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Robert O'Neill20/10/2025 11:49:41 AM6 min read

Weekly WHS Round-Up 13 - 19 October 2025

 

Weekly WHS Round-Up  

 

National Safe Work Month Week 3,  Regulation Changes & Key Enforcement Actions

Date Range: 13 October – 19 October 2025

Below is your comprehensive update on Australian WHS developments over the past week. This longer format will provide more context, insight, and actionable takeaways. Use it for team briefings, board reports or safety committee reviews.

1. National / Commonwealth

  • Safe Work Australia releases Key Work Health and Safety Statistics Australia 2025 (16 Oct)
    Fresh national data on fatalities, injuries and disease trends is out now, including industry and mechanism breakdowns. Use it to benchmark performance, brief boards and validate risk priorities for FY26 planning.
    🔗 Key Work Health and Safety Statistics Australia 2025 – Safe Work Australia (Safe Work Australia)
    Implication / who it affects: All PCBUs, executives, HSRs, safety leaders.
    Action: Pull the latest fatality/serious claims metrics for your sector and compare to your incident profile in Q1–Q2.

  • Using data to make workplaces safer – SWA guidance (16 Oct)
    SWA’s article shows how to turn the new stats into practical prevention focus areas (e.g., high-risk mechanisms, sectors, and controls).
    🔗 Using data to make workplaces safer – Safe Work Australia
    Implication / who it affects: WHS managers and analysts developing 2026 risk programs.
    Action: Map your top 5 critical risks against SWA’s national trends and update your critical control verification schedule.

  • World Standards Day 2025: Productivity through partnership (15 Oct)
    Standards Australia spotlighted current national workstreams (including safety-related committees), reinforcing the role of standards in productivity and risk reduction.
    🔗 World Standards Day 2025 – Standards Australia (Standards Australia)
    Implication / who it affects: Engineering, asset owners, compliance leads relying on AS/ISO references.
    Action: Confirm your WHS-critical standards register is current (e.g., machine safety, electrical, hazardous chemicals).

2. Victoria

  • Laundry operator fined $270,000 after fatal fall – 17 Oct 2025
    Dandenong South operator convicted after a driver died falling from a truck’s elevated tailgate; the court also awarded costs.
    🔗 Laundry operator fined $270,000 after fatal fall – WorkSafe Victoria (WorkSafe Victoria)
    Action: Audit loading/unloading procedures and tailgate lift controls, training and supervision this month.

  • Farmer dies while reversing tractor – 15 Oct 2025
    Fatal crush incident at Heytesbury Lower; 40th confirmed workplace fatality in Victoria this year.
    🔗 Farmer dies while reversing tractor – WorkSafe Victoria (WorkSafe Victoria)
    Action: Re-brief agricultural crews on vehicle operating procedures and isolation of the plant on uneven ground.

  • Manager charged after fatal factory fire – 14 Oct 2025
    Charges laid following a 2024 chemical explosion and fire; filing hearing scheduled 22 Oct 2025.
    🔗 Manager charged after fatal factory fire – WorkSafe Victoria (WorkSafe Victoria)
    Action: Reconfirm dangerous goods/flammable liquids controls (bonding/earthing, training, supervision).

3. New South Wales

  • Silica Worker Register launched – 15 Oct 2025
    NSW Government launched the register to track health monitoring for at‑risk workers performing high‑risk crystalline silica processes; follows WHS Regulation changes commencing 1 Oct.
    🔗 Minns Labour Government launches Silica Worker Register – SafeWork NSW (SafeWork NSW)
    Action: Construction/manufacturing/mining PCBUs in NSW should confirm coverage and start uploading worker details per the Regulation.

(Limited material within the 13–19 Oct window beyond the above)

4. Queensland

5. Western Australia

6. South Australia

7. Tasmania

8. Northern Territory

9. Australian Capital Territory

  • Residential Construction Industry Breakfast – 17 Oct 2025
    ACT event focusing on WHS priorities in residential construction.
    🔗 https://www.worksafe.act.gov.au/events. WorkSafe ACT
    Action: Cascade event takeaways to site supervisors; refresh fall-prevention and supervision controls.

10. Australian Standards Watch

11. Key Risks / Trends to Watch

12. Suggested Actions for Managers / Safety Leads

  1. Align October toolbox talks to SWA’s Week-by-Week topics (identify → assess → control → review). 🔗 https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/national-safe-work-month/weeklytopics. Safe Work Australia

  2. NSW sites: stand up a silica worker register workstream. 🔗 https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/notify-safework. SafeWork NSW

  3. Mining operations: confirm statutory exam readiness and competency matrices (WA). 🔗 https://www.worksafe.wa.gov.au/mines-statutory-positions-schedule-examinations. WorkSafe

  4. Warehousing/transport: audit DG storage against SA enforcement learnings. 🔗 https://www.safework.sa.gov.au/news-and-alerts/news/news/2025/%2447k-fine-over-illegal-storage-of-dangerous-chemicals. Safe Work SA

  5. Heat-exposed work (NT & northern ops): refresh heat-stress controls and monitoring. 🔗 https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/forms-and-resources/news-and-events/events/2025/managing-heat-stress-proactive-workplace-visits. WorkSafe NT

Compiled by: Work Safety Hub – Helping organisations build safer, stronger workplaces.
🔗 worksafetyhub.com.au
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Robert O'Neill
Robert is the founder and OHS Consulting Practice Leader of Work Safety Hub, with more than 10 years’ experience in managing safety and risk management programs.

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