There have been ongoing significant changes in the safety environment as Regulators test the boundaries of the penalties available to them—the first imprisonment for a breach of the Victorian OHS Act took place in January. This was followed by another jail sentence in Queensland soon after—with the Court of Appeal quashing the conviction less than three months later upon appeal.
An increase in regulator activity regarding investigations and prosecutions across Australia has seen a rise in individual prosecutions, and the highest enforceable undertaking entered into. Fines are being issued in record highs, and industrial manslaughter continues to dominate the headlines nationally.
Jackson Inglis, Partner, Sparke Helmore Lawyers, will discuss key developments in the next generation of safety enforcement, and what these changes could mean for your organisation.