Contents

Part 1--Preliminary                                                                                                                1

Division 1--Short title and commencement                                                      1

1............ Short title [see Note 1] ....................................................................... 1

2............ Commencement [see Note 1] .............................................................. 1

Division 2--Objects and definitions                                                                      2

3............ Objects ................................................................................................ 2

4............ Interpretation ...................................................................................... 2

Division 3--Miscellaneous preliminary provisions                                       6

5............ Extent of Act ...................................................................................... 6

6............ Application of Act ............................................................................. 6

7............ This Act not to affect the Navigation Act 1912 ................................. 8

8............ Application of Act to prescribed ships or prescribed units controlled by contractors            8

8A......... Application of Criminal Code ............................................................ 9

Division 4--Additional functions conferred on Seafarers Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Authority and Ministerial directions                                         10

9............ Functions conferred on the Authority .............................................. 10

10.......... Directions by Minister ..................................................................... 10

Part 2--Occupational Health and Safety                                                                  11

Division 1--General duties relating to occupational health and safety   11

11.......... Duties of operators in relation to their employees ........................... 11

12.......... Consultative processes for developing health and safety policy ..... 12

13.......... Duties of operators in relation to contractors .................................. 12

14.......... Duties of operators in relation to third parties ................................. 13

15.......... Duties of manufacturers in relation to plant ..................................... 13

16.......... Duties of manufacturers in relation to substances ............................ 14

17.......... Importers of plant and substances ................................................... 15

18.......... Sections 15, 16 and 17 not to affect the operation of the Trade Practices Act 1974 or certain other laws              15

19.......... Duties of suppliers in relation to plant and substances ................... 15

20.......... Financiers not to be treated as suppliers .......................................... 16

21.......... Neither section 19 nor 20 affect the operation of the Trade Practices Act 1974 or certain other laws    17

22.......... Duties of persons erecting or installing plant in a workplace ........... 17

23.......... Duties of persons repairing or maintaining plant in a workplace ..... 17

24.......... Duties of persons constructing, modifying or repairing a structure on a prescribed ship or prescribed unit           17

25.......... Duties of persons engaged in loading or unloading a prescribed ship or prescribed unit          18

26.......... Sections 22, 23, 24 and 25 not to affect the operation of the Trade Practices Act 1974 or certain other laws        18

27.......... Duties of employees in relation to occupational health and safety .. 18

28.......... Reliance on information supplied--plant and substances ................ 19

29.......... Reliance on information supplied--erection or installation of plant 19

30.......... Reliance on information supplied--repair or maintenance of plant . 20

31.......... Reliance on information supplied--construction, modification or repair of structure             20

32.......... Reliance on results of research .......................................................... 21

Division 2--Specific duties relating to occupational health and safety    22

33.......... Regulations relating to occupational health and safety ..................... 22

Part 3--Workplace Arrangements                                                                               24

Division 1--Designated work groups                                                                 24

34.......... Request to establish or vary designated work groups ...................... 24

35.......... Operator to enter into consultations to establish or vary designated work groups 24

36.......... Variation of designated work groups ................................................ 24

37.......... Reference of disagreement to reviewing authority ............................ 25

38.......... Operator to establish designated work groups in accordance with consultations    25

39.......... Operator to vary designated work groups in accordance with consultations           25

40.......... Consultation procedures ................................................................... 25

Division 2--Health and safety representatives                                             27

41.......... Selection of health and safety representatives .................................. 27

42.......... Conduct of elections of health and safety representatives ............... 27

43.......... Candidates for election as health and safety representatives ........... 27

44.......... Right to vote in health and safety representative election ................ 28

45.......... Person in command to maintain list of health and safety representatives                28

46.......... Term of office ................................................................................... 28

47.......... Training of health and safety representatives ................................... 29

48.......... Powers of health and safety representatives in respect of a workplace   29

49.......... Power of health and safety representatives to investigate complaints 30

50.......... Power of health and safety representatives to be present at certain interviews       30

51.......... Power of health and safety representatives to obtain access to information            31

52.......... Power of health and safety representatives to issue provisional improvement notices           31

53.......... Powers of health and safety representatives to be exercised for the purposes of promoting or ensuring health and safety ................................................................................................ 31

54.......... Consultant to health and safety representative ................................ 31

55.......... Access to confidential information ................................................... 32

56.......... Liability of health and safety representative .................................... 33

Division 3--Provisional improvement notices                                               34

57.......... Consultations in relation to rectifying contraventions or preventing contraventions of this Act            34

58.......... Issuing of provisional improvement notice ...................................... 34

59.......... Effect of provisional improvement notice ........................................ 35

60.......... Employees to be notified of issuing of provisional improvement notice                 36

61.......... Person in command's obligations ..................................................... 36

