WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY LAW
LAW5WHS
Not currently offered
Credit points: 15
Subject outline
This course focusses on the legal regulation of workplace health and safety (WHS), including the common law duty to maintain a safe workplace and statutory obligations under WHS legislation. It examines the effectiveness of common law regulation, and the history of law reform, including the Australian model WHS legislation, in the cultural, economic and other contexts in which this area of the law operates. It considers workplace safety in light of the nature of workplace accidents and work-related injuries, including contemporary issues of psychological injury resulting from discrimination or harassment. It also examines sui generis safety systems such as those applying to heavy vehicles, railways, mines and air safety. Students will develop a broad practical understanding of issues such as the WHS obligations in relation to consultation and workplace representation, the approach taken by WHS regulatory bodies and the sentencing principles applied following successful prosecutions
School: La Trobe Law School
Credit points: 15
Subject Co-ordinator: Joel Butler
Available to Study Abroad Students: Yes
Subject year level: Year Level 5 - Masters
Exchange Students: Yes
Subject particulars
Subject rules
Prerequisites: LAW5PMI
Co-requisites: N/A
Incompatible subjects: N/A
Equivalent subjects: N/A
Special conditions: Must be admitted to the Juris Doctor (LMJD) Degree or have permission from the Director of the LMJD program
Learning resources
Readings
| Resource Type | Title | Resource Requirement | Author and Year | Publisher |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Readings | Work Health and Safety Law and Policy | Prescribed | Richard Johnstone, 2012 | TBA |
Graduate capabilities & intended learning outcomes
01. Explain and critically evaluate the legal regulation of workplace safety in Australia from a historical perspective
- Activities:
- Lectures, Seminars
02. Demonstrate an advanced and integrated understanding of the legal principles applicable to workplace health and safety law in Australia, including the key provisions of the model Work Health and Safety legislation and associated regulation.
- Activities:
- Lectures, Seminars, Workshops
03. Interpret, analyse and critically evaluate the effectiveness of Work Health and Safety law and regulation, and the culture and context within which such laws and regulation operate
- Activities:
- Lectures, Seminars, Workshops
04. Identify, plan and implement creative and appropriate responses to contemporary issues in workplace health and safety.
- Activities:
- Workshops, Lectures, Seminar, Exercises
05. Effectively apply legal research principles and methodologies, critical analysis and legal principles to generate solutions to complex matters arising in occupational health and safety regulation.
- Activities:
- Workshops, Written work
06. The ability to communicate professional decisions and positions effectively to specialist and non-specialist audiences, including persons with WHS duties in an industrial and commercial context.
- Activities:
- Class participation, Presentation exercise