Western Australian Consolidated Acts

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT 1984 - SECT 23D

23D .         Contract work arrangements

        (1)         This section applies where a person (the principal ) in the course of trade or business engages a contractor (the contractor ) to carry out work for the principal.

        (2)         Where this section applies, section 19 has effect —

            (a)         as if the principal were the employer of —

                  (i)         the contractor; and

                  (ii)         any person employed or engaged by the contractor to carry out or assist in carrying out the work concerned,

                in relation to matters over which the principal has the capacity to exercise control; and

            (b)         as if —

                  (i)         the contractor; and

                  (ii)         any person referred to in paragraph (a)(ii),

                were employees of the principal in relation to matters over which the principal has the capacity to exercise control.

        (3)         Where this section applies, the further duties referred to in subsection (4) apply —

            (a)         as if the principal were the employer of —

                  (i)         the contractor; and

                  (ii)         any person employed or engaged by the contractor to carry out or assist in carrying out the work concerned;

                and

            (b)         as if —

                  (i)         the contractor; and

                  (ii)         any person referred to in paragraph (a)(ii),

                were employees of the principal.

        (4)         The further duties mentioned in subsection (3) are —

            (a)         the duties of an employee under section 20; and

            (b)         the duties of an employer under sections 23G(2) and 23I(3).

        (5)         An agreement or arrangement is void for the purposes of this section if it purports to give control to —

            (a)         a contractor; or

            (b)         a person referred to in subsection (2)(a)(ii),

                of any matter that —

            (c)         comes within section 19 or 23G(2); and

            (d)         is a matter over which the principal has the capacity to exercise control,

                but this subsection does not prevent the making of a written agreement as mentioned in section 23G(3).

        (6)         A purported waiver by a contractor of a right that arises directly or indirectly under this section is void.

        (7)         Nothing in this section derogates from —

            (a)         the duties of the principal to the contractor; or

            (b)         the duties of the contractor to any person employed or engaged by the contractor.

        [Section 23D inserted by No. 51 of 2004 s. 8.]