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The Work Health and Safety Commission is now inviting public submissions on the draft code of practice: Work health and safety management systems in the Western Australian public sector.

This code provides guidance to assist public sector entities to establish and implement a work health and safety management system (SMS).

An SMS is a framework that brings together an organisation’s policies, systems, procedures and plans to enable all workers to follow a systematic approach to achieving, improving and monitoring health and safety management.

For most public sector entities, an SMS will be an effective mechanism to manage health and safety risk and meet the primary duty of care requirements of the Work Health and Safety Act 2020.

Closing date: 5.00 pm Friday, 31 January 2025. 

Please use the public consultation submission sheet to make a written submission. All queries and written submissions can be sent via email to safetycomms@demirs.wa.gov.au.

The draft code provides guidance on the application of a risk management process to avoid or minimise the harm from psychosocial hazards and risk factors. It contains material adapted from the Mentally healthy workplaces for fly-in fly-out (FIFO) workers in the resources and construction sectors code and incorporates changes in practices brought about by the adoption of the work health and safety (WHS) legislation.

The code should be used by people who have duties to manage exposure to psychosocial hazards and risk factors in the resources and construction sectors. It is intended to apply to workplaces in Western Australia utilising fly-in fly-out, drive-in drive-out and bus-in bus-out work arrangements that are covered by the WHS legislation.

A draft code of practice Managing health and safety in employer-provided accommodation is currently being developed to supplement this code.

Submissions closed 5.00 pm Thursday, 24 October 2024. 

The Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety has engaged a consultant to undertake an independent review of the Dangerous Goods Safety Act 2004 and regulations to:

1. identify opportunities for modernisation, restructuring and streamlining
2. consider whether it should be incorporated into Western Australia’s work health and safety legislation or remain separate
3. make recommendations on these options.

It is planned that a report on the review will be provided to the Government by the end of October 2024.

Submissions closed 5.00 pm Friday, 18 October 2024. 

This Code has been revised to provide clarity on control measures that can be used in housing construction to meet requirements of the Work Health and Safety (General) Regulations 2022 in minimising the risk of a fall.

Amendments to the code have been made to include further information on:

• planning and sequencing of framing work for fixing ceiling joints and upper level floor joists
• constructing conventional or stick roofing and the order in which framing work is done, including:
  • using working decks
  • working within reach
  • detailing methods workers can use to complete tasks not within reach but where additional height is still required
  • working above 4 metres from floor level, including the use of scaffolds, trestles, or ladders
• managing effective edge protection across various roofing tasks.

Submissions closed 5.00 pm Friday, 18 October 2024.