Our compliance and enforcement activities may lead to prosecutions being filed in the South Australian Employment Tribunal and the Magistrates Court.
An enforceable undertaking (EU) operates as an alternative to a prosecution for an alleged contravention of the Work Health and Safety Act 2012.
Prosecutions
SafeWork SA secured the highest number of convictions for breaches to workplace safety laws in more than 10 years, delivering record fines totalling $2.37 million.
A total of 18 convictions across 14 separate matters were achieved in the South Australian Employment Tribunal in 2024-25.
It is the highest number of successful prosecutions since 2013-14, when there were 19 convictions across 18 matters with associated fines of $935,500.
The latest prosecutions send a strong message that SafeWork SA will act where it detects a serious breach of work health and safety laws.
The 18 convictions included a record fine of $840, 000 imposed on a manufacturing business in November 2024 following the death of an apprentice in 2021.
The convictions included a record fine of $840,000 for an offence under the South Australian WHS legislation. The fine for a Category 1 offence was imposed on a manufacturing business in November 2024 following the death of an apprentice in 2021.
Read the latest prosecution judgements here
Enforceable Undertakings
An EU is a written, legally binding commitment to implement effective work health and safety initiatives. These initiatives are designed to deliver tangible benefits for workers, industry, and the community as a whole and to resolve the issue that led to the EU.
Funds are directed towards mitigating the issue that led to the EU and can include initiatives that benefit workers, industry and the community. These initiatives can range from improved WHS compliance through education and training to financial support.
An enforceable undertaking cannot be accepted for a contravention or alleged contravention of a Category 1 offence or an Industrial Manslaughter offence.
SafeWork SA entered into three Enforceable Undertakings in 2024-25 with total safety improvements totalling $1,942,265.