Rough ride for volunteers under new national OHS laws

SURF lifesavers, rural firefighters, scout leaders, amateur football coaches and up to six million other community volunteers have been reclassified as "workers" under national occupational health and safety laws and could be prosecuted if an accident occurs on their watch.

The new workplace safety laws, which have been introduced in NSW and Queensland and are due to be rolled out in other states this year, also redefine the nation's scout halls, churches and even beaches as "workplaces" for OHS purposes.

From now on, organisations that employ at least one worker will face a duty of care under OHS towards their volunteers, and volunteers will face a duty to do what is "reasonably practicable" to prevent injury to themselves and others. For the first time, these duties cover any setting where the organisation is "conducting an undertaking".

While scouting and surf lifesaving groups have told The Australian their culture of safety will make it possible for them to adapt to the new regime, some OHS experts have expressed alarm at the extended ambit of the new laws and fear they could discourage Australians from volunteering.

Breaches by organisations under the new OHS regime can attract fines of up to $3 million while workers - including volunteers - face penalties of up to $300,000 or five years in jail. 

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Author: Imre Salusinszky, NSW political reporter 
Source: The Australian January 17, 2012