62.......... Operation of section 98 for the purposes of section 100 ................. 36

63.......... Duty of operators to consult with health and safety representatives on implementation of changes at workplace .......................................................................................................... 37

64.......... Duties of operators to allow health and safety representatives access to a workplace and to consult with representatives on workplace health and safety measures ............... 37

65.......... Duty of operators to allow health and safety representatives to be present at certain interviews          37

66.......... Duty of operators to provide health and safety representatives access to certain information               38

67.......... Duty of operators to allow health and safety representatives to take time off        38

68.......... Duty of operators to provide health and safety representatives access to certain facilities    38

69.......... Access to confidential medical information ...................................... 38

70.......... Access to information in relation to which an operator claims legal professional privilege     38

71.......... Resignation etc. of health and safety representatives ....................... 39

72.......... Disqualification of health and safety representatives ....................... 39

Division 4--Health and safety committees                                                      41

73.......... Health and safety committees .......................................................... 41

74.......... Functions of health and safety committees ...................................... 42

75.......... Powers of health and safety committees .......................................... 42

76.......... Liability of health and safety committee members ........................... 42

77.......... Duties of operators in relation to health and safety committees ...... 43

78.......... Access to confidential medical information ...................................... 43

79.......... Access to information in relation to which an operator claims legal professional privilege     43

Division 5--Emergency procedures                                                                    44

80.......... Action by health and safety representatives .................................... 44

81.......... Directions to perform other work .................................................... 45

Part 4--Advice and Investigations                                                                               46

Division 1--The Inspectorate                                                                                 46

82.......... Functions of the Inspectorate ........................................................... 46

Division 2--Advice                                                                                                       47

83.......... Inspectorate may refer persons seeking advice to experts ............... 47

Division 3--Investigations                                                                                       48

84.......... Appointment of inspectors .............................................................. 48

85.......... Identification cards ........................................................................... 48

86.......... Directions by Inspectorate ............................................................... 48

87.......... Investigations .................................................................................... 48

88.......... Investigation report .......................................................................... 49

89.......... Power of entry etc. ........................................................................... 49

90.......... Power to require assistance and information .................................... 50

91.......... Power to take possession of plant, take samples of substances etc. 51

92.......... Power to direct that workplace etc. not be disturbed ....................... 52

93.......... Power to issue prohibition notices ................................................... 53

94.......... Inspector to inform person in command if action by operator is inadequate           54

95.......... When prohibition notice stops having effect .................................... 54

96.......... Person in command to distribute copies of prohibition notice ......... 54

97.......... Inspector to give copy of prohibition notice to owner of a workplace, plant, substance or thing           55

98.......... Power to issue improvement notices ................................................ 55

99.......... Distribution of copies of improvement notices ................................ 56

100........ Appeals ............................................................................................ 56

101........ Implementation of decision under appeal ......................................... 57

102........ Powers of reviewing authority ......................................................... 58

103........ Duty of inspector in relation to a decision under section 91 to take possession of plant, a substance or a thing that is not affirmed ...................................................................................... 58

104........ Liability of inspectors ...................................................................... 58

105........ Notices not to be tampered with or removed ................................... 58

106........ Arrangements with States or Territories for services of State or Territory officers                 59

Part 5--Miscellaneous                                                                                                        60

107........ Notifying and reporting accidents and dangerous occurrences ......... 60

108........ Records of accidents and dangerous occurrences to be kept ............ 60

109........ Codes of practice .............................................................................. 61

110........ Use of codes of practice in proceedings ........................................... 62

111........ Interference etc. with equipment etc. ............................................... 63

112........ Recrediting of recreation leave .......................................................... 63

113........ Operator not to levy employees etc. ................................................ 63

114........ Annual occupational health and safety report .................................. 63

115........ Operator not to dismiss etc. employees on certain grounds ............ 64

116........ Beginning prosecutions ..................................................................... 65

117........ Conduct of servants and agents ........................................................ 65

118........ Act not to give rise to other liabilities etc. ........................................ 66

119........ Circumstances preventing compliance with Act may be defence to prosecution     66

120........ Regulations--general ........................................................................ 66

121........ Regulations--power to make ........................................................... 67

Notes                                                                                                                                             69

Notes to the Occupational Health and Safety (Maritime Industry) Act 1993

Note 1

The Occupational Health and Safety (Maritime Industry) Act 1993 as shown in this compilation comprises Act No. 10, 1994 amended as indicated in the Tables below.

All relevant information pertaining to application, saving or transitional provisions prior to 24 November 2000 is not included in this compilation. For subsequent information see Table A.

