New laws that hold employers responsible for workplace deaths have made safety systems more important than ever.

Western Australia is set to next week pass industrial manslaughter legislation that could see employers face jail time or million-dollar fines.

The new Work Health and Safety laws that will criminalise industrial manslaughter and will put WA in line with most other Australian states.

• Queensland introduced industrial manslaughter laws in 2017
• NSW introduced their own industrial manslaughter laws in 2019
• Victoria introduced workplace manslaughter laws in 2019

Individuals found guilty of the new workplace deaths crime will face between five and 20 years in jail, while a body corporate could be fined up to $10 million.

Under the new WA laws, Industrial manslaughter will be criminalised under new Western Australian laws expected to come into effect from Tuesday, November 3.

The laws are part of the WA Government’s Work Health and Safety Bill that passed the Upper House last week.