WORK HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT 2011 - NOTES

WORK HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT 2011 - NOTES

No. 137, 2011

Compilation No. 15

Compilation date: 15 December 2023

Includes amendments: Act No. 120, 2023

Registered: 21 December 2023

About this compilation

This compilation

This is a compilation of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 that shows the text of the law as amended and in force on 15 December 2023 (the compilation date).

The notes at the end of this compilation (the endnotes) include information about amending laws and the amendment history of provisions of the compiled law.

Uncommenced amendments

The effect of uncommenced amendments is not shown in the text of the compiled law. Any uncommenced amendments affecting the law are accessible on the Register (www.legislation.gov.au). The details of amendments made up to, but not commenced at, the compilation date are underlined in the endnotes. For more information on any uncommenced amendments, see the Register for the compiled law.

Application, saving and transitional provisions for provisions and amendments

If the operation of a provision or amendment of the compiled law is affected by an application, saving or transitional provision that is not included in this compilation, details are included in the endnotes.

Editorial changes

For more information about any editorial changes made in this compilation, see the endnotes.

Modifications

If the compiled law is modified by another law, the compiled law operates as modified but the modification does not amend the text of the law. Accordingly, this compilation does not show the text of the compiled law as modified. For more information on any modifications, see the Register for the compiled law.

Self-repealing provisions

If a provision of the compiled law has been repealed in accordance with a provision of the law, details are included in the endnotes.

Contents

Part 1--Preliminary

Division 1--Introduction

1 Short title

2 Commencement

Division 2--Object

3 Object

Division 3--Interpretation

Subdivision 1--Definitions

4 Definitions

Subdivision 2--Other important terms

5 Meaning of person conducting a business or undertaking

6 Meaning of supply

7 Meaning of worker

8 Meaning of workplace

9 Examples and notes

Division 4--Application of Act

10 Act binds the Commonwealth

11 Extraterritorial application

12 Scope

12A Act does not apply to certain vessels, structures and facilities

12B Duty to consult etc. where law of more than one jurisdiction applies to the same matter

12C Act not to prejudice national security

12D Act not to prejudice Australia's defence

12E Act not to prejudice certain police operations

12F Interaction with Commonwealth criminal law

Part 2--Health and safety duties

Division 1--Introductory

Subdivision 1--Principles that apply to duties

13 Principles that apply to duties

14 Duties not transferrable

15 Person may have more than 1 duty

16 More than 1 person can have a duty

17 Management of risks

Subdivision 2--What is reasonably practicable

18 What is reasonably practicable in ensuring health and safety

Division 2--Primary duty of care

19 Primary duty of care

Division 3--Further duties of persons conducting businesses or undertakings

20 Duty of persons conducting businesses or undertakings involving management or control of workplaces

21 Duty of persons conducting businesses or undertakings involving management or control of fixtures, fittings or plant at workplaces

