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. 

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: 

Stevedoring involves all activities directly connected with: 

• loading or unloading vessel cargo 

• stacking and storing on the wharf 

• receiving and delivering cargo within the terminal or facility. 

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

Quadwatch is an Australian Government initiative to raise awareness of quad bike safety, bringing together information from: 

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:

We are required under section 11C of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) to publish a disclosure log on our website. The disclosure log lists information which has been released in response to an FOI access request.

Our information publication scheme agency plan:

The Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013 (the PID Act) promotes accountability and integrity in the Commonwealth public sector, by:

Under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act), you may access copies of documents held by the Australian Government and its agencies, unless the

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 fact sheet provides guidance for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) to deliver white card training through connected real-time delivery due to COVID-19.  

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

The explanatory statement explains the intended operation of the current version of the model Work Health and Safety (WHS) Regulations, dated 1 September 2024. 

If you’re a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU), this model Code of Practice provides practical guidance on how to effectively consult with workers about work health and safety and meet your duties under the work health and safety (WHS) Act.  

This is the current version of the model WHS Act, dated 5 December 2025, which includes all amendments made since 2011. For the model WHS Act to have effect in a jurisdiction it must be implemented in that jurisdiction.

The model Work Health and Safety Regulations 2025 include amendments to the model WHS Regulations to clarify requirements, remove duplication, improve crane licensing requirements and better align the regulations with current practice.

The explanatory memorandum explains the intended operation of the model Work Health and Safety (WHS) Act, including amendments to the Act up until 24 November 2023.