Model WHS Laws

We created the model WHS laws in 2011.

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WHS laws in your jurisdiction

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Data and Research

We collect, analyse and publish data and information on work health and safety and workers' compensation.

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Key work health and safety statistics

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Resources and Publications

We publish a wide range of resources covering many work health and safety topics.

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Read our Codes of Practice

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Overview

Identifying hazards is the first step in the risk management process and involves finding things and situations that could potentially cause harm to people. Harm can be physical, psychological or both. Even if you’ve already got a risk register, it’s important to regularly review it to see if anything has changed. 

You can identify hazards by getting out and inspecting the workplace, talking to your workers and their health and safety representatives, reviewing documents like leave forms and incident reports, and learning from what’s happening more generally in the industry. This goes beyond physical things you can see – you can use this approach to identify mental health hazards too. For example, workers might talk about feeling burned out or stressed because of their job. That’s a sign that mental health hazards might be present.

Activities for this week

Download our activity kit to access templates, guidance and more to use this National Safe Work Month!

Inspect the workplace for hazards

Regularly inspecting the workplace and observing how things are done can help you identify what could or might go wrong. This week, take the opportunity to walk around the workplace, or review the online working environment, and use the list on the right to consider what to look out for.

Additional resources:

Review Safe Work Australia’s data for your industry

Safe Work Australia compiles data to analyse and research WHS and workers' compensation trends across Australia. Our Data. Your Stories has a range of interactive dashboards you can use to explore to learn what injuries and illnesses are occurring in your industry or location. This can be a helpful way of identifying potential hazards, and the harm they could cause, in your own workplace.

Consult your workers

Consult your workers and their health and safety representatives about any health and safety concerns or problems they have encountered in doing their work, and any near misses or incidents that have not been reported.

Additional resources:

Fill out your risk register

Use our template or update your existing risk register with the hazards identified this week. 

Check what’s on with your WHS regulator

There’s a range of events and activities run by WHS regulators as part of National Safe Work Month – so take the opportunity to see what’s on and get involved. 


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Further advice

SWA is not a regulator and cannot advise you about WHS issues in the workplace. If you need help please contact your state or territory work health and safety authority.