There are two assessment components, each worth 50%:

Assignment (short release) 4000 words (50%): Fifty per cent of the assessment for the unit will comprise an assignment in which you will be required to analyse a hypothetical fact scenario, and provide a series of legal opinions. You might also be asked to reflect on some more theoretical aspect of work health and safety regulation that has been discussed in class or in the prescribed reading material. In the assignment you will be assessed on your knowledge and understanding of the provisions of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) (and other legal provisions featured in the course that address issues that are covered by the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW)), your ability to apply those provisions, your clarity of expression, and your understanding of regulatory policy issues as they apply to health and safety at work. There will only be one scenario, but you will be required to answer a series of questions about the scenario. The scenario will be similar to the problem scenario that you will analyse as you work through the materials for the unit.

The assignment will be released at 9:00am (Sydney, Australia time) on Friday 17 May 2024 on the Canvas site and the assignment must be submitted through the Canvas site by 9:00am (Sydney, Australia time) on Wednesday 22 May 2024.   Learning Outcomes 1, 3 and 6.

Draft research question (Non-graded) (0%): Each student must submit their draft research question to r.johnstone@sydney.edu.au by 4:00pm (Sydney, Australia time) on Friday 26 April 2024 (do not submit it through Canvas), together with a paragraph (no more than 150 words) explaining why you have chosen the research question, and five key references for your essay.

Research essay 4000 words (50%): Fifty per cent of the assessment for the unit will comprise a research essay in which you will be required to research widely, think deeply and write critically about an aspect of work health and safety law, policy, theory and/or practice. The research essay will address your own research question, which must be approved by Professor Richard Johnstone.

To assist you in drafting your research question, broad research topics will be released on the Canvas site at 4:00pm (Sydney, Australia time) on Monday 18 March 2024.

The research essay must be submitted through the Canvas site by 11:59pm (Sydney, Australia time) on Wednesday 5 June 2024.  Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6.  

Word limit penalty: A piece of assessment which exceeds the prescribed word limit will attract a penalty of 10% of the total marks available for the piece of assessment for every 100 words, or part thereof. The total word counts for the short-release assignment and research essay exclude footnotes (except discursive footnotes) and the bibliography (NOTE: a bibliography is required for the research essay but is not required for the short-release assignment). Discursive footnotes exceeding the 4,000-word limit will not be read when your assessment is marked.

Use of editors or proof-readers: The use of assistance in preparing and editing assessment tasks in this unit of study is strictly prohibited. Assistance includes human and automated writing tools (not including spell checking). The use of Studiosity does not breach this rule but must be acknowledged.  

Special consideration: Successful grants of Special Consideration may involve alternative tasks, as appropriate.

Assessment requirements to pass a unit of study: A student must make a genuine attempt at all assessment tasks set out in this Unit of Study in order to obtain a Pass mark and grade (or above); otherwise an Absent Fail grade will be recorded as the student’s result for this Unit of Study.