Following an industrial dispute at Blacktown City Council which saw workers force Council to conduct a trial of alternative herbicides, the Union has met with officers from Safework NSW to discuss work health and safety risks of Glyphosate use at Councils.
Safework NSW confirmed that they are ultimately not responsible for determining whether or not Glyphosate based herbicides are safe to use at workplaces. We were advised that Safework NSW examines and investigates whether or not workplaces are complying with directions of use established by other regulatory bodies like the New South Wales Environment Protection Authority.
What’s next?
- The Union will be requesting meetings with the NSW Environment Protection Authority to further discuss this matter;
- The Union will be writing to Federal and State Parliamentarians calling for an inquiry into the safe uses of the product;
- If you or any of your work colleagues use a product you think might have Glyphosate in it, ask your council for their safe work method statements, directions of use, and risk assessments
