No.

VICTORIA

Report

of the

DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR AND INDUSTRY

for the

Year ended 31 December 1982

Presented to Both Houses of Parliament Pursuant to the Prol'isions of Section 17 of the Labour and Industry Act 1958

MELBOURNE F D A TKINSON GOVERNMENT PRINTER

1983

62229/63-3846(F1)

The Honourable W. A. Landeryou, MLC. Minister of Labour and Industry

Sir,

Department of Labour and Industry 500 Bourke Street Melbourne Vie 3000.

In accordance with the provisions of Section 17 of the Labour and Industry Act 1958, I have the honour to submit the following report on the activities of the Department of Labour and Industry for the year ended 31 December 1982.

P. F. PRIOR Secretary for Labour and Industry

ORGANIZATION CHART FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR AND INDUSTRY AS AT 31 DECEMBER, 1982

DIVISION OF MANAGEMENT SERVICES - Manager (K. J. Fitzgerald)

---4 DIVISION OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS Chief Industrial Officer (K. G. Bolt)

DIVISION OF INSPECTION SERVICES f-- Chief Inspector of Factories and Shops

(D. J. Newcombe)

H DIVISION OF TECHNICAL SERVICES Director (D. S. Robinson)

H LEGAL BRANCH Solicitor (B. M. Dennis)

---4 PERSONNEL BRANCH Personnel Officer (B. J. Ryan)

---4 RESEARCH AND EVALUATION BRANCH Senior Research Officer (R. S. Crofts)

---4 SPECIAL PROJECTS Senior Research Officer (A. M. Coulthard)

MINISTER OF LABOUR AND INDUSTRY (The Hon. W. A. Landeryou, M.L.C.)

SECRETARY (P. F. Prior) DEPUTY SECRETARY (W. R. Donohoe) ASSISTANT SECRETARIES (J. C. Scully)

(Vacant)

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INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS COMMISSION Registrar (J. S. Folino) ~ BUILDING INDUSTRY LONG SERVICE LEAVE BOARD~ Secretary (H. Glenk)

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HAIRDRESSERS REGISTRATION BOARD* ~! Registrar (A. F. Sparrow)

HOSPITALS REMUNERATION TRIBUNAL ~ Registrar (A. S. Dowling)

INDUSTRIAL SAFETY HEALTH AND WELFARE ADVISORY COUNCIL r---

Secretary (B. Hansen)

MOTOR ACCIDENTS BOARD* t-General Manager (A. K. Clarke)

WORKERS COMPENSATION BOARD Registrar (B. J. Hammond)

*Staff Outside Public Service

CONTENTS PAGE

SCOPE OF REPORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . l

ORGANIZATIONAL OBJECTIVES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

LEGISLATION DURING 1982 ................................................................... 5

REGISTRATION OF FACTORIES AND SHOPS ............................................. 8

INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS-

Underpayment of Employees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Industrial Information Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . l 0

Industrial Inspections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . l 0

INDUSTRIAL SAFETY HEALTH AND WELFARE

Safety Legislation .................................................................................. 12

Factory Standards .................................................................................. 16

Industrial Accidents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Industrial Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Rural Safety ........................................................................................ 25

SHOP TRADING HOURS ......................................................................... 27

EDUCATION (WORK EXPERIENCE) ACT 1974 ............................................ 28

TECHNICAL SERVICES-

Standards ............................................................................................ 29

Design Review ..................................................................................... 29

Boilers and Pressure Vessels .................................................................... 29

Lifts and Cranes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Scaffolding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Construction Safety ................................................................................ '40

Administration ...................................................................................... 41

BUILDING INDUSTRY LONG SERVICE LEA YE BOARD ............................... 41

HAIRDRESSERS REGISTRATION BOARD .................................................. 45

HOSPITALS REMUNERATION TRIBUNAL ................................................. 46

INDUSTRIAL SAFETY HEALTH AND WELFARE ADVISORY COUNCIL .......... 47

MOTOR ACCIDENTS BOARD ................................................................... 4R

WORKERS COMPENSATION BOARD ........................................................ 50

V.L.A.C. SUB-COMMITTEE TO REVIEW THE PROVISIONS OF THE INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACT 1979 .......................................... 52

CONFERENCES ...................................................................................... 52

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION ............................................. 53

GENERAL ADMINISTRATION

Accommodation .. . . .. .. . . .. .. . . . . . .. .. .. . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. .. .. . . . .. .. . . . . .. .. .. . . .. .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . 55

Departmental Offices . . . . ........................................................................ 55

Research and Evaluation Branch ................................................................ 57

Corporate Management Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Legal Branch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Personnel Branch ................................................................................. · 60

Senior Personnel Movement ..................................................................... 61

Special Projects .................................................................................... 61

STATISTICAL INFORMATION .................................................................. 62

SCOPE OF REPORT

The Department of Labour and Industry, created in 1915, grew out of the Factories Office of the then Chief Secretary's Department which was established in 1885 under the Factories and Shops Act.

The Department, formally established under the Labour and Industry Act of 1953 (subsequently consolidated in 1958) provides administrative, regulatory, inspection, safety training and promotional services in order "to secure the preparation, effective carrying out and co-ordination of measures conducive to the industrial welfare of the people'' of Victoria. As a consequence, the Department is, and has been for many years, concerned with measures related to -

(i) conditions of employment generally, including wages, hours of work, rest periods, annual leave and long service leave;

(ii) employment of children and young persons;

(iii) industrial safety, health and welfare, including control of dangerous methods, materials and working environment, guarding of machinery, prevention of ac­cidents, control and regulation of the industrial aspects of noxious trades, in­dustrial lighting and ventilation and the provision of amenities;

(iv) industrial relations, including the prevention and settlement of industrial disputes;

(v) registration and inspection of factories and shops; and

(vi) design review and approval of lifts and cranes, scaffolding and (including their registration) boilers and pressure vessels.

The Department has been of a multi-functional nature since 1978/79 when several statutory bodies were attached to the Department for administrative purposes. Of these statutory bodies, one (the Liquor Control Commission), was transferred from the Depart­ment, to the then Ministry for Tourism, on 20 April 1982.

This report provides details of the activities of the various Divisions, Branches and Statutory Bodies within the Department for the year ended 31 December 1982, and includes relevant statistical information. The Acts governing the abovementioned activities and administered by the Department of Labour and Industry as at the end of the period under review were:-

Anzac Day Act 1958 Boiler and Pressure Vessels Act 1970 Bread Industry Act 1959 Building Industry Long Service Leave Act 1975 Carriers and Innkeepers Act 1958 Hairdressers Registration Act 1958 Hospitals Remuneration Tribunal Act 1978 Industrial Relations Act 1979 Industrial Safety. Health and Welfare Act 1981 Labour and Industry Act 1958

Lifts and Cranes Act 1967 Motor Accidents Act 1973 Returned Servicemen's Badges Act 1956 Scaffolding Act 1971 Shearers Accommodation Act 1976 Summer Time Act 1972 Sunday Entertainment Act 1967 Trade Unions Act 1958 Workers Compensation Act 1958

Whilst information on the major activities with which each area of the Department was involved during 1982 is included in this report, more detailed information about the activities in certain areas may be found in the annual reports of the Building Industry Long Service Leave Board, the Industrial Relations Commission of Victoria and the Motor Accidents Board.

ORGANIZATIONAL OBJECTIVES (FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1982/83)

Modern day government administration is characterized by extremely tight resource budgets. The resultant need to optimize resource utilization led the Department, in 1981, to adopt a corporate approach to management and the financial year 1981/82 saw the successful implementation of the Department's first Corporate Plan.

This new management approach provides a systematic basis for decision-making with respect to priority and resource allocation as between competing Departmental programmes and the strategies to be used in implementing the programmes. It also clarifies the expectations behind the various strategies and programmes in terms of their effectiveness as a means of meeting achievable and definable goals.

During 1982 the Corporate Plan was revised in the light of operating experience and changing conditions.

The most notable factor necessitating change in the Corporate Plan for the financial year 1982/83 was the introduction of new legislation and regulations with resultant new Departmental responsibilities and functions to be performed, while the available resources remained basically at the 198 I/82 level.

The Corporate Plan for 1982/83 contained not only a revised set of organizational objectives, but also a change in format to facilitate a better understanding of the Plan by Departmental staff.

The Corporate Plan is made up of three volumes, namely:

Volume I

Volume 2

Objectives (Statement of objectives at the Corporate, Executive, Divi­sional and Sectional levels)

Action Plan (Outlining the strategies for meeting the objectives, the priority and timing of the strategies to be used and the people re­sponsible for directing the strategies)

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Volume 3 -Effectiveness Review (Description of methodology used for measuring and monitoring the degree of success in meeting the objectives).

The organisational objectives of the Department are as follows:

Corporate Objectives

A. Primary

"To achieve prescribed standards for the well-being of the people in the work place within Victoria"

B. Secondary

I. "To achieve prescribed standards for public safety in relation to the operation of specific equipment and devices in Victoria"

2. "The total fees and charges collected to be 70 per cent of the total operating cost"

3. "To provide the level of service appropriate to the resources available"

Objectives for Executives

I. "To provide competent services and advice to the Minister"

2. "To ensure that corporate objectives are met with minimum operating cost"

Divisional/Branch Objectives

A. Division of Management Services

1. "To provide necessary services for supporting the staff in the Department of Labour and Industry and Ministry of Consumer Affairs to fulfil the organisational objectives''

2. "To assist in the collection of all fees due to the Department"

3. "To exercise control on Sunday entertainment by issuing permits under the Sunday Entertainment Act''

4. "To assist in the preparation of legislation"

5. "To fulfil objectives (I. to 4.) in a time span appropriate to the resources available"

B. Division of Industrial Relations

I. "To disseminate and administer legal standards of pay and non-physical conditions of employment''

2. "To provide necessary services to the public m the time span appropriate to the resources available''

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3. "To provide necessary secretarial and general services for Conciliation and Arbitration Boards in the time span appropriate to the resources available''

C. Division of Inspection Services

l. "To encourage consultation and co-operation between occupiers and employees of workplaces for enhancing industrial safety, health and welfare"

2. "To disseminate and administer prescribed standards for enhancing industrial safety, health and welfare''

3. "To ensure that the legal standards of pay and non-physical conditions of employment are received by the workforce subject to the Victorian State industrial legislation"

4. "To ensure that shops are closed at the times prescribed by law"

5. "To police the legislation in relation to the making, distribution and retailing of bread supplies"

6. "To ensure that all Inspectors are adequately trained for the performance of their duties''

7. "To fulfil objectives ( l. to 6.) in a time span appropriate to the resources available"

D. Legal Branch

I. "To assist the enforcement of legislation administered by the Department of Labour and Industry, and the Ministries of Consumer Affairs and Employment and Training by legal process''

2. "To fulfil objective l. in a time span appropriate to the resources available"

E. Personnel Branch

I. "To identify, develop and implement personnel policies, procedures and systems for meeting the organisational objectives of the Department of Labour and Industry and the Ministry of Consumer Affairs as well as the needs and well-being of the staff employed in the Department and the Ministry''

2. "To fulfil objective l. in a time span appropriate to the resources available"

F. Research and Evaluation Branch

1. "To provide management with objective information, strategic plans and necessary research services for facilitating the fulfilment of Corporate, Divisional and Sectional Objectives with minimum operating cost"

2. "To identify areas of need and undertake necessary promotional activities to develop in employers and employees attitudes conducive to the introduction and maintenance of safety measures at work''

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3. "To fulfil objectives (l. and 2.) in a time span appropriate to the resources available"

G. Special Projects Branch

1. ''To ensure that the preparation of legislation is completed not later than the requested date''

2. "To ensure that the advice offered and information supplied to the executives and/or the Minister is accurate and complete to the need''

3. ''To ensure that special projects are completed within an agreed and justified timetable''

H. Division of Technical Services

I. "To disseminate and administer prescribed standards in design, construction, instal­lation, demolition and use of equipment and devices (under the jurisdiction of the Division) and in operator proficiency for enhancing public safety"

2. "To disseminate and administer prescribed standards for the safety of the people engaged in building and construction works''

3. "To participate in the development of standards administered by the Division"

4. "To fulfil objectives (I. to 3.) in a time span appropriate to the resources available"

LEGISLATION DURING 1982

During the year, the following Acts affecting the Department's administration were passed by Parliament:-

Construction Industry (Electrical and Metal Trades) Long Service Leave Act 1982 (No. 9825) received Royal Assent on 2l December 1982. The Act gives the Building Industry Long Service Leave Board the power to prepare for the proposed extension of the Board's long service leave scheme to include electrical and metal trades workers on construction sites.

Labour and Industry (Shops) Act 1982 (No. 9818) received Royal Assent on 21 December 1982. The Act amends the Labour and Industry Act 1958 by broadening the definition of a shop for certain Parts of the Act to include premises selling goods on a temporary or "once only" basis; by increasing the penalty for shop trading hours offences; and by increasing the registration fees for factories, shops and market sites.

Workers Compensation (Amendment) Act 1982 (No. 9840) received Royal Assent on 21 December 1982 and became operative from that day, except for section 4 of the Act which becomes operative upon proclamation by the Governor in Council. The Act amends the Workers Compensation Act by providing that: increases in payments for specific injuries be increased, based on movements in average weekly earnings since these amounts were last adjusted in 1975, and be expressed as a percentage of the base death benefit; annual adjustments for

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specific injury benefits be increased automatically in the future; and age related hearing deterioration not be automatically included when calculating hearing loss for workers over 50 years of age but be considered only when appropriate.

Workers Compensation (Benefit Rates) Act 1982 (No. 9747) received Royal Assent on 6 July 1982. The Act amends the Workers Compensation Act 1958 to take account of changes in the average weekly earnings statistical series produced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and any delays occurring in the publication of this data when adjusting the weekly benefit payments on l July 1982 and in subsequent years.

Further reference to the provisions of these Acts is provided elsewhere in this Report. The following Statutory Rules and Orders in Council were made during the year:

STATUTORY RULES

Title

Boilers and Pressure Vessels Act 1970 Boilers and Pressure Vessels (Steam Engine Drivers and Boiler Attendants) (Amendment) Regulations 1982 Boilers and Pressure Vessels (Board of Examiners for Welders of Boilers and Pressure Vessels Fees and Travelling Allowances) (Amendment) Regu­lations 1982 Boilers and Pressure Vessels (Certification of Welders) (Fees) Regulations 1982 Boilers and Pressure Vessels (General) (Fees) Regulations 1982 Boilers and Pressure Vessels (Steam Engine Drivers and Boiler Attendants) (Fees) Regulations 1982

Bread Industry Act 1959 Bread Industry (Revocation) Regulations 1982

Building Industry Long Sen·ice Leave Act 1975 Building Industry Long Service Leave (Building Industry Long Service Leave Board Fees and Allowances) Regulations 1982

Hairdressers Registration Act 1958 Hairdressers Registration (Amendment) Regulations 1982

Hospitals Remuneration Tribunal Act 1978 Hospitals Remuneration Tribunal (Amendment) Regulations 1982

Industrial Relations Act 1979 Industrial Relations (Industrial Relations Commission) (Salaries, Expenses and Allowances) (Amendment) Regulations 1982 Industrial Relations (Industrial Relations Commission) (Salaries, Expenses and Allowances) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 1982 Industrial Relations (Industrial Relations Commission) (Salaries, Expenses and Allowances) (Amendment No. 3) Regulations 1982 Industrial Relations (Industrial Relations Commission) (Salaries, Expenses and Allowances) (Amendment No. 4) Regulations 1982

Industrial Safety. Health and Welfare Act 1981 Industrial Safety Health and Welfare (Factories) (Amendment) Regulations 1982 Industrial Safety Health and Welfare (Factories, Shops, Offices and Warehouses) (Amendment) Regulations 1982 Industrial Safety Health and Welfare (General Safety) Regulations 1982 Industrial Safety Health and Welfare (Machinery) Regulations 1982

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Date

29.3.82 S.R. 106/1982

29.3.82 S.R. 98/1982

7.9.82 S.R. 304/1982 7.9.82 S.R. 303/1982

7.9.82 S.R. 305/1982

11.5.82 S.R. 156/1982

29.3.82 S.R. 107/1982

4.5.82 S.R. 146/1982

18.3.82 S.R. 66/1982

12.1.82 S.R. 8/1982

29.3.82 S.R. 108/!982

3.8.82 S.R. 266/1982

9. 11.82 S.R. 446/1982

29.6.82 S.R. 218/1982

29.6.82 S.R. 219/1982 29.6.82 S.R. 216/1982 29.6.82 S.R. 215/1982

Title Date

Industrial Safety Health and Welfare (Timber Industry Forest Operations) Regulations 1982 29.6.82 S.R. 220/1982 Industrial Safety Health and Welfare (Tractor Safety) Regulations 1982 29.6.82 S.R. 217/1982

Labour and Industry Act 1958 Labour and Industry (Certain Dangerous Plant) (Revocation) Regulations 1982

Lifts and Cranes Act 1967 Lifts and Cranes (Certification of Operators) (Fees) Regulations 1982 Lifts (Inspection Fees) Regulations 1982

Liquor Control Act 1968 Liquor Control (Amendment) Regulations 1982

Scaffolding Act 1971 Scaffolding (Board of Examiners Fees and Travelling Expenses) (Amend­ment) Regulations 1982 Scaffolding (Certification of Scaffolders) (Fees) Regulations 1982 Scaffolding (Certification of Scaffolding Inspectors) (Fees) Regulations 1982 Scaffolding (Fees) Regulations 1982

Sunday Entertainment Act 1967 Sunday Entertainment (Amendment) Regulations 1982 Sunday Entertainment (Fees) Regulations 1982

Workers Compensation Act 1958 Workers Compensation (Industrial Deafness) Regulations 1982 Workers Compensation (Medical Certificates) Regulations 1982 Workers Compensation Board (Revocation) Regulations 1982 Workers Compensation (Amendment) Regulations 1982 Workers Compensation (Workers Supplementation Fund) (Amendment) Regulations 1982 Workers Compensation (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 1982

