Investigations and enforcement

If workplace health and safety laws are broken or there is an immediate risk to health and safety, Workplace Heath and Safety Inspectors will take action to enforce the law using:

• Improvement notices - written directions requiring a person to remedy a contravention of the law within a specified time.
• Prohibition notices - written directions prohibiting any activity that will, or is likely to, involve an immediate risk to the health and safety of any person.

Inspectors will reach their decision after making enquiries, as appropriate, with the people responsible for providing a safe workplace, the Health and Safety Representatives, and other relevant parties. Their decisions also take into account:

• the nature and circumstances of the alleged contravention
• the principles of health and safety protection, and
• the characteristics of the duty holder.

An inspector may recommend a comprehensive investigation by NT WorkSafe to determine whether the contravention of the laws warrants prosecution or other punitive action, even if notices have already been issued.

An overview of NT WorkSafe's approach to Work Health and Safety prosecutions can be found in our Prosecutions Guidelines. NT WorkSafe has also adopted the National Compliance and Enforcement Policy.