Australian WHS Round-Up: 18–30 September 2026
Welcome to Work Safety Hub’s Australian WHS Round-Up for 18 to 30 September 2026 inclusive. This edition summarises verified regulator, standards and workers compensation updates, with practical actions for WHS managers.
Information current as checked at 7:06 pm AEST on 1 October 2026.
Executive summary
- National / All: Safe Work Australia released national worker exposure findings and a practical guide to managing slips, trips and falls.
- Commonwealth / Comcare: No qualifying Comcare news item was published in the reporting period.
- Australian Capital Territory: No qualifying WorkSafe ACT news or safety alert was published in the reporting period.
- New South Wales: SafeWork NSW launched a psychosocial advisory service, reported prosecutions involving a fatal roadwork hazard, a serious elevated work platform injury and unsecured scaffolds, and reinforced controls for lead exposure in Broken Hill.
- Northern Territory: NT WorkSafe invited nominations for the Work Health and Safety Advisory Council.
- Queensland: WorkCover Queensland moved Provider Management Plans online. No separate qualifying Workplace Health and Safety Queensland update was found.
- South Australia: SafeWork SA reported a serious excavator injury prosecution, outlined the coming workplace exposure limits and laid charges against an amusement hire company. ReturnToWorkSA had no qualifying update.
- Tasmania: No qualifying WorkSafe Tasmania update was published in the reporting period.
- Victoria: WorkSafe Victoria investigated a fatal precast concrete incident, reported a serious school machinery injury and issued a fire safety alert for secure facilities.
- Western Australia: WorkSafe WA released guidance on airborne contaminants on farms. ABC News reported a guilty plea over a mechanic’s workplace death where no current regulator release was available.
- Standards: No monitored standard changed during the reporting period.
National / All jurisdictions
22 September 2026 — 2026 Australian Worker Exposure Survey findings released
Jurisdiction: National / All
Summary: Safe Work Australia’s 2026 survey found that 68% of workers were likely exposed to at least one physical or chemical hazard, while 28.9% experienced high-level exposure. Construction, agriculture, forestry and fishing, and mining recorded the highest rates of exposure to multiple hazards; apprentices and trainees were more likely than other workers to be exposed to several hazards.
Who it affects: PCBUs, officers, WHS managers, occupational hygienists and leaders in industries with physical, chemical and psychosocial hazards.
Recommended action: Compare the national findings with your exposure register, monitoring data and worker consultation. Prioritise gaps involving solar ultraviolet radiation, silica, heat, lead, asbestos and psychosocial hazards, particularly for apprentices and trainees.
Source: Safe Work Australia — 2026 Australian Worker Exposure Survey findings released
29 September 2026 — New guide to managing the risks of slips, trips and falls
Jurisdiction: National / All
Summary: Safe Work Australia released a practical guide and checklist after 32,000 serious workers compensation claims arose from slips, trips and falls in 2024–25. The guide covers physical hazards and broader contributors such as how work is organised and managed.
Who it affects: Employers, facility managers, WHS managers and workers in all industries.
Recommended action: Use the checklist during workplace inspections, then assign and verify controls for surfaces, housekeeping, lighting, access routes and work design. Review the findings with workers and health and safety representatives.
Source: Safe Work Australia — New guide to managing the risks of slips, trips and falls
Commonwealth / Comcare
Comcare check
No qualifying Comcare news item dated 18 to 30 September 2026 was found. The official news archive was checked at 7:06 pm AEST on 1 October 2026.
Source: Comcare — News
Australian Capital Territory
WorkSafe ACT check
No qualifying WorkSafe ACT news, media release or safety alert dated 18 to 30 September 2026 was found. The official news and safety alert pages were checked at 7:06 pm AEST on 1 October 2026.
Sources: WorkSafe ACT — News and media
WorkSafe ACT — Safety Alerts and Advice
New South Wales
22 September 2026 — Minns Labor Government launches Psychosocial Advisory Service to address the rise in psychosocial incidents in the workplace
Jurisdiction: New South Wales
Summary: SafeWork NSW launched a dedicated service, developed with the Black Dog Institute, to help workers and employers prevent and respond to bullying, harassment, work-related stress and mental harm. SafeWork NSW received 3,145 psychosocial requests for service in 2025–26, representing 20.5% of all requests.
