National Occupational Health and Safety Commission Progresses Priorities
Professor Dennis Else, Chairman of the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (NOHSC), said: "The March 10 NOHSC meeting held in Hobart was significant for a number of reasons. The meeting was the first for new CEO Alan Rowe, who brings to NOHSC valuable experience in public administration.
"The meeting was an important step in developing the NOHSC 1999-2000 budget and work priorities. This follows the Labour Ministers' Council endorsing late last year the strategic directions set by NOHSC, which reflect its national focus and differentiate its role from that of state and territory jurisdictions."
The priorities are aimed at supporting an effective national infrastructure through:
- providing comprehensive and accurate national data, particularly to support the Council's comparative performance monitoring.
- facilitating and co-ordinating research efforts.
- developing and updating a nationally consistent standards framework.
- co-ordinating and disseminating information, including industry specific practical guidance material.
- developing a National OHS Improvement Strategy.
The NOHSC 1999-2000 budget and work priorities will be finalised by the NOHSC Executive in May.
In relation to updating the Hazardous Substances Regulatory Package, the meeting endorsed the:
- draft revised NOHSC Approved Criteria to Classify Hazardous Substances
- draft revised NOHSC List of Designated Hazardous Substances
- proposed process to review and update the national exposure standards.
Professor Else thanked Dr Susanne Tepe, Chair of the Hazardous Substances Sub-committee (HSSC), for steering this work through the HSSC and NOHSC Prevention Strategies and Facilitation Committee. The publications will be released in April and available from Government Info Shops and on the NOHSC Web site.
Other key outcomes from the meeting included:
- agreement on the development of a database of initiatives on occupational violence (including evaluations of their effectiveness) and identification of potential further work in this area.
- agreement on the development of a database of initiatives and legislation (including evaluations of their effectiveness) in the area of environmental tobacco smoke and cancer in the workplace. Additionally, jurisdictions will be encouraged to undertake education programs, where appropriate, which reinforce the health risks of smoking in the workplace and elevate the awareness of the Guidance Note published by NOHSC.
- discussion on OHS status reports provided by members on the specific theme for the meeting of strategic plans. The theme for the next meeting's status reports is industry-focussed activities.
The next NOHSC meeting will be held in Sydney on July 14.
(END)
19 March 1999
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