The Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act) entitles Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) to issue a Provisional Improvement Notice (PIN) if they suspect there has been a breach of the Act. Elected representatives must undergo training before they can issue a PIN. A HSR can issue a PIN in their area of representation and to their particular work group if they reasonably believe that a person is breaching or has breached a provision of the WHS Act (or in circumstances when they believe it is likely to occur again).
This information sheet outlines the PIN provision, consultation prior to the issue of a PIN, who can a HSR issue a PIN to, what must the HSR include in the PN, can more than one contravention be put in a PIN, who must the person who is issued with the PIN do after receiving it, what timeframes are placed on the inspector to investigate, inspector's decision can be appealed, how mus a PIN or an inspector's PIN enquiry outcome notice be served, action to be taken against a HSR for inappropriate use of PINs, will a mistake in a PIN or PIN enquiry outcome notice make it invalid and PIN process map.