Chemicals, fuels, petrochemical and laboratories (national)
What to do: If workers could be exposed to benzene (fuels, refineries, tank cleaning, labs), review your air monitoring and controls now so you can meet the lower 0.2 ppm limit from 1 June 2027.
Why: WHS ministers agreed to cut the benzene workplace exposure limit to 0.2 ppm (0.7 mg/m³) as an 8-hour average from 1 June 2027. Benzene is a known human carcinogen linked to blood cancers. The current 1 ppm standard applies until then.
Transport, logistics and warehousing, conveyors (NSW)
What to do: Make sure nobody clears a jammed pallet or load on a conveyor by hand or with a bar while it can move: stop it, isolate and lock it out, and give workers a safe procedure for clearing jams.
Why: Toll Transport Pty Ltd was convicted and fined $807,500 after a worker was seriously injured in December 2022 while using a crowbar to dislodge a pallet stuck on a conveyor machine.
Agriculture, grain fumigation and mining, phosphine and diesel exhaust (NSW)
What to do: In NSW keep your current phosphine controls and monitoring in place (the new limit now starts 1 July 2028), and if you run diesel plant or vehicles underground or indoors, plan to meet the interim diesel particulate limit from 1 December 2026.
Why: The NSW Government has delayed the new phosphine exposure limit by 18 months to 1 July 2028 after industry consultation, and is staging the diesel particulate matter limit with an interim limit from 1 December 2026 and the full limit from 1 July 2028.
Construction, cranes and lifting (VIC)
What to do: Before any crane lift, set and enforce exclusion zones under the load path (including footpaths and roads), restrain loose materials, use rated pallet cages and stillages, and stop lifting if wind or visibility exceeds limits.
Why: WorkSafe Victoria warns of several recent falling-object incidents, including one in September where a worker suffered serious upper body injuries after being hit by materials that fell about 16 storeys.
Construction (ACT)
What to do: Run the same safety standard on weekends as weekdays: check fall protection between levels, site fencing and security, housekeeping, and that scaffolds can't be accessed by unauthorised people.
Why: A weekend WorkSafe ACT operation at residential and commercial sites in Denman Prospect and Whitlam led to seven prohibition notices, 16 improvement notices and five infringement notices, at a higher rate per visit than weekday inspections.
Health care, construction and retail, manual tasks (ACT)
What to do: Review hazardous manual tasks (heavy lifting, repetitive or awkward work, pushing and pulling) and fix them through job design and mechanical aids rather than relying on training alone.
Why: WorkSafe ACT data shows musculoskeletal disorders made up 17% of accepted workers' compensation claims, 935 claims across 2023-24 and 2024-25, with lower back injuries the most common at 33%. Health care, construction and retail recorded the most.
Demolition and asbestos (SA)
What to do: Before any demolition starts, read the asbestos register, inspect the structure, and make sure any asbestos likely to be disturbed has been identified and removed by a licensed removalist first.
Why: SafeWork SA has charged Lobethal Nominees Pty Ltd with a Category 3 offence, alleging workers demolishing a Kilburn site in October 2024 were exposed to airborne asbestos even though warning stickers were on site and an asbestos register had been provided.
Agriculture, grain handling, milling, baking and fumigation (SA)
What to do: If you work in SA with grain dust, flour dust or methyl bromide, keep your current dust and fumigant controls and monitoring in place. The new, lower exposure limits now start no earlier than July 2028 instead of 1 December 2026.
Why: The SA Government has delayed the new workplace exposure limits for grain dust, flour dust and methyl bromide by at least 18 months after industry raised compliance concerns, following its earlier delay for phosphine. Victoria and WA have made similar delays.
Electrical, communications and battery work (NT)
What to do: Before anyone drills into a switchboard, panel or cable lug, isolate and lock out the supply (including battery banks), redo the risk assessment if the job changes from the SWMS, and make sure face shields and gloves are used.
Why: NT WorkSafe reports two recent arc flashes from power tools: a technician's step drill hit a live busbar behind a switchboard panel, and a tradesman and apprentice drilling a cable lug still connected to a battery were burned in an arc flash and small fire. In both cases the equipment hadn't been isolated.