ORDERS IN COUNCIL

22.6.82 S.R. 195/1982

7.9.82 S.R. 306/1982 7.9.82 S.R. 300/1982

30.3.82 S.R. 85/1982

29.3.82 S.R. 109/1982 7.9.82 S.R. 308/1982

7.9.82 S.R. 302/1982 7.9.82 S.R. 307/1982

30.3.82 S.R. 94/1982 7.9.82 S.R. 309/1982

19.1.82 S.R. 6/1982 18.3.82 S.R. 69/1982 11.5.82 S.R. 155/1982 29.6.82 S.R. 207/1982

7.12.82 S.R. 452/1982 21.12.82 S.R. 483/1982

Title Date

Boilers and Pressure Vessels Act 1970 Appointment of Members of Board of Examiners for Welders of Boilers and Pressure Vessels 30.3.82 Boilers and Pressure Vessels Order of Exemption No. 16 20.7.82 Appointment of Members of Board of Examiners for Steam Engine Drivers and Boiler Attendants 14.9.82

Building Industry Long Service Leave Act 1975 Appointment of Chairman and Members of the BILSLB 11.5.82

Hairdressers Registration Act 1958 Salaries of statutory appointees 30.3.82 Hairdressers Registration Board of Victoria Appointment of Member 16.11.82 Hairdressers Registration Board~ Appointment of Chairman and Members 21.12.82

Industrial Relations Act 1979 Salaries, Expenses and Allowances of Chairmen of Conciliation and Arbitration Boards Declaration to be a public body for the purposes of section 27 Health Commission of Victoria

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22.6.82

12.10.82

-~··--···-------~

Title Date

Appointments to Panel of Chairmen of Conciliation and Arbitration Boards Salaries of Chairmen of Conciliation and Arbitration Boards as from 14 November 1982

Industrial Safety, Health and Welfare Act 1981 Proclamation of date of commencement of certain provisions 22 March 1982 Industrial Safety Health and Welfare Advisory Council establishment of Council and appointment of Chairman and Members Industrial Safety Health and Welfare Advisory Council- Fees and Expenses of Members Salaries of statutory appointees Industrial Safety Health and Welfare Advisory Council -

Revocation of appointment of Member Appointment of Member

Proclamation of coming into operation of certain provisions as from I. 7.82 Industrial Safety Health and Welfare Advisory Council Appointment of Chairman and Members

Liquor Control Act 1968 Salaries of statutory appointees Appointment of Deputy Judicial Member and Deputy Chairman of the Liquor Control Commission

Motor Accidents Act 1973 Salaries of statutory appointees

Scaffolding Act 1971 Salaries of statutory appointees

Workers Compensation Act 1958 Salaries of statutory appointees Workers Compensation Board Travelling Allowances for Lay Members Workers Compensation Board - Appointment of Lay Member Workers Compensation Board Appointment of Judicial Members Approval oflnsurers 1.7.82 to 30.6.83 Annual estimate of expenditure pursuant to section 82 of the Workers Compensation Act 1958 $3,500,000 Approval of insurer Appointment of Judicial Members and Deputy Judicial Members of Workers Compensation Board Salaries of Lay Members of Workers Compensation Board as from 14 November 1982 Workers Compensation Board Appointment of Judicial Members Approval of Insurers 1.1.83 to 28.2.83

REGISTRATION OF FACTORIES AND SHOPS

3.11.82 9.11.82

10.3.82

10.3.82 10.3.82 30.3.82

22.6.82 22.6.82 29.6.82

12.10.82

12.1.82

17.2.82

30.3.82

30.3.82

12.1.82 11.5.82 1.6.82

29.6.82 29.6.82

20.7.82 20.7.82

6.10.82 9.11.82

14.12.82 21.12.82

A total of 21,517 factories, with 343,670 employees (as indicated by occupiers) was registered with the Department during 1982. There were also 36,548 shops, with 153,122 employees registered during the year. For details of current registrations reference should be made to Tables I and II at the end of this Report.

Factory Registrations

During 1982 the Department's computer records of registered factories were the subject of a rationalization programme, which eliminated to a large degree, the problem of record duplication and omissions.

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Shop Registration Fees

During 1982, Departmental inspectors commenced an inspection programme, designed to identify shop occupiers who have not paid their annual registration fee.

Many small shops have a tendency to change hands frequently and as a result hundreds of renewal notices are returned each year to the Department unclaimed. Industrial in­spectors were organized to visit these shops and establish the identity of the new occupiers and collect the appropriate shop registration fee.

Occupiers of new shops are required to obtain a registration form and forward it, with the appropriate fee, to the Department in order that a registration certificate can be issued, however, many occupiers of new shops were not doing this. Industrial Inspectors have now visited many districts and collected the fees due from these occupiers.

An additional $31 ,290 in shop registration fees was collected in 1982 as a result of the above programme.

For the total amount received in 1982 from factory and shop registrations see Table VI at the end of this Report.

INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

In previous years, information pertaining to the operation of the Industrial Relations system within Victoria, has been provided in the Department's Annual Report. However the President of the Industrial Relations Commission of Victoria is required to report annually, under the Industrial Relations Act 1979, to yourself and accordingly information on the activities of the Commission for 1982 can be found in its own Report.

Underpayment of Employees

During 1982, an amount of $297,544.67 due in respect of wages and other monetary entitlements was recovered through the Division of Industrial Relations, for complainants without recourse to prosecution and an amount of $44,423 was obtained by Court Orders following prosecution (see Table III for particulars of prosecutions).

Departmental Inspectors situated in regional offices were involved in the recovery of a further $183,027.00 for complainants without recourse to prosecution.

In cases appropriate for decision by a court the Department is required to discharge a heavy onus of proof, that is, proof beyond reasonable doubt, with respect to the offence before a court will convict and then consider the question of making an order for arrears of payments to the employee. In civil claims proof is determined on the balance of probabilities. Thus, in some instances, civil proceedings may succeed where action taken by the Department would most likely fail.

It should be emphasised that the Department does not, and in fact cannot, act for an employee in the same manner as a solicitor. Whilst the recovery of payments due may be of primary importance to the employee, the Department is primarily concerned with the question of whether a breach of the law has occurred.

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Industrial Information Service

The Industrial Information Service, being a section ofthe Division oflndustrial Relations provides extensive information to the public on all matters relating to wages and non­physical conditions of employment.

The section answers personal enquiries and enquiries received by telephone or letter relating to Conciliation and Arbitration Board Awards and the relevant provisions of the Industrial Relations Act 1979, e.g. long service leave provisions.

During the year, the section answered 225,556 telephone enquiries, 1236 written enquiries and 7671 personal enquiries.

Industrial Publications

Following the practice of previous years, the Department again produced industrial information sheets containing the current rates of pay for specific occupations and the penalty rates payable for shop assistants and others during the Easter and Anzac Day public holidays.

Industrial Inspections

For many years the Factories and Shops Inspector carried out the dual role of a Safety and Industrial Inspector. In 1978 it was decided to introduce a pilot programme to study the feasibility of establishing a separate group of Inspectors to handle only industrial relations matters. On examining the results of this pilot study it was decided that it would be in the best interests of the public and the Department to have a separate Industrial Inspectorate.

Consequently as from 1 July of 1982 an Industrial Inspectorate was formed consisting of one Senior Inspector, four Supervising Inspectors and twenty-five Inspectors. These officers specialize in providing industrial relations information to the public and inves­tigating alleged breaches of the Industrial Relations Act 1979 and the various State Awards.

There are two Industrial Inspectors located in each of the five suburban regional offices and one in each country office. An Inspector is on duty in each of the suburban offices each day to answer inquiries and to interview complainants. Country offices are open to the public on only certain days of the week.

The number of complaints requiring investigation is steadily increasing. A large pro­portion are resolved reasonably quickly, however because many complaints are of a complex nature, some time elapses before they are finally settled. A number have to be referred to the courts for final resolution.

The main areas of complaint are:

(a) failure to pay the correct award rates for the hours worked;

(b) failure to pay the prescribed penalty rates;

(c) failure to give a week's notice or a week's pay in lieu thereof;

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(d) failure to pay pro rata holiday pay; and

(e) failure to pay the correct rate to casual employees.

Settlement is usually obtained in approximately 70 per cent of cases after the employer is advised of his legal obligation under the applicable Award. The remaining 30 per cent are contested by the employer and after enquiries have been made it is often determined that the employee has in fact received his/her entitlement.

In these difficult economic times it is not unusual for a group of twenty or more retrenched workers to visit a Departmental Office believing they have not received their legal entitlements on termination. These types of cases are quickly investigated and resolved.

During the past year a number of Managers of Commonwealth Employment Service Offices have invited the local Departmental Industrial Inspector to speak to C.E.S. staff on the various provisions of State Awards in order that they are conversant with them.

Industrial Inspectors are stationed at the Department's Head Office and at the following regional offices:

Metropolitan

Dandenong Box Hill Preston

Country-

Ballarat Bendigo Castlemaine Geelong Horsham Mildura

Bentleigh Sunshine

Sale Shepparton Traralgon Wangaratta Warragul Warrnambool

The activities of the Industrial Inspectorate during 1982 in the metropolitan and country regional offices are illustrated by the following:

1. Number of persons visiting officers on industrial matters (approximate)- 21,000

2. Number of telephone inquiries (approximate) - 105,700

3. Number of complaints investigated- 4,562

4. Amount of arrears collected for complainants- $183,027

The number of complaints investigated relate to matters emanating from both the Department's head office and regional offices.

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INDUSTRIAL SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELFARE

The Department, through the Division of Inspection Services, provides inspection and field investigation services in relation to the Labour and Industry Act, Industrial Relations Act, the Industrial Safety Health and Welfare Act, and respective regulations and other legislation relating to industrial safety, health and welfare (with the exception of the Boilers and Pressure Vessels Act, Lifts and Cranes Act, Scaffolding Act and Workers Compensation Act) administered by the Department in order to secure compliance with the legislation.

More particularly, the Division is concerned with the maintenance of prescribed stand­ards of physical conditions in factories, shops and all other places of employment, including building standards, guarding of machinery, provision of amenities, industrial safety and health and other industrial matters such as hours of work or trade, wage rates and conditions.

The Inspection staff is appointed under Part II of the Labour and Industry Act 1958 and consists of:

The Chief Inspector of Factories and Shops; The Assistant Chief Inspector of Factories and Shops; 4 Senior Inspectors of Factories and Shops; 18 Supervising Inspectors of Factories and Shops; and 63 Inspectors of Factories and Shops.

Divisional Safety Activities

In accordance with the recommendations of the Department's internal Safety Committee, safety audits were carried out in all the Department's regional offices. As a consequence, corrective action was taken to ensure that all safety hazards were rectified.

Arrangements were made for Departmental officers who have had significant contact with asbestos dust during their working lives to undergo medical examinations. Ten Inspectors were examined and found to be free from asbestos induced disease.

Overseas Visitors

During December 1982, three officers of the Singapore Government (Messrs. Ng Tong Leng, D. Pereira and P. Jothieswaran, Engineering Services Officers for the Forestry Inspectorate Labour Ministry, the Ministry of National Development and the Ministry of the Environment) visited the Department. They received helpful advice in their approach to new petrochemical developments and existing operations.

Safety Legislation

Industrial Safety, Health and Welfare Act 1981

The sections of the Act dealing with the Industrial Safety Health and Welfare Advisory Council came into operation on 22 March 1982. The remaining sections, except sections 4(2) and 11(3), came into operation on 1 July 1982.

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This Act replaced the safety provisions of the Labour and Industry Act with a more broadly based approach to industrial safety, health and welfare. Emphasis is placed on the need for consultation and co-operation between all parties in the workforce and it is recognized that the safety of a workplace is the responsibility of all persons involved.

The Act contains three key features: broad statements of principle; an outline of the responsibilities of employers and employees; and extensive regulation-making powers.

The legislation places specific responsibilities and duties on the occupiers of workplaces, the manufacturers and installers of all equipment used in the workplace, and the sellers and hirers of machinery. In addition, all employees are required to work in a safe manner to ensure the safety of their workmates, and to co-operate with all safety requirements.

As the new legislation is in tune with the philosophy embodied in the Report of Inquiry of the British Committee on Safety and Health at Work 1970-72, (the Robens Committee), Inspectors now have to meet the challenge of ensuring the safety and health of persons in all work places.

During the year they advised occupiers, employees, designers and manufacturers of articles or substances for use at work, on their new responsibilities under the Act.

Six recruit Inspectors of Factories and Shops were appointed during the year and received their initial training in industrial relations subjects. The involvement of the recruits in industrial relations investigations enabled experienced officers to assist industry and commerce in its introduction to the Industrial Safety Health and Welfare Act.

Conference of ln5pectors

Following the introduction of the Industrial Safety Health and Welfare Act, Inspectors from all Departmental offices in Victoria were called together to hear plans for the enforcement of the new Act and Regulations.

They were advised of the large scope for experimentation in new types of inspection activities, such as in depth safety surveys and "task force" visits.

Emphasis was also placed on the need for closer contact with manufacturers in the planning and design of new premises, plant and equipment.

During the conference, senior officers instructed inspectors on the method to be adopted in issuing directions in writing to occupiers of workplaces who fail to comply with the health and safety provisions of the Act. The procedure to be used in issuing ''Stoppage Orders" in situations where machines are seen in operation and are in an unsafe or unguarded condition was finalized.

Educational Responsibilities

The proclamation of the Act created a dramatic change for the Division due to its all embracing application to "workplaces ". For the first time it brought many institutions including hospitals within the scope of the Inspectorate's health and safety responsibilities.

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During 1982, a series of six workshops about the Act were conducted around Victoria by the Victorian Hospitals Association. Senior personnel from the Division of Inspection Services were invited to speak at the workshops on the application of the Act to hospitals.

Industry and Commerce representatives were also given special attention and Divisional officers lectured on the provisions of the Act to industrial and personnel groups at:

The Victorian Employers Federation (2 Seminars); The Society of Association Executives; District Accident Prevention Groups; Industry Seminars (3); and Public Utilities (6).

The involvement of Divisional officers in these educational and training functions was a positive indication to the occupiers of all Victorian workplaces that the Department intends to improve occupational safety standards in the workplace by good communication supported by enforcement activities when necessary.

Labour and Industry (Asbestos) Regulations 1978

These Regulations were proclaimed in 1978 to provide for the control of hazards associated with the manufacture of articles containing asbestos, the removal and application of asbestos lagging and the use of power tools on material containing asbestos.

Since the inception of the Regulations, 113 occupiers have notified the Chief Inspector of Factories and Shops that they are undertaking asbestos processes, 17 Medical Prac­titioners have been authorised by the Health Commission to undertake medical surveillance in accordance with the Regulations, 2 respiratory protective devices have been approved as alternatives to those specified in the S.A.A. Code AS 1716-1975,6 types of combination overalls have been approved as protective clothing and 14 vacuum cleaners have been approved as vacuum cleaning equipment in accordance with the Regulations.

In 1982 the Chief Inspector of Factories and Shops approved of four applications to remove crocidolite (blue asbestos) from buildings, boilers and pipes. These approvals were granted subject to a number of conditions designed specifically to ensure the safe removal of crocidolite, thereby maintaining the safety of all workers and persons in the work area.

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The two men shown above wearing approved protective clothing and respiratory equipment in accordance with the Labour and Industry (Asbestos) Regulations, are stripping asbestos material from a wall and placing it into a bag impermeable to asbestos dust.

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During the year, the Department undertook the first prosecution pursuant to the asbestos regulations. Evidence was given to the Court relating to fourteen breaches of the Regu­lations by one defendant. The cases were proven, convictions recorded and penalties totalling $700 imposed on the company.

Trade unions, industry and employees continued to seek assistance from the Department regarding asbestos processes. All requests and reports were followed up by officers of the Factories and Shops Inspectorate to ensure compliance with the Regulations. On occasions, scientific assessments of problems were sought and received from officers of the Occupational Health Service, Health Commission of Victoria.

Factory Standards

Approval of Plans

One of the functions of the Factory Standards Section of the Division of Inspection Services is to be responsible for the examination and approval of plans for factory premises. Approval is dependent upon the plan's compliance with requirements for the safety, health and welfare of factory employees. The plans examined in 1982 revealed that amenities being provided in industrial premises were of a very high standard.

As delays in the approval of plans by authorities can add substantially to the cost of a project, the Factory Standards Section ensures that submissions receive prompt service by offering a personal consultation service for applicants submitting plans. This service can result in an immediate approval of plans or be used as an advisory medium. Plans submitted for approval through the post are processed and returned within twenty-four hours.

The Factory Standards Section is also required to comment on applications for mod­ifications to the Local Government Department's Uniform Building Regulations when such modifications affect the safety, health and welfare of factory employees. In 1982 the Section commented on 113 applications for modifications to the Uniform Building Regulations.

During 1982 plans for several large projects were submitted for approval, however there has been a decrease in the total floor area of plans approved compared to 1981.

New factories Alterations and Additions Totals Total Floor Area

Inspections

1980

692 533

1225 956,785

sq. m

Numbers of Plans Passed 1981 1982

761 605 432 407

1193 1012 I ,220,881 997,719

sq. m sq. m

An Inspection Programme was conducted throughout the Metropolitan district aimed at ensuring that all exits in factories and shops were kept readily accessible and clear of obstructions, to enable safe and speedy evacuation should the necessity arise. Although most premises conformed, 14 breaches of the Labour and Industry Act and Labour and Industry (Factories, Shops, Offices and Warehouses) Regulations were observed and acted upon.

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Industrial Accidents

During 1982 officers of the Division of Inspection Services were involved in the investigation of 2002 industrial accidents of which 30 were fatal.

As a result of these investigations 136 breaches of the Labour and Industry Act and Regulations were detected prior to the proclamation on I July of the Industrial Safety Health and Welfare Act 1981.

