Feedback wanted: SafeWork NSW's regulatory priorities

"I encourage everyone to participate in this consultation to help ensure SafeWork NSW is focused on the right priorities for the year ahead."

Among the proposed regulatory priorities for the upcoming financial year are:

• Falls from heights
• Harms to workers in the health care and social assistance sector
• Managing psychosocial risks at work, including the risk of sexual harassment
• Exposure to hazardous chemicals, including silica, asbestos, and welding fumes
• Injury from mobile plant, vehicles, or fixed machinery.

SafeWork NSW ARS

The SafeWork NSW ARS describes what the agency aims to deliver to New South Wales residents over the coming 12 months.

"The Annual Regulatory Statement will be reviewed each year to consider changes in our operating environment," SafeWork NSW said. "This is so we remain focused on the right priorities and that we are doing our best to ensure the health and safety of NSW workplaces."

The key areas that it focused on in the 2024–25 financial year were:

• Regulatory approach towards compliance and enforcement
• Regulatory priorities targeting harm prevention
• How it builds internal capability to be effective and efficient

"In 2024–25, SafeWork NSW will take a firm regulatory stance to address persistent and emerging harms, working with industry, unions, workers, and their representatives to secure compliance with our work health and safety laws," said Trent Curtin, who was the acting deputy secretary of SafeWork NSW at that time.

The Strategic Plan 2024–29

The SafeWork NSW Annual Regulatory Statement is one way for the agency to monitor its progress under its Strategic Plan 2024–29, which aligns with the Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy 2023–33.

SafeWork NSW's five-year plan aims to guide the regulator in delivering and improving its regulatory and enforcement approaches, according to Curtin.

"This will ensure that SafeWork NSW is a strong, accountable, and responsive work health and safety regulator that delivers consistent regulatory outcomes across NSW," he said.

Among its strategic objectives are:

• Preventing harm through strong and responsive regulatory approaches
• Supporting industry capability by educating, advising, empowering, and securing WHS compliance
• Engaging and partnering with government, industry, unions, and those affected by workplace incidents to collaboratively solve WHS issues
• Striving to be a model employer and regulator