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ARTICLE · 02 MAY 2017

Victorian OHS Enforcement: Why Change The Game Plan When Your Team Is On Top?

Seyfarth Shaw LLP
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On Friday 24 March, Western Bulldogs kicked off their 2016 premiership defence with a tenacious win against Collingwood.

United StatesEmployment and HR
Jane Hall
Jane Hall
Nick Neil
Nick Neil
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On Friday 24 March, Western Bulldogs kicked off their 2016 premiership defence with a tenacious win against Collingwood. Round 1 of the 2017 AFL season also coincided with the introduction of the WorkSafe Legislation Amendment Bill 2017 (VIC).

This Bill includes changes to the rules by which WorkSafe Victoria can prosecute alleged indictable offences against the OHS Act outside the current two year limitation period.

WorkSafe is already a contender for the premiership team for enforcement action if you look at its record of successful safety prosecutions. For example, in 2013/2014 it commenced 107 prosecutions for alleged offences against workplace health and safety laws with an 88% success rate. This has gradually increased to 119 prosecutions in the 2015/2016 period with a prosecution success rate of 94% (see page 19 of the WorkSafe Annual Report 2016).

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