Just who is responsible for workers safety under a system of contracting out, where a number of contractors and subcontractors may be involved, can become a confused area of law. In Victoria, Compulsory Competitive Tendering has resulted in a dramatic increase in services being contracted out. As a result, the legal issues and implications of Occupational Health and Safety need to be fully understood.
With this in mind, in December last year, the Victorian WorkCover Authority launched ‘Managing Health and Safety Risks – Guidelines for Local Government’. It assists Councils to avoid potential pitfalls which could prove time consuming and costly.
In launching the Guidelines, Kaye Owen, Director of WorkCover’s Health and Safety Division, said that it is important Councils understand the potential health and safety problems, their obligations under the law and systems that can be put in place to manage health and safety in a contract environment.
WorkCover consulted extensively with Victorian Councils while preparing the guidelines. In a joint launch with Local Government Professionals (Inc), problems which might arise and how to deal with them was covered.
To follow up the information contained in the Guidelines, a workshop dealing specifically with Council responsibilities in relation to contractors is included on the program for the 1997 Local Government Conference to be held at Melbourne’s World Congress Centre on 20 and 21 February.
For further information on the Guidelines contact Michelle Holian, Project Leader Local Government, Victorian WorkCover Authority, telephone (03) 9628 8282 or Selena Jensen at Local Government Professionals, telephone (03) 9686 3833.