Who it affects: NSW employers, workers, WHS managers, people leaders and small businesses without specialist WHS or human resources support.
Recommended action: Add the service to escalation and support pathways, but do not treat advice as a substitute for risk management. Review how psychosocial hazards are identified, controlled, monitored and discussed with workers before issues escalate.
Source: SafeWork NSW — Minns Labor Government launches Psychosocial Advisory Service to address the rise in psychosocial incidents in the workplace
URGENT — 24 September 2026 — Company fined $140,000 after worker ejected from mobile elevated working platform
Jurisdiction: New South Wales
Summary: SafeWork NSW reported that Matilda Walking Floors Pty Ltd was convicted and fined after a worker suffered serious injuries when a mobile elevated working platform tipped from the back of a truck trailer. The company pleaded guilty to failing to comply with its duty to workers.
Who it affects: Transport, logistics, manufacturing and maintenance businesses that use elevated work platforms or load plant onto trailers.
Recommended action: Prohibit use of elevated work platforms on trailers unless the equipment and support arrangement are designed and verified for that use. Review stability, restraint, ground conditions, exclusion zones and task-specific instructions before work resumes.
Source: SafeWork NSW — Company fined $140,000 after worker ejected from mobile elevated working platform
URGENT — 28 September 2026 — Construction company fined $225,000 after cyclist fatality
Jurisdiction: New South Wales
Summary: NSW Kerbing Pty Ltd was convicted and fined after a cyclist suffered fatal injuries when an electric bicycle struck the unfeathered edge of a steel road plate covering a trench. The prosecution concerned the company’s duty to people other than workers.
Who it affects: Civil contractors, road and utility works, traffic management providers, principal contractors and businesses working in public spaces.
Recommended action: Inspect every public interface before leaving work unattended. Secure and feather road plates, provide suitable warning and traffic controls, and verify that cyclists, pedestrians and people with limited mobility can pass safely.
Source: SafeWork NSW — Construction company fined $225,000 after cyclist fatality
29 September 2026 — SafeWork NSW strengthens efforts to support workers manage lead risks in Broken Hill
Jurisdiction: New South Wales
Summary: SafeWork NSW met co-regulators and local stakeholders and visited 11 businesses to support better management of lead exposure. Inspectors also completed a mining-sector operation focused on contractor management and controls for lead risk work.
Who it affects: Mining, construction, maintenance and other businesses whose workers may be exposed to lead in Broken Hill or similar legacy environments.
Recommended action: Confirm whether lead risk work is identified and notified correctly, and review exposure controls, health monitoring, hygiene, contractor coordination and worker training against actual work conditions.
Source: SafeWork NSW — SafeWork NSW strengthens efforts to support workers manage lead risks in Broken Hill
30 September 2026 — Company and director fined total of $48,000 after unsecured scaffolds exposed public to risk
Jurisdiction: New South Wales
Summary: Secura Scaffold Services Pty Ltd and its sole director were convicted and fined after members of the public were exposed to risk from an unsecured mobile scaffold. The director was prosecuted for failing to exercise due diligence.
Who it affects: Scaffold suppliers and users, construction businesses, principal contractors and officers.
Recommended action: Verify that mobile scaffolds are erected, stabilised, secured and inspected for the site conditions. Officers should require evidence that scaffold controls are implemented and remain effective, not rely on policy alone.
Source: SafeWork NSW — Company and director fined total of $48,000 after unsecured scaffolds exposed public to risk
Northern Territory
23 September 2026 — Call for nominations for the Work Health and Safety Advisory Council
Jurisdiction: Northern Territory
Summary: The Attorney-General invited nominations from experienced representatives of employer or worker organisations for the Work Health and Safety Advisory Council. The council reviews the operation of the Territory’s WHS Act and advises on administration and WHS standards.
Who it affects: NT employer associations, worker organisations and experienced WHS representatives.
Recommended action: Consider nominating a suitably experienced representative before applications close on 15 October 2026, particularly where your sector needs a stronger voice in Territory WHS policy.
Source: NT WorkSafe — Call for nominations for the Work Health and Safety Advisory Council
Queensland
22 September 2026 — Provider management plan (PMP) admin just got easier
Jurisdiction: Queensland / WorkCover Queensland
Summary: WorkCover Queensland introduced an online Provider Management Plan form in Provider Connect, allowing providers to submit plans, track progress and reuse information from earlier plans.