22 Duties of persons conducting businesses or undertakings that design plant, substances or structures

23 Duties of persons conducting businesses or undertakings that manufacture plant, substances or structures

24 Duties of persons conducting businesses or undertakings that import plant, substances or structures

25 Duties of persons conducting businesses or undertakings that supply plant, substances or structures

26 Duty of persons conducting businesses or undertakings that install, construct or commission plant or structures

Division 4--Duty of officers, workers and other persons

27 Duty of officers

28 Duties of workers

29 Duties of other persons at the workplace

Division 5--Offences and penalties

30 Health and safety duty

31 Negligence or reckless conduct--Category 1

32 Failure to comply with health and safety duty--Category 2

33 Failure to comply with health and safety duty--Category 3

34 Exceptions

Part 3--Incident notification

35 What is a notifiable incident

36 What is a serious injury or illness

37 What is a dangerous incident

38 Duty to notify of notifiable incidents

39 Duty to preserve incident sites

Part 4--Authorisations

40 Meaning of authorised

41 Requirements for authorisation of workplaces

42 Requirements for authorisation of plant or substance

43 Requirements for authorisation of work

44 Requirements for prescribed qualifications or experience

45 Requirement to comply with conditions of authorisation

Part 5--Consultation, representation and participation

Division 1--Consultation, co-operation and co-ordination between duty holders

46 Duty to consult with other duty holders

Division 2--Consultation with workers

47 Duty to consult workers

48 Nature of consultation

49 When consultation is required

Division 3--Health and safety representatives

Subdivision 1--Request for election of health and safety representatives

50 Request for election of health and safety representative

Subdivision 2--Determination of work groups

51 Determination of work groups

52 Negotiations for agreement for work group

53 Notice to workers

54 Failure of negotiations

Subdivision 3--Multiple-business work groups

55 Determination of work groups of multiple businesses

56 Negotiation of agreement for work groups of multiple businesses

57 Notice to workers

58 Withdrawal from negotiations or agreement involving multiple businesses

59 Effect of Subdivision on other arrangements

Subdivision 4--Election of health and safety representatives

60 Eligibility to be elected

61 Procedure for election of health and safety representatives

62 Eligibility to vote

63 When election not required

64 Term of office of health and safety representative

65 Disqualification of health and safety representatives

66 Immunity of health and safety representatives

67 Deputy health and safety representatives

Subdivision 5--Powers and functions of health and safety representatives

68 Powers and functions of health and safety representatives

69 Powers and functions generally limited to the particular work group

Subdivision 6--Obligations of person conducting business or undertaking to health and safety representatives