Agriculture and grain fumigation, phosphine (national)
What to do: If you fumigate with phosphine, plan to meet the lower phosphine workplace exposure limit from 1 December 2026 (check your state regulator, as some states are delaying it), keep exposure monitoring in place, and keep following the APVMA product label, which isn't changing.
Why: The APVMA and Safe Work Australia reviewed the 33 approved phosphine products and decided no label changes are needed for users to meet the reduced limit under WHS laws, so the duty to protect workers sits with the business doing the fumigation.
Buses and coaches, roadside inspections (QLD and national)
What to do: Brief your bus and coach drivers that they must enter a heavy vehicle inspection site when directed, even if the sign says "trucks", and that if they miss the entrance they must never reverse on the highway but go to the next safe exit and come back.
Why: The NHVR says buses and coaches over 4.5 tonnes GVM are heavy vehicles under the Heavy Vehicle National Law, and failing to follow a direction to enter an inspection site is a serious offence. It is working with agencies to fix signage in Queensland that refers only to trucks.
Heavy vehicles, HVNL reforms and fatigue accreditation (national)
What to do: If you run heavy vehicles under BFM or AFM fatigue accreditation, check your expiry dates and plan the move to the new Heavy Vehicle Accreditation scheme, and before running 20 metre combinations confirm every component meets dimension, braking and mass limits.
Why: The NHVR has released new FAQs on the amended Heavy Vehicle National Law. Existing BFM and AFM accreditations continue until they expire or the operator transitions, and new applicants for alternative fatigue hours go through ACA-Fatigue.
Agriculture and grain handling, refuelling petrol equipment (NSW)
What to do: Never refuel a running or hot petrol generator, and set a safe refuelling procedure for petrol plant (engine off and cooled, no ignition sources nearby, approved fuel containers with spouts) that workers are trained in.
Why: A worker collecting grain samples with a vacuum powered by a petrol generator was injured when pouring petrol from a jerry can into the generator started a fire. Lawson Grains Pty Ltd pleaded guilty and was fined a total of $210,000.
Construction, work at height (ACT)
What to do: Before any work at height starts, check the SWMS actually covers the fall risk, that edge protection, scaffolds or fall arrest are in place and inspected, and that workers are supervised to follow it.
Why: WorkSafe ACT says falls from height led to 173 accepted claims over two years, and inspectors issued 1,406 notices about falls between 2023-24 and 2025-26, 93 per cent to construction, mostly for poor SWMS and fall protection.
Excavation, concrete pumping and traffic control (NSW)
What to do: Where work happens next to a deep excavation, put edge protection or barriers in place and keep traffic controllers and other workers out of the fall zone, especially during concrete pours where a pump or hose can fail without warning.
Why: A concrete pump malfunctioned during a pour and sprayed concrete, and a traffic controller fell into an excavation pit up to about 10 metres deep. Shoring Co Pty Ltd pleaded guilty and was fined a total of $170,000.
Heavy vehicles, driver fatigue (national)
What to do: If you schedule or employ heavy vehicle drivers, check rosters and delivery times allow proper rest breaks, never pressure a driver to keep going, and make sure drivers know they can stop if they are unfit to drive.
Why: The NHVR recorded 5,835 fatigue-related offences last financial year, up almost 16 per cent, and confidential reports of drivers being told to work through breaks also rose. Since August the Heavy Vehicle National Law has an unfit-to-drive duty that employers must support.
Construction, refuelling petrol equipment (SA)
What to do: Have a written refuelling procedure for petrol-powered plant such as pressure washers and generators (engine off and cooled, no ignition sources, approved containers), and train workers in it before they use the equipment.
Why: Two workers suffered significant burns while refuelling a petrol high-pressure washer at a Ferryden Park construction site. SafeWork SA has charged Active Concrete Constructions with a Category 2 offence, alleging inadequate training, unsafe systems of work and unsafe handling of petrol.
