Happy New Year! We hope you had a safe and restful holiday. Below is your second WHS update for 2026, summarising regulatory news and important safety developments from the past week (6th to 12th January 2026). While the holiday period was relatively quiet for regulators, there are a few critical changes and reminders as we continue to kick off the year.
Heat & Fire Safety: If you have outdoor or high heat operations, implement the heatwave protection steps from Victoria’s alert, reschedule work, ensure hydration, and review fire emergency plans. Communicate these measures to your teams.
Machinery & Height Risks: Use the VIC incidents to have a toolbox talk. Emphasise lockout/tagout and vehicle securing when clearing machinery jams. Also, review all tasks where workers could fall >2m, immediately fix any gaps in fall prevention (guardrails, harnesses, etc.).
Noise Program Check (NSW or applicable): Verify if any of your workplaces fall under the new NSW noise testing rule. Even outside NSW, it’s best practice to monitor hearing if noise is a hazard. Schedule tests for at risk workers and document a hearing conservation plan.
Policy Refresh: Ensure your WHS incident notification procedure is up to date and meets current jurisdictional law. (E.g. NT hasn’t adopted new model rules yet, so follow existing ones.) This is a good time in the new year to refresh everyone on what must be reported, to whom, and how quickly.
Upcoming Regulatory Changes: Note the horizon issues, e.g. SA’s height threshold dropping to 2m in July 2026. Begin budgeting and planning for any training or equipment upgrades these changes will require.
By addressing the above, we not only stay compliant but actively prevent incidents. Let’s make 2026 a safe year across all our operations.
09 Jan 2026 – Safe Work Australia: Hazardous Chemicals Exposure Limits Updated – Safe Work Australia published evaluation reports for Workplace Exposure Limits (WEL) of numerous hazardous chemicals. This continues the national review of exposure standards, replacing old Workplace Exposure Standards (WES).
Who is affected: All industries using hazardous chemicals.
Action: Review the updated chemical exposure evaluation reports and anticipate adopting the new limits once they take effect nationally (scheduled by Dec 2026 per WHS ministers’ agreement). Ensure your company’s chemical risk assessments align with the upcoming exposure limit changes. Source: Safe Work Australia.
(Ongoing) – Safe Work Australia Model Law Changes: Incident Notification Amendments – Note that model WHS Act/Regulations were amended in Dec 2025 to refine incident notification requirements (e.g. psychological injury reporting). These do not apply until each state/territory enacts them.
Who is affected: All jurisdictions (future impact).
Action: Stay alert for local adoption of these model law changes. No immediate changes this week, but national WHS leaders should prepare to update incident reporting protocols once their jurisdiction implements the amendments. Source: NT WorkSafe advisory.
06 Jan 2026 – VIC: Heatwave & Bushfire Safety Alert – WorkSafe Victoria warned employers of extreme heat and fire danger conditions, urging plans to protect workers. With temps in the 40s and fire bans declared, employers must adjust work schedules, provide hydration and breaks, and postpone outdoor/hot works as needed.
Who is affected: All Victorian industries, especially outdoor work (construction, agriculture, etc.).
Action: Implement heat illness prevention plans (reschedule strenuous tasks, ensure hydration, cool rest areas) and halt any hot works in total fire ban areas. Communicate fire emergency procedures to staff. Source: WorkSafe Victoria.
06 Jan 2026 – VIC [Serious Incident]: Tractor Fatality – First Workplace Death of 2026 – A 69-year-old farm worker died after being entangled and dragged by a rolling tractor while clearing jammed hay in Kingston. WorkSafe is investigating. This is Victoria’s first confirmed workplace fatality of 2026.
Who is affected: Agriculture sector and all workplaces with mobile plant.
Action: Immediately review and reinforce safe work procedures for using tractors and machinery (e.g. engage brakes, isolation of power before clearing jams). Ensure effective training and supervision on plant safety and working around moving equipment. Source: WorkSafe Victoria.
07 Jan 2026 – VIC [Enforcement]: Builder Charged over Fatal Fall (Doncaster East) – WorkSafe Victoria charged Great Home Group Pty Ltd after a 56 year old worker’s fatal 2+ m fall from a makeshift plank between ladders in March 2024. The charge alleges failure to ensure a safe workplace (no fall protection provided). Court mention is set for 12 Jan 2026.
Who is affected: Construction industry (particularly residential builders).
Action: Audit your high-risk construction work practices, ensure fall prevention (scaffolds, guardrails or harnesses) for any work over 2 m. Remind site managers that even falls from two metres require controls and Safe Work Method Statements. Non-compliance can lead to prosecution. Source: WorkSafe Victoria.
01 Jan 2026 (announced, in effect) – NSW: Mandatory Hearing Tests for Noise Exposure – New audiometric testing requirements commenced for NSW businesses with workers frequently using hearing protection due to hazardous noise. Under WHS Regulation clause 58, PCBUs must provide and pay for baseline hearing tests (within 3 months of employment) and 2-yearly follow-up tests for relevant workers. Existing pre-2024 workers must get a test by 1 Jan 2026.
