WA boosts inspector ranks, introduces industrial manslaughter laws

The Western Australia government will introduce industrial manslaughter laws and more safety initiatives as part of a $12.9 million investment to better protect workers.

WorkSafe operations will be strengthened with an extra 24 new full-time staff, including 21 additional inspectors, bringing the total number of inspectors to 120.

The boost in safety inspectors will bring Western Australia in line with New South Wales and Queensland and ensure sthat a ratio of 1.0 inspector FTE per 10,000 employees is met.

The government will also introduce a new Work Health and Safety Bill that will modernise workplace safety laws, better protect workers and hold those responsible for any workplace deaths.



One of the main features of the legislation is the introduction of two new offences of industrial manslaughter:

• Industrial manslaughter class one: the most serious offence, this includes a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment for an individual conducting or undertaking a business.

• Industrial manslaughter class two: this includes a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment for negligent behaviour.

This is a result of significant public concern and from recommendations of two recent Federal reviews – the Boland review and the recent Senate Standing

Committee on Education and Employment report. The new offences will also carry a fine of up to $10 million for a body corporate.

The WA government is seeking feedback on its Work Health and Safety regulations.

The consultation package for the regulations contains three distinct sets including: regulations for general industry (but many will apply across all industries); the mining sector; and for the petroleum and geothermal sector.

Both industry and worker organisations advocated that the Union Right of Entry provisions should not be included, but instead be left within Western Australia’s Industrial Relations laws. As a consequence, the proposed WHS regulations for Western Australia do not include Union Right of Entry provisions.

Comprehensive information sessions on the proposed sets of regulations will be delivered across the state to accompany the release of the consultation package.

Western Australians can attend information sessions in Perth, Albany, Esperance, Karratha, Newman, Geraldton, Mandurah, Kalgoorlie, Broome, Port Hedland, Midland and Dongara during September.

The public consultation period closes on Tuesday November 26, 2019.

Originally posted on http://workplaceohs.com.au