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Index

Non First Priority Standards

National Standards and Codes of Practice

In April 2001, NOHSC approved a program for continuously improving the national standards and related materials for each of the seven priority areas in which national regulatory materials are maintained. Underpinning this program is a regular reporting process to identify innovation and monitor the efficacy of the national regulatory materials. Other national materials that fell outside the seven priority standard areas, but still have an effect on workplace injury and disease were identified as Non First Priority Standards (defined under the Continuous Improvement Program (CIP)) and these are subject to similar Annual Situation reporting arrangements as the Priority Standards.

Non First Priority Standards

The following National Standards and Codes of Practice are referred to as the Non First Priority Standards:

• National Standard for Limiting Occupational Exposure to Ionising Radiation [NOHSC: 1013 (1995)] - Radiation Protection Series No.1:
  
  The objective of this Standard is to limit the risk to health arising from the exposure to ionising radiation in the workplace and to optimise radiation protection by setting common essential requirements for the control of exposure to radiation, including the specification of both employer and employee duties.
  

• National Standard for Safe Working in a Confined Space [NOHSC: 1009 (1994) and AS 2865-1995]:
  
  The objectives of this Standard are to provide guidance to:
• eliminate or, where this is not practicable, minimize the need to enter confined spaces; and
• provide for the health and safety of all persons who need to enter or work in confined spaces by preventing exposure to hazards which may otherwise be experienced when working in a confined space, and thereby prevent collapse, injury, illness or death arising from exposure to those hazards.
  
  
• National Code of Practice for the Control of Work-related Exposure to Hepatitis and HIV (blood-borne) Viruses [NOHSC: 2010 (2003) 2nd Edition]:
  
  The objective of this is to assist employers and employees to meet requirements under existing Commonwealth or State and Territory Occupational Health and Safety legislation as it relates to HIV/AIDs and Hepatitis B in the workplace by providing practical guidance on the identification, assessment and control of Occupational Health and Safety risks associated with blood or body fluids.
  
• Workplace Injury and Disease Recording Standard in the Workplace: AS 1885.1 (1990):
  
  The objectives of this standard are to:
• Provide information on the nature and extent of occupational injury and disease at the workplace.
• Provide a comprehensive set of data for the management of occupational health and safety at the workplace and enterprise level.
• Assist in the efficient allocation of resources.
• Provide data to monitor the effectiveness of prevention strategies.

Related Material

NOHSC has produced the following related documents and guidance material to support or compliment the above Standards/Code of Practice:

Ionising Radiation

• Recommendations for Limiting Exposure to Ionising Radiation (Guidance Note [NOHSC" 3022 (1995)] - Radiation Protection Series No. 1

Status of Adoption of National Standards

As at 30 June 2002, adoption by jurisdictions of the various Non First Priority Standards provisions has not been consistent. At best, these materials are adopted only as guidance documents only within the jurisdictions and do not have the legal status of regulations. See Adoption Table (PDF 132kB).

Who to Contact about Non First Priority Standard Regulation

Regulation of the various areas covered by the Non First priority Standards is the responsibility of each jurisdiction. Queries on the application and implementation of these regulations should be directed to the relevant jurisdictional authority.

Comments on and queries about the National Standards, Code of Practice and associated guidance material under the Non First Priority Standards and the information provided on this web site are welcome. These should be directed to the NOHSC office on info@ascc.gov.au.

History of Development of the Non First Priority Standards

The history of the development for each Standard or Code of Practice can be accessed using the following links:

• History of Development - Limiting Occupational Exposure to Ionising Radiation
• History of Development - Safe Working in Confined Spaces
• History of Development - HIV/AIDs and Hepatitis B
• History of Development - Workplace Injury and Disease

Annual Situation Report

In April 2001, NOHSC approved a program for continuously improving the national standards and related materials for each of the seven priority areas in which national regulatory materials are maintained. Underpinning this program is regular reporting to identify innovation and monitor the efficacy of the national regulatory materials. The reporting is expected to identify issues and potential improvements that will need to be considered in more detail.

Annual Situation Reports are the primary means of reporting on each priority area. They:

• assess the status of adoption of national materials by each jurisdiction;
• compare key components of the national materials with standards maintained by comparable major overseas OHS agencies;
• document and analyse concerns identified by NOHSC stakeholders;
• assess national and jurisdictional performance against agreed indicators and assess the efficiency and effectiveness of declared priority standards;
• identify developments or emerging issues; and identify the status of all referenced materials.

Other national materials that fell outside the seven priority standard areas, but still have an effect on workplace injury and disease were identified as Non First Priority Standards (defined under the Continuous Improvement Program (CIP)) and these are subject to similar Annual Situation reporting arrangements as the Priority Standards. However, the primary focus on these standards is the identification of changes in circumstances that make aspects of these materials irrelevant, ineffective or inefficient within the workplace and the outline the appropriate measures to take to address these changes. To reflect the fact that these materials still have a high priority under the CIP the name of this group has been changed to the Non First Priority Standards.

Annual Situation Report for the Non First Priority Standards can be accessed using the link below:

• 2002 Annual Situation report - Non First Priority Standards