This guide is part of the National Exemption Framework document package and explains the powers to grant exemptions from the requirements of the WHS Regulations. This guide should be read in conjunction with material provided by your state or territory WHS regulator.

This template is part of the National Exemption Framework document package and provides an indication of the type of document sent to applicants once the work health and safety regulator has made a decision about an exemption application.

This example application is part of the National Exemption Framework document package and provides an indication of the type of document which must be completed prior to lodgement of an exemption application to your jurisdictional work health and safety regulator.

In May 2021, Ministers responsible for work health and safety (WHS) from the Commonwealth and each state and territory considered the response to the Review of the model WHS laws in the Decision Regulatory Impact Statement.

Officers have a work health and safety duty under work health and safety laws. This video features workers from a range of industries talking about how they meet their officer duty.

This information sheet explains the difference between model codes of practice and other types of guidance material and outlines the development processes. 

If you are involved in managing a small to medium business then you are likely to have a duty as an ‘officer’ under work health and safety laws. This video features workers from a range of industries talking about why they are an officer in their business.

Everyone in the workplace has WHS duties under the model WHS Act. &nbsp

This consumer safety standard aims to improve quad bike safety and prevent injuries and deaths. It applies to all new and imported second-hand quad bikes at the point of sale. 

Everyone has a role in managing psychosocial risks. These duties are set out in the model WHS Act and model WHS Regulations.

EWPs can cause serious injury. Following your work health and safety (WHS) duties will help you keep workers and other people safe. 

If you’re a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU), you have a duty to manage risks in the workplace. Identifying hazards in your workplace is the first step in managing risk. 

Resources about working in accommodation services. 

There can be significant health and safety risks in the accommodation industry. 

Accommodation services may include: 

• hotels and motels 

• caravan and camping grounds 

Regulators monitor and enforce WHS laws in the Commonwealth, states and territories.

If a regulator or their inspector attends your workplace and asks you to produce documents, information or answer questions, you must comply.

If you are a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU), you must protect anyone that works with, or could be exposed to, asbestos. 

If you’re a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU), you must manage the health and safety risks of bullying at your workplace. 

Regulators monitor and enforce WHS laws in the Commonwealth, states and territories.

If a regulator or their inspector attends your workplace and asks you to produce documents, information or answer questions, you must comply.

Regulators monitor and enforce WHS laws in your state, territory or the Commonwealth, depending on where you work.

Their inspectors visit workplaces to:

WHS regulators promote and encourage WHS compliance through a range of methods. They can also direct compliance by compelling a duty holder to remedy any identified breach or sanction a contravening duty holder.

The Commonwealth, states and territories are responsible for making their own work health and safety (WHS) laws.

A person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) has a primary duty to ensure the health and safety of workers while they are at work in the business or undertaking and others who may be affected by the carrying out of work, such as visitors. 

How regulators use the policy 

Regulators administer WHS laws within their jurisdiction including monitoring and enforcing compliance with WHS laws. 

Safe Work Australia developed a single set of work health and safety (WHS laws) for jurisdictions to implement across Australia. These are known as ‘model’ laws. Each state and territory, and the Commonwealth, has its own WHS laws, including an Act, regulations and codes of practice.

Background 

1. In February 2008, the then Workplace Relations Ministers Council agreed that model legislation was the most effective way to achieve harmonisation of Work Health and Safety (WHS) laws.&n

Ministers responsible for WHS asked Safe Work Australia to review the content and operation of the model WHS laws in 2018. Safe Work Australia appointed independent reviewer, Ms Marie Boland, to conduct the Review.

You have duties under WHS laws to keep people in the workplace safe if you’re: 

The model WHS laws include: 

Learn about notification requirements under the model Work Health and Safety (WHS) laws.

Safe Work Australia is a national policy body responsible for the development and evaluation of the model WHS laws (the model laws), which are comprised of:

Every Australian jurisdiction has a WHS regulator to administer WHS laws in their state or territory. Regulators may provide advice and information on WHS rights, duties and responsibilities, and how to comply with the WHS laws in your jurisdiction.

The Commonwealth, states and territories are responsible for making their own work health and safety (WHS) laws.

The model WHS laws have been implemented in the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, the Commonwealth and Weste

The Model Work Health and Safety Regulations (Hazardous Chemicals) Amendment 2020 amends the 

The Model Work Health and Safety Regulations (Hazardous Chemicals) Amendment 2020 amends the 

This guide provides information for persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBUs) involving the supply of workers (labour hire PCBUs) to work for another business or undertaking (host PCBUs) on complying with their health and safety duties under the model Work Health and Safety (WHS) laws.

The Model Work Health and Safety Regulations Amendment (Diving Work) 2018 (Diving Work Amendments) amends Part 4.8 (Diving Work) of the

The Model Work Health and Safety Regulations Amendment (Diving Work) 2018 (Diving Work Amendments) amends Part 4.8 (Diving Work) of the

This guide provides information on how the model work health and safety (WHS) laws apply to volunteers. It outlines how volunteers can meet their work health and safety duties and explains what volunteers can expect from the organisations they volunteer for. 

The model Work Health and Safety (Blood Lead Removal Levels) amended Regulations 2018 – model provisions amends:  

• R394 Meaning of lead risk work 

• R407 Frequency of biological monitoring 

This decision regulation impact statement (RIS): 

• analyses the likely impact of implementing the proposed model Work Health and Safety (WHS) Act 

In 2016, amendments were made to the model Work Health and Safety (WHS) Regulations to exempt certain agricultural and veterinary (AgVet) chemical products from WHS hazardous chemical labelling requirements. 

In 2016, amendments were made to the model Work Health and Safety (WHS) Regulations to exempt certain agricultural and veterinary (AgVet) chemical products from WHS hazardous chemical labelling requirements.