Table of Acts

Act	Number and year	Date of Assent	Date of commencement	Application, saving or transitional provisions
Occupational Health and Safety (Maritime Industry) Act 1993	10, 1994	18 Jan 1994	Ss. 9 and 10: 21 Feb 1994 (see Gazette 1994, No. S48) Ss. 3-8 and 11-120: 18 July 1994 Remainder: Royal Assent
Transport and Communications Legislation Amendment Act 1994	64, 1994	30 May 1994	S. 3(1): (a)	--
Workplace Relations and Other Legislation Amendment Act 1996	60, 1996	25 Nov 1996	Schedule 19 (item 36): Royal Assent (b)	S. 2(2) and (6) (am. by 77, 1996, Sch. 3 [items 1, 2])
as amended by
Workplace Relations and Other Legislation Amendment Act (No. 2) 1996	77, 1996	19 Dec 1996	Schedule 3 (items 1, 2): (c)	--
Marine Personnel Legislation Amendment Act 1997	10, 1997	8 Mar 1997	Schedule 2 (items 1-8): Royal Assent (d) Schedule 2 (item 9): 18 July 1994 (d)	--
Public Employment (Consequential and Transitional) Amendment Act 1999	146, 1999	11 Nov 1999	Schedule 1 (item 702): 5 Dec 1999 (see Gazette 1999, No. S584) (e)	--
Criminal Code Amendment (Theft, Fraud, Bribery and Related Offences) Act 2000	137, 2000	24 Nov 2000	Ss. 1-3 and Schedule 1 (items 1, 4, 6, 7, 9-11, 32): Royal Assent Remainder: 24 May 2001	Sch. 2 (items 418, 419) [see Table A]
Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business Legislation Amendment (Application of Criminal Code) Act 2001	142, 2001	1 Oct 2001	S. 4 and Schedule 1 (items 98-110): 2 Oct 2001 (f)	S. 4 [see Table A]
National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (Repeal, Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Act 2005	135, 2005	15 Nov 2005	Schedules 1 and 2: 1 Jan 2006 (see s. 2(1)) Remainder: Royal Assent	Sch. 2 (item 10) [see Table A]
Offshore Petroleum (Repeals and Consequential Amendments) Act 2006	17, 2006	29 Mar 2006	Schedule 2 (item 54): 1 July 2008 (see s. 2(1) and F2008L02273)	--
Offshore Petroleum Amendment (Greenhouse Gas Storage) Act 2008	117, 2008	21 Nov 2008	Schedule 3 (item 23): 22 Nov 2008	--
Safe Work Australia (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Act 2008	157, 2008	18 Dec 2008	Schedule 2 (items 3, 4): 1 Nov 2009 (see s. 2(1))	Sch. 2 (item 4) [see Table A]
Fair Work (State Referral and Consequential and Other Amendments) Act 2009	54, 2009	25 June 2009	Schedule 8 (item 103): (g)	--

(a)     The Occupational Health and Safety (Maritime Industry) Act 1993 was amended by subsection 3(1) only of the Transport and Communications Legislation Amendment Act 1994, subsection 2(2) of which provides as follows:

                 (2)   The amendment of the Occupational Health and Safety (Maritime Industry) Act 1993 commences:

                              (a)   if section 120 of the Occupational Health and Safety (Maritime Industry) Act 1993 commences before this Act receives the Royal Assent--on the day on which this Act receives the Royal Assent; or

                              (b)   otherwise--immediately after the commencement of section 120 of the Occupational Health and Safety (Maritime Industry) Act 1993.

         Section 120 commenced on 18 July 1994.

(b)    The Occupational Health and Safety (Maritime Industry) Act 1993 was amended by Schedule 19 (item 36) only of the Workplace Relations and Other Legislation Amendment Act 1996, subsections 2(1)-(3) of which provide as follows:

                 (1)   Subject to this section, this Act commences on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

(c)     The Workplace Relations and Other Legislation Amendment Act 1996 was amended by Schedule 3 (items 1 and 2) only of the Workplace Relations and Other Legislation Amendment Act (No. 2) 1996, subsection 2(4) of which provides as follows:

                 (4)   The items of Schedule 3 are taken to have commenced immediately after the Workplace Relations and Other Legislation Amendment Act 1996 received the Royal Assent.

         The Workplace Relations and Other Legislation Amendment Act 1996 received the Royal Assent on 25 November 1996.

(d)     The Occupational Health and Safety (Maritime Industry) Act 1993 was amended by Schedule 2 (items 1-9) only of the Marine Personnel Legislation Amendment Act 1997, subsections 2(1) and (3) of which provide as follows:

                 (1)   Subject to this section, this Act commences on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

                 (3)   Item 9 of Schedule 2 is taken to have commenced on 18 July 1994, immediately after the commencement of section 121 of the Occupational Health and Safety (Maritime Industry) Act 1993.

         Section 121 commenced on 18 January 1994.