During the latter half of the year 181 breaches of the Industrial Safety Health and Welfare Act 1981 were detected as a result of accidents investigated.

Officers of the Division of Technical Services were involved in the investigation of fatal accidents involving lifts and cranes and in total, 41 persons were killed as a result of accidents at workplaces.

During the year, 1152 applications were received for copies of accident investigation reports and 393 such reports were provided to interested parties.

Fatal industrial accidents occurred during the year as follows:

A man fell into a cess pit and drowned. A man died when he was pinned under a tractor. A man was crushed by a log when unloading timber. A man died when he was run over by a tractor. A man died when an earth mover rolled several times down a steep slope. A man died when he was crushed against a horizontal conveyor. A man died when a tractor rolled over while rolling silage on a silage dump. A man fell from and was run over by a tractor. A man died when struck by pieces of a circular firewood saw that disintegrated. A man died when a phosphate spreader rolled on him. A man struck his head on a steel bar in a factory. He died approximately three weeks

later after being admitted to hospital. A man died during tree clearing operations when a tree fell on him. A man died when a felled tree slid down a slope and struck a bulldozer being driven

by him. A man died when a drum containing paint thinner exploded whilst he was oxy cutting

a piece of steel resting on the drum. A man died when a 12 metre S.E.C. pole that was being removed, fell on him. A boy was crushed to death when a tractor being used to tow a burnt out truck, slid

backwards and overturned on him. Two men died when a house that was being reb1ocked slipped off supports and fell

on them. A man was found dead after an apparent fall. A man died when he fell into an unlit loading bay. A child died when pinned under the rear wheels of a tractor which overturned whilst

descending a steep slope. A man was electrocuted when he placed nylon spreaders on power lines during tree

cutting operations. He was working from a mechanically powered elevating platform. A man died when overcome by carbon monoxide fumes as he sat in his office.

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A man died as a result of a fire in the kitchen area of an office. A man died when the tractor he was driving rolled over. A man died as a result of an explosion. A child died when he fell off the tractor his mother was driving and went under the

rear wheel. A youth died when cleaning fluid he was using caught fire and trapped him in a

refrigerator van. A truck driver died when he was crushed between a front end loader and a truck. A man was killed when a front end loader he was operating tipped over. A cleaner died of injuries he received when he fell down a lift well onto the top of a

lift car. A council worker died when part of his clothing caught in a post hole digger and

dragged him into the machine. A concrete worker was killed when the boom of a concrete pumping truck came in

contact with overhead power lines and electrocuted him. A 6 year old child was killed when crushed by a brick pillar which was knocked on

to him by a front end loader. A man was killed when struck by a tree branch which broke whilst being winched out

of a river. A young boy was killed when struck by a tractor trailer at a school fete. A man who was erecting awnings on a 2 storey building died when he fell 9 m from

a ladder. A man died when he fell through an unprotected opening in a newly constructed

mezzanine floor whilst carrying out cleaning and finishing work. A man died when a pack of glass he was unloading from a truck fell on him. A man was found dead in a water trough close to an overturned tractor. A man died when crushed under a front end loader.

Industrial Safety

Selective Inspections Pilot Programme

The new approach to factory inspections established in 1980, developed into a rewarding exercise when the first comparable statistics were collated at the end of 1982.

During the implementation of the programme importance was placed on the need for greater contact and co-operation between Inspectors and people in the workplace. A significant improvement was observed in this regard.

A total of 423 factories were monitored in the programme and inspections aimed at raising the standards of safety, health and welfare were carried out at these premises on a monthly basis.

- An analysis at the end of the 2 year period indicated:

-a high rate of tenosynovitis in Victorian manufacturing plants; - the practice of providing employees with light duties to counteract the high cost of

workers compensation; -a reduction in accidents in most Districts in real terms (i.e. after accounting for the

reduction in employment); - that manual handling accidents still rate as the main agency for lost time injuries;

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most accidents occurred in unregulated situations; -a reduction in machinery accidents; and -the need to continually educate Supervisors in the principles of accident control.

Although significant reductions in reported accidents were achieved in most Districts these were influenced to some degree by the downturn in employment.

In order to measure the effectiveness of the programme in relation to the overall accident scene a Lost Time Injury Incidence Rate was assessed in each location.

This assessment indicated that selected factories, in the Southern District improved their rating from 15% in 1981 to 9. 5% in 1982. Likewise the Ballarat participants achieved a greatly improved standard, moving from 20.6% to 13.9%.

The District ratings for 1981 are:

District (I) Geelong & Near Country (2) Dandenong (3) Preston ( 4) Southern (S) Sunshine ( 6) Ballarat (7) Bendigo ( 8) Traralgon

The District ratings for 1982 are:

(I) Southern (2) Preston (3) Wangaratta (4) Dandenong (5) Geelong & Near Country ( 6) Ballarat (7) Sunshine (8) Bendigo (9) Traralgon

Accidents 4737 3169 1548 1318 3456 1012 1065 1366

1069 1264 593

2941 4087

592 3549 730

1099

Employees 35908 21912 10621 8781

22191 4900 4187 3377

11174 10157 4715

22814 29471 4238

17451 2926 2253

Rating% 13.1 14.0 14.5 15.0 15.5 20.6 25.4 40.5

9.5 12.4 12.5 12.8 13.8 13.9 20.3 24.9 48.7

As the average lost time injury incidence rate for all423 participants in the programme was 18% for 1982, it can be readily seen there is still scope for improvement.

Overall, the ultimate objective of obtaining a significant improvement in health and safety standards in most of the participating factories, during the first two years, was achieved.

Statistical information in respect of accidents reported to the Department is now being collated and analysed in order to improve the Department's accident control techniques.

It is expected that the statistics will be available as from 31 December 1983.

Safety Inspection

During the year the safety enforcement section within the Division of Inspection Services continued its policy of providing specialised assistance to industry.

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Officers of the section made 480 visits for the purpose of approving machinery guarding, assisting factory occupiers with difficult guarding problems, and informing machinery manufacturers and suppliers of their obligations under the Labour and Industry Act !958 and the Industrial Safety Health and Welfare Act 198!.

Uniformity

The Interstate Uniform Guarding Committee, compnsmg officers of State Labour Departments from Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia, formed to examine uniform methods of guarding machinery, met once during the year in Melbourne.

Officers at the meeting gave particular attention to the question of intangible barrier systems such as photoelectric devices. With the advent of more sophisticated machinery and equipment, industry is looking for photoelectric devices to be placed closer to dan­gerous parts than is now permissible.

Considerable research into all relevant criteria has been conducted and the Committee is now working towards the completion of a "preliminary draft" for a new Australian Standard.

New Technology

Industrial robots are being used in industry, in increasing numbers for hot, dirty and arduous work. While this has some safety benefits it creates other problems. Accordingly Departmental officers, in conjunction with industry representatives, have been involved in developing a uniform approach to guarding people from the potentially serious injuries that can be inflicted by industrial robots.

Safety Surveys

The established practice of carrying out formalised safety surveys in selected premises was continued throughout the year. Premises were selected for complete survey inspec­tions. Information and recommendations resulting from the surveys were forwarded to the occupiers of the premises surveyed.

Progress made by occupiers to bring the premises into compliance with relevant leg­islation was closely monitored by Inspectors of Factories and Shops until complete com­pliance was attained.

In the Melbourne Metropolitan area, !59 premises in the metal industry were surveyed to establish the level of compliance with regulations concerning the guarding of power presses.

During the survey, Inspectors of Factories and Shops observed 2,381 power presses, of which 1225 or 51% were in need of attention to bring the standard of guarding up to an acceptable level.

As a result of the survey, premises where the guarding was in need of attention received regular follow up visits by Inspectors to ensure that the standard of guarding improved to an acceptable level.

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During the latter months of the year a statewide survey of timber mills was commenced and was arranged to extend throughout the summer of 1982/83. The survey was designed to establish the level of compliance with regulations in the timber getting industry and to ensure an upgrading of safety standards in premises found to be unacceptable.

National Safety Council of Australia

With the co-operation of Departmental officers, the National Safety Council of Australia completed its initial safety programme for small industry.

The exercise covered a period of 15 months and 12 companies selected by the Department were provided with consultant safety services.

The activities of the Council resulted in the lost time injury frequency rates being reduced by 46.4 per cent and days lost through injury, by 56.9 per cent.

Small Business Seminars

During the year, Inspectors of Factories and Shops have been actively engaged in Small Business Seminars throughout the State. They have used this forum to provide information to interested parties on such matters as State A ward requirements, long service leave, holiday pay, industrial safety, rural safety and all aspects of physical and non physical working conditions.

Safety Training and Education

Following the passing of the Industrial Safety Health and Welfare Act by Parliament early in 1982, the Department produced an audio visual kit, containing a twenty minute 16 mm movie film and twenty copies of both the Act and an explanatory booklet containing answers to the most commonly asked questions on the Act

During the year Mr. T. Stal (centre) on behalf of The Order of St. John Priory in Australia, presented the then Minister of Labour and Industry, Mr. R. A. Jolly (left) with a plaque, in acknowledgement of the assistance the Department has provided by way of an occupational safety and health lecturer, Mr. J. Blackshaw (right), for their series of Occupational First Aid Courses.

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The audio visual kit was produced, to be made available to industry, commerce and government agencies on a purchase or hire basis.

The kit has proved to be worthwhile and popular, with 168 organizations having hired it during 1982 for screening to a total audience of 6645. The kit has also been purchased by nineteen organizations.

A new concept in the Department's training programme was devised during the year in that the training officers from the Department's publicity and promotion section, invited representatives from industry, government and commerce to participate in the Depart­mental Accident Control Course with the view to becoming trainers themselves.

Representatives attended the course at the Department's head office, for a nominal fee. This concept has enabled small compani%, which otherwise could not have afforded to support a training course, to have an employee trained in accident control concepts, and who in turn can train other company employees in accident control. The Department's training officers were fully utilized on this programme and during the year, five courses were conducted from which 37 trainees graduated. These graduates, in turn have conducted twenty eight acddent control courses which have been satisfactorily undertaken by 224 workers.

Courses and Lectu;es

During the year, 133 ~.:ouic:es/lectures were conducted by the Department to an audience of 5,160. Details are as follcws:

No. of No. in Courses Attendance

Accident Control Trainers Course 5 37 Accident Prevention 2 24 Functions of the Department 3 72 Hearing Conservation 4 67 I.S.H. & W. Act 11 360 Legal Responsibilities 6 108 Manual Handling 31 631 Safety - Apprentice 33 2595 Safety - General. 20 706 Safety Municipal l3 415 Safety - Rural I 15 Safety Woodworking 2 55 Toxic Hazards 2 55

TOTALS 133 5140

Safety Publications

In 1981 a major publications effort was undertaken which focused on the concept of a "D.L.I. Safety Notes" series. During 1982 a further Safety Note was produced titled "Clothing and Jewellery".

This publication depicts the dangers of wearing ornamental objects and hazardous apparel and has proved to be very popular.

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Five thousand copies of "Guide to Safety Book 3" containing 15 safety pro-grammes, were produced following the success of Books 1 and 2. The latest Book has been favourably received by its users, many of whom have commented on the Book's constructive and imaginative concepts on occupational safety and health.

Following on from the pamphlet ''Here is Something For You'' produced in 1981, at the request of the Industrial Safety Advisory Council, two additional pamphlets were made in 1982 at the request of the Industrial Safety Health and Welfare Advisory Council titled "Best Insurance Policy- Safety" and "The Safe Way To Lift".

The former presents a detailed check list of appliances, equipment, health and hygiene, designed to assist an employer to attain safer working conditions and improved efficiency.

"The Safe Way To Lift" pamphlet details the correct and incorrect methods of lifting as well as depicting helpful hints on moving and carrying heavy objects.

Initially, 15,000 copies of each pamphlet were printed. Demand for the ''Best Insurance Policy Safety" pamphlet was such that a further 10,000 copies were printed.

During the year, Departmental officers liaised with the Commonwealth Department of Employment and Industrial Relations and other State Labour Departments, to produce a book entitled ''Accident Prevention''. The book is in eight languages and explains in clear and concise terms, methods of preventing accidents.

The Department has also been of assistance to personnel at the Auburn Teachers College and the Education Department who have produced a film on power saw safety and another on workers' rights to workers compensation.

Displays

The Department's display at the Victorian Industrial Safety Convention 1982 won the Andor Meszaros Award for a non-commercial display.

The mobile education unit equipped with video, graphic and pictorial displays was utilized at field days, festive specialist venues and the Royal Melbourne Show. With the concern at the number of deaths each year caused by tractors, the Department's display at the Royal Melbourne Show centred on tractor safety.

The Department's safety competition, promoted at the Royal Melbourne Agricultural Show, was won by Jane Nierv of Wantirna, who is seen here receiving her prize at her school assembly from Mr. T. Hammer, Assistant Chief Inspector of Factories and Shops.

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A range of tractor roll bars and other equipment was placed on display together with tractors donated by industry for the period of the Show. This equipment particularly an inverted tractor positioned on its roll bar was received with interest by Show patrons.

The display at the Royal Melbourne Show was also used to disseminate to the public a safety competition entry form. The competition was aimed at school children and required that they identify certain unsafe practices and equipment depicted in a poster and write a brief essay on safety. Jane Niero, 11 years of age, from Wantima was the winner of the competition and received a BMX bicycle for her effort. ''Runners up'' in the competition each received a T-shirt displaying a safety slogar •.

Industrial Safety Groups

During the year, two Safety Groups successfully combined their resources to conduct a seminar for apprentices and young workers. This was followed by the ten other Safety Groups holding similar seminars at which 828 apprentices received education and training in occupational, road and household safety. As in previous years safety competitions, designed to maximise the training opportunities of the seminar were conducted and enthusiastically received by the young people. The average monthly attendance at the District Safety Groups Meetings was 27.

On 19 November 1982, the Footscray and Western Safety Study Group celebrated the 25th anniversary of its formation. The Group was formed as a means of promoting safety awareness and as a measure of success cites the example of a large company in 1957 having an industrial accident every 24 hours while in 1982 the same company had only 9 accidents which required medical attention.

Safety Film Library

The Department has for a number of years maintained a safety film library, making films available to industry, commerce and government, on a no-cost, hire basis. The number of registered borrowers as at December 1982 was 635. A total of 5,384 film screenings were held for an overall audience of 89,611 persons.

The library now contains 140 films covering a wide range of occupational health and safety matt~rs, including the following which were purchased during the year:

Bet Your Life Cutting It Fine Eye Emergency Flash point Machine Shop Safety Making Safe Mind Your Back Safe Use Of The Portable Power Saw Safety - Dermatitis Safety - Everyone's Business Talking Of Safety Two Metre Lifeline

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Victorian Industrial Safety Convention

The Victorian Industrial Safety Convention 1982, opened by His Excellency, Rear Admiral Sir Brian Murray, K.C.M.G., A.O., K.St.J., Governor of Victoria, and chaired by the then Minister of Labour and Industry, the Hon. R. A. Jolly, M .P., was held at Monash University on 10, 11 and 12 August, 1982.

The Organising Committee consisted of representatives from major employer and employee organisations, Government Departments and voluntary organisations having an interest in industrial safety.

The Convention, held triennially since 1958, is the largest of its type in the southern hemisphere and attracted speakers from interstate and overseas. It was highly successful, as evidenced by attendances and was highlighted by the attendance of Sir Owen Wood­house, President of the Court of Appeals, New Zealand and Professor Ralph Vernon, Lecturer of the Texas A & M University, U.S.A.

The theme for the Convention was "Technological Change and Industrial Safety", and within this theme, emphasis was placed on tomorrow's technology and the health of the worker.

The format of the Convention was altered from previous years in that delegates attended workshops during the third day of the programme and for the first time a ''stream'' was implemented designed to cater for the specific needs of trade unions. Other ''streams'' were directed at Management, Supervision and Safety and Health Specialists.

The 1982 Convention was the ninth one to be held and this year, for the first time, a publication titled the "Proceedings of the Victorian Industrial Safety Convention, Volume I - 1982" has been produced. The publication contains the twenty-eight papers as presented at the Convention plus a transcript of the opening and closing sessions. As a means of recouping the costs of publication, it has been made available at a cost of $19.50.

To date, some 900 copies of the publication have been sold, some of which have been to interstate and overseas buyers.

Rural Safety

The steady demand for the "Rural Safety" series of nine booklets in previous years, continued throughout 1982.

The Mobile Education Unit was sited at five major field days during the year, these being Horsham, Elmore, Warragul, Wandin-Silvan and Ballarat, as well as being located at the Royal Melbourne Show. Attendance at the field days exceeded 115,000.

The Safety Note on "Safe Tractor Operation" has gained wide acceptance throughout th0 rural industry, however once again, tractors have been a major cause of fatal accidents occurring during the year.

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62229/83-2

Tractor Fatalities

Of the ten fatalities due to tractor operations during 1982, three of the deceased were children.

The number of fatalities involving children is unacceptably high, however it is con­sidered little or no improvement can be achieved at a regulatory level.

Th.:. Labour and Industry (Tractor Safety) Regulations 1981 prohibit children from operating or riding on tractors and the fitting of additional safety features to cater spe­cifically for children is therefore not practical.

The only apparent way in which the situation can be improved is through user education implemented through farmer organisations, training or industrial relations services.

On the recommendation of the Industrial Safety Health and Welfare Advisory Council a graphic summary of tractor fatalities is being continuously extended and now provides a picture of the situation in Victoria for the past 13 years.

30

28

26

24

22

20

18

16

TRACTOR FATALITIES VICTORIA

~ TOTAL DEATHS

ROLL OVERS

~ CHILD DEATHS

The above graph prepared on the recommendation of the Industrial Safety Health and Welfare Advisory Council, provides a summary of tractor fatalities over the past 13 years.

