Weekly WHS Update (2nd to 11th March 2026)

Summary: 

We’ve compiled this week’s key Workplace Health and Safety developments across Australia. It was a busy week featuring significant enforcement actions for fall incidents, a COVID outbreak prosecution, critical hazard alerts following floods, and new guidance releases. Here’s what you need to know:

• Major fines over falls from heights (NSW & VIC): NSW courts issued $590k in fines to two companies after a worker fell ~10m through a skylight, and separately fined Illawarra Turf Club $200k for a 5m fall incident. In Victoria, a poultry farm was fined $325k after a worker’s death in an unguarded conveyor. Regulators urge all industries to review fall prevention and machinery guarding immediately.
• COVID-19 outbreak prosecution (VIC): St Basil’s Homes for the Aged was convicted and fined $150k for failing to train all staff in COVID-safe procedures, leading to 45 workers catching the virus. Reminder: adequate training and infection control measures are mandatory, especially in care settings.
• New model Code for biological hazards (National): Safe Work Australia released a world-first Code of Practice on managing biological hazards at work. It provides practical controls (hygiene, cleaning, vaccination) to reduce risks from viruses, bacteria, etc. This comes alongside an online Code for healthcare and social assistance to improve accessibility of guidance.
• NT flood safety alert: After severe flooding in Katherine, NT WorkSafe warned of electric shock and fire risks from submerged electrical systems (solar PV, batteries, appliances). Owners must keep power off and have equipment inspected before re-energizing. This alert is a timely reminder for all flood-prone areas as the wet season continues.
• Free harassment prevention workshops (NSW): In recognition of NSW Women’s Week, SafeWork NSW launched free “Respect at Work” workshops across the state. These one-day sessions (Mar–Apr) help employers meet new WHS obligations on sexual harassment and build safer workplace cultures. Consider registering your leadership team.

What You Should Do This Week:

• Height & Machinery Safety: Conduct a toolbox talk on fall risks and machinery guarding – reference recent fines to reinforce urgency. Inspect any roofs, skylights, and conveyor or cutting equipment in your operations; implement or verify proper controls (guardrails, covers, lock-out systems).
• Emergency Preparedness: If you operate in flood-affected regions, follow NT’s alert – keep power OFF on flooded circuits and arrange certified electrical inspections. Review your emergency procedures for natural disasters (flood, cyclone) and ensure electrical equipment checks are included.
• Health Sector Check: If you’re in healthcare or aged care, review training and procedures for infectious disease control. Ensure all staff (incl. casuals) are trained in PPE use and outbreak management – regulators are now prosecuting gaps.
• Policy & Training: Share the new Biohazards Code with your HSE team and update any relevant risk assessments. In NSW, consider enrolling managers in the free Respect at Work workshops to strengthen your approach to psychosocial hazards. Elsewhere, use this cue to evaluate your sexual harassment prevention training and policies, as similar obligations apply nationally.

Key Updates This Week

National (Safe Work Australia)

• 10 Mar 2026 – Safe Work Australia: Online Model Code of Practice – Healthcare & Social Assistance – New digital Code released. SWA has published an online version of the model Code of Practice for the Healthcare and Social Assistance industry, making this guidance more accessible. 
  Who is affected: Healthcare and social services employers (over 2 million workers).
  Action: Review the online Code and ensure your health services implement its practical WHS guidance (e.g. manual handling, aggression management). 
• 06 Mar 2026 – Safe Work Australia: Model Code of Practice – Biological Hazards – New model Code (world-first). SWA released a model Code on managing risks of biological hazards (viruses, bacteria, fungi, etc.), the first of its kind globally. It provides practical controls (cleaning, hygiene training, vaccinations) to help all workplaces meet WHS duties. 
  Who is affected: All industries (particularly healthcare, agriculture, labs) with biohazard exposure risks. 
  Action: Incorporate this Code’s guidance – maintain strict cleanliness and worker hygiene training, and encourage vaccinations where relevant.
• 04 Mar 2026 – Safe Work Australia: Improving WHS Dispute Resolution (Consultation) – Feedback invited. SWA is seeking input on options to improve how WHS disputes are resolved under the model laws. A specialist WHS tribunal and alternative dispute resolution methods are proposed. 
  Who is affected: All stakeholders (PCBUs, workers, HSRs, regulators, unions, lawyers). 
  Action: Consider making a submission via SWA’s Consultation Hub by 17 April 2026; inform your WHS/OHS team and legal advisors about potential future changes in dispute resolution processes.
• Comcare (Federal) – No new updates. No Comcare media releases, safety alerts, or guidance updates were published in this period (last checked 11 Mar 2026 18:12 AEST).

Australian Capital Territory (WorkSafe ACT)

• No new updates. No ACT-specific WHS alerts or releases were noted this week (checked 11 Mar 2026 18:12 AEST).

