The Work Safety Commissioner, Mark McCabe, has announced that inspectors from WorkSafe ACT will visit stores at Canberra’s DFO retail centre as part of an audit of employer compliance with responsibilities under the Workers Compensation Act 1951.

The inspection will take place over two weeks in September 2010.

“In the unfortunate situation where employees are injured at work, workers’ compensation is the form of insurance that provides medical care and other benefits for those employees,” said Mr McCabe.

“In the ACT, it is compulsory for all employers to have a current ACT workers’ compensation policy in place.

There are four key areas that the inspectors will be focusing on:

• Does the employer hold a compulsory workers’ compensation insurance policy?
• Does the employer have a Register of Injuries?
• Does the employer display an Information Summary?
• Does the employer display a Return-to-Work Program?

“Inspectors will visit each of the 123 businesses in the DFO retail centre.

“Prior to the audit workers compensation inspectors, together with an education officer, will give a presentation to businesses at the DFO. The presentation will give employers the opportunity to ask questions about their obligations under the legislation before the audit commences.

“Business operators at the DFO will have been given ample notice of the audit as well as information on their obligations, including the presentation evening.

Breaches of the workers’ compensation legislation detected during the audit will attract Infringement Notices with fines of up to $6,250,” Mr McCabe said.

“Furthermore, non-compliant employers can be issued with a ‘cease business notice’ and/or fines of up to $137,500 under section 147 of the Workers Compensation Act.

source: www.nationalworkerscomp.com.au