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Legislation
We've collated most, if not all, of the legislation relevant to occupational health in Australia! It's the reference list we always wanted, so we're sure you'll find it useful too! Bookmark this page and remember to check with your legal team in case you need specific legislation for your circumstances. We're pretty good at keeping on top of things, but there may be specifics for your workplace that this list doesn't address. Happy reading!
Australian Capital Territory
WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY
WORKERS COMPENSATION
ACTIVITIES INVOLVING RADIATION
- Radiation Protection Act 2006
- Radiation Protection Regulation 2007
- Regulation: Radiation Section of the Health Protection Service (ACT Health)
HEALTH ACT
Commonwealth
WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY
WORKERS COMPENSATION
- Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (SRC Act)
- Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Regulations 2019
- Asbestos-related Claims (Management of Commonwealth Liabilities) Act 2005 (ARC Act)
- Regulator: Comcare
ACTIVITIES INVOLVING RADIATION
- Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act 1998
- Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Regulations 2018
- Regulator: ARPANSA
New South Wales
WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY
WORKERS COMPENSATION
- Workers Compensation Act 1987
- Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998
- Workers Compensation Regulation 2016
- Regulator: SIRA
ACTIVITIES INVOLVING RADIATION
- Protection from Harmful Radiation Act 1990
- Protection from Harmful Radiation Regulation 2013
- Regulator: EPA
ACTIVITIES INVOLVING EXPLOSIVES
DRUGS AND MEDICINES
- Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 1966
- Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2008
- More Info: NSW Health
PUBLIC HEALTH
Northern Territory
WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY
- Work Health and Safety (National Uniform Legislation) Act
- Work Health and Safety (National Uniform Legislation) Regulations (NT)
- Regulator: WorkSafe NT
WORKERS COMPENSATION
ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH RADIATION
- Radiation Protection Act 2004
- Radiation Protection Regulations 2007
- Regulator: Radiation Protection Unit
DRUGS AND MEDICINES
- Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 2012
- Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulations 2014
- More Info: NT Department of Health
PUBLIC HEALTH
- Public and Environmental Health Act 2011
- Public and Environmental Health Regulations 2014
- More Info: NT Department of Health
Queensland
WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY
- Work Health and Safety Act 2011
- Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011
- Regulator: Workplace Health and Safety Queensland
WORKERS COMPENSATION
- Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003
- Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Regulation 2014
- Insurer: WorkCover Qld
- Regulator: Office of Industrial Relations
ACTIVITIES INVOLVING RADIATION
ACTIVITIES INVOLVING EXPLOSIVES
DRUGS AND MEDICINES
PUBLIC HEALTH
South Australia
WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY
WORKERS COMPENSATION
- Return to Work Act 2014
- Return to Work Regulations 2015
- Insurer and Regulator: ReturnToWorkSA
ACTIVITIES INVOLVING RADIATION
- Radiation Protection and Control Act 2021
- Radiation Protection and Control Regulations 2022
- Regulator: EPA
DRUGS AND MEDICINES
PUBLIC HEALTH
- South Australian Public Health Act 2011
- South Australian Public Health (General) Regulations 2013
- More Info: SA Health
Tasmania
WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY
WORKERS COMPENSATION
- Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988
- Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Regulations 2011
- Asbestos Related Diseases (Occupational Exposure) Compensation Act 2011
- Regulator: WorkSafe Tasmania
ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH RADIATION
- Radiation Protection Act 2005
- Radiation Protection Regulations 2016
- Regulator: Radiation Protection Unit of the Department of Health
DRUGS AND MEDICINES
PUBLIC HEALTH
Victoria
WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY
- Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004
- Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017
- Regulator and Insurer: WorkSafe Vic
WORKERS COMPENSATION
- Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013 (WIRC Act)
- Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Regulations 2014
- Accident Compensation Act 1985
- Workers Compensation Act 1958
- Asbestos Diseases Compensation Act 2008
- Regulator and Insurer: WorkSafe Vic
ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH RADIATION
DRUGS AND MEDICINE
- Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981
- Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Regulation 2017
- More Info: Vic Health
PUBLIC HEALTH
- Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008
- Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2019
- More Info: Department of Health and Human Services
Western Australia
WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY
- Work Health and Safety Act 2022