New South Wales (SafeWork NSW)

• 03 Mar 2026 – NSW: $590k in Fines for 10m Roof Fall – Major fall-from-height prosecution. Two companies (Pendle Ham & Bacon and affiliate) were convicted over a May 2021 incident where a worker fell ~10m through a skylight while roof-cleaning, suffering serious injuries. Fines totaled $320k + $270k = $590k. 
  Who is affected: Construction and maintenance firms, especially those working at heights.
  Action: URGENT: Audit fall prevention measures – secure/cover skylights, require fall restraints or platforms, and ensure supervision and training. SafeWork NSW stresses that falls remain a leading cause of workplace fatalities. 
• 02 Mar 2026 – NSW: Turf Club Fined $200k for 5m Fall – Another falls prosecution. Illawarra Turf Club pleaded guilty after a worker fell ~5.2m through a grandstand roof skylight in Mar 2022, causing serious injuries. The Club was fined $200,000. 
  Who is affected: Event venues, facility managers, and contractors working at heights. 
  Action: URGENT: Implement strict fall controls during maintenance (e.g. use temporary covers over fragile roofing, harness systems, spotters). Reinforce that no roof work proceeds without secured fall protection. 
• 02 Mar 2026 – NSW: “From Risk to Respect” Harassment Workshops – Statewide training initiative. In NSW Women’s Week, the government launched free “Respect at Work” workshops at 20+ metro and regional venues to help business leaders prevent workplace sexual harassment. These 1-day sessions (part of a $1M prevention strategy) cover identifying psychosocial risks, meeting WHS obligations, and building respectful workplace cultures. 
  Who is affected: All industries (owners/managers, especially HR/WHS leaders).
  Action: Encourage senior managers to register for these free workshops to strengthen your harassment prevention systems. Also review your compliance with the new psychosocial hazard regulations (sexual harassment must be managed as a WHS risk). 

Northern Territory (NT WorkSafe)

• 09 Mar 2026 – NT: Safety Alert – Electrical Risks After Flood – Flooding hazard warning. NT WorkSafe issued an URGENT safety alert after major flooding in Katherine (early March) submerged many electrical installations. Wet appliances, solar PV systems, and battery storage units can fail or ignite, posing electric shock and fire risks. 
  Who is affected: Businesses and residents in flood-affected regions (NT and generally northern Australia during wet season). 
  Action: URGENT: If your site was flooded, do not re-energise electrical equipment. Turn off and unplug affected devices, isolate power circuits, and have a licensed electrician inspect and certify the site safe. Replace or professionally repair any water-damaged electrical gear. 
• No other updates. (No NT prosecutions or new guidance noted this week; checked 11 Mar 2026.)

Queensland

• Mar 2026 (Ongoing) – QLD: Transport/Warehousing Plant Safety Blitz – Statewide inspection campaign. WHS Queensland is midway through a proactive compliance program (2 Feb – 31 Mar 2026) targeting fixed plant safety in transport and warehouse sectors. Inspectors are auditing controls on conveyor systems, racking/shelving, fixed lifting equipment, and cool-room refrigerants. 
  Who is affected: Logistics, manufacturing, cold storage, and warehousing businesses statewide. 
  Action: Ahead of any inspection, review your machinery safety: ensure conveyors have guards and lockouts, racks are safely installed and maintained, lifting gear has up-to-date inspections, and ammonia or refrigerant systems follow emergency plans. A free advisory service is offered to improve compliance. 
• 04 Mar 2026 – QLD: New Rehab Services Panel (Workers’ Comp) – Return-to-work support update. WorkCover Queensland announced a new Rehabilitation Services Provider Panel (RSPP) to deliver rehab services to injured workers. This panel consolidates approved providers to improve quality and outcomes. 
  Who is affected: Occupational rehab providers and employers engaging rehab for return-to-work; insurers in QLD. 
  Action: Ensure your injury management personnel are aware of the new RSPP. When arranging rehab for a worker’s recovery/RTW plan, use panel providers as required by WorkCover QLD. 
• No major WHSQ alerts or prosecutions were published this week. (Checked 11 Mar 2026.)

South Australia

• SafeWork SA – No new bulletins or incidents reported. SafeWork SA’s planned 2025–26 compliance campaigns (in construction, manufacturing, healthcare, etc.) continue as scheduled, but no specific new alerts or media releases were issued during this period (checked 11 Mar 2026 18:12 AEST).
• ReturnToWorkSA – No new updates. (No announcements noted; checked 11 Mar 2026.)

Tasmania (WorkSafe Tasmania)

• No new updates. No Tasmanian WHS regulator alerts or releases were identified for this week (checked 11 Mar 2026 18:12 AEST).

Western Australia (WorkSafe WA / DMIRS)

• No new updates. WorkSafe WA issued no new safety alerts or media statements in this period. (Ongoing guidance: WA’s transitional rules for Falls >2m in construction will be high-risk construction work from 1 July 2026, with transitional provisions extended to 30 Sept 2026: falls in construction remain in effect. No new incidents were reported this week; checked 11 Mar 2026.)

Standards and Codes

• No changes detected this week. We monitored the listed Australian Standards families for any new editions, amendments, withdrawals, or open for comment drafts during 2–11 March 2026. No official changes were announced for AS/NZS 45001/4801 series, emergency planning (AS 3745 etc.), electrical (AS/NZS 3000, 3012, 3760), working at heights (AS 1657, AS/NZS 1891, AS 1576.1, AS 4576), machinery (AS/NZS 4024, AS 1418/2550), confined spaces (AS 2865), explosive atmospheres (AS/NZS IEC 60079), noise (AS/NZS 1269 series), PPE and signage (AS 1319, AS/NZS 1715/1716, 2210, 1337/1338), or pressure equipment (AS 3788). (Last checked 11 Mar 2026. If no announcement is made, assume “No changes this week.”)

• Note: “URGENT” flags above indicate serious incidents or imminent hazards (e.g. fatality cases, flood/electrical risks) where immediate controls are advised. All information is sourced from official regulator releases or alerts in the period. Dates are as listed on source pages. All times in AEST.

Please feel free to reach out if you need further details on any of these items or assistance implementing the recommended actions. Stay safe and have a great week ahead!

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