(e)     The Occupational Health and Safety (Maritime Industry) Act 1993 was amended by Schedule 1 (item 702) only of the Public Employment (Consequential and Transitional) Amendment Act 1999, subsections 2(1) and (2) of which provide as follows:

                 (1)   In this Act, commencing time means the time when the Public Service Act 1999 commences.

                 (2)   Subject to this section, this Act commences at the commencing time.

(f)      The Occupational health and Safety (Maritime Industry) Act 1993 was amended by Schedule 1 (items 98-110) only of the Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business Legislation Amendment (Application of Criminal Code) Act 2001, subsection 2(1) of which provides as follows:

                 (1)   Subject to this section, this Act commences on the day after the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

(g)     Subsection 2(1) (item 24) of the Fair Work (State Referral and Consequential and Other Amendments) Act 2009 provides as follows:

                 (1)   Each provision of this Act specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.

 

Commencement information
Column 1	Column 2	Column 3
Provision(s)	Commencement	Date/Details
24.  Schedule 8, items 1 to 130	Immediately after the commencement of Part 2‑4 of the Fair Work Act 2009.	1 July 2009 (see F2009L02563)

Table of Amendments

ad. = added or inserted     am. = amended     rep. = repealed     rs. = repealed and substituted
Provision affected	How affected
Part 1
Division 2
S. 4......................................	am. No. 60, 1996; No. 10, 1997; No. 17, 2006; No. 117, 2008; No. 54, 2009
Division 3
S. 6......................................	am. No. 10, 1997
S. 8A ..................................	ad. No. 142, 2001
Part 2
Division 1
S. 13 ...................................	am. No. 142, 2001
Part 4
Division 3
S. 85 ...................................	am. No. 142, 2001
S. 90....................................	am. No. 137, 2000; No. 142, 2001
S. 100..................................	am. No. 10, 1997
S. 105 .................................	am. No. 142, 2001
S. 106..................................	am. No. 146, 1999
Part 5
S. 109..................................	am. No. 10, 1997; No. 135, 2005; No. 157, 2008
S. 111 .................................	am. No. 142, 2001
S. 115 .................................	am. No. 142, 2001
Heading to s. 117 ...............	am. No. 142, 2001
S. 117 .................................	am. No. 142, 2001
S. 121..................................	ad. No. 64, 1994
	am. No. 10, 1997

Table A

Application, saving or transitional provisions

Criminal Code Amendment (Theft, Fraud, Bribery and Related Offences) Act 2000 (No. 137, 2000)

Schedule 2

418  Transitional--pre‑commencement offences

(1)        Despite the amendment or repeal of a provision by this Schedule, that provision continues to apply, after the commencement of this item, in relation to:

                     (a)  an offence committed before the commencement of this item; or

                     (b)  proceedings for an offence alleged to have been committed before the commencement of this item; or

                     (c)  any matter connected with, or arising out of, such proceedings;

as if the amendment or repeal had not been made.

(2)        Subitem (1) does not limit the operation of section 8 of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901.

419  Transitional--pre‑commencement notices

If:

                     (a)  a provision in force immediately before the commencement of this item required that a notice set out the effect of one or more other provisions; and

                     (b)  any or all of those other provisions are repealed by this Schedule; and

                     (c)  the first‑mentioned provision is amended by this Schedule;

the amendment of the first‑mentioned provision by this Schedule does not affect the validity of such a notice that was given before the commencement of this item.

Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business Legislation Amendment (Application of Criminal Code) Act 2001  (No. 142, 2001)

4   Application of amendments

             (1)  Each amendment made by this Act applies to acts and omissions that take place after the amendment commences.

             (2)  For the purposes of this section, if an act or omission is alleged to have taken place between 2 dates, one before and one on or after the day on which a particular amendment commences, the act or omission is alleged to have taken place before the amendment commences.

National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (Repeal, Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Act 2005 (No. 135, 2005)

Schedule 2

10  Saving provision

Subsection 109(2) of the Occupational Health and Safety (Maritime Industry) Act 1993, as in force immediately before the commencement of item 9 of this Schedule, is to be taken to continue in force for the purpose of incorporating, in a code of practice prepared by the Authority for Ministerial approval under section 109 of that Act as so in force, any national standard or a code of practice:

                     (a)  that was declared under subsection 38(1) of the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission Act 1985; and

                     (b)  that it was not practicable to so incorporate before the repeal of subsection 109(2).

Safe Work Australia (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Act 2008
(No. 157, 2008)

Schedule 2

4  Application of item 3

The amendment made by item 3 of this Schedule does not apply to a standard or code:

                     (a)  that is taken, because of item 1 of Schedule 3, to be a standard or code declared by Safe Work Australia; and

                     (b)  that has not been amended since it was first required to be so taken.