Reducing death, injury and illness at work is a top priority for working people and unions.
Proposed new health and safety laws
Australian governments are planning new national Occupational Health and Safety laws that will apply consistently across all states and territories.
This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to lift protections for workers by achieving the world’s best safety standards for the entire country.
But Australian unions are very concerned that rather than improve safety for all, the proposed new laws will actually undermine standards, putting Australian workers and their families at risk. And that’s just not good enough.
Through the ‘Don’t Risk Second Rate Safety’ campaign, unions are calling on government to adopt national laws that:
- Give workers a say
- Make employers responsible
- Empower health and safety representatives
- Respect the role of unions
- Enable workers and unions to take court action
Rights and protections for workers
Many protections and rights we take for granted were fought for and won by unions. These include workers’ compensation; rest breaks; protective clothing; restrictions on lifting heavy objects; licences and training when working with heavy equipment; as well as bans on asbestos and dangerous chemicals.
Workers should have rights to:
- A safe and healthy working environment
- Know what health and safety hazards they are exposed to at work and a right to be involved in and negotiate how hazards are dealt with
- Determine who represents them on health and safety issues and
- Refuse unsafe work
Learn more, view latest video and take action
Downloads
OHS Poster
OHS Brochure
OHS Factsheet
OHS Radio Ad
Don't Risk Second Rate Safety postcard
Timeline of OHS achievements