Published: 24 Jul 2012
Your urgent support is needed to save the hatchman or cargo space lookout to protect workers' safety.
No wharfie should be required to work without the hatchman there to identify and remove safety hazards.
Companies want to water down safety standards:
After a lengthy MUA campaign to raise safety standards, Safe Work Australia has commenced drafting a new code of practice for stevedoring safety.
While this is an excellent opportunity to improve safety on the waterfront, employers are pushing for the hatchman position to be scrapped.
Your support is needed:
Safe Work Australia, the government body developing the code, is currently seeking public comment by 3 August.
A massive show of support will give us the best possible chance of protecting safety standards in the new code.
Please take a couple of minutes to provide your feedback, which is urgently needed.
Click here to lend your support.
MUA pushes for better regulation:
The MUA is pushing for existing standards to be boosted because the safety of workers must not be risked.
In May, more than 40 health and safety reps from all states met to identify important issues to include in the new code.
These findings were submitted to Safe Work Australia in June.
