Skip to main content

Contact | Subscribe | Media centre

Home

Main Navigation

  • Safety by topic
  • Law and regulation
  • Data and research
  • Workers' compensation
  • Resources and publications

Main navigation

  • Safety by topic
    • Hazards
    • Managing health and safety
    • Industry and business
  • Law and regulation
    • Codes of Practice
    • Legislation
    • Duties under WHS laws
    • History of the model WHS laws
    • Model WHS laws
    • WHS regulators and workers' compensation authorities contact information
  • Data and research
    • About our data
    • Request Data
    • Explore our data
    • Industry benchmarking
    • Research by industry or topic
    • Return to work
    • Work-related diseases
    • Work-related fatalities
    • Work-related injuries
  • Workers' compensation
    • Comparing workers' compensation in Australia
    • National Return to Work Strategy
    • Deemed diseases
    • Permanent impairment
    • Workers' compensation for psychological injury
    • Workers’ compensation stigma
    • Resources
  • Resources and publications

Hazards

  • Lifting, pushing and pulling
  • Sexual harassment
  • COVID-19
  • Chemicals
  • Crystalline silica and silicosis

See more

Managing health and safety

  • Identify, assess and control hazards
  • Safety data sheets
  • Personal protective equipment
  • Emergency plans and procedures
  • Mental health

See more

Industry and business

  • Construction
  • Small business
  • Agriculture
  • Transport
  • Gig economy

See more

The Commonwealth, states and territories regulate and enforce WHS laws.

Find your Regulator

Model WHS Laws

We created the model WHS laws in 2011.

See all

  • Legislation
  • Codes of Practice
  • Model WHS Act
  • Model WHS Regulations
  • History of the model WHS laws
  • WHS laws in your jurisdiction

Review of the model Work Health and Safety laws
Final Report

read the Review

Data and Research

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

See our data

  • Work-related fatalities
  • Work-related injuries
  • Work-related diseases
  • Return to Work
  • Explore our data
  • About our data
  • Industry benchmarking
  • Research by industry or topic

See our latest
Key work health and safety statistics

explore our data

Workers' Compensation

We develop national policy and strategy about workers' compensation.

See all

  • Workers’ compensation
  • Comparing workers' compensation in Australia
  • National Return to Work Strategy
  • Deemed diseases
  • Permanent impairment
  • Workers' compensation for psychological injury
  • Fact sheets
National Return to Work Strategy

Read the Strategy

Resources and Publications

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

See all

  • Guides
  • Codes of practice
  • Video and audio
  • Reports
  • Corporate publications
  • Resources

Media centre

  • Campaigns
  • Media releases
  • News

Read our Codes of Practice

read the codes

Topic /

Workplace violence and aggression

Workplace violence and aggression is when a person is abused, threatened or assaulted at the workplace or while they’re working. 

It can cause both physical and psychological harm, making it a risk to health and safety. 

Under the model WHS laws, persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBUs) must manage the health and safety risks of workplace violence and aggression between workers and from other people at the workplace, like customers and clients. 

  1. Home
  2. Safety by topic
  3. Hazards
  4. Workplace violence and aggression

Workplace violence and aggression

Supporting information

  • Preventing workplace violence and aggression guide  

  • Workplace violence and aggression – guidance for small business 

  • Workplace violence and aggression – advice for workers 

  • Family and domestic violence at the workplace – information sheet 

  • Online abuse in the workplace

  • Model Code of Practice: Managing psychosocial hazards at work

  • Workplace sexual harassment 

  • Workplace bullying 

Topic Navigation

  • Overview
  • WHS duties
  • Managing risks
  • Resources
  • Online abuse in the workplace

Was the content on this page helpful?
Why?
Why not?

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.

Other laws may also apply depending on the nature and circumstances of violence and aggression, for example criminal laws, anti-discrimination laws and industrial laws. Further information and advice can be obtained from the organisations and agencies below: 

  • Australian Human Rights Commission - - 1300 656 419 or 02 9284 9888 

  • Fair Work Commission - 1300 799 675 

  • Our Watch 

  • Beyond Blue - 1300 224 636 

  • 1800Respect - 1800 737 732 

  • Sexual assault support services  

  • Lifeline - 13 11 14 

  • ReachOut 

Other laws may also apply depending on the nature and circumstances of violence and aggression, for example criminal laws, anti-discrimination laws and industrial laws. Further information and advice can be obtained from the organisations and agencies below: 

  • Australian Human Rights Commission - - 1300 656 419 or 02 9284 9888 

  • Fair Work Commission - 1300 799 675 

  • Our Watch 

  • Beyond Blue - 1300 224 636 

  • 1800Respect - 1800 737 732 

  • Sexual assault support services  

  • Lifeline - 13 11 14 

  • ReachOut 

We develop national policy relating to WHS and workers' compensation.

Who we are

The Commonwealth, states and territories regulate and enforce WHS laws.

Find your Regulator

First column footer

  • About us
    • Corporate publications and resources
    • Our Members
    • Our Agency
    • Who we are and what we do
    • Who we work with
  • Careers
    • Applying for a job
    • Current vacancies
    • Eligibility requirements
    • Graduate program
    • Temporary register
    • What we offer
    • Working at Safe Work Australia

Access to information

  • Access to information
    • Budget
    • Senate Order Contracts
    • Disclosure Log
    • Engage
    • Freedom of information
    • Gifts and benefits register
    • Harradine report
    • Public Interest Disclosure
    • Procurement complaints
    • Public consultations

Media centre

  • Media centre
    • Campaigns
    • Media releases
    • News
    • News Update
  • Contact us
  • Subscribe

Acknowledgement of country

Safe Work Australia acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians of country throughout Australia and acknowledges their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our respects to the people, the cultures and the elders past, present and emerging.

Read about our RAP

  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • youtube
  • RSS

Footer

  • Copyright
  • Disclaimer
  • Social media
  • Accessibility
  • Contacts
  • Privacy & Cloud policy
  • 🌐 Language hub