How far does health and safety legislation reach?
I am often asked about the extent of health and safety legislation. How far do duties reach in terms of people and geographical location? A recent case in Victoria (sentenced in January 2025) shows the range of the application of health and safety law. The tragic...
Update on DEMIRS Statutory Supervisor Exams
DEMIRS conducted a meeting on November 6, 2024 to update Training Providers on changes to the legislation exams. Key Immediate Changes The variable pass mark for each section in the 3-section MSP legislation exam was: Section 1 = 90%, Section 2 = 80%, Section 3 = 90%....
HSR Matters Morning Tea
Firstly, a big thank you to WorkSafe for organizing such a wonderful event in December 2024. It was a pleasure to reconnect with past participants, fellow trainers, and the dedicated WorkSafe community education team. Opening Remarks by WorkSafe Commissioner The event...
Statutory Supervisor Law Exam
Fact, fiction and tips By now most of you will know that the Perth exam venue has moved from central Perth to North Lake. Also, the capacity has increased, meaning more spaces are open for potential candidates. I thought this would be an opportune time to dispel some...
The MARS Program – Preliminary report 1 findings
MARS (Mental Awareness, Respect and Safety) is a government initiative targeting mental health, sexual harassment and safety in Western Australia’s mining industry. One part of the project is a study being undertaken by Curtin University. The study which will run from...
DMIRS exam for Statutory Supervisors
I recently sat the Statutory Supervisor exam with DMIRS and here are some of my insights. But first, some facts about the exam. Statutory Supervisors have new pre-requisites under Schedule 26 of the WHS Mines Regulations. Statutory Supervisors must be appointed for...
Who is a PCBU?
PCBU is a new term under WHS. So what is a PCBU? PCBU or Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking describes the entity that is engaging the work. This replaces the term “employer”. A ‘person’ can include a body corporate (company), unincorporated body or...
Due diligence
The WHS Act imposes a specific duty on Officers to ensure the PCBU meets its work health and safety obligations. In fact, all managers should apply due diligence to the management of WHS in their area of responsibility. So, what does it mean to be diligent? The WHS...
Focus on Psychological Health
The term health was used in Western Australia's previous OSH legislation. Under the new WHS Act the term health is further described to include “psychological health”. We can expect to see more guidance and regulatory work take place in the area of psychological...
Harmonisation and Modernisation
The introduction of the new WHS legislation hoped to achieve: Harmonisation – a nationally consistent approachModernisation – update health and safety legislation to reflect modern day working arrangement, issues and conditions. Harmonisation The process of...
