Where are the psychosocial safety regulations?
On the eve of National Safe Work Month, Victorians are justified in asking “Where the hell are the psychosocial safety regulations?”
Over two years ago the Victorian Government was proud to be leading the pack of jurisdictions and various WorkSafes in promising amendments to the occupational health and safety (OHS) laws. Now it is the last to introduce those amendments
In reality, those laws seem as far from introduction as ever. The government has conducted two rounds of public consultations on the issue with the last ending early this year. Since then WorkSafe representatives have pre-empted the inevitable question at their public appearances by saying, rightly, the “the laws are with the Minister” or “on the Minister’s desk”. The delay is becoming negligent.
This delay is puzzling as the government had a major inquiry into Victoria’s Mental Health System and, although workplaces were on the periphery of consideration, there was an overlap. The unions are in favour of psychosocial reform. Business groups always argue against any new OHS regulations based on the spurious, rote reasons of increased cost of compliance. But this whiney opposition is very weak when all other jurisdictions have resolved any concerns. So why hasn’t Victoria?
It is highly likely that whatever draft regulatory amendments the government holds are out of date compared to the other States and Territories and a further cycle of consultation may be required. All the while, workers are facing psychosocial hazards that their employers could be controlling. Of course, employers should have been controlling these since the OHS duty of care in 1985, but many employers do not act on occupational hazards until they have to. And in Victoria, they feel they don’t have to.
Remember this Minister’s delay on the elimination and management of psychosocial hazards at work, the next time any government representative says that “we give the safety of Victorians the highest priority”. If that statement were true, the OHS laws would have been amended over 18 months ago and workers would have been safer.
Kevin Jones https://safetyatworkblog.com/
