Safe Work Australia is the principal national organisation driving policy development in work health and safety with the aim of achieving the best possible approach to health and safety for all Australian workers.

Safe Work Australia represents a partnership between the Commonwealth, state and territory governments, the Australian Council of Trade Unions, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Australian Industry Group.

Since 2009, Safe Work Australia have progressed the development of model work health and safety legislation for implementation across Australia in 2012.

When the harmonised work health and safety laws are in place businesses and workers will be able to comply more easily with their work health and safety responsibilities because the requirements will largely be the same, regardless of the number of states and territories in which they operate.

Safe Work Australia released draft model WHS Regulations, priority model Codes of Practice, an Issues Paper and Consultation Regulation Impact Statement for public comment in December 2010 for a period of four months.

A broad range of individuals and organisations from across Australia commented on different aspects of the package and a total of 1339 submissions were received.

Safe Work Australia will analyse the written submissions received through the public comment process and revise the draft model WHS Regulations and Codes of Practice based on this. A second stage public comment process will be underway in mid 2011 to progress further Codes of Practice currently in development.

A final version of model Regulations and Codes of Practice will then be submitted to WRMC for consideration, with the recommendation of its adoption into law by all jurisdictions by December 2011.

Safe Work Australia will be developing a national compliance and enforcement policy to ensure a consistent approach in the way regulators administer and enforce the new laws.

It is time for organisations and individuals to get ready for the changes in work health and safety taking place across Australia. Through the harmonisation of model work health and safety laws it will be easier to create safer workplaces for all Australians and see a positive effect on performance and productivity.

The estimated total economic cost of work-related injuries and illnesses to Australia’s economy is $57.5 billion. This represents just less than six per cent of Australia’s Gross Domestic Product.

For more information on the model work health and safety laws, please visit www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au.