8H   Inspectors

(1)  The Governor may appoint inspectors under this Act.

(2)  Every inspector shall be furnished with a certificate of appointment, and on applying for admission to any premises or place which an inspector is empowered by this section to enter, shall, if required, produce such certificate to the occupier.

(3)  The duties of inspectors shall be to obtain and furnish to the Chairperson of the board information in relation to:

(a)  the payment of the contributions referred to in section 6 (6), and matters affecting the liability of any insurer to pay such contributions,

(b)  matters arising under any application to the board or relevant to the payment of compensation under this Act.

In the exercise of such duties inspectors shall be subject to direction by the Chairperson of the board.

(4)  For the purpose of obtaining any information referred to in subsection (3) an inspector may, subject to this section, at any reasonable times:

(a)  inspect any premises of an employer,

(b)  require an employer to produce for his examination, and may examine, any records required by the Principal Act to be kept by that employer,

(c)  examine any worker as to the duties, wages, and hours of work of the worker and other matters related to his employment,

(d)  require an insurer to produce for his examination, and may examine, books, returns, proposals, other documents and records relating to the issue or renewal of policies of insurance under the Principal Act, and to the receipt by the insurer of premiums for such issue or renewal, and

(e)  exercise the powers conferred on the WorkCover Authority or an authorised officer by section 238 of the 1998 Act.

(5)  No inspector shall have any authority under this section to enter a private dwelling-house, or the land used in connection therewith, unless some manufacture or trade is carried on therein or thereon.

(6)  Every person who wilfully delays or obstructs an inspector in the exercise of any power conferred on the inspector by this section, or who fails to produce to an inspector any record, policy, book, return, proposal, or document which that person is required pursuant to this section to produce, or who conceals or prevents any person from appearing before or being examined by an inspector, shall be guilty of an offence against this Act and be liable to a penalty not exceeding 20 penalty units in the case of a natural person or 50 penalty units in the case of a corporation.