The Federal Opposition says the proposed regulations that will underpin national workplace safety laws are unworkable.

The Government has been moving to implement uniform laws across the country.

The Opposition supports the proposals but its spokesman on Employment and Workplace Relations, Eric Abetz, says business is worried about the complexity of the regulations.

"A set of regulations of 580 pages that industrial relations experts in the big companies such as Woolworths and Xstrata, Rio Tinto can't handle - how on earth are small businesses going to wade through 580 pages?" he said.

Workplace Relations Minister Chris Evans says Work Safe Australia is still working through 1,300 submissions on the proposed laws.

But Senator Evans says he is confident the regulations will not burden businesses.

"They'll have one set of occupational health and safety laws that they will have to follow where ever their business is across Australia," he said.

New South Wales Premier Barry O'Farrell has rejected the previous NSW Labor government's opposition to the changes.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/09/3186926.htm?section=justin