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 About Us  About Unions NSWAbout UnionsWho's WhoInformation Centre What's Going On? Annual Reports   
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Mary Yaager - Occupational Health and Safety and Workers Compensation Officer
Workplace Injury Management and Workers' Compensation ActOver the last 12 months, Mary has been extensively involved with the development of a new workers compensation scheme for NSW. In June 1997, the Government passed a new Act - the Workplace Injury Management and Workers' Compensation Act which was ground breaking for workers' compensation in NSW. Legislation had bipartisan support of the employers and the unions; this was achieved through the Interim Workers Compensation Advisory Council which was established by the Minister for Industrial Relations, the Hon. Jeff Shaw, QC MLC. The Minister requested that the Interim Council review the Grellman Report, released in September 1997, and make recommendations with regard to its implementation. The Grellman Report incorporated a number of views put forward by Labor Council in its submission to the Inquiry. Mary coordinated the response of Labor Council representatives on the Interim Council and ensured that the Labor Council's Occupational Health and Safety and Workers Compensation Committee were actively involved in this process. Ultimately, their recommendations were adopted by the Interim Council. Together with the Labor Council representatives, Mary, was able to gain bipartisan support for their recommendations for the new Workers Compensation Scheme which commenced in August 1998. The new law - the Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act, provides a range of positive improvements for unions and their members, including greater input from unions into occupational health and safety and workers compensation policy making via the newly established industry reference groups. The new Act allows for the following:
These groups will report to the Advisory Council and will be responsible for making recommendations on industry specific strategies for prevention, return to work, education and the development of practical guidance materials. The 13 groups are Rural, Construction, Mining, Industrial Manufacturing, Consumer manufacturing, Wholesale, Retail, Transport and Storage, Consumer Services, Government Administration & Education, Health & Community Services, Business Services , Utilities. In conjunction with the Labor Council's Occupational Health and Safety and Workers Compensation Committee, Labor Council will make recommendations to WCAC in terms of its occupational health and safety and workers compensation policies. The Committee will also oversee the new Industry Reference Groups to ensure that they are focused and achieve the necessary outcomes. Labor Council will be participating directly in a number of these industry groups. Mary has conducted a number of in-house briefings for unions on the new changes to workers compensation and is currently developing an information pamphlet for unions to distribute to their members about the new changes to workers compensation. This pamphlet will have a blank section which will allow unions to badge the pamphlet and provide their own contact details. TrainingAuthorised OfficersMary's responsibilities in the area of training have continued. WorkCover and Labor Council have continued to conduct the Authorised Officers Course. These courses are mirrored on the WorkCover Inspectors Training Manual and provide union officers with the necessary skills and knowledge regarding occupational health and safety and in particular their Right of Entry powers. The feedback on these courses has been extremely positive. They have been well attended and unions have now requested that Labor Council conduct these courses in-house. Adam Lincoln from the CFMEU Forestry Division stated "The course was the best occupational health and safety course I have attended and it has given me the confidence as an Occupational Health and Safety Officer to be extremely effective in the workplace .." Similarly, John Cumberland from the Police Association has also achieved a great deal for his members in raising the safety standards, John attributes this to the Labor Council course. Workers Compensation Kit for DelegatesIn consultation with WorkCover, Labor Council is developing a Workers Compensation Training Package for union delegates. This kit will provide delegates with essential information to assist them in their day-to-day activities, particularly in the areas associated with disputes and return to work issues. Labor Council Workers Compensation and OH&S CommitteeMary has continued to convene, co-ordinate and assist the Labor Council's Occupational Health and Safety and Workers Compensation Committee. Through this committee, Mary has prepared the following:
YouthSafe CommitteeMary has continued to provide support for the YouthSafe Committee. She has been developing, in association with the Committee, an Occupational Health and Safety Awareness Kit for high schools. Labor Council, members of the YouthSafe Committee, Bleeding Heart Media and the NSW Teachers Federation have conducted a number of focus group activities with a diverse range of high schools. These focus groups involved teachers, careers advisers and students from years 9 to 12. The feedback from the high schools was extremely positive and the teachers indicated that material on the subject of occupational health and safety is long overdue. InternetMary has assisted Labor Council's Executive Assistant, Michael Gadiel, in the establishment of an Occupational Health and Safety Internet Site, OHSNet. As part of a WorkCover grant project, Labor Council has established our own customised Occupational Health and Safety Internet Site to sit alongside the Labor Council's existing site. The Labor Council has coordinated research into the content and design of the site through the YouthSafe Committee and our affiliated unions. This work includes the presentation and overall style of the site, the content and the links to other related sites on the Internet (including WorkCover). The site is to be located at the address: http://ohs.labor.net.au/ It will consist of three main areas:
The main features of the site will be the links, the Questions & Answers (Q&A) and the two additional content areas for general news, information and announcements. The site has a number of links to other occupational health and safety sites, in particular the WorkCover website. Labor Council testing of the site during focus group discussions has received positive feed back. The information on this site will include safety alerts, research papers, submissions for comment on government legislation and regulation, Labor Council's Occupational Health and Safety and Workers Compensation policies, etc. Other ResponsibilitiesMary also represents Labor Council on the following peak bodies:
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