Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004

If an inspector reasonably believes that a person—

is contravening a provision of this Act or the regulations; or

has contravened such a provision in circumstances that make it likely that the contravention will continue or be repeated—

An improvement notice must—

state the basis for the inspector's belief on which the issue of the notice is based; and

specify the provision of this Act or the regulations that the inspector considers has been or is likely to be contravened; and

specify a date (with or without a time) by which the person is required to remedy the contravention or likely contravention or the matters or activities causing the contravention or likely contravention, that the inspector considers is reasonable having regard to the severity of the risk to the health or safety of any person and the nature of the contravention or likely contravention; and

set out the penalty for contravening the notice; and

state how the person may seek review of the issue of the notice; and

include a statement of the effect of section 117 (proceedings for offences not affected by notices).

An improvement notice may include directions concerning the measures to be taken to remedy the contravention or likely contravention, or the matters or activities causing the contravention or likely contravention, to which the notice relates and may, in particular, include—

a direction that if the person has not remedied the contravention, likely contravention, matters or activities (as the case may be) by the date and time (if any) specified in the notice, an activity to which the notice relates is to cease until an inspector has certified in writing that the contravention, likely contravention, matters or activities have been remedied; and

interim directions, or interim conditions on the carrying on of any activities to which the notice relates, that the inspector considers necessary to minimise risks to the health or safety of a person.

A person to whom an improvement notice is issued must comply with the notice.

An offence against subsection (4) is an indictable offence.

If an application for review of a decision under this section has been made under Part 10, an inspector must not give a certificate under subsection (3)(a) in relation to the improvement notice concerned until after the review ends.