The main Act covering OHS in Victoria is the Victorian Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004. The Act came into effect on July 1, 2005. Click on the items below for a summary of the main sections of OHS Act of relevance to workers and OHS reps.
The 2004 Act can be downloaded (in both pdf
and word
format) on the Victorian government legislation repository website. (Copies of the OHS Act, other Acts and Regulations can purchased from Information Victoria (1300 366 356 505 Little Collins St, Melbourne). The version as at July 1, 2009 can also be downloaded here (pdf and Word)
More information
WorkSafe Victoria has produced a series of publications on the OHS Act. These include Information Sheets, Guides, and more. All of these can be downloaded a dedicated page on their website. Three useful publications are:
- Information for employees on health and safety - for employees, independent contractors and their employees
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Information for health and safety representatives - for reps and deputies, explains their rights and powers, what to expect from the employer and where to go for help.
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Employee representation - for OHS reps, deputies, and workers wanting to know how to ensure they are represented. Also for employers who need to ensure they understand employees' rights to representation, and the powers and functions of reps.