During 2018–19 three Safe Work Australia Members’ meetings took place. Members also considered a range of matters out-of-session.

The key areas of work this year included considering the findings of the mid-term review of the Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy 2012–2022 (the Australian Strategy), approving the second tranche of varied model Codes of Practice and receiving regular updates and providing guidance on the review of the content and operation of the model WHS laws.

Safe Work Australia Members also provided regular updates on their current activities and issues related to quad bike safety and asbestos.

Significant outcomes include:

• formally responding to the mid-term review of the Australian Strategy, including implementing the agreed response
• supporting the independent reviewer, Marie Boland, in completing her Review of the model WHS laws
• finalising the review, approval and publication of the remaining 13 model Codes of Practice as part of the technical and useability review of the model Codes
• agreeing to a comprehensive occupational lung diseases work plan
• agreeing to establish a national WHS prosecutions database
• agreeing to review the workplace exposure standards and approving a robust health-based methodology to do so, and
• development and endorsement of the National Return to Work Strategy 2020–2030.