Work Health and Safety Act 2011 - ACT Legislation Register

1 Authorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel also accessible at Australian Capital Territory Work Health and Safety Act 2011 A2011-35 Republication No 23 Effective: 7 September 2020 Republication date: 7 September 2020 Last amendment made by A2020-42 (republication for amendments by A2020-30 as amended by A2020-42) Authorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel also accessible at About this republication The republished law This is a republication of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (including any amendment made under the Legislation Act 2001, part (Editorial changes)) as in force on 7 September 2020. It also includes any commencement, amendment, repeal or expiry affecting this republished law to 7 September 2020. The Legislation history and amendment history of the republished law are set out in endnotes 3 and 4. Kinds of republications The Parliamentary Counsel s Office prepares 2 kinds of republications of ACT laws (see the ACT Legislation Register at ): authorised republications to which the Legislation Act 2001 applies unauthorised republications.

2 The status of this republication appears on the bottom of each page. Editorial changes The Legislation Act 2001, part authorises the Parliamentary Counsel to make editorial amendments and other changes of a formal nature when preparing a law for republication. Editorial changes do not change the effect of the law, but have effect as if they had been made by an Act commencing on the republication date (see Legislation Act 2001, s 115 and s 117). The changes are made if the Parliamentary Counsel considers they are desirable to bring the law into line, or more closely into line, with current legislative drafting practice. This republication does not include amendments made under part (see endnote 1). Uncommenced provisions and amendments If a provision of the republished law has not commenced, the symbol U appears immediately before the provision heading. Any uncommenced amendments that affect this republished law are accessible on the ACT Legislation Register ( ).

3 For more information, see the home page for this law on the Register . Modifications If a provision of the republished law is affected by a current modification, the symbol M appears immediately before the provision heading. The text of the modifying provision appears in the endnotes. For the legal status of modifications, see the Legislation Act 2001, section 95. Penalties At the republication date, the value of a penalty unit for an offence against this law is $160 for an individual and $810 for a corporation (see Legislation Act 2001, s 133). R23 07/09/20 Work Health and Safety Act 2011 Effective: 07/09/20 contents 1 Authorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel also accessible at Australian Capital Territory Work Health and Safety Act 2011 Contents Page Part 1 Preliminary Division Introduction 1 Name of Act 2 Division Object 3 Object 2 Division Interpretation Subdivision Definitions 4 Definitions 4 Subdivision Other important terms 5 Meaning of person conducting a business or undertaking 4 6 Meaning of supply 5 7 Meaning of worker 6 8 Meaning of workplace 7 9 Examples and notes 8 Contents Page contents 2 Work Health and Safety Act 2011 Effective.

4 07/09/20 R23 07/09/20 Authorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel also accessible at Division Application of Act 10 Act binds the Crown 8 11 Extraterritorial application 8 12 Scope 9 12AA Application of Act to dangerous goods and high risk plant sch 1 10 12A Offences are offences of strict liability 10 12B Offences against Act application of Criminal Code etc 10 Part 2 Health and Safety duties Division Introductory Subdivision Principles that apply to duties 13 Principles that apply to duties 11 14 Duties not transferrable 11 15 Person may have more than 1 duty 11 16 More than 1 person can have a duty 11 17 Management of risks 12 Subdivision What is reasonably practicable 18 What is reasonably practicable in ensuring Health and Safety 12 Division Primary duty of care 19 Primary duty of care 13 Division Further duties of persons conducting businesses or undertakings 20 Duty of persons conducting businesses or undertakings involving management or control of workplaces 15 21 Duty of persons conducting businesses or undertakings involving management or control of fixtures, fittings or plant at workplaces 15 22 Duties of persons conducting businesses or undertakings that design plant, substances or structures 16 23 Duties of persons conducting businesses or undertakings that manufacture plant, substances or structures 18 24 Duties of persons conducting businesses or undertakings that import plant, substances or structures 20 25 Duties of persons conducting businesses or undertakings that supply plant, substances or structures 22 26 Duty of persons conducting businesses or undertakings that install, construct or commission plant or structures 24 Contents Page R23 07/09/20 Work Health and Safety Act 2011 Effective.

5 07/09/20 contents 3 Authorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel also accessible at Division Duty of officers, workers and other persons 27 Duty of officers 25 28 Duties of workers 27 29 Duties of other persons at the workplace 28 Division Offences and penalties 30 Health and Safety duty 28 31 Reckless conduct category 1 29 32 Failure to comply with Health and Safety duty category 2 30 33 Failure to comply with Health and Safety duty category 3 30 34 Exceptions 31 Part 3 Incident notification 35 What is a notifiable incident 32 36 What is a serious injury or illness pt 3 32 37 What is a dangerous incident pt 3 33 38 Duty to notify of notifiable incidents 34 39 Duty to preserve incident sites 36 Part 4 Authorisations 40 Meaning of authorised pt 4 37 41 Requirements for authorisation of workplaces 37 42 Requirements for authorisation of plant or substance 38 43 Requirements for authorisation of work 38 44 Requirements for prescribed qualifications or experience 39 45 Requirement to comply with conditions of authorisation 40 Part 5

