Doctors Reform Society of Australia
			supporting health care reforms to ensure justice, equity and quality care for all
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12.1  The DRS calls for Occupational Health and Safety legislation which:
    i. delineates the responsibilities of employers and employees;
    ii. provides for worker participation by health and safety representatives;
    iii. provides the right to compensation for occupational health and safety problems;
    iv. is administered by an Occupational Health and Safety Commission.
12.2  The DRS calls for the redress of the present neglect of occupational health in undergraduate and post-graduate training of health professionals.
12.3  The DRS believes that workers should be encouraged to be members of a Union, and that their membership should remain anonymous. It should be illegal to discriminate against union members.
12.4  The DRS is concerned that there is no advocacy group for injured workers who are not in unions and calls for the establishment of such a body by either the Federal government or unions.
12.5  The DRS supports the concept of a register of exposure to hazardous substances in occupations where hazards are recognised or suspected, to facilitate national cohort studies. (For example, workers in the nuclear industry, spray painters, electricians and pesticide operators.)  (see also Environmental Health 13.10 and Issues from Nuclear Technology 14.4)
12.6  The DRS supports upgrading of the resources and numbers of Occupational Health and Safety inspectorates.  Increased training of inspectors and increased enforcement by the inspectorate is necessary.
12.7  The DRS supports the establishment and government funding of Workers Health Centres, administered by union-elected management committees, and directly answerable to the trade union movement.
12.8  The DRS believes industrial processes should be altered to reduce and abolish toxic wastes.  Existing toxic wastes should be disposed of in a safe and appropriate manner within the country of origin.  Responsibility for toxic waste disposal should be taken by the creators of that waste, such that sustainability of the environment is not impaired.
(see also Environmental Health 13.12)
 

.		.	The Doctors Reform Society of Australia, Box 14, 4 Goulburn Street, Sydney 2000. Phone 02 9264-9084 Fax 02 9267-4393.	.
			This page was last updated on 29th January, 2003.
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