WHS Law draft agenda

5th Annual Workplace Health and Safety Law

Draft agenda

Addressing workplace challenges and

navigating the uncertainties of the future of work

Canberra: 9 November

Melbourne: 17 November

Sydney: 24 November

 

 

  1. Regulator’s insights into employers’ responsibilities and best practices responding to COVID-19 pandemic
  • Assessing employers’ liability to effectively respond to the pandemic
  • Considering the application of appropriate controls to manage workplace safety
  • Applying hygiene measures and ensuring workplaces are ready for social distancing
  • Reviewing your risk management focus on work-related travel and client interaction

 

  1. Streamlining return to work in a post COVID-19 world
  • Adopting to changes of work structures
  • Transitioning to flexible working arrangements beyond COVID-19
  • Understanding employers’ legal risks around employees seeking flexibility
  • Complying with social distancing requirements and workplace layout to effectively respond to the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Dealing with potential discrimination and adverse action claims due to employee flexibility

 

  1. Navigating safety precautions with working from home
  • What are the practices employers can put in place to keep employees safe when they work from home?
  • What are employers’ duties and how far do these duties extend?
  • Creating workplace flexibility while driving efficiency
  • Adopting to changes of work structures and preparing for long-term workplace arrangements
  • Effectively responding to workplace discrimination related to work from home

 

  1. Managing psychosocial risk factors and supporting for mental health in the workplace
  • Understanding the increasing regulatory focus on mental health
  • Discovering emerging psychological risks and work-related stress
  • Looking after the mental health of employees at home
  • Dealing with employees’ anxiety about remote work
  • Implementing prevention measures and risk management strategies
  • Exploring practical steps to balance performance management and support for mental health

 

  1. Managing return to work processes in psychological injury claims
  • Understanding the potential influencing matters to facilitate a quick return to work
  • Preparing a return to work plan to minimise the duration and costs of claims
  • Enabling appropriate workplace adjustments for injured workers
  • Dealing with difficult return to work cases

 

  1. Exploring cases in industrial manslaughter and individual liability
  • Discovering the latest developments in industrial manslaughter
  • Understanding individual liability and directors’ duty to comply with WHS obligations
  • What compliance and assurance actually looks like for senior personnel?
  • Discussing cases and examples that officers are guilty of industrial manslaughter
  • Preparing your business with updated legislation

 

  1. Roundtable discussion: Understanding “reasonably practicable” to reduce health and safety risks
  • How to define “reasonably practicable” and what are the matters taking into account?
  • Eliminating health and safety risks that are reasonably and practicable
  • Looking into cases of reasonably practicable
  • What practices you can your organisation put in place?

 

  1. Reviewing and monitoring WHS compliance
  • Ensuring compliance with WHS legislation and standards
  • Applying workplace safety practices to ensure the safety and welfare of your employees and contractors during the pandemic
  • Using proactive compliance strategies to prevent non-compliance