11:47 am, Friday 3 February, 2012
As part of a package of resources for volunteers, Safe Work Australia has set up the ‘Volunteer Assistance Line,’ a dedicated telephone helpline to assist volunteers and volunteer organisations in understanding how new work health and safety laws affect them.
Safe Work Australia Chair, Mr Tom Phillips today launched the new volunteer package assistance in partnership with Volunteering Australia. Aside from the Volunteer Assistance Line, the package also includes an email and webpage created to guide and support volunteers and volunteer organisations who may be affected by the new work health and safety (WHS) laws.
The new laws were implemented in the ACT, the Commonwealth, New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory on 1 January this year.
Volunteers and those who represent volunteer organisations can reach the helpline between 9am and 5pm during weekdays on 02 6240 4990. Messages can also be left after hours. Volunteers can also make enquiries by sending an email to Volunteers@SafeWorkAustralia.gov.au.
For more information, please visit http://safeworkaustralia.gov.au.
Report by Haydee - Do you have an OHS News Story - Let us know
OHS achievers were some of this year’s Australia Day Honours recipients. Honours were given on people from different areas of expertise. Here are some OHS achievers who are also Australia Day Honours recipients:
Safe Work Australia has released figures which reveal monthly notified workplace fatalities have decreased.
ComCare has recently introduced initiatives to strengthen their services in improving health outcomes. These initiatives are consistent with the ComCare Strategic Plan 2010-2015.
WorkSafe is investigating an incident that occurred last night at a winery near Mildura.
A 38-year-old man is in a stable condition after crashing his quad bike in a rural area at Mooroopna, near Shepparton, yesterday afternoon.
There have been several changes to Australia’s health and safety laws as a result of harmonisation. Workplaces are suffering from some confusion about what has changed and when these changes will take effect for their own States and Territories.
The QLD safety watchdog, Workplace Health and Safety Queensland, has announced it will be targeting compliance of swing stage scaffold erection.
While the number of big trucks on the road has increased, even doubling the rate of cars, a study conducted late last year by the National Transport Insurance (NTI) shows that there is a 27% decrease in serious truck crash incidents reported.
A free workshop which aims to give employers the tools they need to help injured workers back to work sooner will be conducted on February 16 in Melbourne’s west.