Western Australian Consolidated Acts

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT 1984 - SECT 23H

23H .         Breaches of section 23G

        (1)         If an employer contravenes section 23G(2) in circumstances of gross negligence, the employer commits an offence and is liable to a level 4 penalty.

        (2)         If —

            (a)         an employer —

                  (i)         contravenes section 23G(2); and

                  (ii)         by the contravention causes the death of, or serious harm to, an employee occupying premises as mentioned in that section;

                and

            (b)         subsection (1) does not apply,

                the employer commits an offence and is liable to a level 3 penalty.

        (3)         If —

            (a)         an employer contravenes section 23G(2); and

            (b)         neither subsection (1) nor subsection (2) applies,

                the employer commits an offence and is liable to a level 2 penalty.

        (4)         In proceedings against a person for an offence under subsection (1) or (2) it is a defence if the person proves that the death or serious harm, as the case may be, would not have occurred if the employee had taken reasonable care to ensure the employee’s own safety and health at the premises concerned.

        (5)         An employer charged with an offence under —

            (a)         subsection (1) may, instead of being convicted of that offence, be convicted of an offence under subsection (2) or (3); or

            (b)         subsection (2) may, instead of being convicted of that offence, be convicted of an offence under subsection (3).

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

        [Heading inserted by No. 51 of 2004 s. 8.]