Who is affected: Any NSW workplaces with high noise (for example, construction, manufacturing, music/events, etc.).
Action: If you operate in NSW, verify which roles exceed noise exposure standards. Schedule audiometric testing for those workers ASAP to comply. Update your noise control and health monitoring program per the SafeWork NSW guidance. Source: SafeWork NSW.
(No major SafeWork NSW incident advisories were published in this period. NSW employers should remain vigilant and report notifiable incidents promptly.)
No new regulator news 6–12 Jan. (Context: QLD entered 2026 reeling from two late 2025 construction fatalities. WHSQ has ongoing investigations but did not issue new releases this week. Preparations continue for a state wide “Falling Objects” compliance blitz in early 2026 announced last year.)
Who is affected: QLD construction and general industry.
Action: Use this time to reinforce compliance in known high-risk areas: prevent falling object hazards on sites, and review safety after recent incidents (e.g. retaining wall collapse). Ensure your controls meet WHSQ expectations ahead of upcoming inspections. Source: WHSQ campaign notice.
(No new updates 6–12 Jan) – WorkSafe WA returned from its Dec–Jan office closure on 5 Jan. No immediate new bulletins or incidents were published in this week. (Note: WA’s WHS regulator was restructured under the Dept. of Local Govt., IR and Safety (LGIRS) from 1 July 2025. Work health and safety laws in WA align with national standards as of March 2022.)
Who is affected: WA businesses.
Action: Resume normal reporting and compliance activities post holidays. Watch for any 2026 WA regulatory changes or campaigns in the coming weeks. Source: WA LGIRS notice.
01 Jan 2026 (in effect) – NT: Easing of Electrical Compliance Paperwork – The NT has removed the requirement for an Electrical Certificate of Compliance (CoC) for like-for-like replacements of electrical equipment from 1 Jan 2026. (Complex new electrical installations still require CoC.)
Who is affected: NT licensed electricians and businesses maintaining electrical systems.
Action: Update your procedures, simple replacement jobs (e.g. swapping a light fitting with an identical model) no longer need CoC paperwork. However, maintain high safety standards and testing, and use CoCs where required by law. Source: NT WorkSafe.
Ongoing – NT: No Change Yet to Incident Notifications – NT WorkSafe clarified it has NOT adopted Safe Work Australia’s Dec 2025 model amendments on incident notification. Current NT incident reporting rules remain in force until further notice.
Who is affected: All NT employers (especially those following national news).
Action: Continue complying with existing NT incident notification thresholds. NT WHS managers should monitor NT WorkSafe announcements, be ready to update internal incident reporting processes once NT eventually implements the model changes. Source: NT WorkSafe.
(No new bulletins 6–12 Jan) – WorkSafe Tasmania issued no new media releases during this week. (The regulator had issued pre holiday guidance on securing construction sites in Dec 2025.)
Who is affected: Tasmanian businesses.
Action: Continue normal WHS compliance. Ensure any post holiday site restart activities address hazards (secure scaffolding, equipment checks, etc.). Watch for the next SafeTy Bulletin or alerts from WorkSafe Tasmania for any emerging issues.
(No new releases 6–12 Jan) – SafeWork SA did not publish news in this window. Recent changes (Dec 2025) include approved WHS Regulation amendments to lower the “high-risk construction work” height threshold from 3m to 2m (effective 1 July 2026 after a transition).
Who is affected: SA construction sector.
Action: Start preparing for the 2m threshold, identify tasks between 2–3m that will need Safe Work Method Statements by July. Meanwhile, maintain all existing safety measures. Source: SafeWork SA news.
ReturnToWorkSA (SA workers’ comp): Self-Insurer Financial Rule Changes – ReturnToWorkSA has implemented updated financial requirements for self-insured employers effective 1 Jan 2026. The Code of Conduct for self-insureds and Actuarial Reporting guidelines were revised, including a minimum financial guarantee of $1.1M for 2025. Who is affected: Self-insured companies in SA.
Action: Self-insurers should review the “Self-Insured Financial Requirements – Final Changes” document and ensure compliance (submit updated actuarial reports, adjust financial guarantees as required). Engage your finance and insurance teams to meet the new standards. Source: ReturnToWorkSA.
(No specific updates 6–12 Jan) – No new ACT regulator announcements this week. WorkSafe ACT continues routine enforcement of the 2022 WHS Act.
Who is affected: ACT businesses.
Action: Maintain compliance with ACT’s WHS requirements. Note that ACT’s latest known changes include adopting the national WHS laws (as of March 2022) and focusing on psychosocial hazards per 2025 initiatives. Stay tuned for any ACT-specific safety campaigns in early 2026.
Compiled by: Work Safety Hub – Helping organisations build safer, stronger workplaces.
🔗 worksafetyhub.com.au