Safe Work Australia became an independent statutory agency on 1 November 2009. We have 15 Members, including an independent Chair, nine members representing the Commonwealth and each State and Territory, two members representing the interests of workers, two representing the interests of employers and the Chief Executive Officer of Safe Work Australia.
Together, the Members and approximately 100 Agency staff are working to improve work health and safety outcomes and workers’ compensation arrangements across Australia.
The four branches and their primary functions include:
The Work Health and Safety Branch is responsible for:
- developing work health and safety policy to provide advice to stakeholders and to inform the development of the model regulations, and
- model codes of practice and guidance material for specific hazards, industry sectors and administrative requirements.
Key subject areas of current work include chemicals, plant, manual tasks, noise, electricity, construction, high risk work licensing, major hazard facilities, stevedoring, explosives, safe design and skills development.
The Strategic Policy Branch provides:
- data and analysis, research and evaluation publications, services and advice
- work health and safety and workers’ compensation policy advice
- workers’ compensation policy proposals on options to improve sustainable responses to work related deaths, injury and illness, and
- support for Safe Work Australia to meet its international work health and safety and workers’ compensation regional leadership obligations.
Corporate Services Branch is responsible for:
- Strategic internal and external communications
- Policy coordination and secretariat
- Human resource services and planning, and
- Financial management and procurement.
Harmonisation and Legal Services is driving the:
- development of the model Work Health and Safety Act and regulations
Safe Work Australia organisational chart 
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