The Work Health and Safety Bill 2019 was passed by the Legislative Council on 21 October 2020. It is anticipated it will receive royal assent soon after consideration of amendments by the Legislative Assembly in November.
The new Work Health and Safety Act (WHS Act) will replace the current Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984, and elements of the Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 and the Petroleum and Geothermal Energy Safety Levies Act 2011 that relate to work health and safety.
When assented, the WHS Act will not be operational until regulations are complete. Work to develop the regulations is presently underway and will continue in 2021.
This provides workplace participants with time to become familiar with the provisions of the WHS Act. Transitional arrangements will also be in place to provide sufficient time for duty holders to adapt their safe systems of work to the new requirements.
The Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety is developing resources to assist workplace participants in adapting to the new laws. These will be available closer to the date the new laws become operational and will include information about the new regulations.
The development of the new WHS Act commenced in 2017, and involved extensive consultation with stakeholders and the community prior to being introduced into Parliament in November 2019.
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Media statement - Premier Mark McGowan and Industrial Relations Minister Bill Johnston