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The Privy Council has dismissed an appeal concerning the time limit for filing charges by the Occupational Safety and Health Authority and Agency (OSHA) in several OSH-related cases.

In a ruling on September 16, the Privy Council held that prosecutions for workplace safety and health offences in Trinidad and Tobago must be initiated within six months of the offence coming to the knowledge of an inspector.

The appeal, brought by the OSH Agency, challenged a Court of Appeal decision that interpreted section 93 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act as setting a six-month deadline for prosecutions. The authority argued that section 97b, which provides a two-year limitation period for proceedings, should apply to safety and health offences before the Industrial Court.