Workplace Health and Safety (LAWS70053)

Work Health and Safety Law has grown in scope over the past decade, particularly since 2010 when most Australian governments implemented nationally-uniform laws about work health and safety. Victoria has, however, continued, with a similar but different model, and has a particularly active regulator.

This subject examines in detail the content of Victorian law, as well as the national laws, considering the operation of work health and safety law in its historical and industrial setting, as well as the likely practical operation of the regulatory regimes. The subject examines the application of safety laws to both physical risks and psychosocial risks, such as bullying and sexual harassment.

The lecturer is a practitioner with over 20 years’ experience in work health and safety, and guest lecturers from employee representative bodies and safety regulators will also present.

Principal topics include:

• The problem of work-related injury and disease
• The history of the legal regulation of health and safety at work
• The duties owed by employers and other parties under Victorian and nationally-uniform workplace health and safety laws
• Standard-setting under the Australian work health and safety statutes
• Worker representation and participation under the Australian work health and safety legislation
• State enforcement of the work health and safety legislation
• The application of work health and safety legislation to psychological health, bullying and sexual harassment
• How health and safety law has adapted to new ways of working and new challenges, such as remote and hybrid work, and COVID-19