Amendments to Queensland Safety and Dangerous Goods Regulations

Amendments have recently been made to the Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 2008 and the Dangerous Goods Safety Management Regulation 2001 in Queensland.

The key amendment relates to the recognition of the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (commonly known as the GHS) to all chemical products that are being imported, prepared for export or manufactured in Queensland as an alternative option to compliance with current hazardous substance and dangerous goods legislation.

There are a number of other changes in the amendments and these primarily relate to:

• The application of asbestos regulations to buildings that were not subject to local government approval, which will ensure that all pre-1990 workplace buildings are captured;
• Extending the rural exemption for high-risk work and earthmoving and particular crane occupations under part three of the regulation indefinitely, until the new national model health and safety laws are enacted in Queensland;
• Extending the transition period for adoption of the national units of competency and national assessment instruments for high-risk work for an additional 12 months to allow registered training organisations adequate time to apply for scope of registration to deliver the new units; and
• Updating references to Australian Standards to take account of any new editions of Australian Standards or joint Australian/New Zealand Standards.