Macquarie University Centre for the Health Economy’s Post

I am happy to share that my paper entitled 'Higher penalties, broader definitions, and national standards: Did harmonized Australian workplace health and safety laws reduce workers' compensation receipt?' with co-authors Professor Henry Cutler and A/Prof. Kompal Sinha has been published in Industrial Relations: A journal of economy and society (A* on the ABDC). We exploit an Australian policy experiment in 2012/13 where all Australian jurisdictions except Victoria and Western Australia harmonised their workplace health and safety laws. Using stacked DID estimation, we fail to find overall reduced workers' compensation probability due to the policy but do find significant reductions for high-risk industry workers and workers in single-location employers. We conclude that more consistent laws may not reduce overall claims and injury if they do not reduce complexity or consider available inspectorate resources, and if jurisdictions have implementation flexibility. #workplacehealthandsafety #workerscompensation Australian Institute of Health Innovation AIHI Macquarie University Centre for the Health Economy

The Queensland Government has introduced legislative reforms to the state’s Work Health and Safety Act in the state parliament. The proposed reforms seek to strengthen Queensland’s laws when it comes to protecting the health and safety of workers. The Work Health and Safety and Other Legislation Amendment Bill will implement recommendations from the recent independent review of the state’s WHS Act. The Queensland Government accepted, or accepted in principle, all 55 sub-recommendations from the WHS Act Review Report. This new legislation focuses on recognising the important role of health and safety representatives (HSRs) in improving health and safety for workers. For more details on the provisions of the proposed bill, read the full article below. #WorkplaceSafety #Reforms #QLD #Legislation #WHSAct

The Queensland Government has introduced legislative reforms to the state’s Work Health and Safety Act in the state parliament. The proposed reforms seek to strengthen Queensland’s laws when it comes to protecting the health and safety of workers. The Work Health and Safety and Other Legislation Amendment Bill will implement recommendations from the recent independent review of the state’s WHS Act. The Queensland Government accepted, or accepted in principle, all 55 sub-recommendations from the WHS Act Review Report. This new legislation focuses on recognising the important role of health and safety representatives (HSRs) in improving health and safety for workers. For more details on the provisions of the proposed bill, read the full article below. #WorkplaceSafety #Reforms #QLD #Legislation #WHSAct

🤮 Maintaining health and safety in the workplace is critical 🧼 Particularly in unionized environments where collective bargaining can significantly enhance worker protection. In unionized workplaces, the presence of health and safety committees is common, with 90% of union contracts including specific safety and health provisions, compared to only 18% in non-union workplaces. 🫧Statistics show that unionized workers are 30% more likely to report hazardous conditions, leading to proactive measures and fewer workplace injuries. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports that unionized construction sites have 14% fewer safety violations. Furthermore, unionized workers have access to regular training and safety programs, resulting in 29% fewer fatal accidents according to a study by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). 🧽Unionized workers are significantly more likely to report safety concerns, with studies indicating they are 60% more likely to flag hazardous conditions. This proactive stance helps in promptly addressing potential risks. Moreover, the presence of health and safety committees in unionized settings—found in over 80% of union workplaces—ensures continuous monitoring and improvement of safety standards. 🛀These numbers highlight the importance of strong health and safety protocols in unionized settings. By leveraging the power of collective bargaining, unionized workplaces not only advocate for better wages and benefits but also ensure that their members work in safer conditions. Investing in health and safety not only protects workers but also reduces costs related to workplace injuries and boosts overall productivity. In conclusion, the statistics underscore a clear benefit: unionized workplaces are not only fairer but also significantly safer. As we continue to prioritize worker safety, the union model provides a robust framework for achieving these critical goals. #Unions #Health #Safety #Worker #Work #Pinear #WorkConditions

