Queensland's new work health and safety laws
Souce: DEIR Qld
In 2008, Workplace Relations Ministers from around Australia agreed to nationally harmonise work health and safety (WHS) laws. Each State and Territory will commence their work health and safety laws, on 1 January 2012.
Queensland's new legislation
On 26 May 2011 Queensland Parliament became the first to pass the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (the WHS Act 2011). The WHS Act 2011 reflects the national model WHS Act with minor (but necessary) changes which enable it to operate within the Queensland jurisdiction.
As the national model Act did not include recreational diving, a new Safety in Recreational Water Activities Act 2011 (the SRWA Act) was also passed by the Queensland Parliament on 26 May 2011. Diving is a significant industry in Queensland and the SRWA Act ensures that the strict safety standards in Queensland's diving and snorkelling industries are maintained.
These Acts will be enacted on 1 January 2012.
- Work Health and Safety Act 2011
- Explanatory notes
- Safety in Recreational Water Activities Act 2011
- Explanatory notes
- Parliamentary Debate (Hansard)
Understanding the Work Health and Safety Act 2011
These pages contain comparison tables as well as a more detailed analysis of the differences:
- Part 1 - Preliminary
- Part 2 - Health and safety duties
- Part 3 - Incident notification
- Part 4 - Authorisations
- Part 5 - Consultation, representation and participation
- Part 6 - Discriminatory, coercive and misleading conduct
- Part 7 - Workplace entry by WHS entry permit holders
- Part 8 - The regulator
- Part 9 - Securing compliance, Divisions 1-3
- Part 10 - Enforcement measures
- Part 11 - Enforceable undertakings
- Part 12 - Review of decisions
- Part 13 - Legal proceedings
- Part 14 - General
For more information and for ongoing timeframes, visit Safe Work Australia (non Queensland Government link).
Previous information
Public comment
period (Dec 2010 - April 2011)
The public comment period for the model Work Health and
Safety Regulations closed on 4 April 2011. Further information can be found
at Safe Work Australia website (non
Queensland Government link).
The public comment period provided an opportunity for individuals and organisations to participate in the development of the model Work Health and Safety Regulations and priority model Codes of Practice.
Queensland
submission to the national review
In 2008, the Queensland Government made a submission to the
national review of occupational health and safety (OHS) laws.
Submission to the National OHS review (PDF, 224 kB)