ACT Work Health and Safety Council - Communique

Meeting number 16

16 November 2023

The Work Health and Safety Council (the Council) is established under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 to advise the Minister for Industrial Relations and Workplace Safety on matters relating to work safety, workers’ compensation and activities of the work health and safety regulator. The Council meets quarterly and includes representatives from government, industry, and unions.

Summary of discussions

The Chair welcomed Members to the sixteenth meeting of the WHS Council and acknowledged the traditional custodians of the land.

Members elected a new Chair of the WHS Council, Michael Hiscox for a two-year term. Members thanked the current Chair, Anthony Brierley, for his leadership and contribution to the work of the Council over the last two years.

The Work Health and Safety Commissioner provided Members with an update on recent activities of the regulator, including compliance and enforcement activities in the residential construction sector, silica dust and sexual assault incident reporting.

Members also noted and discussed the 2022-23 Office of the Work, Health and Safety Commissioner Annual Report.

Members considered the development of guidance materials for working in extreme heat and risks posed by poor air quality for the summer/bushfire season.

Members noted the private and public sector workers’ compensation injury trend data reports.
Anthony Brierley Chair, WHS Council

Contact

For information about the ACT Work Safety Council please email ACTWorkHealthSafetyCouncil.Secretariat@act.gov.au.