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The AIOH welcomes the opportunity to contribute to Safe Work Australia’s consultation on protecting workers from exposure to lead and the review of Part 7.2 (Lead) of the model WHS Regulations.
The AIOH welcomes the opportunity to contribute to Safe Work Australia’s consultation on protecting workers from exposure to lead and the review of Part 7.2 (Lead) of the model WHS Regulations. Lead is a well-characterised and preventable cause of occupational ill health, and our members continue to identify workplaces where exposure is not being adequately recognised or controlled.
A consistent theme across our members’ experience is that lead exposure is not confined to mature, well-resourced industries. We understand that recent national exposure data identifies construction as one of the largest work groups exposed to lead. Construction is a dynamic environment that, in our members’ experience, does not always demonstrate high WHS maturity. This context is central to our position: the regulatory framework needs to be both protective and practical for industries and small businesses.
