South Australian Consolidated Acts South Australian Consolidated Acts13—Functions of the Advisory Committee
(1) The functions of
the Advisory Committee are—
(a) to
keep the administration and enforcement of this Act, and any other legislation
relevant to occupational health, safety and welfare, under review, and to make
recommendations for change as the Advisory Committee thinks fit; and
(b) to
advise the Minister (on its own initiative or at the request of the Minister)
on—
(i)
legislation, regulations, codes, standards and policies
relevant to occupational health, safety and welfare; and
(ii)
national and international developments in the field of
occupational health, safety and welfare; and
(iii)
the establishment of public inquiries and legislative and
other reviews concerning issues associated with occupational health, safety
and welfare; and
(c) to
provide a forum for ensuring consultation and co-operation between WorkCover,
associations representing the interests of employees or employers, industry
associations, Government agencies and other public authorities, and other
interested persons or bodies, in relation to occupational health, safety or
welfare matters; and
(d) to
prepare, adopt, promote or endorse prevention strategies, standards, codes,
guidelines or guidance notes, and to recommend practices, to assist people in
connection with occupational health, safety and welfare; and
(e) to
promote education and training with respect to occupational health, safety and
welfare, to develop, support, accredit, approve or promote courses or
programmes relating to occupational health, safety or welfare, and to
accredit, approve or recognise education providers in the field of
occupational health, safety and welfare; and
(f) to
keep the provision of services relevant to occupational health, safety and
welfare under review; and
(g) to
collect, analyse and publish information and statistics relating to
occupational health, safety or welfare; and
(h) to
commission or sponsor research in relation to any matter relevant to
occupational health, safety or welfare; and
(i)
to initiate, co-ordinate or support projects and
activities that promote public discussion or comment in relation to the
development or operation of legislation, codes of practice and other material
relevant to occupational health, safety or welfare; and
(j) to
promote occupational health, safety or welfare programs, and to make
recommendations with respect to the making of grants in support of projects
and activities relevant to occupational health, safety or welfare; and
(k) to
consult and co-operate with relevant national, State and Territory
authorities; and
(l) to
report to the Minister on any matter referred to the Advisory Committee by the
Minister; and
(m) as
it thinks fit, to consider any other matter relevant to occupational health,
safety or welfare; and
(n) to
carry out other functions assigned to the Advisory Committee by or under this
or any other Act.
(2) The
Advisory Committee may, with the approval of the Minister—
(a)
perform functions conferred on the Advisory Committee by or under a law of the
Commonwealth, another State or a Territory;
(b)
confer (subject to conditions or limitations (if any) specified by the
Minister) functions of the Advisory Committee on an authority established by
or under a law of the Commonwealth, another State or a Territory.
(3) The
Advisory Committee should seek—
(a) to
ensure that South Australia takes advantage of initiatives that are recognised
as being at the forefront of occupational health, safety and welfare
practices; and
(b) to
achieve a high level of consistency between occupational health, safety and
welfare standards and requirements under this Act and corresponding standards
and requirements under the laws of the Commonwealth, the other States and the
Territories (insofar as to do so is in the best interests of the State).
(4) The
Advisory Committee should, as far as reasonably practicable, ensure that
information provided for use in the workplace is in a language and form
appropriate for those expected to make use of it.
(5) If the Minister
receives a recommendation from the Advisory Committee under this Act, the
Minister should, within 2 months, respond in writing to the
Advisory Committee in relation to the recommendation.
(6) The
Advisory Committee may establish such committees and subcommittees as it
thinks fit (which may, but need not, consist of, or include, members of the
Advisory Committee) to advise it on, or to assist it with respect to, any
aspect of its functions under this Act.
(7) The
Advisory Committee has the power to do anything necessary, expedient or
incidental to the performance of its functions.