Heavy vehicles, fresh produce and loading (VIC)
What to do: If you load or send freight on heavy vehicles, check loads are within mass limits and properly restrained before the truck leaves, and remember Chain of Responsibility duties apply to consignors and loaders, not just drivers.
Why: The NHVR is running another Operation Melbourne Market after loading and mass offences made up 90 per cent of breaches across its past three operations, with 59 per cent non-compliance in April 2025. It is holding a drop-in information hub at BP Northpoint opposite the market on Wednesday 28 October, 6am to 10am AEDT.
Residential construction, walls and temporary bracing (NSW)
What to do: Brace walls under construction (especially masonry and freestanding walls) against wind loads, check the bracing before and after gusty weather, and keep people and neighbouring property out of the fall zone until the wall is tied in.
Why: A wall under construction at a residential site blew over in gusting winds and damaged a fence and a neighbouring property. Top BCR Pty Ltd was fined $101,250 and its sole director $21,250 for failing to exercise due diligence.
Overhead and gantry cranes, maintenance (maritime and industrial)
What to do: Check your overhead crane maintenance procedure covers hidden fasteners such as internal motor and gearbox bolts, give maintainers a proper access platform, and make sure any wobble or defect a worker reports is investigated and fixed.
Why: A 25 kg traversing motor fell about 6 metres from an engine room gantry crane on a bulk carrier off Gove, NT, glancing a crew member. Internal bolts had loosened over time, the maintenance procedure didn't cover them, and a wobble seen four months earlier wasn't followed up.
Waste, landfill and site traffic management (national)
What to do: If visiting drivers unload at your site, give them a site induction and a traffic management plan that covers where they can get out of their vehicle, and keep pedestrians separated from mobile plant such as compactors.
Why: Comcare has charged Cleanaway with a Category 2 offence after a visiting truck driver was fatally crushed between his truck and a compactor at its Lucas Heights tip in Sydney. The case was first listed for mention on 20 October 2026.
Construction and demolition (QLD)
What to do: Before removing a cut section of masonry block wall, have a competent person assess it, use mechanical demolition where you can, and keep workers out of the zone where the section could fall while it is propped or rigged.
Why: A worker's lower leg was crushed when a cut block wall section, about 3.3 metres long, fell over while he was attaching lifting chains for a tower crane.
Demolition and asbestos (SA)
What to do: Before any demolition starts, inspect the whole building and make sure asbestos likely to be disturbed is identified and removed, and that any asbestos debris is cleaned up and disposed of safely.
Why: SafeWork SA has charged a demolition company and its director over alleged asbestos disturbance during a house demolition in Kilburn, including a due diligence charge against the director.
Trailers, loading ramps and forklift transport (SA)
What to do: Inspect and service trailers with hydraulic loading ramps, train and supervise anyone who operates them, and remember that a serious injury must be notified to the regulator and the site left undisturbed.
Why: A worker suffered multiple leg fractures when a trailer-mounted loading ramp fell while a forklift was being unloaded at a Whyalla hotel. The two business owners have been charged, including for failing to notify and failing to preserve the site.
Heavy vehicles, oversize and overmass loads (QLD)
What to do: Check the permit conditions before every oversize or overmass trip, including route, mass, speed, travel times and any Queensland Rail or Ergon Energy approvals, because conditions can change day by day.
Why: The NHVR says some operators take the most direct route instead of the permitted one, and it runs regular compliance operations on corridors like the Bruce and Peak Downs highways.
All industries (ACT)
What to do: Include work-related harassment and bullying in your psychosocial risk assessment, and put controls in place to prevent it rather than only responding to complaints.
Why: WorkSafe ACT data shows harassment and bullying cause 38% of accepted mental stress claims in the ACT, with health care and social assistance recording the highest share.
Refrigeration, mechanical and building trades (NSW)
What to do: Before anyone works in a roof or ceiling space, confirm the ceiling can take the load or use walkways or platforms, and agree with the other contractors on the job who controls the fall risk.
Why: Five workers fell about 3.6 metres when a ceiling above a cool room collapsed while they installed an ice machine compressor. Coldline Refrigeration and its director were fined a total of $164,500, partly for failing to consult and coordinate with the other duty holder.