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SHOP TRADING HOURS

In keeping with the Government's stated policy that there will be no extension of shop trading hours, Departmental Inspectors have been actively enforcing the shop trading requirements of the Labour and Industry Act. The majority of shop occupiers accept and abide by the existing laws but a small minority still persist in opening illegally. Every effort has and will continue to be made to make these offenders comply with the law. A number of companies and individual shop occupiers have paid many thousands of dollars in fines and costs during the year but the existing penalties did not appear to act as a deterrent in preventing these occupiers defying the law. As a consequence, the penalties for breaches of shop trading hours legislation have been substantially increased and from 21 December 1982, a scale of penalties was introduced with the maximum being $5000.

Concern has been expressed by representatives of small business and the Shop Dis­tributive and Allied Trades Employees Association at the trend for larger departmental stores to open sections of their premises throughout the weekends by taking advantage of the provisions of the Fifth and Sixth Schedules to the Labour and Industry Act.

This matter is at present under examination with a view to resolving the problem to the satisfaction of all parties concerned.

During the year the Committee for Review of the Shop Trading Hours Provisions of the Labour and Industry Act, established in 1981, presented its Report to the Honourable R. A. Jolly, M.P., the then Minister of Labour and Industry.

Ministerial Advisory Committee on Shop Trading Hours

On 8 October 1982, your predecessor announced the establishment of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Shop Trading Hours to provide him with expert advice on the trading hours provisions of the Labour and Industry Act.

The Committee's terms of reference are:

• To provide personal advice to the Minister of Labour and Industry in the context of the Government's policy that there should be no extension of shop trading hours; and consistent with the Government's policy of support for small business.

• To examine in detail the current trading hours provisions of the Labour and Industry Act 1958 and advise the Minister on the need for any legislative or administrative changes to further the Government's policy objectives; and possible changes required to simplify, make more comprehensible or remove anomalies or inconsistencies from, existing legislation.

The Committee comprises Mr. John Harrower (Victorian Chambers of Commerce and Industry), Mr. Jim Maher (Shop Distributive and Allied Employees' Association), Mr. Ken Macdonald (Victorian Federation of Retailers' Association), Mrs. Cathy McCallum (Knox Prices Action Group), and Mr. Ian Muir (Muir Electrical Co. Pty. Ltd.).

As at 31 December 1982 the Committee had met on two occasions.

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EDUCATION (WORK EXPERIENCE) ACT 1974

Work experience programmes for students at Victorian schools enable them to obtain work experience in industry and commerce as a part of their education.

The work experience programme provides the student with the chance to experience the demands, disciplines and routines of work, such as the demand for punctuality, length of working hours in relation to breaks, the demand for productivity and the demand for involvement of the worker in customer and public relations.

A work experience programme requiring a student to work in a factory can only be undertaken if the student is at least 14 years of age and has obtained a permit to do so, from the Chief Inspector of Factories and Shops.

The success of these programmes is indicated in the table below, setting out the numbers of permits issued over the past six years, however, with large Victorian companies cutting back or limiting their labour force, the number of students participating in work experience programmes has been affected.

Year 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982

No. of Permits Issued 109 166 197 247 272 75

In the present economic climate, young schoolleavers must not only be prepared for finding and keeping jobs but must be assisted positively in gaining opportunities for the future.

The education work experience programmes have, up until 1982, been one method of achieving this and it is hoped that employers will support the scheme to a greater extent in the year ahead.

TECHNICAL SERVICES

The Division of Technical Services provides a specialised technical service for the Department as a whole and is responsible for ensuring the observance of the provisions of the Boilers and Pressure Vessels Act, the Lifts and Cranes Act and the Scaffolding Act regarding safety, certification for operation and registration.

The staff within the Division authorized as Inspectors consists of:

The Director of Technical Services Two Assistant Directors Four Senior Engineers Seven Senior Inspectors Seven Engineers Forty-eight Inspectors in the boilers and pressure vessels, lifts and cranes,

scaffolding and construction safety fields.

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The Division's main activities include the upgrading of the competence and knowledge of the workforce subject to certification requirements, and monitoring and appraising new equipment for use in industry to ensure that safety standards are not eroded by changes in technology.

Standards

Australian Standards

During 1982 committees of the Standards Association of Australia on matters related to the Division's responsibilities were attended by Departmental Engineers and Inspectors.

As in previous years, meetings were again held in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide and were well attended by representatives from most States which greatly contributed to the formation of more suitable standards and also assisted in furthering uniformity of equipment and methods used throughout Australia.

Design Review

Before design approval is granted for the manufacture of boilers, pressure vessels (including LP Gas cylinders for domestic, industrial and automotive use) and other miscellaneous pressure vessels and pipelines, the designs are reviewed by experienced technical staff in the Division. It is also necessary to review designs of cranes, lifts, escalators, window cleaners, man and material hoists, electronic guards for power presses and other machines, explosive powered tools, scaffolding, chair lifts, ski lifts and amuse­ment devices and structures. Frequently, discussions with designers, consultants, manu­facturers, importers, and members of industry are necessary to ensure that problems are resolved as quickly as possible and in a manner which satisfies Regulations and Safety Code requirements and generally ensures that the desired safety features are incorporated into the equipment.

There has been a noticeable increase during the year, in the number of overseas submissions for design approvals, covering a large range of equipment.

Boilers and Pressure Vessels

Inspection Activities

In accordance with the Boilers & Pressure Vessels Act, initial and routine inspections and operational checks of boilers and pressure vessels were conducted during the year.

There were a number of major projects involved in these activities including the Pilot Plant for Brown Coal Liquefaction (Vie) Pty. Ltd. at Morwell, Esso Ltd. Projects No. 3 Gas Plant, Longford, off shore pressure vessels associated with the numerous oil rigs at Barrys Beach and SEC Hazelwood reconstruction work to improve the efficiency of boilers.

Various petrochemical companies have, during the year, carried out major plant mod­ifications involving pressure vessels to improve plant efficiencies.

29

In addition to the statutory inspections of new pressure vessels for use in Victoria, the Department also carried out inspections of vessels being manufactured in Victoria but destined for use in other States and overseas.

In spite of an increase in the number of initial inspections completed, the number of inspections pending rose even higher in I982 so that 34,022 remained to be carried out at 31 December 1982, compared with 30, 184 at 31 December 198 I . Because of the size of the backlog, inspection priorities continued to be allocated on the basis of risk.

As a result of routine inspections, 37 Danger Notices and 144 Repair Notices were issued in respect of faults in pressure parts of boilers and pressure vessels. In the course of operational checks, 66 faults were detected in the controls and safety valves of boilers, and these were generally rectified after verbal directions were given.

Unattended Boilers

In accordance with the requirements of the Boilers and Pressure Vessels Act and Regulations, 34 new applications for unattended operation of boilers were received in 1982. There have been 399 applications received since the Principal Regulations came into effect on 1 November 1973.

During the year 50 installations received final approval for unattended operation and 43 approvals were given for electrical control circuitries or modifications to existing approved systems. There were approximately 344 unfinalised applications at various stages of processing at 31 December 1982.

Gas Cylinders

There was continued participation on the Standards Association of Australia Committees ME/211 Gas Cylinders and ME/46 Automotive LP. Gas Installations, particularly the latter, which concerns itself with S.A.A. Codes A.S. 1425-1973: Rules for the Use of L.P. Gas in Internal Combustion Engines.

The code is in the process of being completely revised to meet the changes made in technology in the use of LP. Gas in automotive vehicles.

The Division's responsibilities in this regard include inspection of the pressure vessels and the valves and appurtenances fitted to them. As mentioned in the previous Report, many applications for approval continue to be received in respect of tanks and valves manufactured in Europe. These applications often have insufficient supporting technical specifications and therefore take a long time to. finalize.

Appraisals of new test stations seeking approval and existing test stations seeking re­approval to operate, continued during the year. Approval for a number of test stations is pending subject to modifications or adjustments being made.

Board of Examiners for Steam Engine Drivers and Boiler Attendants

The Review Committee, established by the Board to look into the requirements of industry for the certification of steam engine drivers and boiler attendants, completed its

30

review in 1981 . The Committee is continuing its study of information received with a view to completely revising the Regulations on the matter, to bring them into line with present day requirements.

During the year there were 574 applications for certificates of which 509 were granted by the Board.

Board of Examiners for Welders of Boilers and Pressure Vessels

In addition to the usual examinations conducted by the Board, examinations for com­petency as welders were continued to be held by the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology under the supervision of Departmental officers. The R.M.I.T. results will be accepted in support of applications for certificates of competency as welders.

During the year, 1728 applications for certificates as welders of boilers and pressure vessels were received. The 802 certificates issued by the Board included a number of restricted certificates.

Accidents

There were eleven reports of injury notified to the Department during the year, in respect of boilers and pressure vessels.

Accidental damage to boilers is still occurring and reports of impairment to 12 boilers and 13 pressure vessels were received.

Lifts and Cranes

Notification of Cranes

Before any crane is erected or placed in position the appropriate notification must be made to the Department. The number of notifications in 1982 considered to comply with requirements was 270, many of which related to imported equipment.

Compared with previous years there was an increase in the number of Interfloor Stacking Machines approved. These machines are a low cost alternative ,i.o the installation of a goods lift and are also able to be used as a wheelchair hoist.

The number of notifications received was as follows:

Builders Cranes 175 Stacking Machines between floors 20 Amusement Structures 56 Garage Hoists 57 Mobile Cranes 73 Fork Lifts 59 Container Handling Equipment 55 Monorail Hoists 182 Jib Cranes 46 Overhead Travelling Cranes 194 Associated Gear 137 Work Platforms 56 Other (including Dogman to ride loads, tow trucks, buiding main- 220

tenance and

31

These cranes, known as Paceco Portainer cranes, are situated at Swanson Dock West. They each have a passenger lift for access to their control and machinery rooms, and are equipped with booms capable of being raised to allow for the arrival and departure of the vessel.

32

Mobile Cranes and Equipment

A total of 42 new Mobile Cranes was inspected and tested during the year, which is a slight decrease compared with 1981. Once again the majority of the cranes were imported from the U.S.A. and Japan.

Other mobile equipment notified to the Department and considered to comply with requirements, included Elevating Work Platforms, Scissor Lifts and Vehicle Loading Cranes.

Scissor lifts have had a large impact on the building and servicing industry as they have, in many cases, replaced the need for fixed scaffolding. The use of this machinery has created industrial problems in certain areas, resulting in union bans being placed on some of the equipment.

Conveyors

During 1982 there has been a marked downturn in the number, size and complexity of conveyor installations notified to the Department.

The majority of notifications related to small, belt type conveyor installations.

The only substantial undertakings requiring Departmental involvement in 1982 has been the Commonwealth Government Aircraft Factory Aluminium Clean Line Project at Fish­ermens Bend.

A major car manufacturing plant has completed commissioning of a robot welding line and is now in production. Plans are in hand for the installation of a smaller robot line for under body treatment.

Waterfront Activities

During 1982 two new 45 tonne container cranes were erected and became operational in Swanson Dock East and the new Victoria Dock area.

At Webb Dock, Port Melbourne, work has commenced on the erection of a container crane, which was commissioned at the end of December, while another similar crane has been fabricated and is ready for erection in the same area. The wharf is being extended to accommodate both cranes.

Fork lift container handling frames have been altered to ensure safer handling around the waterfront.

A container terminal has been opened in the Port of Geelong and is equipped with a container crane and several new fork trucks of 52,000 lbs. capacity.

Lifts

During the year many existing buildings were renovated and their lift services mod­ernized to incorporate technological advances made in the use of solid state and com­puterised lift control systems.

33

The inspection and testing of new lifts has taken precedence over routine annual inspections of existing lifts, and with the increase in numbers of new lifts, it is expected that annual inspections will be further reduced.

The Inspectorate has during 1982, been involved in preliminary discussions with the Rialto Project developers, for the installation of 50 lifts.

The total number of Forms of Approval issued for new lifts in 1982 was 179. The types of forms and numbers issued, over the last three years are as follows: -···~-~···---···-----------··--~···

1980 -··---···----------- ·--~·------···

Escalators

Passenger and Goods Lifts Service Lifts Escalators Lifts on Container Cranes

TOTALS

105 46 37 0

188

1981 1982

118 105 55 52

7 19 6 3

186 179 ···---···

In 1982 the number of escalator installations was 19, which is a marked increase on the unusually low number of 5 in 1981.

Work on the escalators and lifs for the Melbourne Underground Rail Loop continued during the year.

Eight new escalators were installed at a large city retail store, where major renovations have been carried out.

Chair Lift and Ski Tows

Two new triple chair lifts (one at Falls Crc..:K, the other at Mt. Buller) were installed and commissioned for the 1982 season. The chair lift at Falls Creek replaces the 18 year old double chair lift while the one at Mt. Buller, being the longest triple chair lift now operating in Victoria, transports skiers direct from the car park to the ski slopes.

Further improvements in the snowfields have followed with the replacement of old ski tows at Mt. Buffalo and Mt. Buller.

The new ski tow at Mt. Buller is twice as long as the original, thus extending the skiing area.

Inspections of all existing chair lift and ski tows could not be completed as several were not in operation due to the poor skiing season.

Certificate of Competency examinations for operators of ski tows and chair lifts totalled 92.

Amusement Structures

Inspections of amusement structures were carried out during the year, at the Melbourne Moomba Festival, the Royal Melbourne Show and a large number of metropolitan and country agricultural shows and carnivals.

34

Of special interest is a new amusement structure called the "Enterprise" which was first introduced in Victoria at the Royal Melbourne Show. It consists of a large spoked wheel with passenger cars attached to its periphery. The wheel is raised from the horizontal to the vertical by a large hydraulic ram whilst it is spinning.

This type of equipment is under the jurisdiction of the Department when used for hire or reward, although when such equipment is to be installed other than for hire or reward, the persons involved still consult Departmental officers for specialised assistance.

An amusement structure increasing in popularity is the water slide and at the end of 1982 a total of fifteen new slides were being installed by various Shires and Councils for the summer period.

Regional Areas

Building and construction activity has occurred throughout Victoria during the year involving Departmental Inspectors. An indication of the activities undertaken in the country regions of Victoria relevant to lifts and cranes is as follows:

Wodonga

This area continues to develop with new industries being attracted. A new plant com­mencing operations this year is a plastic film plant for the packaging industry. The plant operates seven days per week, 24 hours per day, and employs approximately 50 persons. Several cranes and fork lifts are involved in this operation.

Wangaratta

A large company has opened a new plant in Wangaratta to produce cylinders for hot water services. The plant uses a new process to line the cylinders and is the first of its type in Australia. The company's operations involve the use of various lifts and cranes.

The textile industry is suffering a downturn in trade, which has resulted in the loss of nearly 200 jobs in the city, many of which relate to fork lift operations.

During the year two large construction projects (a T.A.F.E. College and a supermarket) were undertaken for which certified operators of equipment were needed.

Shepparton

A large amount of industrial activity occurred within the city creating the need to expand services including gas and water. Accordingly, a constant demand for certificated operators of machinery was evidenced which unfortunately could not be satisfied.

On balance the area continues to grow and with this growth, demand for the Department's services is also growing.

Bendigo

During the year various fixed crane installations were completed throughout the region. At a Castlemaine foundry a scrap metal furnace charger was commissioned. At Echuca

35

two overhead travelling cranes, two monorails and one interfloor hoist became operational, while in Bendigo two overhead travelling cranes commenced operation.

The number of learner permits i&sued within the region remained at approximately the previous year's level of 300 whilst the number of licences issued to operate cranes, totalled 220 for the year.

Courses for Crane Driver, Chasers and Dogmen were undertaken at the Bendigo Ordinance Factory and the Bendigo and Castlemaine Technical Colleges. The two Tech­nical Colleges also provided courses for fork lift and excavator operators.

Latrobe V alley

At Barrys Beach a drilling platform is being constructed involving large mobile cranes and extensive rigging procedures.

At Loy Yang a large number of on-site construction cranes, including a number of special purpose units, were in use throughout the year.

As the first stage of the project nears completion, a large number of permanent cranes are being tested and commissioned.

At Hazelwood the extensive repair and overhaul programme of boilers and chimneys has required the building of special power operated working platforms.

Certification

As well as the normal function of examining applicants for Crane Driver's, Crane Chaser's and Dogmen 's Certificates·, plus the processing and approval of those examined by authorised external examiners, the Inspectorate handles a multitude of enquiries, ranging from minor enquiries such as how to make applications, through to detailed enquiries from persons or firms who have only just become aware of certification requirements.

In many cases, visits must be made to premises involved to determine whether a specific operation requires a person to be certificated. Occasionally visits are made in response to complaints either from individuals, shop stewards, or union officials. Mediation is sometimes necessary between the parties involved as on occasions, one or both parties have an incorrect concept of the legal requirements.

• At all such visits and at those for examinations generally, the particular cranes involved including the lifting gear, are inspected.

Another aspect in which some Inspectors are involved, is the setting of standards for, and approving new courses for crane personnel; up-dating or altering existing course standards where necessary; and the preparation of both course material and exam papers to ensure uniformity in all colleges. In this area the section works very closely with T.A.F.E. personnel. Certification staff also lecture in T.A.F.E. colleges and present lectures to industry when requested.

36

The teaching of operators for the large container cranes at the Port of Geelong was also undertaken by the most experienced examining Inspector as the Authority had no ex­perienced personnel in this field.

At Barry 's Beach side sections of an oil rig frame are fabricated and then "rolled up" into position, using cranes with capacities up to lOO tonnes operating in unison. When in place, the sections will be welded together.

37

The Inspector subsequently examined several course groups of Operators after they had gained sufficient experience. The crane is operating successfully and as two special container handling cranes were also installed at South Dynon, similar work to that under­taken at Gee long, was necessary. The new power line to Portland involved the purchase of additional mobile tower cranes for its erection, thus necessitating the examination of several new crane operators.

The majority of examinations were carried out on-site where tower cranes, pile drivers, boring-rigs, large mobile cranes, container-handling fork-lifts, straddle-carriers and other large wharf cranes are in use.

