WHS Information Sharing Laws Pass in NSW

Information-exchange laws that assist WHS regulators to target employers exposing workers to deadly occupational dust diseases such as silicosis and asbestos have passed NSW Parliament.

Under the NSW Work Health and Safety Amendment (Information Exchange) Bill 2020, NSW Health will be required to provide information to SafeWork NSW or the Resources Regulator to assist in enforcement action.

Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation Kevin Anderson said asbestos and mesothelioma would now be notifiable diseases and if acquired through workplace exposure they would be placed on a new Dust Diseases Register.

“Making silicosis, asbestos and mesothelioma notifiable diseases is a huge step in our journey to stamp out workplace deaths by dust exposure.”

“Under the changes, these occupational dust diseases become a scheduled medical condition, requiring our doctors and nurses to notify NSW Health of identified cases, who in turn will provide this information to SafeWork NSW.

“Once SafeWork NSW has these notifications our inspectors can target their compliance and enforcement efforts based on each diagnosed individual’s current or previous workplaces and ultimately prevent further cases.”

Over the past 12 months in NSW, 344 people were reported to have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease and more than 100 with silicosis.

Mr Anderson said the Dust Diseases Register would monitor and analyse the incidence of dust diseases that are notified by NSW Health to SafeWork NSW.

“The NSW Government is also set to release the first strategy in NSW’s history to protect workers from exposure to occupational dusts.”

“A fundamental part of the NSW Dust Strategy 2020-2022 will be the requirement for SafeWork NSW to provide annual reports on the prevalence of dust diseases to test the effectiveness of the strategy, and ensure transparency by requiring these reports to be published and accessible to the public.”

The Bill will commence when it receives royal assent.