70 General obligations of person conducting business or undertaking

71 Exceptions from obligations under section 70(1)

72 Obligation to train health and safety representatives

73 Obligation to share costs if multiple businesses or undertakings

74 List of health and safety representatives

Division 4--Health and safety committees

75 Health and safety committees

76 Constitution of committee

77 Functions of committee

78 Meetings of committee

79 Duties of person conducting business or undertaking

Division 5--Issue resolution

80 Parties to an issue

81 Resolution of health and safety issues

82 Referral of issue to regulator for resolution by inspector

Division 6--Right to cease or direct cessation of unsafe work

83 Definition of cease work under this Division

84 Right of worker to cease unsafe work

85 Health and safety representative may direct that unsafe work cease

86 Worker to notify if ceases work

87 Alternative work

88 Continuity of engagement of worker

89 Request to regulator to appoint inspector to assist

Division 7--Provisional improvement notices

90 Provisional improvement notices

91 Provisional improvement notice to be in writing

92 Contents of provisional improvement notice

93 Provisional improvement notice may give directions to remedy contravention

94 Minor changes to provisional improvement notice

95 Issue of provisional improvement notice

96 Health and safety representative may cancel notice

97 Display of provisional improvement notice

98 Formal irregularities or defects in notice

99 Offence to contravene a provisional improvement notice

100 Request for review of provisional improvement notice

101 Regulator to appoint inspector to review notice

102 Decision of inspector on review of provisional improvement notice

Division 8--Part not to apply to prisoners

103 Part does not apply to prisoners

Part 6--Discriminatory, coercive and misleading conduct

Division 1--Prohibition of discriminatory, coercive or misleading conduct

104 Prohibition of discriminatory conduct

105 What is discriminatory conduct

106 What is a prohibited reason

107 Prohibition of requesting, instructing, inducing, encouraging, authorising or assisting discriminatory conduct

108 Prohibition of coercion or inducement

109 Misrepresentation

Division 2--Criminal proceedings in relation to discriminatory conduct

110 Proof of discriminatory conduct

111 Order for compensation or reinstatement

Division 3--Civil proceedings in relation to discriminatory or coercive conduct

112 Civil proceedings in relation to engaging in or inducing discriminatory or coercive conduct

113 Procedure for civil actions for discriminatory conduct

Division 4--General

114 General provisions relating to orders

115 Prohibition of multiple actions

Part 7--Workplace entry by WHS entry permit holders

Division 1--Introductory

116 Definitions

Division 2--Entry to inquire into suspected contraventions

117 Entry to inquire into suspected contraventions

118 Rights that may be exercised while at workplace

119 Notice of entry

120 Entry to inspect employee records or information held by another person

Division 3--Entry to consult and advise workers

121 Entry to consult and advise workers

122 Notice of entry

Division 4--Requirements for WHS entry permit holders

123 Contravening WHS entry permit conditions

124 WHS entry permit holder must also hold permit under other law

125 WHS entry permit to be available for inspection

126 When right may be exercised

127 Where the right may be exercised

128 Work health and safety requirements

129 Residential premises

130 WHS entry permit holder not required to disclose names of workers

Division 5--WHS entry permits

131 Application for WHS entry permit

132 Consideration of application

133 Eligibility criteria

134 Issue of WHS entry permit

135 Conditions on WHS entry permit

136 Term of WHS entry permit

137 Expiry of WHS entry permit

138 Application to revoke WHS entry permit

139 Authorising authority must permit WHS entry permit holder to show cause

140 Determination of application

Division 6--Dealing with disputes

141 Application for assistance of inspector to resolve dispute

142 Authorising authority may deal with a dispute about a right of entry under this Act

143 Contravening order made to deal with dispute

Division 7--Prohibitions

144 Person must not refuse or delay entry of WHS entry permit holder

145 Person must not hinder or obstruct WHS entry permit holder

146 WHS entry permit holder must not delay, hinder or obstruct any person or disrupt work at workplace

147 Misrepresentations about things authorised by this Part

148 Unauthorised use or disclosure of information or documents

Division 8--General

149 Return of WHS entry permits

150 Union to provide information to authorising authority

151 Register of WHS entry permit holders

Part 8--The regulator

Division 1--Functions of regulator

152 Functions of regulator

153 Powers of regulator

154 Delegation by regulator

Division 2--Powers of regulator to obtain information

155 Powers of regulator to obtain information

Part 9--Securing compliance

Division 1--Appointment of inspectors

156 Appointment of inspectors

157 Identity cards

158 Accountability of inspectors

159 Suspension and ending of appointment of inspectors

Division 2--Functions and powers of inspectors

160 Functions and powers of inspectors

161 Conditions on inspectors' compliance powers

162 Inspectors subject to regulator's directions

Division 3--Powers relating to entry

Subdivision 1--General powers of entry

163 Powers of entry

164 Notification of entry

165 General powers on entry

165A Powers relating to electronic equipment

165B Expert assistance to operate electronic equipment

166 Persons assisting inspectors

