Workplace health & safety

The Work Health and Safety Act 2020 (WA) – Volunteers

Jan 15, 20223 min read

The Work Health and Safety Act 2020 (WA) – Volunteers

One of the key changes to health and safety regulation in Western Australia brought about by the Work Health and Safety Act (2020) WA...

566 views9 comments

First gross negligence conviction overturned

Greg Smith

Dec 16, 20216 min read

First gross negligence conviction overturned

Resource Recovery Solutions Pty Ltd v Ayton [2021] WASC 443 The offence of “gross negligence” was introduced into Western Australia’s...

1,160 views6 comments

Disciplinary action for safety breaches: Stifling trust or legal risk management?

Greg Smith

Apr 1, 20212 min read

Disciplinary action for safety breaches: Stifling trust or legal risk management?

I believe that in most cases there is a reasonable synergy between general legal principles underpinning health and safety legislation...

555 views9 comments

Greg Smith

Jul 9, 20203 min read

In case you missed it ...

Anyone with an interest in safety who is on LinkedIn could not help but be aware of the decision in R v Brisbane Auto Recycling [2020]...

599 views4 comments

Why I do not support industrial manslaughter

Greg Smith

Nov 7, 20197 min read

Why I do not support industrial manslaughter

In a recent comment on a LinkedIn post I asked for evidence of how Industrial Manslaughter wold contribute to safe workplaces. In...

1,045 views3 comments

Industrial manslaughter in Western Australia: What is the issue we are trying to address?

Greg Smith

Sep 6, 20193 min read

Industrial manslaughter in Western Australia: What is the issue we are trying to address?

I have written previously on what I believe the limits are of industrial manslaughter specifically, and prosecutions generally. But in...

327 views0 comments

Greg Smith

Aug 9, 20192 min read

Why don't we have "production" moments?

One of the ways organisations like to emphasise safety is with corporate branding: safety moments, safety conversations, safety...

385 views2 comments

The prosecution problem revisited - again!

Greg Smith

Aug 9, 20192 min read

The prosecution problem revisited - again!

Further to my recent blog on the limits of prosecutions (The prosecution problem revisited), the prosecution summary of the first case...

127 views1 comment

Greg Smith

Aug 3, 20195 min read

The prosecution problem revisited

On 1 August 2019 an article was published about a health and safety prosecution in Western Australia, and it was another rallying cry...

361 views0 comments

Greg Smith

Jun 24, 20191 min read

Due diligence program in Perth

First, I have to apologise for my lack of publishing activity recently. I do have a bundle of articles I need to complete, but I have...

192 views1 comment

First custodial sentence for health and safety breaches. Are there any lessons?

Greg Smith

Jan 25, 20193 min read

First custodial sentence for health and safety breaches. Are there any lessons?

Recently, Maria Jackson became the first person to receive a custodial sentence for a breach of occupational health and safety...

512 views1 comment

I am a safety lawyer, safety manager and a board member. How do I think about due diligence?

Greg Smith

Jan 21, 20195 min read

I am a safety lawyer, safety manager and a board member. How do I think about due diligence?

I have been criticised for many things based on my observations about health and safety management over the years. Being a lawyer, it is...

647 views0 comments

Practicable is not black-and-white, but it is not subjective either

Greg Smith

Jan 20, 20193 min read

Practicable is not black-and-white, but it is not subjective either

A very common conversation I have with organisations is, what is “practicable” and how do organisations meet the legal obligation to...

790 views0 comments

Greg Smith

Jan 16, 20192 min read

Due diligence workshop

Dr Rob Long and I will be running our Due Diligence workshop in Sydney on 20 and 21 February. You can register HERE. This workshop makes...

144 views0 comments

Greg Smith

Jan 8, 20191 min read

Paper Safe: The Webinar

Last year, Craig Thornton from Mango was kind enough to host a webinar inviting me to share some ideas from my new book, Paper Safe: The...

160 views2 comments

Greg Smith

Jan 8, 20191 min read

Process v Purpose

Below is a link to a webinar that was hosted by Craig Thornton from Mango last year. The webinar looks at the broad issue of process in...

238 views0 comments

New Western Australian WorkSafe Commissioner Appointed

Greg Smith

Dec 30, 20181 min read

New Western Australian WorkSafe Commissioner Appointed

On 18 December 2018, the WA State Government announced Darren Kavanagh as the new WorkSafe Commissioner. According to the media release:...

193 views0 comments

Greg Smith

Nov 18, 20184 min read

Of Sausages and Onions

There has been a recent outcry across the health and safety community, and others I suspect, about the recent decision of a chain of...

422 views2 comments

Real executive liability is dead, and we want to cremate it

Greg Smith

Nov 1, 20185 min read

Real executive liability is dead, and we want to cremate it

Let me put a stake in the ground before I set about dissecting the corpse of executive liability for safety and health. I do not believe...

225 views0 comments

Greg Smith

Oct 25, 20181 min read

Unfair Dismissal and Safety Breaches

A recent post, a very dangerous precedent, by one of my favorite commentators, Sue Bottrell, raised the eyebrows of a few in the safety...

169 views0 comments

My new book, Paper Safe is now available.

Click on the picture of the book to find out more.

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