Who it affects: Medical and allied health providers, workplace rehabilitation providers, employers and claims teams managing recovery and return to work.
Recommended action: Confirm Provider Connect access and team permissions, update internal instructions and monitor whether the online process improves the timeliness and quality of plans.
Source: WorkCover Queensland — Provider management plan (PMP) admin just got easier
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland check
No separate qualifying Workplace Health and Safety Queensland news or incident alert dated 18 to 30 September 2026 was found. The official news and alert pages were checked at 7:06 pm AEST on 1 October 2026.
Sources: Workplace Health and Safety Queensland — News
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland — Alerts
South Australia
URGENT — 21 September 2026 — Excavator operator fined $15,000 after worker suffers serious foot injury
Jurisdiction: South Australia
Summary: An excavator operator was convicted and fined after an excavator arm and bucket struck a nearby worker, causing a severe crush injury and partial foot amputation. SafeWork SA found there was no adequately enforced exclusion zone, communication system or spotter.
Who it affects: Demolition and construction businesses, mobile plant operators, subcontractors, labourers and supervisors.
Recommended action: Establish and enforce plant exclusion zones, use a reliable communication system and stop plant when workers enter the operating area. Verify these controls through supervision and observation, not paperwork alone.
Source: SafeWork SA — Excavator operator fined $15,000 after worker suffers serious foot injury
23 September 2026 — Get ready for new Workplace Exposure Limits
Jurisdiction: South Australia
Summary: SafeWork SA reminded businesses that workplace exposure limits for airborne contaminants are planned to replace the current exposure standards from 1 December 2026. The changes include revised limits, new limits for some contaminants and the first workplace exposure limit for diesel particulate matter.
Who it affects: Businesses and workers exposed to dusts, gases, fumes, vapours and mists, including construction, manufacturing, mining, transport and agriculture.
Recommended action: Map substances and processes against the new limits, then review controls, air monitoring and health monitoring. Give priority to new or lower limits and substances classified as non-threshold genotoxic carcinogens.
Source: SafeWork SA — Get ready for new Workplace Exposure Limits
30 September 2026 — Charges laid against amusement hire company
Jurisdiction: South Australia
Summary: SafeWork SA charged an amusement hire company with five alleged breaches involving false or misleading inspection information, use of electrical leads that had not been tested, and failures to comply with written notices. The allegations have not been determined by a court.
Who it affects: Amusement device owners and hirers, schools, event organisers, electricians and businesses that supply temporary equipment.
Recommended action: Verify device inspection certificates and electrical testing before hire or use, keep the evidence with the event file and respond fully to regulator notices. Do not rely only on supplier assurances.
Source: SafeWork SA — Charges laid against amusement hire company
ReturnToWorkSA check
No qualifying ReturnToWorkSA news item dated 18 to 30 September 2026 was found. The official news room was checked at 7:06 pm AEST on 1 October 2026.
Source: ReturnToWorkSA — News room
Tasmania
WorkSafe Tasmania check
No qualifying WorkSafe Tasmania news item, safety alert or prosecution update dated 18 to 30 September 2026 was found. The official news page was checked at 7:06 pm AEST on 1 October 2026.
Source: WorkSafe Tasmania — News
Victoria
23 September 2026 — Prevention of fires in secure facilities
Jurisdiction: Victoria
Summary: WorkSafe Victoria warned that deliberate or accidental fires in secure facilities can expose employees and vulnerable occupants to fire, smoke and psychological harm. Evacuation can be delayed by confinement, reduced mobility, staffing levels and rapidly spreading smoke.
Who it affects: Justice, health, disability, immigration and other secure or high-dependency facilities.
Recommended action: Review ignition sources, intake risk screening, fire-retardant materials, monitoring, staffing and role-specific drills. Test emergency plans with agencies and service partners whose response is needed during an incident.
Source: WorkSafe Victoria — Prevention of fires in secure facilities
URGENT — 24 September 2026 — WorkSafe investigates Dandenong South factory fatality
Jurisdiction: Victoria
Summary: A 15-year-old died after an adjacent precast concrete panel weighing more than two tonnes fell while defects were being repaired. WorkSafe Victoria is investigating and has not confirmed the cause.
