Historic workers’ compensation and electrical safety laws enacted

• Stronger workers’ compensation and electrical safety laws passed
• New workers’ compensation laws expand the scope of cancers deemed to be work-related for Queensland firefighters
• Empowers injured workers in their own rehabilitation with faster access to weekly compensation payments
• Provides future flexibility to extend workers’ compensation coverage to gig workers
• New laws ensure Queensland’s electrical safety act remains contemporary
• Modernises the definition of electrical installation to capture new and emerging energy generation and storage systems

The Miles Government has enacted historic amendments to workers’ compensation, electrical safety and work health and safety laws to further enhance protections for Queensland workers and to keep Queenslanders safe.

The changes to workers’ compensation laws adds an extra 11 cancers to the list of presumed firefighter diseases, taking the total to 23 – amongst the highest of any Australian workers’ compensation scheme.

Faster access to weekly compensation payments for injured workers by introducing default payments once a claim is accepted are also part of the strengthened laws, helping to reduce financial stress for workers.

The new laws also provide improvements to early intervention and support for workers to prevent the development of secondary psychological and psychiatric injuries.  

The Miles Government also continues to lead the nation when it comes to protecting workers, by providing flexibility for the Minister to regulate the status of gig workers under workers’ compensation laws, once the matter has been determined under new Fair Work Commission powers to regulate workers and businesses in the gig economy.

New electrical safety laws have also been passed by Parliament that implement the first tranche of recommendations from the independent review of Queensland’s Electrical Safety Act 2002 undertaken by Mr Dick Williams.

These changes ensure Queensland’s electrical safety laws keep pace with new and emerging technologies including by modernising the definitions of ‘electrical equipment’ and ‘electrical installation.’ 

Changes also allow certain prescribed extra low voltage equipment to be captured in regulation as ‘electrical equipment’ where it is placing or may place persons or property at an electrical risk. This will allow the Electrical Safety Regulator to respond to risks caused by these technologies in the community. Items that may be considered for prescription include e-scooter or e-bike batteries although prescription of any items will be subject to consultation.

Further, the Bill clarifies the definition of ‘electrical installation’ to capture new and emerging energy generation and storage systems. This makes clear the licensing requirements for working on these systems and ensures compliance with the Wiring Rules.

Changes were also passed to further enhance the Work Health and Safety Act, including the expansion of the scope of the industrial manslaughter offence beyond workers to capture the work-related death of any person who is owed health and safety duties.

Quotes attributable to Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace:

“Queensland’s nation-leading workers’ compensation scheme will be further enhanced by the changes we’re enacting.

“The inclusion of cervical, uterine and ovarian cancers as presumed firefighter diseases recognises the impacts on women serving as professionals or volunteers in this field.

“I want to acknowledge the strong advocacy of the United Firefighters Union Queensland, which played a crucial role in having the list of deemed firefighter diseases expanded.

"Our new electrical safety laws will also ensure Queensland’s has a contemporary framework which captures new and emerging technologies to make our homes and workplaces safer.

“There are many new technologies and products on the market now that we could not have even imagined when the Electrical Safety Act was introduced in 2002.

“The power to prescribe high risk extra low voltage items, which could include e-scooter or e-bike batteries, as prescribed electrical equipment ensures Queenslanders don’t need to sacrifice their safety to benefit from new technology. 

“I want to thank former QIRC Commissioner Glenys Fisher and Emeritus Professor of Employment Relations at Griffith University Professor David Peetz, whose review of our workers compensation scheme led to these improved laws.

“I also want to thank Dick Williams, whose review of Electrical Safety Act helped bring about the important electrical safety improvements we’ve enacted.”

Media contact: Martin Philip 0407 675 008