Hierarchy coded and mines missing

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Managing risks has taken a new turn and mining regulations have yet to make an appearance in the draft-model OHS regulations and codes of practice released this week.

The draft-model Work Health and Safety (WHS) Regulations and model Codes of Practice were released for public comment late Tuesday evening.

The draft-model WHS Regulations refer to the elimination or minimisation of hazards as they relate to the management of specific risks. The previously approved Model Work Health and Safety (WHS) Act also refers to the elimination or minimisation of hazards.

However, specific references to and the application of the hierarchy of hazard control for controlling all risks is mentioned only in the Draft Codes of Practice.

As stipulated in the Draft Codes of Practice, “codes of practice are admissible in court proceedings under the WHS Act and Regulations”.

Moreover, the Draft Code stated: “The WHS Act and Regulations may be complied with by following another method, such as a technical or an industry standard, if it provides an equivalent or higher standard of work health and safety than the code”.

Meanwhile, the mining regulations are yet to be released but are expected to be made available after the initial public comment phase. The mining regulations are being developed in conjunction with the National Mine Safety Framework.

The Issues Paper released with the Draft Regulations and Draft Codes of Practice stated that the mining regulations would provide for risk control measures in mines, safety management systems, emergency response plans, mine survey plans and mine records.

The public comment period for the Draft Regulations and Codes of Practice closes on April 4 next year.

Wednesday 8 Dec, 2010
NSCA