Master Builders Victoria (MBV) can advise that the proposed Workplace Safety Legislation and Other Matters Amendment Bill 2021 was read for a second time in the Victorian Parliament last Thursday (2 December 2021). 

These proposed amendments are designed to prevent and respond to workplace safety incidents, improve outcomes for injured workers and their families, and increase WorkSafe’s ability to enhance scheme operations. 

The proposed Bill will make several amendments to the Accident Compensation Act 1985 (AC Act), the Dangerous Goods Act 1985 (DG Act), the Equipment (Public Safety) Act 1994 (EPS Act), the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (OHS Act) and the Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013 (WIRC Act) to: 

  • Improve compensation arrangements for workers with silicosis and similar occupational diseases and deliver on aspects of the Victorian Government’s silica action plan. 
  • Amend the requirements relating to issuing prohibition notices to capture serious risk activities better. 
  • Include a broader range of matters to be notifiable incidents. 
  • Improve entitlements for the families of deceased workers. 
  • Clarify that funds collected from infringement notices are paid into the WorkCover fund. 
  • Make technical and procedural amendments to the WIRC Act and AC Act.  

MBV OHS Manager Sam Smith said the changes would recognise the progressive nature of silica-related diseases and aim to improve access to support for injured workers and their families. 

“The changes will allow WorkSafe inspectors to issue prohibition notices for unsafe activities in circumstances where the risk is cumulative in nature, such as uncontrolled dry cutting of engineered stone,” Mr. Smith said. 

“It’s also proposed that the criteria for WorkSafe notifiable incidents will be expanded to allow for the inclusion of certain prescribed serious illnesses and greater alignment with the model WHS Act.  

“The proposal changes the threshold for notification from the immediacy of risk and a person being in the vicinity, to the seriousness of risk and immediacy or imminence of exposure, meaning that a larger number of near-miss incidents will require notification to WorkSafe. 

Further information 

MBV will monitor the progress of the Bill through the Victorian Parliament and keep you updated as it develops. You can view the proposed Bill on the Victorian Legislation website.  

You can read the Victorian Government’s media release about the announcement. 

In the meantime, should you have any questions or would like to discuss the proposed changes, don't hesitate to get in touch with MBV OHS Manager Sam Smith on 9411 4555.