• Work health and safety laws
• Codes of practice
• Prosecutions
• Enforceable undertakings
  • Enforceable undertakings list
  • Enforceable undertakings process
• Compliance and enforcement
  • Who enforces the law?
  • Compliance and enforcement policy
  • Memoranda of understanding
  • 2011-2012 workplace interventions
  • Workplace intervention reports
• Penalties
  • What is a breach?
  • What is the maximum penalty?
  • Revoking of licences and registrations
• Inspections
  • WHSQ inspectors
  • Workplace inspections
  • Inspectors' powers
  • Inspector conduct
  • Enforcement options
  • Complaints about WHSQ inspectors
  • Investigations

Print-friendly page

Compliance and Enforcement Policy 2009

In June 2009, Workplace Health and Safety Queensland and the Electrical Safety Office released, through a series of state-wide seminars, the Queensland Occupational Health and Safety Compliance and Enforcement Policy 2009 (policy).

Modelled on the National Occupational Health and Safety Compliance and Enforcement Policy, this policy has been customised to Queensland’s occupational health and safety legislation. This policy communicates the factors used for decisions on compliance and enforcement in Queensland.

The Queensland Government is committed to ensuring healthier and safer workplaces and communities throughout the state. To achieve this the Department of Justice and Attorney-General (the Department) administers three significant pieces of safety legislation:

• Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995
• Electrical Safety Act 2002
• Dangerous Goods Safety Management Act 2001.

This policy applies to all enforcement and compliance activities undertaken in both the public and private sector industries. The policy also applies to enforcement and compliance activities relating to community electrical safety.

What is the purpose of compliance and enforcement?
Queensland's occupational health and safety (OHS) authorities implement compliance and enforcement strategies in order to:

• ensure obligation holders have access to information about OHS legislation and how to comply
• ensure obligation holders comply with OHS legislation or if they fail to comply ensure they are held to account
• ensure obligation holders eliminate or properly control risks
• take action to deal immediately with serious risks
• promote and achieve sustained compliance with the law, and
• deter non-compliance and prevent workplace injury.

How does the Department ensure compliance?
As a modern occupational health and safety authority, the Department uses a wide selection of compliance strategies ranging from:

• information
• advice
• persuasion
• co-operation
• inspection
• verification, and
• compulsion through to deterrence activities.

The Department has adopted a strategy that uses an effective mix of positive motivators and strong deterrents to achieve compliance with the law and improved health and safety.

What does the Compliance and Enforcement Policy 2009 cover?
The policy covers:

• aims/purpose of compliance and enforcement
• six principles underpinning compliance and enforcement
• compliance and enforcement strategy and measures
• enforcement criteria
• criteria for escalation of investigation, and
• prosecution criteria.

Download the new Compliance and Enforcement Policy 2009 (PDF, 517kB)