Work deaths legal push

Industrial manslaughter ‘should be a crime’

CALLS are growing for industrial manslaughter to be made a crime in Tasmania, with the Australian Lawyers Alliance supporting a push to permit prosecution of companies for a death in the workplace.

Labor and unions have previously called for a toughening of legislation about workplace deaths, saying many other Australian states and territories had done so, or signalled their intention to. AL As pokes manFa bi a no Cange lo sis aid significant penalties for workplace fatalities where there had been negligence would ensure employers took workplace safety seriously.

“We need to make the message clear: if your workplace kills someone, you could go to prison,’’ he said.

It comes as ministers across the country responsible for workplace health and safety prepare to consider the recommendations of an independent review into laws on the issue in coming months.

A state government spokeswoman said the government was committed to ensuring Tasmanian workplaces were the safest in the country and it would continue to work with other jurisdictions to ensure laws provided the appropriate level of protection for workers.

“The crime of man slaughter is provided for in our Criminal Code Act,’’ the spokeswoman said.

But Mr Cangelosi said industrial manslaughter laws would fill the gap between the provisions of the Work Health and Safety Act and the Tasmanian Criminal Code.

“We need to ensure there are consequences when a worker is injured or killed because they have been given instructions which are plainly contrary to appropriate safety practice and in which obvious safety concerns have been ignored,”hesaid.

Labor workplace relations spokeswoman Michelle O’Byrne said it was time Tasmania made industrial manslaughter a crime and made penalties more serious. Ms O’ Byrne said modest fines sent thewrongmessage.

Mr C angelo sis aid the possibility of criminal charges was a “strong motivator” to ensure workplacesafety.

There were 38 workplace fatalities reported to Work Safe Tasmania between 2014 and Maythisyear.