Has the last 50 years of The UK’s Health and Safety at Work Act changed our lives? On 1 June 1974, a fireball rose over the village of Flixborough, Lincolnshire. A chemical plant exploded, killing 28 people and injuring 36. It brought into sharp focus debates taking place at the time about health and safety at work, and beyond. Making its way through parliament was the legislation that, on 31 July 1974, became the Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA). As the HSWA turns 50, it’s important to understand why it was necessary and how it has changed our relationship with health and safety. The Robens report and HSWA contained radical elements. The Act introduced a unified regulator – the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Baked into the mechanics of regulation was a seat at the table for employers, unions and the state. In practice, HSE inspectors continued the strategy of persuading employers to make improvements. In 1977, regulations came into force allowing unions to appoint workplace safety representatives. Union membership peaked in 1979 but as it later declined there have been challenges in how the health and safety of non-unionised workers is secured. There were two more major changes introduced by the HSWA. Coverage was extended to include virtually every worker, bringing some five million additional people under its remit. And while previously health and safety had largely been the domain of industrial workplaces, an employer’s duties were extended to consider the public. From the 1980s onwards, health and safety became the focus of increasing public and political debate. Some of this was articulated as red tape holding business back, and a deregulatory agenda (which arguably contributed to the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017). Many of the pressures identified at the 40th anniversary of the HSWA remain. Funding for the HSE has been reduced and the idea of the “legitimacy” of health and safety has been questioned. That these tragedies could happen represents a complex mix of individual, corporate and regulatory failings. Yet, things have improved – not solely due to the HSWA, but this legislation has played a part. In 1974, the rate of fatal injury was 2.9 per 100,000 workers; in 2023-24, it sits at 0.42, representing 138 deaths from work-related incidents. Source – Mike Esbester @ University of Portsmouth #assurance #healthandsafety #documentmanagement

🚨 Anticipating Health & Safety Reforms with Labour's New Government! With Labour stepping into leadership, big changes in health and safety regulations are on the horizon. 🏛️🔍 🔑 Here are the key areas to watch: 1. Strengthening H&S Protections: Ensuring robust measures for workers' safety. 🛡️ 2. Modernising Legislation: Updating outdated laws to reflect contemporary work environments. 📜⚙️ 3. Increased Inspections: Expect more frequent and thorough safety checks across industries. 🔍🏭 Stay ahead of the curve and get your business prepared for these upcoming policies! For detailed insights and expert guidance, check out the full article below. 🌟🔧 https://lnkd.in/eJVvpKuN #HealthAndSafety #LabourGovernment #WorkplaceSafety #THSP

#Employers -- last Friday, #OSHA released its Worker Walk Around Final Rule, which would permit a non-employee representative to accompany a Compliance Safety and Health Officer during an employer inspection. Okay, so what? Here's what: this representative can include a labor union representative, even where the workers are not represented by a labor union. You might be wondering how this rule lines up with the National Labor Relations Act, which requires a showing of majority support (normally by secret ballot) before a union is allowed to represent employees. I'm not sure it does; at the very least, there's a real and significant tension between the rule and the Act. When coupled with the Constitutional issues that the rule seems to carry, particularly those relating to property rights, I'm not sure how this rule survives judicial review (which will surely follow in short order). For now, employers should refresh their teams on how to effectively and lawfully respond to a knock from an OSHA inspector. More to come. https://lnkd.in/gXimuyWy.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA), a groundbreaking piece of legislation that revolutionised workplace safety across the UK. Since gaining Royal Assent in July 1974, the HSWA has saved thousands of lives by introducing mandatory health and safety measures. While the TUC acknowledges the major progress made under the HSWA, there’s still work to be done. With over 100 work-related deaths each year in Britain over the past decade, the TUC is calling on the government to: Restore adequate funding to the Health and Safety Executive. Accelerate asbestos removal from all workplaces. Protect and empower trade union health and safety representatives. Promote collaborative efforts between government, unions, and employers to improve workplace safety. Let’s build on the success of the past 50 years and continue to raise the bar for workplace safety. Read on for more: https://heyor.ca/zhVOin #WorkplaceSafety #HSWA50Years #HealthAndSafety #TUC #AsbestosRemoval #SafeWorkplaces #EmployeeWellbeing #UKLaw #IndustrialSafety