Industrial manslaughter laws

Have your say on the development of an industrial manslaughter offence

The NSW Government is developing an industrial manslaughter offence within the NSW Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act) and we want your input.

Each workplace death is a tragedy that unites us all in the shared belief that every worker has the right to a safe and secure workplace. Preventing workplace fatalities is a top priority.

We plan to strengthen existing laws with a new industrial manslaughter offence, to:

  • act as a further deterrent to unsafe work practices
  • ensure the most serious health and safety breaches carry a heavy penalty
  • send a clear message that people who place workers’ lives at risk will be held to account
  • ensure that justice continues to be served for workers.

Tell us what you think

We want to hear your views, particularly from businesses and workers in industry, as well as WHS professionals and others generally interested in the topic.

You can help us understand what you think about the key elements that the proposed offence would include:

  • who this new offence will apply to
  • what needs to be present for industrial manslaughter to have been committed
  • the penalties that should be given if a person or company is found guilty
  • the statute of limitations for this offence.

To have your say, you can fill out a survey or upload a submission. The consultation paper gives information and suggested questions to help you with your responses.

Have your say by 5pm Monday, 18 March 2024.

Complete a survey

Complete a submission

Other ways to have your say

This survey has concluded.


Email: whspolicy@customerservice.nsw.gov.au

Post:

Industrial Manslaughter Consultation 

Policy, Strategy and Governance

SafeWork NSW

92-100 Donnison Street

Gosford NSW 2250

All submissions will be made publicly available on this consultation page. If you do not want your personal details or any part of your submission published, please indicate this clearly. Automatically generated confidentiality statements are not sufficient. Submissions may be referred to in a report on the outcome of the consultation, however any anonymous submissions will be referred to as such.

Please note, even if you state that you do not wish us to publish certain information, we may need to release that information by law. For example, to comply with the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009.