Who it affects: Precast concrete manufacturers, construction businesses, repair teams, labour hire providers and organisations that employ or engage young workers.
Recommended action: Stop similar work until panel stability, temporary supports, exclusion zones and the repair method are verified by competent people. Review supervision and restrictions for young workers and ensure they are never exposed to unsupported panels.
Source: WorkSafe Victoria — WorkSafe investigates Dandenong South factory fatality
URGENT — 24 September 2026 — $150,000 fine after student's fingers severed by guillotine
Jurisdiction: Victoria
Summary: The Department of Education was convicted and fined after a 15-year-old student lost three fingertips while using an unguarded guillotine without a teacher present. No students had been assessed as competent to operate the machine that year.
Who it affects: Schools, TAFEs, training providers, workshops and organisations that allow students or inexperienced people to use machinery.
Recommended action: Restrict access to machinery, guard every danger area and maintain current competency records. Permit use only by trained people under supervision that matches their experience and the risk of the equipment.
Source: WorkSafe Victoria — $150,000 fine after student's fingers severed by guillotine
Western Australia
22 September 2026 — How to identify airborne contaminant hazards on farms
Jurisdiction: Western Australia
Summary: WorkSafe WA published an information sheet, case study and checklist to help farms identify and manage airborne contaminants such as dusts, chemicals, fumes, gases and organic matter under the workplace exposure limits.
Who it affects: Farmers, agricultural employers, workers, health and safety representatives and advisers.
Recommended action: Use the checklist to review chemicals, dust-generating tasks, plant maintenance, risk assessments and training. Confirm controls address real exposure conditions and that workers understand the limits and required precautions.
Source: WorkSafe WA — How to identify airborne contaminant hazards on farms
URGENT — MEDIA-LABELLED — 25 September 2026 — Mining maintenance company pleads guilty over worker's 2023 death in South Boulder workshop
Jurisdiction: Western Australia
Summary: ABC News reported that Dalmain Enterprises Pty Ltd, trading as ATS Mining Maintenance, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with a health and safety duty and causing a worker’s death or serious harm. The report states that a mechanic died after a jack supporting a mining truck failed; sentencing is due in February 2027. No current WorkSafe WA release on the plea was available when checked.
Who it affects: Mining maintenance businesses, heavy vehicle workshops, mechanics, supervisors and contractors who work beneath mobile plant.
Recommended action: Review lifting and support methods for heavy mobile plant. Require rated stands or engineered support systems, isolate movement, account for tyre and suspension condition, and prohibit work beneath equipment supported only by a jack.
Source: ABC News — Mining maintenance company pleads guilty over worker's 2023 death in South Boulder workshop
Standards update
No changes detected this week.
The Standards Australia news archive, catalogue references and official public comment listing were checked at 7:06 pm AEST on 1 October 2026 for AS/NZS ISO 45001:2018; AS/NZS 4801:2001; AS 3745; AS 2293 series; AS 2444; AS 1670.1; AS 1851; AS/NZS 3000, 3012 and 3760; AS 1657; AS/NZS 1891; AS 1576.1; AS 4576; AS/NZS 4024; AS 1418; AS 2550; AS 2865; AS/NZS IEC 60079; AS/NZS 1269 Parts 0–4; AS 1319; AS/NZS 1715, 1716, 2210 and 1337/1338; and AS 3788:2024.
Sources: Standards Australia — Drafts Open for Public Comment
Standards Australia — News and updates
ABC News / AAP media check
One ABC News item was included for Western Australia because it reported a serious court development involving a workplace fatality and no current regulator release on that development was available. No other ABC News or AAP-only item was included.
What WHS managers should do now
- Recheck stability, separation, exclusion zones and supervision wherever mobile plant, precast panels, scaffolds or elevated work platforms are used.
- Compare your exposure register and monitoring program with the national worker exposure findings and the coming workplace exposure limits.
- Audit machinery guarding, access control, competency records and supervision where students, apprentices or inexperienced workers may use equipment.
- Review public interfaces around roadworks and construction so pedestrians and cyclists are protected when the site is active and unattended.
- Use regulator checklists as assurance tools, then record whether the controls work in practice.
This round-up provides general information only. It does not replace legal advice or a review of the duties and requirements that apply to your organisation.
Compiled by: Work Safety Hub – Helping organisations build safer, stronger workplaces.