Electrical / cranes and construction
What to do: Before any crane or plant works near overhead powerlines, mark out the no-go zone, use a qualified spotter, and ask the electricity distributor whether the line should be de-energised.
Why: A crane chain touched a powerline on a Norlane home build. Four workers were shocked and one was critically burned, and the crane company was fined.
All industries
What to do: Check that workers' tickets for first aid, traffic management and work at heights are genuine, and confirm they can actually do the task safely rather than relying on the certificate alone.
Why: WorkSafe has been told about allegedly fraudulent qualification certificates being used to show competence.
Construction
What to do: Check that every stairwell void and floor opening has secure temporary protection, and that apprentices are supervised by a competent person.
Why: Two builders have been charged after a first-year apprentice carpenter suffered a serious head injury at a Tennyson townhouse site with inadequate void protection.
Agriculture / grain handling (SA)
What to do: If you fumigate grain in SA, keep your current phosphine controls and monitoring in place. The new, lower phosphine exposure limit now starts in July 2028 instead of 1 December 2026.
Why: The SA Government delayed the new limit by 18 months after consulting grain producers, and SafeWork SA will issue guidance on other exposure limits, including grain dust.
All industries (NSW)
What to do: Have your psychosocial risk assessment and controls written down and ready to show an inspector.
Why: SafeWork NSW has started a six-week compliance operation, its largest yet on psychosocial hazards, visiting businesses in all industries, with repeat visits where notices were issued.
Gardening, landscaping and tree work
What to do: Before pruning near a house, look for the overhead service line, keep tools, ladders and cut branches well clear, and call the electricity distributor if vegetation is too close to cut safely.
Why: Energy Safe has recorded nearly 50 incidents in two years of gardeners cutting or dislodging home service lines.
Demolition, recycling and mobile plant (NSW)
What to do: Plan any lift done with an excavator, check what the load or machine could hit (poles, structures, overhead services), and keep workers out of the zone where something could fall.
Why: A labourer was killed when an excavator lifting a conveyor struck a 12-metre light pole that fell on him. The demolition recycling company was fined $187,500.
Heavy vehicles / agriculture
What to do: Before grain harvest, do pre-season checks on trucks and farm machinery, then daily pre-start checks, and keep an eye on mass, load and driver fatigue.
Why: The NHVR expects more large, slow trucks and machinery on Victorian rural roads as harvest starts mid to late October.
Small businesses and construction (ACT)
What to do: Walk your site for slip and trip hazards (clear walkways, clean spills, fix uneven floors and lighting) and use mechanical aids or task rotation for heavy or repetitive lifting.
Why: WorkSafe ACT data shows more than half of accepted workers' compensation claims in ACT small businesses came from body stressing or slips, trips and falls, with construction recording the most claims.
Mining and processing plant maintenance (WA)
What to do: For maintenance on heavy plant parts, make sure the job hazard analysis covers securing the part before unfastening it and keeping people out of the line of fire, and have a supervisor directly oversee the task.
Why: A worker suffered a serious spinal injury when a heavy stacker component moved and pinned him during a change-out at a nickel processing plant. FQM Australia Nickel was fined $810,000.
8 Oct 2026 · WorkSafe Victoria
Cytotoxic medicines and contaminated waste
What to do: If staff handle cytotoxic drugs or their waste, check your handling, PPE, spill kits and waste disposal procedures.
2 Oct 2026 · WorkSafe QLD
Serious injury involving machinery (auto-feed rip saw)
What to do: Check guards, emergency stops and lock-out on saws and feed machinery before the next shift.
23 Sep 2026 · WorkSafe Victoria
Preventing fires in secure facilities
What to do: If you run a secure facility, review fire risks, ignition sources and evacuation plans for people who can't leave freely.
8 Sep 2026 · WorkSafe Victoria
Prefabricated concrete elements falling during transport
What to do: Before loading precast panels, confirm the load restraint and transport plan, and keep people clear of the load zone.
Last checked: 30 Oct 2026 · General information, not legal advice.