Small businesses audit reveal breaches

Many ACT small businesses have been found in breach of workers compensation, occupational health and safety and dangerous substances laws.

In the past month ACT WorkCover Inspectors conducted 646 visits to businesses in 68 small suburban shopping centres to audit compliance with workplace laws.

"Inspectors checked on 12 key elements across the three pieces of legislation, including for valid workers compensation insurance policies, injury registers, evidence of risk assessments, first aid facilities and safety data sheets for dangerous substances," ACT WorkCover commissioner/CEO Erich Janssen said.

A significant number of businesses were found to be in breach of the laws. "Infringement notices with fines of up to $1250 have been issued to 45 businesses for failure to maintain an injury register accessible to all employees as required under the workers compensation law," Janssen said.

Sixty eight businesses did not display a notice for staff outlining how to make a workers compensation claim and 102 did not establish and display a return to work program for staff in case of injury.

"ACT WorkCover is investigating a further 18 businesses which could not produce evidence of a valid workers compensation insurance policy and the findings of those investigations could lead to further infringements or prosecutions," Janssen said breaches of safety laws were also identified during the audits.

"Inspectors issued 42 businesses with safety notices requiring improvements in relation to risk assessment processes, safety information on dangerous substances kept at the premises and other safety hazards," Janssen said

The audits were preceded with visits by educational staff who left information on workplace obligations, the audit checklist and an invitation to attend an information seminar on the audit.