Performance benchmarking of Australian business regulation: occupational health and safety

While OHS regulation plays an important role in promoting safe work practices, excessive regulation can have adverse consequences for productivity and costs for consumers, according to the Commission. This report identifies significant differences in regulation and in the actions of regulators across the jurisdictions. The report aims to provide governments and the Workplace Relations Ministers Council with further opportunities to reduce the regulatory burden on business through greater harmonisation of the next layers of regulation, such as national codes and guidance material for business. The report also highlights many ways to improve the practices of government regulators across Australia. Areas where the report identified significant differences in 2008-09, include: • record keeping for risk management, training, incidents and a range of particular hazards • worker consultation, participation and representation, including union involvement in OHS consultations and investigations of possible OHS breaches • dealing with a range of workplaces hazards including asbestos, \u27psychosocial hazards\u27, prevention of falls, manual handling and licences for high risk work • the resourcing, availability of enforcement tools and key strategies of the regulators