Worksafe - Electrically qualified inspectors
1168. Hon ALISON XAMON to the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Commerce:
(1) How many WorkSafe inspectors are employed to oversee the area of construction and, of those, how many have an electrical background?
(2) Of those WorkSafe inspectors who are not electrically qualified, what training are they provided with regarding electrical standards?
(3) How many improvement notices for breaches of the standard AS/NZS 2013:2003 have been issued in the past 12 months?
(4) How many builders have been prosecuted for failing to comply with regulation 3.61 of the Occupational Safety and Health Regulations in the past 12 months?
(5) What steps have been taken to inform industry of its requirements under regulation 3.61?
Hon HELEN MORTON replied:
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question.
(1) There are 25.5 full-time equivalents employed, of whom two FTEs have an electrical background.
(2) WorkSafe inspectors are provided with a comprehensive training program and receive on-the-job training to enable them to meet their duties under Western Australia’s occupational safety and health legislation.
(3) The Occupational Safety and Health Regulations 1996 do not call up AS/NZS 2013:2003. Regulation 3.61 references AS/NSZ 3012. WorkSafe’s computer database identifies 112 improvement notices issued against regulation 3.61 between 19 November 2008 and 19 November 2009. Other improvement notices may have been issued in relation to AS/NZS 3012 under provisions in the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984. However, the database does not record the information that allows improvement notices issued under the act referring to AS/NZS 3012 to be readily identified.
(4) Nil.
(5) The government provides information to industry through agencies such as the WorkSafe division of the Department of Commerce. This information is provided by WorkSafe inspectors and through publications, community education officers, media and the WorkSafe customer health centre. Where appropriate, information is provided about compliance with regulation 3.61.