Reporting for hazardous work goes online

From 1 July all notifications of hazardous work will be able to be completed online, saving time and effort.

Employers and contractors are required by law to notify the Department of Labour if they are planning any hazardous work at least 24 hours before the work starts.

The Health and Safety in Employment Regulations 1995 define hazardous work as being ‘more than usually dangerous’. This includes any restricted work involving asbestos, and logging and tree-felling work for commercial purposes.

It also includes construction work where workers could fall more than five metres, where explosives are used and where work involves contact with asbestos fibres. More details of hazardous work are listed on the Department’s website.

While fax and email notifications of hazardous work will continue to be accepted, the online system will make it faster and easier for employers and contractors to let the Department know about any hazardous work they’re planning to start.