The total number of Certificates issued during 1982 was 7,817 (a decrease on the previous year) and was made up as follows:

Dogman Crane-driver Crane-chaser Rigger Lift-Mechanic

Total:

Learners Permit

382 6,019 1,086

289 41

10,318

Further to the above many other examinations are carried out, for endorsements to existing Certificates. Such examinations would be in the vicinity of lO percent of the above figures.

Accidents

The number of accidents relating to lifts and cranes reported to the Department during 1982 is noticeably less than the number reported during 1981.

Industrial lift trucks were again a major cause of injury. The numbers and percentages of accidents involving various types of lifts and cranes were:

-~·~~~··--··--· ··--··--·· ···~-···~-

No. No. of Total Percentage of Deaths Accidents Total Accidents

Industrial Lift Trucks 154 2 156 36.7 Mobile Cranes 50 50 11.8 Factory Cranes 80 80 18.8 Construction 2 2 0.5 Conveyors 45 45 10.6 Elevating Work Platforms 6 7 1.6 Lifts (including chair lifts) 15 16 3.8 Escalators 18 18 4.2 Gear 29 29 6.8 Sundry Equipment 2 4 6 1.4 Amusement Devices 2 I 3 0.7 Excavators Front End Loaders 7 4 11 2.6

2 2 0.5

TOTALS 412 13 425 100

For further information on Accidents see the "Occupational Safety Health and Welfare" section of the Report.

38

Scaffolding

Departmental Scaffolding Inspectors operate in the 8 municipal districts nominated in the Schedule to the Scaffolding Act 1971, and at the Loy Y ang Power Station complex. Inspection of scaffolding in the other 205 municipal districts of the State is carried out by Scaffolding Inspectors appointed by Municipal Councils. An important function of the Department's Supervisor of Scaffolding Inspection is the supervision of the manner in which the Council authorities carry out their responsibilities.

Permits and Inspections

In the 8 municipal districts for which the Division of Technical Services is directly responsible, 443 permits were issued for the erection of scaffolding and 5427 inspections on site were made during the year.

Although the number of permits issued during the year decreased significantly compared with 1981, the Inspectorate was active in providing advice to industry through its field activities and office enquiries. This service included the exxamination of project plans and guidance on the most suitable, safe and efficient means of providing scaffolding.

Appeals, Claims and Local Approvals

The Supervisor of Scaffolding Inspection is responsible for hearing appeals from any person aggrieved by any requirement of the Regulations or order of an Inspector and having regard to the intent of the Regulations, is required to make an appropriate deter­mination. Claims which may involve the examination of detailed drawings and compu­tations for large, complex projects totalled 342 for the year.

General Approvals

Proposed scaffold designs and materials are thoroughly reviewed by technical staff of the Inspectorate before approval is granted for the manufacture of new scaffolding systems and components.

Frequent discussions are therefore held with designers, manufacturers, importers and others connected with the industry after which equipment is mechanically tested in order to ensure that any design problems may be rectified as quickly as possible and in a manner which will comply with the Regulations and Safety Code requirements.

During the year 22 scaffolding equipment prototypes were submitted to the Supervisor of Scaffolding Inspection for examination and testing. General approval was granted to 17 submissions, which included some for submissions prior to 1982, and a number remained under consideration pending their further development.

Accidents

During 1982 no fatal accidents occurred within the 8 municipalities administered by the Department, whilst 3 fatal accidents were reported in other municipalities.

39

Training Courses

Approved courses for Scaffolding Inspectors were conducted at the Caulfield, Royal Melbourne and Swinburne Institutes of Technology, whilst approved courses for Scaf­folders were conducted at the Ballarat, Bendigo, Caulfield, Geelong, Royal Melbourne, Swinburne, and Yallourn Institutes of Technology and Melbourne College of Decoration.

Certification

The Board of Examiners is responsible for the conduct of examinations for persons who desire to qualify as Inspectors or Scaffolders and the issue of appropriate certificates upon successful completion. Certification for Scaffolders covers Class I - Pole and Frame Scaffolding and Class 2 Cantilever and Bracket Scaffolding. Applicants of specific age who satisfy previous experience requirements may obtain a Certificate by examination only, whereas others must also attend training courses conducted at Technical Colleges.

During the year, the Board issued 42 Scaffolding Inspectors' Certificates, 174 Certif­icates of Compentency for Scaffolders and 370 Scaffolders' Permits.

Construction Safety

As at the end of December 1982 the Construction Safety Act 1979 was not operative, however personnel were being recruited and trained to ensure that the legislation, when operative, is known to persons in the construction industry.

Nine Inspectors have been appointed together with a Senior Engineer, Senior Inspector and a Design Review Engineer.

Work on the drafting of regulations is well advanced with draft regulations covering specific areas nearing readiness for Public Review.

Inspectors undergoing field training have been able to make a substantial contribution towards improving safety, firstly by visiting in excess of 50 Municipal Offices to offer experience and expertise in advising on construction safety matters and secondly, by visiting actual construction sites where constructive comments regarding safety, health and welfare matters have been offered.

At the end of 1982 several hundred site visits had been completed.

Work is proceeding on the preparation of guideline material designed to inform workers in safety matters relative to their specific areas, for instance, in trenching, portable tools, ladders, tile conveyors, concrete pumps, brittle roofs, guarding of openings, etc.

It is anticipated that after the Act comes into operation and Inspectors have been fully trained, there will be some deployment to country areas particularly to the more indus­trialised centres such as the Latrobe Valley and Geelong, with further expansion as the need and facilities arise.

40

Administration

The overall number of certificates of competency and permits is slightly down on the 1981 figure. There was however a significant increase in the number of Boiler Attendants and Welders applications and subsequent issue of Certificates of Competency.

With the appointment of 3 additional Boiler Attendant examiners during the year, together with a concentrated effort by administration staff, the examination and issuing of Steam Engine Driver and Boiler Attendant Certificates of Competency has been im­proved significantly.

As from 30th June 1982 the responsibility for the collection of revenue was taken over by personnel from the Accounts section of ,Jhe Depat1ment and consequently, four of the Technical Services Divisions staff were transferred to ihat section.

The renewal of Scaffolders Certificates of Competency is now computerised and this is proving to be quite successful.

The number of Certificates and Permits issued in 1982 was:

Certificates of Competency

Boilers and Pressure Vessels Act Lifts and Cranes Act

Act

TOTAL

Learners Permits

Lifts and Cranes Act Act

TOTAL

1,375 7,817

210

10,318 447

BUILDING INDUSTRY LONG SERVICE LEAVE BOARD

The Building Industry Long Service Leave Act 1975 embodies the concept of long service leave for service to the building and construction industry, rather than to an individual employer. The nature of employment in the industry is such that many workers would be unable to establish a period of sufficient service with an employer to qualify for long service leave under the provisions of the Industrial Relations Act 1979.

The Board consists of a Chairman; two members representing employer interests; two members representing trade union interests; a person having a knowledge of or experience in the investment of monies; and an actuary.

The Board usually holds at least two meetings each r; ~mth; one to consider matters of general business and the other to consider financial matters.

41

New Offices

During 1982 the Board finalized its purchase of a six storey office building. The building, at 478 Albert Street, East Melbourne, was completed on time and the Board took occupancy of the 5th and 6th floors. The building was officially opened on 30th March 1982 by the then Minister of Labour and Industry, the Honourable J. H. Ramsay, M.P. A number of areas in the building have been let and rent is being received from these areas.

Legislation

The Construction Industry (Electrical and Metal Trades) Long Service Leave Bill 1982 was passed in both houses of Parliament on 9 December 1982 and received Royal Assent on 21 December. It empowers the Board to do whatever is necessary to prepare for the proposed extension of the scheme it administers to include the electrical contracting and metal trades construction industries.

Registrations

Details of registrations as at 31 December 1982 are as follows:

Employers Employers lodging monthly returns Principal Contractors

Working Sub-Contractors Working Sub-Contractors contributing Working Sub-Contractors non-contributing

Workers

4,160 5,749

1,481 4,908

Registered Workers ___ R:__e::segistered Apprentices

Employed during the nine month 23,590 period ending 31 Decembe_r ____ }_.3_2~-·---

TOTAL

Unregistered Workers Currently Employed 2,284 Unregistered Apprentices Currently Employed ___ ··---·--5:..:3_2 __

TOTAL

Any worker who has no service recorded with the Board for the past nine months loses previous service credits, unless it can be demonstrated that the worker was employed in the building and construction industry or that the absence was due to illness or leave granted by an employer.

The numbers and percentages of registered workers and apprentices by occupation are:

-----------~·---··--·--·---------

Builders Labourer Carpenter & Joiner Plumber/Gasfitter Construction Worker Painter Plaster Bricklayer Slater/Rooftiler Other

TOTALS

Number

7,643 6,548 4,549 2,046 1,584 1,147

973 685

Percent

28.3 24.3 16.9 7.6 5.9 4.3 3.6 2.5 6.6

100

The occupational category "other" includes tilelayers, decorators, stonemasons, bridge/ wharf carpenters, drainers, shopfitters, signwriters and foremen.

42

The number of unregistered workers is still causing concern and it is disappointing to report that there has been a small increase from the previous year.

Entitlements

The Building Industry Long Service Leave Board is liable for payments to workers and working sub-contractors in respect of long service leave entitlements paid to workers in the industry since I January 1974.

Amendments to the Building Industry Long Service Leave Act 1975, effective from March 1980, have enabled workers who have completed at least ten years continuous service in the building and construction industry, subject to agreement with their em­ployers, to take leave in advance provided the amount of leave does not exceed the worker's "pro-rata" entitlement at the time of taking the leave.

Payments

During the 12 months ended 31 December 1982, the number of claims and amount paid out of the Building Industry Long Service Leave Fund were:

Inspections

Workers (or their personal representative) Working Sub-Contractors Fm.,lrw ... Reimbursements

TOTALS

No. of Claims

Amount

During 1982 there were 3,239 inspections with the majority relating to the enforcement and policing of the provisions of the Act, especially non-registration and non-payment matters.

More than 627 workers and working sub-contractors were interviewed during random on-site inspections, in an effort to locate unregistered workers and employers. During the year, members of the Board's staff and Inspectors visited regional offices of the Department to give advice to members of the building and construction industry. The Board also took legal proceedings against persons for non-registration, non-payment of long service leave charges, non-compliance with lawful orders of Inspectors and surcharge action was taken for the late return of contribution charges. To date, the Board has been successful in all prosecution action.

Details of inspections undertaken during the year ended 31 December 1982 are as follows:

Random Site Contribution Payment Registration EntitlementJReimbursement Prosecution

TOTALS

43

Number

627 1,051 1,128

266 131 36

Percent

19 32 34

8 5 2

100

Investments

The areas of investment which the Board may pursue are restricted to those authorised under the Superannuation Act 1958.

Activity in Commonwealth Securities, Semi-Government Securities, Transferable De­posits and Local Government Authorities was limited because of the building purchase and the uncertainty of interest rates. The attractive rates applicable to Short Term Deposits and Commercial Bills made them suitable investments.

The Board was again able to increase its investments in mortgages by maintaining competitive interest rates.

The Board's investments at 31 December 1982 totalled $31,878,610 representing an increase of $10,575,007 from 31 December 1981.

Actuarial Review

During the latter part of 1981 an actuarial review of the Fund was made. The Board accepted the recommendation contained in the Actuary's report that the contribution payable by employers should remain at the rate of 3% of a worker's ordinary pay until at least the next actuarial review in three years' time.

The Board in its consideration of the report, noted the effect of the ability of workers to take long service leave after the qualifying period of ten years and although not dealt with in the report, the Board also considered the possible additional effects of the qualifying period being further reduced.

It is the Board's opinion that in the event of a further reduction in the qualifying period and high salary increases, that the contribution rate of 3% may have to be maintained for longer than was originally anticipated.

Metal Industry and Electrical Workers

During 1982, a Working Party was formed to investigate the possibility of establishing a portable long service leave scheme for metal industry construction workers and electrical workers. During the year, the working party presented its report to the Government and the Board was asked to comment on the proposal. The Board, in reporting to the Minister, highlighted certain problems if the scheme as proposed was proceeded with. Possible solutions have been proposed and negotiations in regard to this matter are still continuing.

More detailed information concerning the activities of the Building Industry Long Service Leave Board may be found in its Annual Report.

44

HAIRDRESSERS REGISTRATION BOARD

Administration

The Hairdressers Registration Board, appointed under the Hairdressers Registration Act 1958, is responsible for the registration of hairdressers and hairdressing schools including the prescription of training courses, the appointment of examiners and the holding of examinations of persons desiring to be registered under the Act.

The Board consists of a Chairman and nine members who represent the various interests.

Registrations

The Board is empowered to issue or cancel certificates of registration for hairdressers and hairdressing schools. During 1981 the Board registered I , 104 persons who had completed the appropriate training. Details according to qualifications are:

Apprenticeship Private School Interstate/Overseas

TOTALS

Ladies' Men's

468 430 142

37

10

47

A further 17 persons with "dual" qualifications from interstate or overseas were registered in both classes of hairdressing without further examination.

During the year the following numbers of hairdressers extended their registration to include another class of hairdressing:

Men • s to ladies' hairdressing (inclusive) Men's to ladies' hairdressing (limited) Ladies' to men's hairdressing

Three hairdressers were granted registration as teachers.

Prosecutions

5 I

143

During the year successful prosecutions were taken against 23 persons for offences against the Act and Regulations with a further 14 reports still in the hands of the Board's solicitors.

The 23 successful prosecutions relate to offences as follows:

Hairdressers Registration Act Section 11 (2) Section 11 (3) (a) Section I 1 (3) (b)

Hairdressers Registration Regulations Regulation 55A Regulation 64 (2)

45

1 13 3

1 5

HOSPITALS REMUNERATION TRIBUNAL

The Hospitals Remuneration Tribunal Act 1978 provides for the establishment of a Hospitals Remuneration Tribunal for the purpose of determining the terms and conditions of engagement, both under contracts of employment and contracts for services, of medical practitioners, including specialists, and of senior executive officers of public hospitals and other such institutions which have been declared for the purposes of the Act by order in Council.

On the coming into operation of the Labour and Industry (Further Amendment) Act 1981 (Act No. 9583) the Hospitals Remuneration Tribunal Act 1978 was amended to bring it into line with the terminology and references used in the Industrial Relations Act 1979, and further, to provide that the Tribunal shall be constituted by the President of the Industrial Relations Commission. Previously it was constituted by the President of the now superceded Industrial Appeals Court.

On 6 September 1982 the Tribunal gave its reserved decision in a claim by the Australian Medical Association (Victorian Branch) for, amongst other matters, an increase of 25 percent in wage rates for senior medical officers employed under the provisions of the Hospital Senior Medical Officers Award. The Tribunal awarded an increase of 18 percent in rates of pay.

During the year the Tribunal amended the Chief Executive Officers and Deputy Chief Executive Officers Award on eight occasions. In the majority of cases hospitals were placed into higher ''groups'' thus resulting in increases in rates of pay for chief executives.

On one occasion wage rates were increased by 7 percent for all chief executives in hospitals and community health centres. In another, the rates for chief executives in institutions within groups 1 to 4A, received a further 11 percent following the hospital senior medical officers case.

Also, following the hospital senior medical officers case, resident medical officers sought an increase in rates by 25 percent. The parties reached agreement after residents accepted. an offer of 18 percent, and the Tribunal accordingly amended the Hospital Resident Medical Officers Award to this effect.

On an application by the Health Commission the Tribunal amended the Hospital Senior Medical Officers Award by increasing the higher qualification allowance to be paid to superintendants and deputy superintendants, and by providing that a practitioner required to travel in the course of his duties be reimbursed all reasonable accommodation, travelling and other expenses in accordance with the provisions of the Victorian Public Service Regulations.

On 22 December 1982, the Hospitals Remuneration Tribunal amended the Hospital Senior Medical Officers A ward and the Hospital Resident Medical Officers A ward by increasing rates of pay by 4.9 per cent, after agreement had been reached between the parties concerned. The Chief Executive Officers and Deputy Chief Executive Officers A ward was also amended on the same day, following agreement between the same parties.

46

INDUSTRIAL SAFETY HEALTH AND WELFARE ADVISORY COUNCIL

Sections 1 and 5-10 of the Industrial Safety Health and Welfare Act 1981 were pro­claimed to operate from 22 March 1982, thus bringing into being the Industrial Safety Health and Welfare Advisory Council.

The Council replaces the Industrial Safety Advisory Council, the activities of which have been noted in previous Reports, and was designed as a tripartite body having representatives from employer and employee organizations and Government agencies.

The functions of the Council are:

(a) to inquire into and report to the Minister upon matters referred to it by him; and

(b) to make recommendations to the Minister with regard to:

(i) methods and procedures for reducing the number and severity of accidents to persons employed or engaged in or on workplaces;

(ii) promoting and encouraging the establishment and employment of safe sys­tems of work in all places;

(iii) the promotion generally of the safety, health and welfare of persons employed or engaged in or on workplaces;

(iv) the making or amending of regulations;

(v) the adoption, approval or rejection, whether wholly or partially, of codes of practice or standards for the purpose of the Act.

During the year the Council examined and recommended the following draft regulations:

(i) the Industrial Safety, Health and Welfare (Machinery) Regulations 1982;

(ii) the Industrial Safety, Health and Welfare (Factories) (Amendment) Regu­lations 1982;

(iii) the Industrial Safety, Health and Welfare (Factories, Shops, Offices and Warehouses) (Amendment) Regulations 1982;

(iv) the Industrial Safety, Health and Welfare (Tractor Safety) Regulations 1982;

(v) the Industrial Safety, Health and Welfare (General Safety) Regulations 1982; and

(vi) the Industrial Safety, Health and Welfare (Timber Industry Forest Opera­tions) Regulations 1982.

The Council ordered the production of the second and third of the "Here is Something for You'' series of four pamphlets aimed at increasing safety awareness in small businesses.

