WORKSAFE Victoria has commenced projects to review the explosives regulations which concern blast operations within the mining industry.
The Dangerous Goods (Explosives) Regulations 2000 and the Dangerous Goods (Storage & Handling) Regulations 2000 will sunset on 27 June 2010 and 5 December 2010 respectively.
The objectives of the reviews are to assess whether the current regulations have promoted improved safety outcomes in relation to activities involving explosives including storage and handling.
The group says it also wishes to identify any unintended consequences in the operation of the current regulations and to recommend remedies where appropriate.
WorkSafe says it will identify opportunities to further align with relevant national and international standards, consolidate and/or streamline current laws, clarify and simplify requirements on duty holders and reduce red tape and compliance costs while maintaining safety standards.
Stakeholders will be invited to participate throughout each stage of the review, including regulation development. There will be meetings with key stakeholders in the first quarter of 2009 to assist with identifying areas for consideration.
Focus groups with duty holders from affected industries, including the mining sector, will also be held to establish compliance and administrative costs of the proposed regulations for the Regulatory Impact Statements. Public comment periods will follow.
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