Where is the Mothership?

Where is the Mothership?

Latest rant by Sarah Jane (Safety Nerd) from Riskology Consulting.

See it here: http://riskologyconsulting.com.au/where-is-the-mothership/

As a Safety Professional, the harmonisation of OHS laws recently have become more of a minefield than harmonised, employers don’t know if they are Arthur or Martha.  Certificate IV in OHS courses you can now do in 5 days then knock on an employer’s door calling yourself Safety Professional.

Even my title ‘Safety Professional’ is a self-awarded title I’ve given myself, being in the industry for 10 years with various qualifications, but when I seek a good industry body to align with, I raise my white flag and surrender.

The Safety Institute of Australia (SIA) is recommended as the industry body for OHS ‘professionals’ by Worksafe VIC.  To become a member you only need an interest in safety, not a qualification.

When looking for ‘professionals’ on the SIA website you can search chartered members who are able to update their own information on the site and due to historical memberships some do not have the minimum qualifications which are deemed as a necessity to be a ‘professional’ with the SIA.

There is no single overarching professional body for the industry, although SIA is associated with WorkSafe Vic and Workcover NSW, it has a damaged reputation, legal battles in WA and lowering membership levels. So self-titled Safety Professionals are doing their best to unravel the knots of the ever changing status of the most significant OHS changes in Australia for 30 years without a strong leader.

The harmonised OHS are looking like another roof batts saga, another tragic failure that the Australian Government promised and has failed miserably.  Back in 2008 there was an intergovernmental agreement between all the states, territories and the commonwealth for regulatory and operational reform in OHS.  The parties agreed ‘to work cooperatively to achieve harmonisation of OHS laws’ with the fundamental objective being to ‘produce the optimal model for a national approach to OHS regulation and operation will enable the development of uniform standards…..address the compliance and regulatory burdens for employers with operations in more than one jurisdiction….’.

What happened to working cooperatively?  What happened to them taking all necessary steps to enact or otherwise give effect to this legislation within the timeframes agreed, being December 2011?  What about reducing the burden for multi jurisdictional employers?

Victoria have backed out of the harmonisation with their reversing lights on loud and proud saying it’s too much of a burden to small business.  We are waiting on SA, TAS and WA to still to go live with their legislation and QLD is now having second thoughts and may look at backflipping altogether (school principals keep your eyes closed when they do).

The Government have not only made the OHS laws more confusing, or shall I call them WHS laws…who knows? but the objectives of the intergovernmental agreement has gone down the plug hole.

What a shame.  I had high hopes for real reform and that the Government would make a serious attempt at reducing injuries and fatalities.  I didn’t sign up to a theatrical show of political point scoring.

Sarah-Jane (AKA The Safety Nerd) x