47

Fifteen thousand copies of the pamphlets were distributed through the offices of the Victorian Employers Federation, National Safety Council of Australia (Vie. Division), Victorian Sawmillers Association, Australian Standards Association, Victorian Farmers and Graziers Association and the Victorian Chamber of Manufactures.

Further copies of the second pamphlet ''The Best Insurance Policy is Safety'' were printed and distributed by Departmental officers.

Pamphlet No. 3, "The Safe Way to Lift", was as successful as its predecessors and will assist the Council in meeting its objective of reducing accidents in small business.

MOTOR ACCIDENTS BOARD

Administration

The Motor Accidents Act 1973 was brought into operation in parts, and operated in its entirety from 12 February 1974 to establish the first "no fault" insurance scheme in Australia for persons who sustain injury arising out of the use of a motor car. The scheme is based on the notion of community (sectional) responsibility rather than individual responsibility and generally enables compensation to be paid to all persons who might be so injured, including drivers, passengers, motor cyclists, cyclists and pedestrians, irrespective of fault.

The Act also provides for the establishment of the Motor Accidents Board, constituted by a chairman and two other members appointed by the Governor in Council, to administer the provisions of the Act. Major amendments to the Act prior to 1982 concern the rehabilitation of accident victims, the entitlement to benefits of persons injured in Victoria but treated interstate, and the eligibility to entitlements of persons convicted of driving with a blood alcohol content in excess of .05 per cent.

Benefits

Upon application to the Board, persons may be entitled to the following benefits prescribed by the Act in respect of injuries received as a result of motor vehicle accidents in Victoria occurring on or after 12 February 1974:

(i) 80 per cent of income lost (after tax) for 104 weeks, subject to a prescribed weekly limit of$200; (since 18 December 1979, compensation benefits have been specifically related to loss of earning capacity and the Board now pays an amount which, in its opinion, will adequately compensate the injured person for the deprivation or impairment of earning capacity suffered, or $20,800, whichever is the lesser);

(ii) in the majority of cases, the cost of all reasonable medical, ambulance and hospital expenses (where doctors or hospitals have not entered into agreement with the Board, reimbursements will be to 80 percent or 70 percent respectively);

(iii) 80 percent of reasonable costs of nursing, dental, optical, therapeutic and household help; and

48

(iv) in the event of death, payments to dependants of five-eighths of the person's net income, subject to a prescribed weekly limit of $156.25 per week for up to 104 weeks, plus 80 percent for reasonable funeral and household help expenses. Since 18 December 1979, dependants have been entitled to the amount that would have been payable to the deceased had that person survived the accident for a period of at least two years, less any amount paid to the deceased for loss of earning capacity prior to the death.

The number of applications for benefits received for the 12 months ended 30 June in each of the past 5 years in respect of persons killed or injured in road accidents is:

1977/78 1978/79 1979/80 1980/81 1981/82

36,125 36,380 37,853 43,018 47,800

The benefits paid during the year ended 30 June 1982 in respect of such injuries resulting from motor vehicle accidents, that occurred during the period 12 February 1974 to 30 June 1982 amounted to $58,920,904.

The significant increase in the number of applications received during the financial years 1980/81 and 1981/82 reflects the effect on the Board of the provisions of Section 5 of the Workers Compensation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1979. This amendment became law on 1 December 1979 and imposed an obligation on the Motor Accidents Board to reimburse employers or Workers Compensation Insurers in respect of their liability for ''journey'' motor accidents under Section 8(2) of the Workers Compensation Act 1958. As at 30 June 1982, 11,386 applications for recovery had been lodged with the Board, and payments amounting to $4,611,829 made, in respect of 4,864 of those applications.

Legislation

During December 1982, the Government introduced the Motor Accidents (Amendment) Bill into Parliament. The Bill extends the existing no-fault motor accident insurance scheme to cover motor accidents occurring outside Victoria, involving motor cars reg­istered in Victoria and driven by residents of Victoria.

On 15 December 1982 the second reading debate on the Bill in Parliament was adjourned until the Autumn Parliamentary Session of 1983.

49

WORKERS COMPENSATION BOARD

Administration

The Workers Compensation Board acts as a tribunal which adjudicates on all disputes and other matters arising out of claims under the Workers Compensation Act 1958.

The Board is constituted under Section 80 of the Act and at 31 December 1982 comprises five divisions, each of which consists of a judicial member, being a Judge of the County Court, as chairman, with two lay members appointed by the Governor in Council. One lay member is selected from a panel of three nominated by the insurers and the Victorian Employers' Federation to represent insurers. The other is selected from a panel of three nominated by the Victorian Trades Hall Council to represent workers.

The Act provides generally for the obligation of employers to obtain a policy of accident insurance or indemnity for their liability to pay compensation, in the event of injury or disease, to their workers (although the employer is not obliged to be insured for the first $500.00 of his liability). The vast majority of claims for workers compensation are settled without dispute by the employer or insurance company. Disputed claims are submitted to the Board for determination. The Board deals with only a small proportion of the total number of claims made each year and, of approximately 250,000-300,000 claims made in any year, only some 12,000-15,000 might come before the Board.

The principal types of claims submitted to the Board for determination are:

(i) claims for injury where the occurrence of the injury, the employment re­lationship of the extent of incapacity is disputed;

(ii) claims by widows or children for compensation in respect of the death of the worker. Such claims must be notified by the employer to the Board within fourteen days of being made to the employer, whether or not liability is admitted. The money under any award subsequently made is usually paid into the custody of the Board. This is administered by the Board for the benefit of the claimants;

{iii) claims by workers for certain specified (Table) injuries, notably loss of use of fingers, toes, limbs, etc. and loss of sight or hearing. Such claims are assessed on medical reports and an informal interview with claimants where necessary. In the case of a minor for whom a lump sum for a permanent disability is awarded, the money is administered by the Board as in (ii) above;

(iv) cases where a compromise is made between the parties where a matter has been in dispute or where a lump sum redemption (commutation) is proposed for an admitted entitlement to compensation. The Board's approval is re­quired in every instance. Its procedure involves an examination of the cir­cumstances said to justify any variation from the basic right to continued weekly payments;

(v) claims for payment out of the Workers Compensation Board Fund in cases where the employer is alleged to have not taken insurance and to be without adequate means;

50

(vi) claims made within the ambit of various statutes, that is, the Country Fire Authority Act (casual firefighters), the Juries Act (jurors), the Volunteer Civil Defence Workers Compensation Act, the Education Act (volunteer school workers) and the Police Assistance Compensation Act.

The details of such Applications and Notices submitted during the past three years are:

1980 1981 1982

Contested matters 10,226 12,449 13,209 Summary List (liability admitted) 1,013 866 1,438 Miseellaneous* 124 101 94

TOTALS 11,363 13,466 14,741

*Miscellaneous claims made within the ambit of statutes other than the Workers Compensation Act 1958.

The number of contested matters lodged with the Board and the number of matters disposed of again increased during 1982. It is a matter of great concern to the Board that the period of delay in finalizing claims is at present approximately 20 months.

Details of claims disposed of during the past three years are:

Summary List (liability admitted) Actual contests Settlements approved by the Board Dealt with in Chambers

TOTALS

1980 1981 1982

1,573 211

These figures reflect an increased rate of through-put by the five divisions of the Board; however it is still not possible to keep pace with the intake of new matters coming to the Board.

Trust Funds

Section 34 of the Act provides that, in the case of death, payment (other than a weekly payment) to a person under 18 years of age and other payments where the Board considers it to be in the best interests of the worker, shall be paid into the custody of the Board. Such moneys shall be invested, applied or otherwise dealt with as the Board thinks fit for the benefit of the persons entitled thereto and at present total $68,000,000. No charge is made for the administration of these funds. There are approximately 8,500 beneficiaries to whom the current funds are applicable and during 1982 the Board despatched approxi­mately 40,000 cheques in the course of processing requests made to meet the needs of the persons concerned.

Finance of Operations

The operations of the Board are financed from the Workers Compensation Board Fund which is controlled by the Treasury. However, there is no expense to the Government concerning the administration of the Board. The Fund provides for all administrative costs, including salaries and expenses to members, payments to injured workers whose employers have failed to insure and payments in respect of nominal defendant matters

51

and is met from the proceeds of a levy imposed on all approved insurers. The levy is charged on a pro-rata basis according to each insurer's premium income for the previous year and represents less than 1 percent of the aggregate Victorian premium income.

Legislation

The Workers Compensation (Benefits Rates) Act 1982 makes changes to the legislative provisions providing for automatic annual adjustments to weekly benefits.

The Workers Compensation· (Amendment) Act 1982 increases the amounts of com­pensation payable for specific injuries and makes provision for these amounts to be automatically adjusted each year based on the movement in average weekly earnings.

For further details see the section in the Report on "Legislation During 1982 ".

V .L.A.C. SUB-COMMITTEE TO REVIEW THE PROVISIONS OF THE INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACT 1979

The Victorian Labour Advisory Council established the above Sub-Committee to review the Industrial Relations Act 1979. The charter of the Sub-Committee is to receive sub­missions from interested parties, to report on the operation of the Act, and to recommend changes to the Act based on the Committee's examination of matters brought before it.

The Sub-Committee comprises representatives from the Victorian Trades Hall Council, Victorian Chamber of Manufactures, Victorian Employers' Federation, the Department of Labour and Industry and the Office of Industrial Relations.

The Sub-Committee had its first meeting on 8 December 1982.

CONFERENCES

Departments of Labour Advisory Committee

The Committee, comprising the Permanent Heads of the State Labour Departments and the three Commonwealth Departments of Employment and Youth Affairs, Industrial Relations and Science and Technology which are now amalgamated as the Department of Employment and Industrial Relations, (May 1982) met three times during the year.

Melbourne was the venue for the first conference for 1982 which was held on 17 and 18 February. The meeting considered matters for discussion at the following conference of Commonwealth and State Ministers of Labour and papers prepared for that meeting which included a review of the Australian industrial relations systems, wage determination, employment of the handicapped, manpower and training matters and occupational safety and health matters.

The second conference was held in Hobart on 28 and 29 Apiil 1982. Discussions included general developments in industrial relations, employee participation, techno­logical change, occupational safety and health and manpower and training matters which were listed for discussion at the Hobart conference of Commonwealth and State Ministers.

52

The third meeting was held in Brisbane on 2 December 1982 and discussed matters for consideration at the December conference of Commonwealth and State Ministers. These discussion topics included manpower and training, industrial relations, occupational safety and health and international labour matters.

Commonwealth and State Ministers of Labour

The first conference for the year was held in Canberra on 4 March 1982. Discussions included matters of industrial relations, manpower and training, occupational safety and health, and the International Labour Organization. Industrial relations matters discussed included continued consideration of demarcation disputes, complementary industrial re­lations systems and waterfront/maritime industries. Further consideration was given to the need for the continuation of the National Consultative Committee on Occupational Safety and Health.

The Ministers met again on 28 May 1982 in Sydney. Industrial relations matters were discussed at this meeting and included the National Wage Case Decision, demarcation disputes and the Working Party Report on complementary industrial relations systems.

D.O.L.A.C. Consultative Committee on Occupational Safety and Health

The Departments of Labour Advisory Committee agreed to the establishment of the above working party which held its inaugural meeting on 6 July 1982. The Committee comprises representatives of the State Departments of Labour and Health, the Common­wealth Departments of Employment and Industrial Relations and Health, the Australian Council of Trade Unions and the Confederation of Australian Industry.

The first meeting evidenced a high degree of co-operation and it was agreed that useful work would be achieved by the formalization of a consultative committee under the charter of D.O.L.A.C.

The Victorian Department of Labour and Industry agreed to act as convenor and provided the secretariat. The Department also produced a paper for D.O.L.A.C. and the Ministers on employee safety representatives, i.e. the issues involved in the election and training of employee safety representatives and the options available for the training of employee safety representatives through either the National Safety Council of Australia or T.U.T.A.

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION

International Labour Conference

The International Labour Conference completed its 68th Session in Geneva on 23 June 1982. The Conference, attended by over 1800 government, employer and worker delegates and advisors from 138 member States of the Organization, created two new labour standards and revised an existing Convention.

New International Labour Standards

Convention No. 157: Maintenance of Social Security Rights, 1982. The Convention, adopted by the Conference, aims to improve protection regarding social security

53

schemes for persons working or living in countries other than their own by promoting flexible and broad co-ordination between national and social security schemes. Social Security concepts covered by the Convention include sickness, maternity, invalidity, old age, death, occupational accidents and diseases, unemployment and family benefits.

Convention No. 158: Termination of Employment, 1982. The Convention, adopted by the Conference is supplemented by a Recommendation (No. 166) on termination of employment at the initiative of the employer, and aims to provide workers with protection against unfair dismissals and in connection with termination for economic, technological, structural or similar reasons.

Convention No. 110: Plantations Convention, 1958. The Conference adopted a protocol to this Convention, which revises Article 1 dealing with the definition of the scope of the Convention. The protocol is worded such that countries can now ratify the Convention with either the original scope or with the more limited scope.

The l.L. 0. has now adopted 158 Conventions although many of these are not applicable to the Australian situation or are now closed to ratification. Australia has ratified 43 Conventions to date.

Standards in Preparation

The Conference also held its first discussion on a proposed standard concerning vo­cational rehabilitation and concluded that measures are required aimed at increasing employment opportunities for the disabled, through such avenues as incentives, research, promotion of various matters, and community participation. It is proposed that the text on this standard be put at the 1983 Conference for final decision.

Membership

During 1982, Antigua, Barbuda, the Commonwealth of Dominica, the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe and San Marino joined the I .L.O. thus increasing the total membership of the organization to 150 countries.

Ratifications

In the course of the Conference, 14 ratifications of Conventions were registered by four countries, bringing the total number of ratifications to 4,985.

54

GENERAL ADMINISTRATION

Accommodation

The Department's Warrnambool regional office, relocated to 166 C Koroit Street, has enabled an improved service to be offered by the Department's officers and the increase in floor area has provided the avenue for better communication to the public, through the use of displays on industrial safety etc.

Departmental Offices

Departmental offices are located as follows:

City of Melbourne

Department of Labour and Industry (Head Office) Division of Management Services Division of Industrial Relations Division of Inspection Services Division of Technical Services Legal Branch Personnel Branch Research and Evaluation Branch Special Projects

Phone No.

500 Bourke Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 602 8111 Office of the Building Industry Long Service Leave Board

478 Albert Street, East Melbourne . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 662 1322 Hairdressers Registration Board

437 St. Kilda Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 5943 Industrial Relations Commission

271 William Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 1982 Motor Accidents Board

35 Spring Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 653 llll Workers Compensation Board

570 Bourke Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 8561

Regional

Centre Address Phone No.

Ballarat, 3350 . . . . . State Public Offices, Cnr. Mair and Doveton Sup. I.F.S. 37 0666 Streets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I.F.S.-S.H.W. (1)

I.F.S.-I.N.D. (I) I.B.P.V. I.L.C.

Bendigo, 3550 . . . . . . . . . Public Offices, Hargreaves Street (P.O. Box Sup. I.F.S. 43 8866 107) .. . . .. . .. . . .. . . .. . .. . .. . . .. . . .. . . I.F.S.-S.H.W. (1)

l.B.P.V. I.L.C.

Bent1eigh, 3204 . . . . . . . 261 Centre Road (P.O. Box 122) . . . . . . . . Sup. I.F.S. 557 5841 I.F.S.-S.H.W. (4) I.F.S.-I.N.D. (2)

55

Box Hill, 3128 . . . . . . . . . 6 Watts Street (P.O. Box 280) . . . . . . . . . . . Sup. I.F.S. 88 9294 I.F.S.-S.H.W. (4) I.F.S.-I.N.D. (2)

Castlemaine, 3450 Old Police Station, 37 Hargraves Street (P.O. I.F.S.-S.H. W./I.N.D. Box 204) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 1296

Dandenong, 3175 . . . . . . . 106 Foster Street (P.O. Box 320) . . . . . . . . . Sup. I.F.S. {2) 792 1433 I.F.S.-S.H. W. (4) I.F.S.-I.N.D. (2)

Geelong, 3220 . . . . . . . . . State Public Offices, Cnr. Little Malop and Sup. l.F.S. 26 4676

Hors ham, 3400

Mildura, 3500

Preston, 3072

Fenwick Streets, (P.O. Box 1143) . . . I.F.S.-S.H.W. (2) I.F.S.-I.N.D. (I) I.B.P.V. I.L.C.

State Public Offices, 21 McLachlan Street (P.O. I.F.S.-S.H.W.Il.N.D. Box 484) ............................ .

State Public Offices, 253 Eleventh Street (P.O. Box 498) ............................ .

2 Cramer Street (P.O. Box 181) ......... .

82 2039

I.F.S.-S.H.W.Il.N.D. 23 1684

Sup. I.F.S. 478 4133 I.F.S.-S.H.W. (4) I.F.S.-I.N.D. (2)

Sale, 3850 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Room 10, Ground Floor Macalister Court, 67- I.F.S.-S.H.W./I.N.D. 69 Macalister Street (P.O. Box 263) . . . . . . 44 2598

Shepparton, 3630 State Public Offices, Cnr. Welsford and I.F.S.-S.H.W./I.N.D. Vaughan Streets (P.O. Box 358) . . . . . . . . . . I.B.P.V. 21 3722

Sunshine, 3020 . . . . . . . . . First Floor, 25 Devonshire Road (P.O. Box Sup. l.F.S. 311 6341 159) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . l.F.S.-S.H.W. (4)

I.F.S.-I.N.D. (2)

Traralgon, 3844 . . . . . . . . 71 Hotham Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sup. l.F.S. 74 6000 I.F.S.-S.H.W. (I) l.F.S.-I.N.D. (I) I.B.P.V. I.L.C. A.S.S.I.

