Crimes Act 1961

Crimes against the person - Duties tending to the preservation of life

155: Duty of persons doing dangerous acts

You could also call this:

"Be careful when doing things that could hurt people"

If you do something that could be dangerous to someone's life, like giving medical treatment, you have a duty to be careful. You must use reasonable knowledge, skill, and care when doing this act. If you do not do this and something bad happens, you can be held criminally responsible.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM329296.


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"Leaving a child under 6 alone without care is against the law"


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156: Duty of persons in charge of dangerous things, or

"Looking after things that could hurt people is your responsibility"

Part 8Crimes against the person
Duties tending to the preservation of life

155Duty of persons doing dangerous acts

  1. Every one who undertakes (except in case of necessity) to administer surgical or medical treatment, or to do any other lawful act the doing of which is or may be dangerous to life, is under a legal duty to have and to use reasonable knowledge, skill, and care in doing any such act, and is criminally responsible for the consequences of omitting without lawful excuse to discharge that duty.

Compare
  • 1908 No 32 s 170