Subdivision 2--Search warrants

167 Search warrants

168 Announcement before entry on warrant

169 Copy of warrant to be given to person with management or control of place

Subdivision 3--Limitation on entry powers

170 Places used for residential purposes

Subdivision 4--Specific powers on entry

171 Power to require production of documents and answers to questions

172 Abrogation of privilege against self-incrimination

173 Warning to be given

174 Powers to copy and retain documents

175 Power to seize evidence etc.

176 Inspector's power to seize dangerous workplaces and things

177 Powers supporting seizure

178 Receipt for seized things

179 Forfeiture of seized things

180 Return of seized things

181 Access to seized things

Division 4--Damage and compensation

182 Damage etc. to be minimised

183 Inspector to give notice of damage

184 Compensation

Division 5--Other matters

185 Power to require name and address

186 Inspector may take affidavits

187 Attendance of inspector at coronial inquests

Division 6--Offences in relation to inspectors

188 Offence to hinder or obstruct inspector

189 Offence to impersonate inspector

190 Offence to assault, threaten or intimidate inspector

Part 10--Enforcement measures

Division 1--Improvement notices

191 Issue of improvement notices

192 Contents of improvement notices

193 Compliance with improvement notice

194 Extension of time for compliance with improvement notices

Division 2--Prohibition notices

195 Power to issue prohibition notice

196 Contents of prohibition notice

197 Compliance with prohibition notice

Division 3--Non-disturbance notices

198 Issue of non-disturbance notice

199 Contents of non-disturbance notice

200 Compliance with non-disturbance notice

201 Issue of subsequent notices

Division 4--General requirements applying to notices

202 Application of Division

203 Notice to be in writing

204 Directions in notices

205 Recommendations in notice

206 Changes to notice by inspector

207 Regulator may vary or cancel notice

208 Formal irregularities or defects in notice

209 Issue and giving of notice

210 Display of notice

Division 5--Remedial action

211 When regulator may carry out action

212 Power of the regulator to take other remedial action

213 Costs of remedial or other action

Division 6--Injunctions

214 Application of Division

215 Injunctions for noncompliance with notices

Part 11--Enforceable undertakings

216 Regulator may accept WHS undertakings

217 Notice of decision and reasons for decision

218 When a WHS undertaking is enforceable

219 Compliance with WHS undertaking

220 Contravention of WHS undertaking

221 Withdrawal or variation of WHS undertaking

222 Proceeding for alleged contravention

Part 12--Review of decisions

Division 1--Reviewable decisions

223 Which decisions are reviewable

Division 2--Internal review

224 Application for internal review

225 Internal reviewer

226 Decision of internal reviewer

227 Decision on internal review

228 Stays of reviewable decisions on internal review

Division 3--External review

229 Application for external review

Part 13--Legal proceedings

Division 1--General matters

230 Prosecutions

231 Procedure if prosecution is not brought

232 Limitation period for prosecutions

233 Multiple contraventions of health and safety duty provision

Division 2--Sentencing for offences

234 Application of this Division

235 Orders generally

236 Adverse publicity orders

237 Orders for restoration

238 Work health and safety project orders

239 Release on the giving of a court-ordered WHS undertaking

240 Injunctions

241 Training orders

242 Offence to fail to comply with order

Division 3--Infringement notices

243 Infringement notices

243A Matters to be included in an infringement notice

243B Extension of time to pay amount

243C Withdrawal of an infringement notice

243D Effect of payment of amount

243E Effect of this Division

Division 4--Offences by bodies corporate

244 Definitions

244A Physical elements

244B Fault elements other than negligence

244BA Negligence

244C Mistake of fact

244D Failure to take reasonable precautions

244E How this Division applies to public authorities

Division 5--The Commonwealth

245 Definitions

245A Offences and the Commonwealth--physical elements

245B Offences and the Commonwealth--fault elements other than negligence

245BA Offences and the Commonwealth--negligence

245C Offences and the Commonwealth--mistake of fact

245D Offences and the Commonwealth--failure to take reasonable precautions

245E Offences and the Commonwealth--penalties

246 WHS civil penalty provisions and the Commonwealth

247 Officers

248 Responsible agency for the Commonwealth

Division 6--Public authorities

249 Application to public authorities that are bodies corporate

250 Proceedings against public authorities

251 Offences and public authorities

252 Officer of public authority

253 Proceedings against successors to public authorities

Division 7--WHS civil penalty provisions

254 When is a provision a WHS civil penalty provision

255 Proceedings for contravention of WHS civil penalty provision

256 Involvement in contravention treated in same way as actual contravention

257 Contravening a civil penalty provision is not an offence

258 Civil proceeding rules and procedure to apply

259 Proceeding for a contravention of a WHS civil penalty provision

260 Proceeding may be brought by the regulator or an inspector

261 Limitation period for WHS civil penalty proceedings

262 Recovery of a monetary penalty

263 Civil double jeopardy

264 Criminal proceedings during civil proceedings

265 Criminal proceedings after civil proceedings

266 Evidence given in proceedings for contravention of WHS civil penalty provision not admissible in criminal proceedings

