Secure compliance

NT WorkSafe has a range of tools available to help secure compliance with the legislation we administer. While in many cases, the provision of information and guidance is enough to achieve voluntary compliance, we use stronger enforcement measures to ensure identified contraventions are remedied and take punitive actions where appropriate.

Certain offences are classified as infringeable offences under the Work Health and Safety (National Uniform Legislation) Regulations 2011, and infringement notices (on-the-spot fines) can be issued for these breaches. They are an on the spot penalty for breaches, sending a clear and timely message that there are consequences for non-compliance.

Inspectors issue improvement notices, to require corrective action to be taken to address non-compliance within a specified timeframe, such as an unsafe work practice, a particular hazard, or potential risk to health and safety. Non-compliance with an improvement notice is an infringeable offence and may result in the issue of an infringement notice, application to the Work Health Court for an injunction or a prosecution.

In circumstances where Inspectors identify a serious risk to the health or safety of a person from an immediate or imminent exposure to a hazard, they will issue a prohibition notice to stop a work activity, or the way the activity is being carried out, until the risk is controlled. Non-compliance with a prohibition notice may result in application for an injunction or a prosecution.

Our activities

Compliance campaigns

• Conduct compliance campaigns in priority industries with relevance to targeting priority mechanisms of injury.
• Regular compliance checks for relevant permits and licenses approved by NT WorkSafe.
• Use improvement and prohibition and where required, infringement notices.

Auditing

• Auditing processes for high risk work assessors reviewed and updated.
• Expand audits of employers holding current workers’ compensation insurance policies.

Investigation and prosecution

• Investigations prioritised using the risk-based approach outlined in the National Compliance and Enforcement Policy.
• Prosecution action taken in accordance with the Director of Public Prosecution guidelines.