Cap. 318 Art. 113Powers of inspectors. Re-numbered by: XXIV. 1993.2.

(1) An inspector appointed under the foregoing article shall, for the purposes of the execution of this Act, have the power to do all or any of the following things, namely:

(a) to enter without previous notice at all reasonable times any premises or place where he has reasonable grounds for supposing that there are persons who are in insurable employment or self-occupied;

(b) to make such examination and inquiry as may be expedient for ascertaining whether the provisions of this Act are being or have been complied with in any such premises or place, or for investigating the circumstances in which any injury or disease which has given rise to a claim for benefit, pension, allowance or assistance, was or may have been received or contracted;

(c) to examine, either alone or in the presence of any other person, as he thinks fit, with respect to any matters under this Act on which he may reasonably require information, any person whom he finds in any such premises or place, or whom he has reasonable cause to believe to be or to have been an employed person or a self-occupied person, and to require every such person to be so examined;

(d) to exercise such other powers as may be necessary for carrying this Act into effect.

(2) Where any premises or place is under the control of a government department, the Director may make special arrangements with that department regarding inspections as to meet the circumstances of the case.

(3) The occupier of any such premises or place, and any other person who is or has been employing any person, and the servants and agents of any such occupier or other person, and any employed person shall furnish to an inspector all such information and shall produce for inspection all such documents as the inspector may reasonably require.

(4) If any person -

(a) wilfully delays or obstructs an inspector in the exercise of any power under this article; or

(b) refuses or neglects to answer any question or to furnish any information or to produce any document when required to do so under this article; or

(c) conceals or tries to conceal any person or prevents or tries to prevent any person from appearing before or being examined by an inspector, shall on conviction, without prejudice to any higher punishment to which he may be liable under any other law, be liable to a fine (multa) of not less than two hundred and thirty-two euro and ninety-four cents (232.94).

(5) Every inspector shall be furnished with a certificate of his appointment signed by the Director and in carrying out any of his functions under this Act shall, if so required, produce the said certificate.

(6) An inspector shall not have any direct or indirect interest in any undertaking which may be subject to inspection by him; shall not reveal at any time, even after ceasing to be an inspector, any manufacturing or commercial information or working processes which come to his knowledge in the course of his duties; shall not divulge the source of any complaint bringing to his notice a default under, or a breach of, the provisions of this Act; and shall not in any case inform the employer or the self-employed or self-occupied person concerned or their representatives that a visit of inspection was made as a consequence of the receipt of such a complaint.

(7) Any inspector who contravenes the provisions of the foregoing sub-article shall, in addition to the punishment to which he may be liable under article 133 of the Criminal Code, be also liable to dismissal from his employment with ipso facto Government.