Negligent employers are to face harsher penalties under changes to the law to protect Canberra workers more.
Minister for Industrial Relations and Workplace Safety, Mick Gentleman said the amendments would make industrial manslaughter an offence under ACT work health and safety laws.
“Stronger industrial manslaughter legislation will help prevent workplace tragedies and remind employers of their obligations,” Mr Gentleman said.
“Canberra workers have the right to return home safely and employers have an important role to play in this,” he said.
“This change will also give families of those killed in the workplace better access to justice and provide more avenues to address poor workplace safety practices and systemic non-compliance.”
Mr Gentleman said the new offence would carry an imprisonment penalty of up to 20 years for individuals and $16,500,000 for corporations who caused the death of a worker through the continued disregard of safe work practices and breaches of work safety obligations.
“Every workplace fatality is a tragedy felt deeply by families, friends, co-workers and the community,” he said.
Mr Gentleman said the industrial manslaughter offence provisions would be transferred from the Crimes Act 1900 into the Work Health and Safety Act 2011.
