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ARTICLE · 24 OCTOBER 2006

Managing The Worksafe Investigation Process

Piper Alderman
Piper Alderman
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Piper Alderman

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Melbourne based Occupational Health & Safety partner Mark Waters discusses what to do if a WorkSafe inspector comes knocking.

AustraliaEmployment and HR
Mark Waters
Mark Waters
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Melbourne based Occupational Health & Safety partner Mark Waters discusses what to do if a WorkSafe inspector comes knocking.

The answer is "don’t panic". There are a number of reasons why a Workcover inspector might pay your workplace a visit, and some of those reasons could actually be positive.

In many cases, the visit might be an opportunity for the workplace to obtain information about compliance with the laws and regulations and build a relationship with inspectors. In my experience, that can be invaluable.

The purpose of this article is to give you an overview of the rights and responsibilities of those involved in the investigation process.

In the beginning …

A WorkSafe inspector has the power to investigate "all persons associated with the operation of work places and undertakings" including employers and employees, company officers, plant designers, installers and manufacturers. From time to time, inspectors will also target "focus areas for prevention" and you

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