6 Consultation, representation and participation Division Consultation, cooperation and coordination between duty-holders 46 Duty to consult with other duty-holders 41 Division Consultation with workers 47 Duty to consult workers 42 48 Nature of consultation 42 49 When consultation is required 43 Contents Page contents 4 Work Health and Safety Act 2011 Effective: 07/09/20 R23 07/09/20 Authorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel also accessible at Division Health and Safety representatives Subdivision Definitions 49A Meaning of major construction project pt 5 44 49B Meaning of principal contractor pt 5 45 49C Meaning of eligible union div 45 Subdivision Request for election of Health and Safety representatives 50 Request for election of Health and Safety representative 46 50A Consultation with eligible unions major construction project 46 50B Exemption from certain requirements under this part 47 50C Election of Health and Safety representatives major construction project 48 Subdivision Determination of work groups 51 Determination of work groups 48 52 Negotiations for agreement for work group 49 53 Notice to workers 50 54 Failure of negotiations 51 Subdivision Multiple-business work groups 55 Determination of work groups of multiple businesses 52 56 Negotiation of

7 Agreement for work groups of multiple businesses 53 57 Notice to workers 54 58 Withdrawal from negotiations or agreement involving multiple businesses 55 59 Effect of subdivision on other arrangements 55 Subdivision Election of Health and Safety representatives 60 Eligibility to be elected 56 61 Procedure for election of Health and Safety representatives 56 62 Eligibility to vote 57 63 When election not required 57 64 Term of office of Health and Safety representative 57 65 Disqualification of Health and Safety representatives 58 66 Immunity of Health and Safety representatives 58 67 Deputy Health and Safety representatives 59 Contents Page R23 07/09/20 Work Health and Safety Act 2011 Effective: 07/09/20 contents 5 Authorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel also accessible at Subdivision Powers and functions of Health and Safety representatives 68 Powers and functions of Health and Safety representatives 60 69 Powers and functions generally limited to the particular work group 62 Subdivision Obligations of person conducting business or undertaking to Health and Safety representatives 70 General obligations of person conducting business or undertaking 63 71 Exceptions from obligations under s 70 (1)

8 65 72 Obligation to train Health and Safety representatives 67 72A Obligation to train Health and Safety representatives major construction project 68 73 Obligation to share costs if multiple businesses or undertakings 70 74 List of Health and Safety representatives 70 Division Health and Safety committees 75 Health and Safety committees 71 76 Constitution of committee 72 77 Functions of committee 73 78 Meetings of committee 73 79 Duties of person conducting business or undertaking 74 79A Obligation to train Health and Safety committee members major construction project 75 Division Issue resolution 80 Parties to an issue 77 81 Resolution of Health and Safety issues 77 82 Referral of issue to regulator for resolution by inspector 78 Division Right to cease or direct cessation of unsafe work 83 Definition of cease work under this division 78 84 Right of worker to cease unsafe work 79 85 Health and Safety representative may direct that unsafe work cease 79 86 Worker to notify if ceases work 80 87 Alternative work 80 88 Continuity of engagement of worker 81 89 Request to regulator to appoint inspector to assist 81 Division Provisional improvement notices 90 Provisional improvement notices 81 Contents Page contents 6 Work Health and Safety Act 2011 Effective.

9 07/09/20 R23 07/09/20 Authorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel also accessible at 91 Provisional improvement notice to be in writing 82 92 Contents of provisional improvement notice 83 93 Provisional improvement notice may give directions to remedy contravention 83 94 Minor changes to provisional improvement notice 84 95 Issue of provisional improvement notice 84 96 Health and Safety representative may cancel notice 84 97 Display of provisional improvement notice 84 98 Formal irregularities or defects in notice 85 99 Offence to contravene a provisional improvement notice 85 100 Request for review of provisional improvement notice 86 101 Regulator to appoint inspector to review notice 86 102 Decision of inspector on review of provisional improvement notice 86 Division Part not to apply to prisoners 103 Part does not apply to prisoners 87 Part 6 Discriminatory, coercive and misleading conduct Division Prohibition of discriminatory, coercive or misleading conduct 104 Prohibition of discriminatory conduct 88 105 What is discriminatory conduct 88 106 What is a prohibited reason 89 107 Prohibition of requesting, instructing, inducing, encouraging, authorising or assisting discriminatory conduct 91 108 Prohibition of coercion or inducement 91 109 Misrepresentation 93 Division Criminal proceedings in relation to discriminatory conduct 110 Proof of discriminatory conduct 93 111 Order for compensation or reinstatement 94 Division Civil proceedings in relation to discriminatory or coercive conduct 112 Civil proceedings in relation to engaging in or inducing discriminatory or coercive conduct 95 Contents Page R23 07/09/20 Work Health and Safety Act 2011 Effective.

10 07/09/20 contents 7 Authorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel also accessible at 113 Procedure for civil actions for discriminatory conduct 97 Division General 114 General provisions relating to orders 97 115 Prohibition of multiple actions 98 Part 7 Workplace entry by WHS entry permit-holders Division Introductory 116 Definitions pt 7 99 Division Entry to inquire into suspected contraventions 117 Entry to inquire into suspected contraventions 100 118 Rights that may be exercised while at workplace 100 118A Notice of exercise of right under s 118 (1) (da) 102 119 Notice of entry 103 120 Entry to inspect employee records or information held by another person 103 Division Entry to consult and advise workers 121 Entry to consult and advise workers 104 122 Notice of entry 104 Division Requirements for WHS entry permit-holders 123 Contravening WHS entry permit conditions 105 124 WHS entry permit-holder must also hold permit under other law 105 125 WHS entry permit to be available for inspection 105 126 When right may be exercised 106 127 Where the right may be exercised 106 128 Work Health and Safety requirements 106 129 Residential premises 107 130 WHS entry permit-holder not required to disclose names of workers 107 Division WHS entry permits 131 Application for WHS entry permit 107 132 Consideration of application 108 133 Eligibility criteria 108 134 Issue of WHS entry permit 108 135 Conditions on WHS entry permit 108 136 Term of WHS entry permit 108 Contents Page