Consultation on the model Work Health and Safety Regulations relating to Major Hazard Facilities

Overview

Safe Work Australia is seeking stakeholder feedback on the model Work Health and Safety (WHS) Regulations relating to Major Hazard Facilities (MHFs).

Major Hazard Facilities

A major hazard facility is a facility where certain hazardous chemicals are present (or are likely to be present) in a quantity that exceeds a prescribed threshold quantity. Under the model WHS Regulations, a regulator can also determine a facility to be an MHF in certain circumstances.

Common examples of MHFs are oil refineries, chemical plants, or large fuel or chemical storage sites.

Purpose of consultation

The purpose of this consultation is to gather evidence to better understand stakeholder concerns with the model WHS Regulations in relation to MHFs. It will help us determine whether there are issues that need to be addressed through changes to the model WHS laws.

Submissions from all stakeholders who have an interest in MHFs are welcome. In particular, we would like to hear from operators of MHFs in Australia and Australian MHF regulators. We also welcome feedback from members of the community with a particular interest in MHFs in their local area.

In particular, we are seeking stakeholder suggestions on potential amendments to the model WHS Regulations and non-regulatory options that will support improved application of MHF laws and consistency across jurisdictions, as well as ensuring they meet the intended policy objectives of:

• protecting workers and other persons against harm to their health, safety and welfare through the elimination or minimisation of risks arising from work,
• maintaining and strengthening the national harmonisation of laws relating to WHS, and
• facilitating a consistent national approach to WHS.

Safe Work Australia is also currently updating guidance material relating to MHFs and feedback on the current versions of the guidance is also welcome.

Making a submission

Submissions are sought by 11:59 pm (AEDT) on Thursday 3 November 2022.

You may answer some or all the questions posed in this paper or raise other matters not explicitly addressed, as long as it is relevant to MHFs.

Demographic data will be collected as part of this process through your registration with Engage and in the electronic submission form.

For further information on the publication of submissions on Engage, please refer to the Safe Work Australia Privacy Policy and the Engagement HQ privacy policy.

If you are unable to lodge your submission using Engage or if you have any questions about the consultation, please email chemicals@swa.gov.au.