Department of Justice and Community Safety

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT WORKCOVER

Core Business Objectives

WorkCover’s core business is to administer, implement and enforce legislation covering occupational health and safety, workers’ compensation, dangerous substances and labour regulation. In so doing, WorkCover aims to achieve an ACT community where compliance with workplace legislation is embraced as an integral part of all work activity.

Vision

No deaths, injury, disease or damage to property in the ACT due to unsafe work practices.

Direction

Encourage people to meet their responsibilities for workplace and public safety, workers compensation and labour regulation and assign accountability when there is a failure to meet duty of care and legislative obligations. Focus regulatory activities having regard to the National OHS Strategy.

Provide information and advice, and enforce the legislation we administer.

Values

Firm and fair regulation of legislation guided by the following principles:

proportionality in applying the law and securing compliance
consistency of approach
targeting of enforcement action to areas of high risk and low compliance
transparency about how we operate and what those being regulated may expect
accountability for our actions
valuing and acknowledging the skills and contribution of our people.

The Occupational Health and Safety Commissioner

The Office of the Occupational Health and Safety Commissioner is a statutory office created on 24 June 2000, with the Commissioner reporting directly to the Minister.

The ACT Occupational Health and Safety Commissioner is Mr Mark McCabe.