Loy Lang Building Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S.I.C.S. 73 6469 I.C.S. (2}

Wangaratta, 3677 First Floor, National Mutual Building, Cnr. Sup. I.F.S. 21 6344 Ovens and Reids Streets (P.O. Box 161} . . . I.F.S.-S.H. W. (I)

I.F.S.-I.N.D. (I} I.L.C.

Warragul, 3820 . . . . . . . . . State Public Offices, Smith Street (P.O. Box I.F.S.-I.N.D. * 319) ................................ .

23 2215

Warrnambool, 3280 .. 166C Koroit Street (P.O. Box 410) . . . . . . . I.F.S.-S.H.W.II.N.D.

Sup. I.F.S. I.F.S.

I.B.P.V. I.L.C. A.S.S.I. S.I.C.S. I.C.S. •

Supervising Inspector of Factories and Shops Inspector of Factories and Shops S.H. W. _ Safety Health and Welfare Inspectors I.N.D. - Industrial Inspectors Inspector of Boilers and Pressure Vessels Inspector of Lifts and Crames Assistant Supervisor of Scaffolding Inspection Senior Inspector of Construction Safety Inspector of Construction Safety Visited once per fortnight from Traralgon

56

62 2514

Research and Evaluation Branch

The major objectives of the Branch are:

to provide management with objective information, strategic plans and necessary research services for facilitating the fulfilment of Corporate, Divisional and Sectional objectives with minimum operating cost; and

- to identify areas of need and undertake necessary promotional activities to develop in employers and employees attitudes conducive to the introduction and maintenance of safety measures at work.

In order to achieve these objectives the Branch is organized into four Sections:

Research Section

The Research Section has the primary function of preparing information and reports on labour affairs in general, relevant to the operations of the Department in its dealings with the public, the Government, trade unions, employers' organizations and other Gov­ernment departments and agencies.

The activities of the Section during 1982 included:

(a) lnternational Labour Organization Affairs; (b) information and reports on labour matters generally; (c) overseeing the preparation of the Department's Weekly Newsletter; (d) preparation of the Department's Annual Report; (e) secretarial duties for various Ministerial and Departmental committees, meetings

and conferences; and (f) preparation of answers to Parliamentary questions.

The provision of secretarial services for Ministerial and Departmental committees during 1982 included services for the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Shop Trading Hours, the Victorian Labour Advisory Council Sub-Committee to Review the Provisions of the Industrial Relations Act 1979, and the DOLAC Consultative Committee on Occupations Safety and Health.

Evalation Section

This Section has responsibility for the on-going evaluation of the Department's strat­egies, programmes, organization and methods. The Section is comprised of the Methods Officer and the Senior Evaluation Officer.

In the methods area, 1982 saw the ground work being laid for the eventual ''automation of the office" for the implementation of integrated management information systems.

Major projects in the Department, the Building Industry Long Service Leave Board (BILSLB) and the Ministry of Consumer Affairs had as their basis, the introduction of advanced level work processors which could be expanded to perform data processing and other office tasks. In the B .I. L. S. L. B. two word processors have been installed and are operating efficiently. In the other areas, tendering is still in progress.

62229/83-3 57

The new "Freedom of Information" Legislation is starting to make an impact on the Department's direction with respect to managing information. This is likely to be an important issue in 1983 and could significantly effect the Department's corporate plans in office automation and management information systems.

In the evaluation area the major activity during 1982 was co-ordination of the devel­opment and implementation of the Department's Corporate Plan, and refinement of the evaluation process incorporated within it.

In addition, a review of strategy options for the inspection of boilers and pressure vessels was completed. This involved an examination of alternative methods of providing these services, variations in the speed at which objectives are achieved and alternatives in the quality and quantity of services provided.

Library

The Library, under the control of a professional Librarian, provides a service which centralizes Departmental reference material and promotes its effective utilization by the Divisions.

The library received 93 publications on inter-library loans for use by Departmental staff and lent I 0 I publications to other libraries.

Book loans to staff during the year numbered 885. During the year 431 books and reports were acquired, bringing the total library stock at 31 December 1982 to 2140 monographs and pamphlets and 136 periodical titles. Three hundred and forty-five direct enquiries, from both staff and outside users were answered, and twelve library bulletins were issued.

Publicity and Promotion Section

This Section is responsible for the effective communication of information relating to the Department's activities particularly with respect to industrial and rural safety and occupation health and welfare. This is achieved through the use of a variety of media includmg:

(al training and education programmes; (b) publications; (c) Jisplays; (d) maintenance of a safety film library: and (e) provision of an advisory and reference service on occupational and rural health

anu ,afety.

With the introduction of the Industrial Safety Health and Welfare Act, this section's activities relatcJ primarily to educating employers and employees on the provisions of the Act. These activities included the production of a 20 minute colour 16 mm film, a video tape, an explanatory booklet and lecturing on the Act. Further details of this Section's activities are recorded in the "Industrial Safety" and "Rural Safety" sections of this Report.

58

Corporate Management Review

A feature of the corporate approach to management introduced by the Department in 1981 is the ongoing evaluation and review of policies and programmes to ensure optimum use of available resources.

The initial Corporate Plan (financial year l98l/82) applied the principles of planning and evaluation to long standing Departmental programmes and operations. The purpose of this approach was twofold; firstly to gain an understanding and acceptance of the management technique by Departmental staff, and secondly, to obtain an informed assess­ment of the strengths and limitations of Departmental resources, programmes and policies. The exercise proved successful and the Department was geared during 1982 to tackle the next stage - the revision of existing strategies and the development of new strategies.

The proclamation in July 1982 of the Industrial Safety, Health and Welfare Act 1981, and the impending proclamation of the Construction Safety Act 1979, necessitated the development and implementation of new strategies in the Inspection Services and Technical Services areas.

In the Inspection Services area, the key new features contained in the 1982/83 Corporate Plan are:

(a) the establishment of a team of Industrial Inspectors with sole responsibility for ensuring that legal standards of pay and non-physical conditions are received by the workforce subject to Victorian State industrial legislation;

(b) the provision of advice to occupiers of workplaces concerning the development of safety policies and the setting up of safety committees;

(c) the conduct of inspections of workplaces according to an established "priority of need'' basis;

(d) the introduction of policies, systems, procedures, duty statements and control mechanisms for ensuring Inspectors spend on average 80% of their time in field duties; and

(e) the establishment of a special unit for co-ordinating the processing of accidents reported to the Department.

In the Technical Services area, the Corporate Plan contained the following key new features relating to construction safety:

(a) the introduction of construction safety committees at major construction sites;

(b) the development and introduction of written procedures and guidelines for De­partmental staff and construction safety committees;

(c) the accurate communication to the public of the prescribed standards and general information relating to construction safety; and

(d) the conduct of sample surveys in order to identify areas of need for the con­centration of Departmental resources.

59

In addition, the second Corporate Plan saw an overall improvement in the provision of detailed guidelines for staff to enable them to meet the organisational objectives. Departmental staff have been encouraged to put forward suggestions for the revision of the guidelines in the light of operating experience.

The 1982/83 plan provides that the measurement and monitoring of effectiveness at Divisional and Sectional levels is to continue at regular intervals.

Effectiveness Control Assessments were scheduled for October 1982 and February and May 1983. A new Effectiveness Control Assessment format is to be adopted in that instead of assessment of a Division being carried out by staff within that Division, assessments will in future be conducted by officers of the Research and Evaluation Branch in con­sultation with Divisional staff. This should bring about an improved degree of consistency in the standard of assessment throughout the Department, as well as an improvement in the time taken to prepare the resultant Effectiveness Control Assessment Reports.

Unfortunately, due to the necessity for evaluation staff to undertake tasks allocated a higher priority, it was not possible to proceed with the October 1982 Effectiveness Control Assessment. The first assessment of the effectiveness of the 1982/83 Corporate Plan will take place during February 1983.

Legal Branch

The function of the Branch is to provide legal advice on matters associated with legislation administered by the Department of Labour and Industry, Ministry of Em­ployment and Training and the Ministry of Consumer Affairs. The volume of advice work has increased as a result of the recent implementation oflegislation, including the Industrial Safety Health and Welfare Act 1981, the Industrial Relations Act 1979, and the Residential Tenancies Act 1980.

As a result of the introduction of this new legislation, and the transfer of responsibility for the administmtion of various Acts from the Chief Secretary to the Minister for Labour and Industry during 1979, the Branch now deals with a considerably wider area of law.

In addition to advice work the Branch prepares and conducts cases relating to alleged breaches of the various Acts administered by the Department and Ministries, including matters before the Industrial Relations Commission and summary prosecutions in Mag­istrates' Courts.

Advice and representation is also provided by the Branch to statutory officers and tribunals within the Department and Ministries' administrations when those officers or tribunals are challenged in the Supreme Court.

During 1982 a record number of prosecutions was processed following the addition of two legal officers to the Branch.

Personnel Branch

Staff Development Activities

A revised version of the booklet "An Introduction To New Members Of Staff" was prepared and disseminated for the purpose of assisting in the induction of new staff members into the Department.

60

The Departmental Training Programme was continued and numerous courses were conducted on a variety of topics. The programme included:

4 Induction Courses 2 Supervisor Training Courses 2 Public Speaking Courses 2 Time Management Courses 3 Efficient Reading Courses 4 Report Writing Courses 3 Public Relations Courses 1 Correspondence Course 1 Action Learning Programme

In addition to these programmes, a number of typists and stenographers succeeded in gaining recognition for increased speed and efficiency, by way of internal testing.

The Public Service Board offered a wide range of training programmes for the use of Departments and departmental staff attended the following programmes:

Records Management Secretarial Techniques Job Instruction Pre-Retirement Planning.

Work Experience Programme

A total of 138 students from 70 secondary schools participated in the Work Experience Programme within the Department during 1982. This was more than double the number of students employed within the Department during the previous year.

Senior Personnel Movement

Mr. K. G. Bolt, formerly with the Ministry of Employment and Training, was appointed to the office of Chief Industrial Officer on 26 August 1982, following the resignation of Mr. P. W. Fisher.

Special Projects

The Special Projects Unit, headed by the Senior Research Officer (Special Projects), provides specialist policy assistance and advice to senior management on activities not falling within the responsibility of other Branches or Divisions of the Department. The unit also provides advice on the activities of statutory bodies responsible to yourself but which are outside the Department.

The unit also has responsibility for the Department's legislative programme. During 1982, seven Bills were prepared and introduced into Parliament. Four of those Bills subsequently passed all stages and received Royal Assent. The remaining three Bills were held over for consideration in the 1983 Autumn Session of Parliament.

Towards the end of the year, the Senior Research Officer (Special Projects) assumed the direction of a task force established to plan for and assist in the implementation of the proposed extension of the Building Industry Long Service Leave Scheme, which provides portability for long service leave within the building industry, to include the electrical contracting and metal trades construction industries.

62229/63-4 61

STATISTICAL INFORMATION

PAGE DEFINITIONS .................................................. . STATE REGIONAL BOUNDARIES ................................ . REGISTRATION OF FACTORIES AND SHOPS

Table I.-Trade and Regional Classification of Factories Registered during 1982 and Persons Employed Therein . . . . . . ........... .

Table H.-Trade and Regional Classification of Shops Registered during 1982 and Persons Employed Therein .................. .

INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS-Table IlL-Analysis of Prosecutions Taken during 1982

INDUSTRIAL SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELFARE-

62 64

65

68

71

Table IV .-Inspection Activities during 1982 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

GENERAL ADMINISTRATION-Table V .-Staff Employed in the Department at 31 December 1982 73 Table Vl.-Departmental Expenditure and Revenue, 1981-82 . . . . . . . . . 73

Definitions

The following definitions apply to the Tables included in this Part:

"Factory "-A factory is defined by the Labour and Industry Act as being "any premises or place where any manufacturing process is carried on and where-

(a) two or more persons are directly or indirectly employed in such process (whether on their own account or behalf or for hire or reward); or

(b) if- ......................................................... .

(ii) steam water gas oil or electric power (exceeding .4 kilowatts) is used in any manufacturing process; or

(iv) any process is used involving mixing or pasting or smelting in connexion with the manufacture or repair of electric accumulators or involving the use of a compound of lead; or

(v) any bread or pastry is made or baked for trade or sale or any confectionery or cereal food for human consumption is prepared or manufactured for trade or sale; or

62

(vi) fish or poultry are prepared for trade or sale by wholesale-

one or more persons is so employed-

and includes any premises or place where electricity is generated or mechanically trans­formed for the supply of heat or light or power or where coal gas is made and any clay pit or quarry worked in connexion with and occupied by the occupier of any pottery or brickyard; but does not include any part of a poultry farm where poultry are not dressed for trade or sale by wholesale''.

"Shop "-A shop is defined by the Labour and Industry Act as being "any building or place or portion of a building or place or any stall tent vehicle or pack in which goods are exposed or offered for sale by retail, and includes any rooms of hairdressers or barbers, boot repairers' shops, the rooms of dyers and clothes cleaners commonly known as dyers' shops and clothes cleaners' shops and of agents of any such dyer or clothes cleaner, lending libraries, undertakers' establishments and rooms of tailors or photographers".

63

0'\ ~

:~~,~" c···cc-'"\

\ 7 ~0r-i _cs ~ ... i-, --NoRTHERNMAi:LEE~ _N,{

REGIONAL BOUNDARIES FOR GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION IN VICTORIA

NOVEMBER, 1982

..... -~

' 5

/);

S Sh1re C City T Town 8 Borough

RC Rural CIIY

Unincorporated area

Geelong We5! C

J Geelong C

)

Scale: 1:3,000,000

0'1 VI

TABLE I. TRADE AND REGIONAL CLASSIFICATION OF FACTORIES REGISTERED DURING 1982 AND PERSONS EMPLOYED THEREIN

Class of Industry

A. Treatment of Non-MetaJliferous Mine and Quarry Products

B. Bricks, Pottery, Glass, &c.

C. Chemicals, Dyes, Explosives, Paints, Oils and Grease

D. lndusbial Metals, Machines, Conveyances

E. Precious Metals, Jewellery and Plate .

F. Textile and Textile Goods (Not Dress) .

G. Skins and Leather (Not Clothing or Footwear)

H. Clothing (except Knitted)

J. I. Bread Bakeries .

J. 2. Other Food, Drink and Tobacco

K. Sawmills, Joinery Works, Wood Turning and Carving

L. Furniture of Wood, Bedding, &c.

M. Paper, Stationery, Ptinting, Bookbinding, &c.

N. Rubber

0. Musical Instruments

P. Miscellaneous Products

Q. Heat, Light aod Powet

Totals

Metropolitan

Number of Employees

,., ~a . " . .., <:r..-:J ~ 206 2 629

166 3 247

] ~ E ~ ~

333 2 962

672 3 919

324 8 372 2 146 10 518

7 765 103 267 21 998 125 265

146 813 335 I 148

509 7 488 7 016 14 504

133 I 207 524 I 731

381 7 890 21 155 29 045

316 I 918 862 2 780

10 18 333 8 515 26 848

733 5 575

915 5400

935 15 441

110 3 789

11 43

959 16 334

35 540

890 6 465

706 7 106

4 722 20 163

912 4 701

6 49

6 672 23 006

92 632

15 754 202 286 78 556 280 842

,., ~.., E §-~~

36

12

Barwon

~ 665

435

13 I 488

483 8 628

2 12

32 454

5 34

29 370

22 93

128 I 2l0

l02 411

27 70

28

34

2

324

7

247

85

j 30

55

]

695

490

140 I 628

867 9 495

14

538 992

39

252 I 622

22 115

292 I 502

22 433

36 106

122

55

446

7

302

86

957 14 533 3 439 17 972

South Western

,., ~.., E §-~~

18

4

Number of Employees

"" ~

37

16

169

264 1 091

I

I

21

16 315

15 32

65 I 761

55 473

6

12

2

11

3

49

44

18

479 4 235

~ E ~

12

126

I

367

177

112

18

22

~

38

l7

180

203

I

337

4

682

38

938

585

67

9

66

18

955 5 190

Cerurai Highlands

,.,

26

Number of Employees

~ 295

187

51

361 2 704

2

lO 293

81

27 102

16 92

96 613

77 722

21 26

20

2

l

23

2

379

6

182

15

~ ~

10

14

]

305

201

4 55

239 2 943

136 429

77 158

232 334

ll 103

175 788

38 760

13 39

51

187

17

430

6

4

369

32

708 5 754 I 204 6 958

TABLE I. TRADE AND REGIONAL CLASSIFICATION OF FACTORIES REGISTERED DURING 1982 AND PERSONS EMPLOYED THEREIN

continued

Wimmera Northern Mallee l.oddon~Campaspe Goulburn

Number qf Number of Employees Employees

Class of Industry

'1S'~ ~·~ '1S' ~"' ~·~ .:!! .:!! ] :t :=: -"'

~ ~

~ ~§ ~ ~ " ~

] ~~ ~ ~ ] • t; ~ -"' ~ ~ ~ !$; ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ q

~ .:: "-"- "- ::;; .:.: :?:k. ::;; "-

A. Treatment of Non-Metalliferous Mine and Quarry Products 13 29 6 35 13 72 8 80 35 155 23 178 18 79 !I 90

B. Bricks. Pottery, Glass, &c. 3 21 l 22 6 30 8 38 10 67 47 114 5

c. Chemicals. Dyes. Explosives, Paints, OHs and Grease 3 21 0 21 3 15 I 16 10 31 7 38 2 2 I

D. Industrial Metals, Machines, Conveyances 224 720 67 787 205 738 137 875 406 2 584 435 3 019 368 I 436 287 I 723

0\ E. Precious Metals. Jewellery and Plate I 1 1 2 18 3 21 0\

F. Textile and Textile Goods (Not Dret.s) 2 192 52 244 6 8 7 15 14 395 486 881 10 109 213 322

G. Skins and Leather (Not Oothing or Footwear! I 6 90 26 116 2 2 I

H. Clothing (except Knitted) 8 28 176 204 9 32 23 55 22 233 529 762 31 45 292 337

J. !. Bread Bakeries 15 32 12 44 18 80 12 92 21 61 13 74 20 61 24 85

), 2 Other Food, Drink and Tobacco 41 I 18 29 147 82 553 253 806 153 I 736 376 2 112 108 I 961 347 2 308

