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In a significant step towards making OHS harmonisation a reality, the Workplace Relations Ministers Council (WRMC) has approved the model Work Health and Safety Bill. Although the WRMC's endorsement of the model WHS Bill is a critical step in the harmonisation process, a truly national OHS regime will not be achieved unless all the state and territory parliaments enact the model Bill.

With 10 principal OHS statutes operating across Australia and over 400 OHS regulations and codes of practice, it is no wonder the harmonisation of OHS laws has been on the political agenda for over 30 years. We are now one step closer to this goal being achieved. In this issue of Workplace Safety Update we provide an overview of the critical aspects of the draft model laws.

In this issue of the Workplace Safety Update we cover: the revised timetable for the model OHS Act OHS policies and procedures H1N1 pandemic  recent legislative developments in Victoria and Queensland Click here for more.

Yesterday, the World Health Organisation elevated its swine flu pandemic alert from Phase 4 to Phase 5 which reflects its assessment that a pandemic is imminent. The WHO would declare Phase 6 at the point of the pandemic itself. Although there have not been any confirmed cases of swine flu in Australia, the reports are that 113 cases have been investigated including 54 in New South Wales, 27 in Queensland and 1 in Tasmania. Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon has said that more needs to be done to prepare for a pandemic. To that end, in this update, we focus on what employers can do to prepare for the possibility of a pandemic. It seems rotten luck that the health of employees and business continuity could be so seriously affected at such a difficult economic time.

The newly established Safe Work Australia Council has been directed to develop the new model OHS Act, following the National Review into Model Occupational Health and Safety Laws.  In this issue of the Workplace Safety Update, we take a look at the likely timeline and content of the model OHS Act.

In this issue of the Workplace Safety Update we cover: the long-awaited Fair Work Bill recently introduced into Parliament and its provisions on OHS rights of entry useful tips to help ensure your office Christmas party is remembered for all the right reasons how YouTube footage was used as evidence in a safety prosecution the National OHS Review Panel's report and the recommendations on the duties of care and offences in the model legislation safeguards to protect employers from unreasonable or ill informed PINs in Queensland.

This national round up covers the ACT: Work Safety Bill 2008, Qld: Review of health & safety communication in the mining industry, WA: Health and safety of labour hire workers and SA: Review of bullying provisions.

Fosters Australia Limited has been fined a massive $1.125 million in relation to a fatality at its Abbotsford brewery in April 2006. This is the largest fine imposed so far under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic). The decision highlights the need for employers to carefully review their risk management systems.

Written submissions to the Review Panel on the harmonisation of OHS laws closed on 11 July 2008. 242 submissions were received. In this article, we outline some of the views expressed by the union movement and employer groups on these issues.

Historically, the enforcement of road transport legislation was aimed primarily at the driver and, in some circumstances, the operator of a heavy vehicle. It has now been recognised by the players in the road transport industry that driver and public safety is the responsibility of all those who participate in road transport activities.

Last week, in the 2008/2009 Budget, the Government announced it would provide more than $27 million over four years to finance the national harmonisation of occupational health and safety and other areas of business regulation.