UWA Safety and Health Newsletter – October 2004 University Safety Committee
The last USC meeting was held on Tuesday 12th October. Approved minutes from previous meetings are available from the S&H website. Safety Awards Presentation
The presentation of the Annual UWA Safety Awards is to be held from 10 am on Wednesday 10th November in the Prescott Room, Chancellery. All welcome. Please RSVP for catering purposes your attendance by close of business on Friday 5th November. Staff Training:
The Advisory Group on General Staff Development advises Organisational and Staff Development Services on professional and career development needs of general staff. This Advisory Group: - Provides feedback on the coverage, access and/or suitability of professional and career development programmes provided to UWA general staff
- Discusses organisational development needs from the perspective of general staff
- Identifies leadership and/or human resource management issues which might be further investigated or promoted to enable better support of general staff
- Promotes Organisational and Staff Development Services initiatives to general staff
Staff members are encouraged to contact any member of their Advisory Group about their organizational, training and development needs. Insurance Renewals
Most of the University’s insurance policies were renewed on 31st October 2004. WorkSafe WA - news
Recent news from WorkSafe includes: Changes to Western Australia's Workers' Compensation Legislation
On the 26 October 2004, the Western Australian Parliament passed three Bills that increase compensation for injured workers, introduce cross-border arrangements and clarify access to common law damages. The changes have been mooted since October 2001. Some of the changes are: - Provision for extra medical provisions for injured workers with high medical cost.
- A formal obligation for injury management (rehabilitation).
- The need to notify (with at least 28 days notice) to WorkCover of termination of an employee on workers' compensation (the obligation to keep their position open for 12 months still applies).
- Increased in the cap on statutory weekly benefits from $1,021.60 to $1,362.10.
- The period before a step down in weekly payment will increase form 4 to 13 weeks and will include weekly allowances normally paid. For non-award payments this is a drop down to 85% of the rate applicable in the first 13 weeks.
- Election to go common law has been extended from 6 months to 12 months.
- Medical Specialists will have to receive specific training in order to be allowed to make judgements on impairment evaluations.
- Legal representation will be allowed if conciliation of disputes fails. There will be a new directorate to handle dispute resolution.
- "Injury Management" will replace the terminology of "rehabilitation" and the name of the Act will change to the 'Workers' Compensation and Injury Management Act' 1981
The new Act is available on the web
Copies of previous newsletters can be obtained from the following web site: http://www.safety.uwa.edu.au/newsletter The University of Western Australia
UWA Safety and Health
Bus. 08 6488 3938
Fax. 08 6488 1179
Web: www.safety.uwa.edu.au
Email: safety@uwa.edu.au F1139
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