010
NSCA
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