Weekly WHS Round-Up  

Date Range: 28 October - 3 November 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.

Executive Summary — by Jurisdiction

Commonwealth (Comcare)

• No new updates found this week (last checked at 09:04 AEDT).

Victoria (WorkSafe VIC)

• No new updates found this week (last checked at 09:04 AEDT).

New South Wales (SafeWork NSW)

• [URGENT] 28–29 Oct 2025 — (media) Two fatalities at Endeavor Mine, Cobar.

  Source/Title: ABC News – “Two people dead after underground Endeavor Mine explosion at Cobar” (posted 28–29 Oct).

  Summary: Explosion at underground mine near Cobar resulted in two worker fatalities and multiple injuries; regulators investigating. Labelled (media) pending NSW regulator release.

  Who it affects: Underground mining operators, principal contractors, mine managers, shotfirers.

  Recommended action this week: Verify blasting/explosives permits and procedures; review gas monitoring, ignition control, exclusion zones and ER plans; conduct toolbox briefings on abnormal condition escalation. Update site-specific JHAs/SWMS. (ABC) 

Queensland (WHSQ / OIR)

• No new updates found this week (last checked at 09:04 AEDT).

Western Australia (WorkSafe WA / DEMIRS)

• 28 Oct 2025 — WHS Excellence Awards winners announced.

  Source/Title: WorkSafe WA – “2025 Work Health and Safety Excellence Awards winners and finalists.”

  Summary: WA announced award winners showcasing innovative risk controls and programs across industries.

  Who it affects: All industries; useful exemplars for safety leadership, engineering and human-factor controls.

  Recommended action this week: Scan winners’ case studies for transferrable controls; prioritise two practices to trial (e.g., mobile plant segregation tech, psychosocial risk program metrics). (WorkSafeWA)

Northern Territory (NT WorkSafe)

• No new updates found this week (last checked at 09:04 AEDT).

Tasmania (WorkSafe Tasmania)

• No new updates found this week (last checked at 09:04 AEDT).

South Australia (SafeWork SA / ReturnToWorkSA)

• No new updates found this week (last checked at 09:04 AEDT).

Australian Capital Territory (WorkSafe ACT)

30 Oct 2025 — Prosecution: Category 2 conviction.

Source/Title: WorkSafe ACT – “Media Release: Hannaford convicted of Category 2 offence.”

Summary: Individual convicted of WHS Category 2 offence; $8,000 fine after guilty plea, plus 100 hours community service and 12‑month good‑behaviour bond.

Who it affects: Small construction and maintenance businesses; officers and supervisors.

Recommended action this week: Refresh officer due diligence checks; confirm SWMS are task-specific and supervised; document consultation and training records for high‑risk tasks. (WorkSafeACT)

National / All (Safe Work Australia)

• 31 Oct 2025 — Mental health program case‑study call.

  Source/Title: Safe Work Australia – “Share your experience: Examining your workplace mental health program.”

  Summary: SWA seeking input on the effectiveness of workplace mental health initiatives to inform national guidance.

  Who it affects: All PCBUs; HR/People leaders, HSRs, WHS managers.

  Recommended action this week: Assess current psychosocial risk controls against Model Code; prepare brief submission (program goals, measures, outcomes) and plan 2026 improvements (e.g., role clarity, workload controls, reporting).(SafeWorkAustralia)

Standards Watch (AS/ANZS families listed)

• No changes detected this week (new/updated/amended/superseded/withdrawn/public-comment) for:

  ISO 45001 / AS/NZS 4801; AS 3745; AS 2293; AS 2444; AS 1670.1; AS 1851; AS/NZS 3000; AS/NZS 3012; AS/NZS 3760; AS 1657; AS/NZS 1891; AS/NZS 1576.1; AS 4576; AS/NZS 4024; AS 1418; AS 2550; AS 2865; AS/NZS/IEC 60079; AS/NZS 1269; AS 1319; AS/NZS 1715; AS/NZS 1716; AS 2210.3 / AS/NZS 2210; AS/NZS 1337/1338; AS 3788.

  (Monitored via Standards Australia / Standards NZ catalogues & public‑comment portal; no qualifying entries in the 28 Oct–3 Nov 2025 window.)

What you should do this week 

• Mining/High‑risk work: Re‑brief crews on blasting/gas controls and emergency response; verify trigger action response plans (TARPs) and exclusion zones.

• Officers/Managers: Check due diligence evidence: risk registers current, SWMS task‑specific, supervision records complete, consultation documented.

• Psychosocial risk: Map current initiatives to Model WHS Code; set 2026 objectives and consider submitting a case study to SWA.

• Adopt leading practice: Review WA award winners and shortlist two practical controls to pilot on your sites.

Compiled by: Work Safety Hub – Helping organisations build safer, stronger workplaces.
🔗 worksafetyhub.com.au