K. Sawmills, Joinery Works, Wood Turnjng and Carving 34 123 7 !30 35 117 8 125 65 245 27 272 60 390 38 428

L. Furniture of Wood, Bedding, &c. 8 18 2 20 4 3 4 7 22 34 8 42 14 33 33 66

M. Paper, Stationery, Printing, Bookbinding, &c. 10 52 6 58 11 95 30 125 24 243 102 345 21 259 35 294

N. Rubber 3 52 I 53 3 5 I 6 7 138 55 193 3 16 I 17

0. Musical Instruments

P. Miscellaneous Products 6 19 27 46 13 42 21 63 21 145 13 158 20 Ill 147 258

Q. Heat, Light and Power I 3 6 I 7 I 4 4

Totals 371 l 425 386 I 811 412 I 796 514 2 310 818 6 162 2 147 8 309 685 4 526 I 434 5 960

TABLE I. TRADE AND REGIONAL CLASSIFICATION OF fACTORIES REGISTERED DURING 1982 AND PERSONS EMPLOYED THEREIN continued

North Eastern East Gippsland Central Gippsland

Number of Employees

Class af Industry

~"'1 ~"' ~ ~"~ 1 t·~ ;;:-; ~-~ £

-" 0 ;; """ ~ ! ] ;; ~ -"" £ ~ E'C ..;,

~ ;; • t; ~ ~ ~~ 0 ~ .s '> ~ 'S , ~ ::; ~ ~~ ... h ::; h <"- "- h "="-

Mine and 9 29 4 33 14 34 2 36 13 179 10 !89 401 4 203 438 4641

B. Bricks, Pottery. Glass, &c. 4 30 11 41 6 12 4 16 4 10 2 12 231 4 059 816 4 875

c. Chemicals, Dyes, Explosives, Paints, Oils and Grease 3 38 3 41 I 3 - 3 3 245 6 251 370 10 435 2 319 12 754

D Industrial Metals, Machines, Conveyances 197 I 057 236 I 293 199 672 92 764 331 2 078 234 2 312 10 803 124 975 24 704 149 679 0' --.J E. Precious Metals, Jewellery and Plate - 2 6 2 8 156 853 342 I 195

F. Textile and Textile Goods (Not Dress) . 4 727 342 I 069 6 9 14 23 6 230 139 369 602 10 !16 9 069 !9 185

G. Skins and Leather (Not Clothing or Pootwear) 2 3 4 7 4 17 3 20 1 3 3 !63 1 440 641 2 081

H. Clothing (except Knitted) ll lOO 526 626 7 6 81 87 23 47 49! 538 l 564 9 168 25 !24 34 292

J. L Bread Bakeries !6 79 25 104 13 57 !0 67 14 100 22 122 486 2 605 l 019 3 624

J. 2. Other Food, Drink and Tobacco 62 937 120 I 057 44 393 165 558 69 676 103 779 I 958 28 29! 10 552 38 843

K. Sawmills~ Joinery Works, Wood Turning and Carving 39 644 37 68! 56 710 87 797 52 367 36 403 I 308 9 777 1 302 11 079

L. Furniture of Wood, Bedding, &c. 14 57 I2 69 8 14 l !5 12 24 12 36 l 05! 5 685 I 828 7 5!3

M. Paper, Stationery, Printing, Bookbinding, &c. 15 227 72 299 11 41 15 56 16 1 142 70 I 212 I 103 18 252 5 243 23 495

N. Rubber 4 6 2 8 2 5 5 5 !6 5 21 143 4 049 977 5 026

0. Musical Insuumcnts - - 47 6 53

P. Miscellaneous Products 12 4 88 22 1!0 14 59 29 88 I 7 207

(J. Heat, Light and Power

NOTF.-The figures shown in the above rable are not intended w accurately reflect rhe employment situation in factories in Victoria, Procedures used in the compilation of this information someJimes produce figures which differ from current empiO}'ment trends in particular industries in some regions.

TABLE IL TRADE AND REGIONAL CLASSIFICATION Of SHOPS REGISTERED DURING 1982 AND PERSONS EMPLOYED THEREIN

Barwon South We.ttern Central Highlands

Number of Number of Number of Employees Employees Employees

Class of Industry

"" "" "" "" ~ ] ~ ] ~

~ ] "

.!i "" ~ ~ ~ "§ -"~ " " .c~

" ~J ~ lt %- "" " ~ "§ 3:: §- .!i ] ~ ,:: ~~ :€ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~.., " ~ "'"' "- ::.: "- "'"' ::.:

Foodstuffs-A. Grocer:;, 665 2 283 2 446 4 729 60 172 251 423 30 116 251 34 118 162 280 B. Butchers I 082 2 356 659 J 015 84 218 48 266 45 109 135 54 120 31 151 c. Fish 383 519 419 938 29 31 32 63 6 11 5 16 12 16 9 25 D. Bread, Cakes and Confectionery . I 969 3 086 4 087 7 173 127 207 332 539 78 80 153 233 71 77 128 205 E. Dairy Produce. Cooked Meats 228 235 575 810 6 l 20 21 6 7 9 16 7 7 13 20 F. Fruit and Vegetables 565 816 760 I 576 31 41 37 78 18 23 41 17 27 G. Others 3 215 8 363 10 723 19 086 258 4'14 744 l 238 262 439 701 146 688

Hairdressers and/or Tobacconists-H. Hairdressers l 717 I 684 2 648 4332 126 79 206 285 64 47 95 142 61 38 83 121

0\ Jewellery-00 ). Jewellery 501 697 l 002 1699 29 44 59 103 20 31 28 59 21 32 59 91

Clothing, Drapery, &c.-K. Clothing 2 539 3 7 069 10 114 178 162 464 626 79 89 259 348 121 149 343 L Footwear-Sales 503 I 151 I 726 28 34 73 107 24 30 46 76 20 22 36 M. Footwear-Repairs 185 !02 378 8 8 8 16 2 2 I 3 4 6 3

Hardware and Builders· SuppJjes-N. Hardware. &c. 824 2 882 l 479 4 361 73 223 142 365 41 115 46 161 51 170 55 225

Electrical Goods-0. Electrical Goods 571 I 574 6R8 2 262 48 108 61 169 45 121 29 !50 33 91 38 129

688 I 658 947 2 605 45 121 65 186 26 73 39 112 31 58 32 90

Motor Vehicles, &c.-R. Motor Cars .~New and Used 636 3 393 673 4066 69 261 36 297 29 116 18 134 46 176 31 s. Petrol, &c. I 033 3 319 667 3 986 112 280 83 363 75 251 53 31)4 81 217 49 T. Others 559 2 612 450 3 062 57 305 53 358 44 161 18 179 38 156 26

67 118 33 45 70 115 31 61 121 78 210 28 53 72 125 34 89 128

and Other 5 136 10012 13 808 23 820 4!4 868 947 l 338 607 462 l 069 339 527 l 097

Totals 24 636 51 910 54 485 106 395 I 890 3 802 3 989 7 791 I 149 2 344 2 026 4 370 l 252 2 837 2 185 5 022

TABLE II. -TRADE AND REGIONAL CLASSIFICATION OF SHOPS REGISTERED DuRING 1982 AND PERSONS EMPLOYED

Wtmmera

Number of Number of Number of Employees Employees Employees

Cla.~s (if Industry

~ '-

"' ~ ~·

~.., ~ ~ t iJ ~ _g ~

, ~ JJ ~ "1; .c~

i ,

"1; -"< £ , 0

~]" • ~1 ~ s:§-

~ , .;:: ~ .;:: r::: ~ •-e ~ ~

"'"" ::; ;... "'"' :., "'"'

Foodstuffs-A. Grocer& 7 41 57 98 14 66 70 136 86 99 185 29 120 171 B. Burchers 7 71 18 89 40 95 17 112 171 32 203 58 133 23 C. Fish 4 5 6 11 2 4 2 6 27 21 5 5 6 D. Bread, Cakes and Confectionery , 60 75 91 166 56 60 !20 180 110 253 91 92 188 E Dairy Produce, Cooked Meats 3 3 8 I! 5 4 13 12 !0 2 3 4 7 F. Fruit and Vegetables 6 7 !I 18 9 11 19 28 42 17 20 38 G. Others 70 60 136 196 78 203 492 399 607 I 155 299 735

Hairdressers and/or Tobacconists-H. Hairdtessers SI 26 57 83 45 31 81 112 93 62 144 206 75 54 115 169

0'\ \0 lcwellcry-

I. Jewellery ll 15 8 23 19 29 35 64 24 34 43 77 18 24 47 71

Clothing. Drapery. &c.-K. Clothing 65 57 113 !70 82 58 204 262 161 444 605 124 380 518 L. Footwear-Sales 14 9 29 38 19 21 46 67 35 49 84 34 60 95 M. Footwear-Repairs 1 2 2 4 10 1 11 2 I 3

Hardware and Builders' Supplies-N. Hardware, &c. 44 106 36 142 44 150 76 226 76 218 79 297 59 168 75 243

Electrical Goods~-0. Electrical Goods 26 57 !8 75 34 82 31 113 46 Ill 46 157 41 88 28 116

Floor Coverings-and Floor Coverings 19 40 23 63 22 71 25 96 52 107 53 160 43 99 64 163

Vehicles, &c.-Motor Cars-~New and Used 18 54 13 35 213 32 245 62 238 51 289 35 25 !48 Petrol, &c. 74 218 60 65 165 57 222 138 % 441 117 145 531 Others 30 133 26 44 174 34 208 48 36 210 45 22 176

Other Goods-U. Bt)()kseUers and Newsagents 18 18 19 39 58 46 133 104 237 37 V. Chemists . 24 25 32 87 I 19 48 65 152 217 77 W. Mmld Goods and Oth~r 229 439 498 564 I 062 458 796 771 I 567 713 685

8! I I 461 I 142 2 603 910 I 986 I 826 3 812 I 722 3 322 3 133 6 455 I 372 2 770 2 698 5 468

TABLE 11. TRADE AND REGIONAL CLASSIFICATION OF SHOPS REGISTERED DURING 1982 AND PERSONS EMPLOYED THEREIN

North Eastern Easr Gippslaml Centrlll Gippsland Total All Regions

Number <d Empioyee.o,

Class of Industry

.1'; '- ~ 0

~ ~~ "' ;; ~ ;; ~

~

.l! ~ 11 ~%- ] ~ " "' " ~ " " " " H , ~ 0 ~ s: %- ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"'"' ::;, .... ,:: ~~ ::;, .:: ~;;; ::;,

18 97 106 203 15 44 71 25 46 67 113 3 189 3 635 6 824 29 69 7 76 34 75 22 52 116 39 155 I 3 533 922 4 455 6 8 9 17 9 13 7 9 10 16 26 649 532 I 181

60 84 129 213 49 53 84 67 83 152 235 2 4 007 5 717 9 724 2 3 2 6 17 68 6 3 10 13 295 728 I 023 6 5 11 16 16 19 29 30 59 I 018 980 I 998

85 137 95 1!\4 269 134 341 673 I 014 4 11 430 14 912 26 342

45 28 65 93 25 18 39 57 56 44 114 158 2 358 2 Ill 3 647 5 758

Jewellery~

-.) J. Jewellery 14 16 28 44 12 13 35 20 27 33 60 689 962 I 364 2 326 0

Clothing, Drapery, &c.-· K. Clothing 51 38 76 114 63 78 89 240 3 4 064 9 755 13 L Footwear-Sales 14 16 18 34 14 13 23 68 81.1 I 605 2 M. Footwear-Repair~ 3 4 2 6 2 5 6 3 3

St;ppJiei!.-32 103 138 241 36 99 39 138 72 216 107 323 I 352 4 450 2272 6 722

24 49 D 62 16 4.1 12 55 46 101 34 135 930 2 425 998 3 423

18 46 14 60 21 46 2.1 71 30 70 41 Ill 995 2 389 I 328 3 717

Vehide~. &c.-Motor Car!>-N~w and Used 21 87 18 105 21 100 14 58 26.1 60 I 5 024 971 5 995 Petrol, &c. 57 164 34 !98 76 197 70 95 270 59 I 5 812 I 373 7 185

T. Other~ 29 72 90 39 125 30 155 52 200 36 4 266 749 5 015

Other Goocb-IJ. Boobeller!- and Ncw!:lt~gent::. V Chemist!> W. Mixed Good!\ and Other

122

abon.' table ore 1101 imoukd lo tu:mrt.llefy reflect the emplo,imem ,o,ituati£m in ,o,hop,o, in Victoria. Proccliure.\' uJed in rhe compihmon (!( rhi.\ information sometimes produce jlgures whi<:h purlicular indn.Yirie.\ in .wme regiom.

TABLE Ill. ANALYSIS OF PROSECUTIONS TAKEN DURING 1982

Conviclions Dismissed

Particular!. of Offence of With~ StrUck Adjourned Costs drawn Out

Number Fines Cn.~ts Number against Department

$ $ $ $ Labour and Industry Act 1958/lnduslrial Relations

Act 1979 Underpayment of wages ... " ....... . . . . . . . 64 29 2,825 3,300 32,488 29 5

...... Annual holiday pay . ...................... 75 35 2,515 596 5,657 31 I 8 Pay in lieu of notice .............. 8 3 270 84 109 3 2 Long service leave ......................... 5 I 50 150 4,569 2 I 1

Factories-Failing to guard dangerous machinery .. 159 133 37,970 14,968 1,600 5 15 6 Failing to report accident ................ 11 11 1,410 20

Shops-Offences relating to trading hours ......... 335 303 55,845 12,040 22 3 7

Miscellaneous offences ......... . . . . . . . . . 77 67 4,919 2,279 7 3 and Cranes Act 1967

4

Totals ' ............................. 743 585 105,894 33,725 44,423 97 2 42 17

TABLE JV.- SUMMARY OF INSPECTION ACTIVITIES DURING 1982 PART I INSPECTIONS Of FACTORIES AND SHOPS

Jndustrial Safety Health and Welfare Inspectors Industrial Inspectors

Inspection No.

I. Registration 6,170 I. Shop Registration 2. General 232 2. Routine 3. Factory Standards 13,173 3. After Hours Trading 4. Safety 27,846 4. Bread 5. Industrial Relations 6,454 5. Wage Claims etc. 6. Other 7,069 6. Internal Files

7.

No. of Visit~ by Type of Premises

Factory Shop Farm

N.B.-This is a dissection of the figures appearing above 48,806 4,893

293

PART 11. INSPECTIONS Of BOILERS AND PRESSURE VESSELS

Type of Equipment Inspected

Steam Boilers

Unfired Pressure Vessels

Operational Checks .

Imported LPG Cylinders

Mi scell aneou s

Field Inspection First Inspection

2,605 185

5,127 27,278

360

123,418

1,300

PART III. INSPECTIONS Of LifTS AND CRANES

Type of Equipment Inspected

Lifts-all types .

Cranes (including Conveyors)

72

Field Inspections

1,658

1,514

No. of

5,668 4,282

567 20

509 13,653

105

Inspections Pending

637

34,022

4,683

TABLE V.- STAFF EMPLOYED IN THE DEPARTMENT SUBJECT TO THE PUBLIC SERVICE ACT AT 31 DECEMBER 1982

Classification Males Females Total

Full-time

Permanent Officers-

Permanent Head

First Division 2 2

Second Division 134 27 161

Third· Division 143 60 203

Temporary employees 10 17 27

Under Section 4

Under Section 40(5) 3 3

Totals 293 105 398

TABLE VI.- DEPARTMENT EXPENDITURE AND REVENUE 1981-82

Expenditure

I. Salaries and Payments in the Nature of Salaries .......................... . 2. General Administrative Expenses-

Travelling and Subsistence ......................................... . Office Requisites and Equipment, Printing and Stationery ............... . Books and Publications ........................................... . Postal and Telephone Expenses ..................................... . Motor Vehicles - Purchase and Running Expenses .................... . Fuel, Light, Power and Water ...................................... . Incidental Expenses .............................................. . Electronic Data Processing - Expenses .............................. . Payroll Tax ..................................................... . State Employees Retirement Benefits Fund - Contribution .............. .

3. Expenses of Boards, Members' Fees and Expenses-Wages Boards, Industrial Appeals Court, Industrial Safety Council, Board of Examiners for Welders of Boiler and Pressure Vessels, Board of Examiners for Steam Engine-Drivers, Boiler Attendants, Hospitals Remuneration Tribunal, Board of Examiners - Scaffolding Act, Industrial Relations Commission

4. Other Expenditure-Inter-Church Trade and Industry Mission - Grant ..................... . Western Region Health Centre Ltd. - Contribution towards Industrial Safety Poster Competition ............................................... . Occupational Safety Program ....................................... . Payment of Employers Superannuation Contribution for Officers Seconded to the Department of Labour and Industry .............................. . Non Recurring ................................................... .

Total ........................................................ .

73

$

5,815,994

183,002 507,861

20,7.54 263,644

66,244 35,6Qii 22,984 38,185

342,694 1,028

292,787

17,000

500 50,000

1,444 26,605

7,686,422

Revenue

1. Fees Registration or Inspection of-Factories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............... . Shops .................................................... · · · · · · · Boilers and Pressure Vessels Lifts and Cranes ................................................. . Scaffolding ..................................................... .

2. Other Charges-Boilers and Pressure Vessels . . . . . . . . . ............................. . Lifts and Cranes ................................................. . Scaffolding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... .

3. Other Receipts-Sunday Entertainment Permits ...................................... . Recoup of Administration Expenses ................................. . Recoup of Superannuation Charges .................................. . Miscellaneous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .................................... . Appropriations Former Years . . . . . . . . . . ............................ .

74

$

1,507,561 918,363

1,716,509 612,812 298,329

58,733 211,484

26,378