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  A little perspective is needed methinks
  
  in 1974 651 fatal workplace injuries were recorded
  
  in 2008-9 there were 180
  
  over the same period the workforce has risen by 12%
  
  This equates to approx 5,000 people who avoided dying in the workplace due to the HASWA.
  
  The real problem is that what seemed reasonable in 1974 when the Act wound its way through parliament has led; in our litigation oriented culture today to ridiculous decisions. The main problem with the Act is it is littered with the phrase "so far as is reasonably practicable" which of course gives pencil pushers, bleeding hearts and ambulance chasing lawyers every opportunity in the world to make a case and some money. Of course the Act needs tightening up to remove this and return it to its core principle of making employees (and those they interact with) safe in the workplace, which should be done through clear statements of where it applies and where it does not, of what constitutes an unreasonable risk particularly in the context of risky jobs (e.g. emergency services, mining, deep sea fishing). After all we cannot and should not attempt to eliminate all risk otherwise boundaries are never pushed, people are left to their own devices by the emergency services, learning and enjoyment are curtailed.

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