Industrial Relations Minister Stephen Dawson today announced the peak employer and employee representative bodies that have been awarded funding as part of the Work Health and Safety Implementation Peak Body Grants Program.
The program was established to provide funding for peak employer and employee representative bodies to partner with the Government in supporting and educating Western Australian businesses and workers about the pending changes to work health and safety laws.
The peak employer organisations that will be funded are the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia, the Master Builders Western Australia, the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia, the Housing Industry Association and the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies.
The peak employee organisation allocated funding is UnionsWA, which will support workplace health and safety representatives, union officials and workers across multiple industries in the transition to the new laws.
The peak bodies will use their funding to run conferences and training workshops as well as to develop education materials and utilise social media, websites and printed publications to raise awareness in Western Australian workplaces about the new health and safety laws.
As stated by Industrial Relations Minister Stephen Dawson:
"Every person who goes to work deserves to come home safe and healthy, which is why it's important we educate workers and employers on the requirements of the new workplace safety laws.
"Many thanks to the representative peak bodies who have agreed to assist with education for the transition to the new work health and safety laws in Western Australia.
"This program is part of the McGowan Government's suite of strategies to introduce modernised work health and safety laws in Western Australia.
"The peak bodies all have an essential role in improving knowledge about health and safety laws among employers and workers in Western Australia, and I thank them for partnering with the Government to facilitate this transition.
"I encourage employers and workers to access education and information initiatives about the new work health and safety requirements as they become available.
"Extensive information about the changes is also available on the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety website."