Division 8--Civil liability not affected by this Act

267 Civil liability not affected by this Act

Part 14--General

Division 1--General provisions

268 Offence to give false or misleading information

269 Act does not affect legal professional privilege

270 Immunity from liability

271 Confidentiality of information

271A Additional ways that regulator may use and share information

272 No contracting out

272A No insurance or other indemnity against penalties

272B Liability of officers for offences by body corporate under s 272A

273 Person not to levy workers

273A Conferral of jurisdiction

273B Application of the Legislation Act 2003

Division 2--Codes of practice

274 Approved codes of practice

275 Use of codes of practice in proceedings

Division 3--Regulation-making powers

276 Regulation-making powers

Schedule 1--Application of Act to dangerous goods and high risk plant

Schedule 2--The regulator and local tripartite consultation arrangements and other local arrangements

Part 1--Preliminary

1 Definitions

Part 2--The Commission

2 Functions

Part 3--Comcare

3 Annual reports

Part 3A--Family and Injured Workers Advisory Committee

3A Definitions for this Part

3B Establishment of the Family and Injured Workers Advisory Committee

3C Functions of the Advisory Committee

3D Membership of the Advisory Committee

3E Appointment of Advisory Committee members

3F Invited participants

3G Acting appointments

3H Remuneration and allowances

3J Leave of absence

3K Disclosure of interests to the Minister

3L Disclosure of interests to the Advisory Committee

3M Resignation

3N Termination of appointment

3P Other terms and conditions

3Q Meetings and procedures

3R Administrative support

Part 4--Other persons

4 Annual reports

Schedule 3--Regulation-making powers

1 Duties

2 Incidents

3 Plant, substances or structures

4 Protection and welfare of workers

5 Hazards and risks

6 Records and notices

7 Authorisations

8 Work groups

9 Health and safety committees and health and safety representatives

10 Issue resolution

11 WHS entry permits

12 Identity cards

13 Forfeiture

14 Review of decisions

Schedule 4--Penalty amounts

1 Monetary penalties--categories 1 to 3

2 Monetary penalties--tiers A to I

3 Monetary penalties--WHS civil penalty provision--tiers 1 to 4

4 Indexation of penalty amounts

5 Rounding of penalty amounts

6 Public notification of adjusted penalty amounts

7 Definitions

Endnotes

Endnote 1--About the endnotes

Endnote 2--Abbreviation key

Endnote 3--Legislation history

Endnote 4--Amendment history

Endnotes

Endnote 1--About the endnotes

The endnotes provide information about this compilation and the compiled law.

The following endnotes are included in every compilation:

Endnote 1--About the endnotes

Endnote 2--Abbreviation key

Endnote 3--Legislation history

Endnote 4--Amendment history

Abbreviation key--Endnote 2

The abbreviation key sets out abbreviations that may be used in the endnotes.

Legislation history and amendment history--Endnotes 3 and 4

Amending laws are annotated in the legislation history and amendment history.

The legislation history in endnote 3 provides information about each law that has amended (or will amend) the compiled law. The information includes commencement details for amending laws and details of any application, saving or transitional provisions that are not included in this compilation.

The amendment history in endnote 4 provides information about amendments at the provision (generally section or equivalent) level. It also includes information about any provision of the compiled law that has been repealed in accordance with a provision of the law.

Editorial changes

The Legislation Act 2003 authorises First Parliamentary Counsel to make editorial and presentational changes to a compiled law in preparing a compilation of the law for registration. The changes must not change the effect of the law. Editorial changes take effect from the compilation registration date.

If the compilation includes editorial changes, the endnotes include a brief outline of the changes in general terms. Full details of any changes can be obtained from the Office of Parliamentary Counsel.

Misdescribed amendments

A misdescribed amendment is an amendment that does not accurately describe how an amendment is to be made. If, despite the misdescription, the amendment can be given effect as intended, then the misdescribed amendment can be incorporated through an editorial change made under section  15V of the Legislation Act 2003.

If a misdescribed amendment cannot be given effect as intended, the amendment is not incorporated and "(md not incorp)" is added to the amendment history.

Endnote 2--Abbreviation key

Endnote 3--Legislation history

Endnote 4--Amendment history