Commission for Occupational Safety and Health 35th anniversary 1985-2020

This year, the Commission for Occupational Safety and Health (the Commission) proudly looks back on 35 successful years of improvements to worker safety for Western Australians.

Originally known as the Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare Commission, the group was established on 4 April 1985 with the inaugural meeting held on 29 April the same year.

The Commission was founded as a tripartite body with representatives from employer organisations, trade unions, expert representatives and the State Government.

This structure continues today, with the Commission playing a lead role in informing and achieving the occupational health and safety legislative program.

Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare Act 1984 and Regulations 1988

During the 1980’s, the Commission revised 21 sets of regulations into a single consolidated set of regulations.

Those repealed acts and regulations had covered just 40 per cent of the workforce. Worker safety was re-prioritised in the hearts and minds of Western Australians when the new Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare Amendment Act 1987 and Regulations 1988 were proclaimed.

After proclamation, 96 per cent of the State’s workforce was covered. For the first time hospitals, schools, offices, banks and the rural and public sectors had clear responsibilities to make workplaces safer.

These laws had a positive effect on reducing injury and disease to workers by introducing a statutory mechanism for the ‘general duty of care’ of employers and employees, and safety and health representatives and committees.

Reviews

As part of the Commission’s regulation review process, public comment was sought, resulting in the modernised Occupational Safety and Health Regulations 1996.

Significant legislative reforms in 2005 introduced Provisional Improvement Notices (PINS) improved consultation mechanisms between employers, employees and extended the duties of care to include a broader scope such as labour hire.

The first official COSH meeting. Clockwise from left: R. George, B. Bradley (Secretary), B. McGuirk (Chairman), P Shaw, J. McGinty, R. Gillet, J. Spatcher, B. McCarthy, R. Hannaford, M. Phillips, S. Mayman, R. Reid (absent B. Chesson)

CODES OF PRACTICE AND GUIDANCE NOTES

Commission codes of practice and guidance dramatically improved awareness of specific safety and health issues.

The first code of practice and the first guidance note, released in 1989, were Noise control in the workplace and Notification of accidents.

To date, the Commission has approved 75 codes of practice and guidance notes.

Work Health and Safety Bill 2019

In 2017, the Ministerial Advisory Panel (MAP) was formed to advise the Minister on a single amalgamated work health and safety act.

The MAP was made up of members of the Commission and the Mines Industry Advisory Committee (MIAC), and was chaired by Stephanie Mayman, a founding member and current Chair of the Commission.

The Bill for the amalgamated laws was introduced into parliament on 27 November 2019.

These new laws will bring together several pieces of existing Western Australian occupational safety and health legislation, incorporating mines and the critical risk industries.

Commission role and functions

Make recommendation to the Minister about workplace safety and health laws.

Develop and publish occupational safety and health information, codes of practice and guidance material.

Promote education and training in occupational safety and health.

In 2020, as the Chair of the Commission of Occupational Safety and Health, at a time when the harmonised laws are safely in the Western Australian Parliament, this is the time to reflect how little the Commission has changed in all these years. WA retains the truly tripartite nature of policy making for occupational health and safety as it did 35 years ago with employers, workers, experts and governments coming together to develop that policy. - Stephanie Mayman, April 2020