- Work Health and Safety (General) Regulations 2022
- Regulator: WorkSafe WA
WORKERS COMPENSATION
- Workers’ Compensation and Injury Management Act 1981
- Waterfront Workers (Compensation for Asbestos Related Diseases) Act 1986
- Workers’ Compensation and Injury Management (Acts of Terrorism) Act 2001
- Workers’ Compensation and Injury Management Regulations 1982
- Regulator: WorkCover WA
ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH RADIATION
- Radiation Safety Act 1975
- Radiation Safety (General) Regulations 1983
- Regulator: Radiation Council; Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (co-regulated for Mining)
DRUGS AND MEDICINE
- Medicines and Poisons Act 2014
- Medicines and Poisons Regulation 2016
- More Info: WA Department of Health
PUBLIC HEALTH
INDUSTRY SPECIFIC
Aviation
Maritime
- Occupational Health and Safety (Maritime Industry) Act 1993
- Occupational Health and Safety (Maritime Industry) Regulations 1995
- Occupational Health and Safety (Maritime Industry) (National Standards) Regulations 2003
- Seafarers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1992
- Regulator: Seacare
Military
WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY
WORKERS COMPENSATION
- Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA)
- Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Regulations 2020
- Administrator: DVA
- Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related Claims) Act 1988 (DRCA)
- Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Regulations 2019
- Regulator: Comcare
Mining
NSW
- Work Health and Safety (Mines and Petroleum Sites) Act 2013
- Work Health and Safety (Mines and Petroleum Sites) Regulation 2014
- Regulator: NSW Mine Safety
- Note: The Work Health & Safety Act 2011 (NSW) and Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 (NSW) also apply to mining activities in NSW.
NT
- Workplace health and safety regulation in mining is regulated under the Work Health and Safety (National Uniform Legislation) Act.
QLD
- Coal Mining Health and Safety Act 1999
- Coal Mining Health and Safety Regulations 2017
- Mining Safety and Health Legislation (Coal Workers’ Pneumoconiosis and Other Matters) Amendment Regulation 2016
- Mining and Quarrying Safety and Health Act 1999
- Mining and Quarrying Safety and Health Regulation 2001
- Regulator: Department of Natural Mines and Resources
SA
- Mines and Works Inspection Act 1920
- Mines and Works Inspection Regulations 2013
- More Info: SA Government Mineral Resources Division
TAS
- Mines Work Health and Safety (Supplementary Requirements) Act 2012
- Mines Work Health and Safety (Supplementary Requirements) Regulations 2012
- More Info: WorkSafe Tasmania
VIC
- Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004
- Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017 (Chapt 5)
- More Info: WorkSafe Vic and Earth Resources Vic
WA
- Work Health and Safety Act 2022
- Work Health and Safety (Mines) Regulations 2022
- Regulator: Department of Natural Mines and Resources
Oil and Gas
- Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006
- Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Safety) Regulations 2009
- Regulator: National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA)
QLD
- Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Act 2004
- Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Regulation 2004
- Regulator: Department of Natural Mines and Resources
WA
- Work Health and Safety Act 2022
- Work Health and Safety Regulations 2022
- More Info: WA Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety
Rail
ACT
- Rail Safety National Law (ACT) Act 2014
- Rail Safety National Law (ACT) Regulation 2014
- Regulator: Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator
NSW
- Rail Safety National Law (NSW) 2012
- Rail Safety National Law National Regulations 2012
- Rail Safety (Adoption of National Law) Act 2012
- Rail Safety (Adoption Of National Law) Regulation 2012
- Regulator: Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator
NT
- Rail Safety (National Uniform Legislation) Act 2012 No 27
- Rail Safety (National Uniform Legislation) Regulations 2013
- Regulator: Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator
QLD
- Rail Safety National Law (Queensland) Act 2017
- Rail Safety National Law (Queensland) Regulations 2017
- Regulator: Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator
SA
- Rail Safety National Law (South Australia) Act 2012
- Rail Safety National Law National Regulations 2012
- Rail Safety National Law (South Australia) (Drug and Alcohol Testing) Regulations 2012 (includes further details on drug and alcohol testing in SA)
- Regulator: Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator
TAS
- Rail Safety National Law (Tasmania) Act 2012 No 38
- Rail Safety National Law National Regulations 2012 (published on the NSW legislation website, as per s265 of the RSNL)
- Regulator: Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator
VIC
- Rail Safety National Law Application Act 2013 No 22
- Rail Safety National Law National Regulations 2012
- Rail Safety National Law (Limited Accreditation Exemptions) Regulations 2014 SR No 31
- Regulator: Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator
WA
- Rail Safety National Law (WA) Act 2015
- Rail Safety National Law (WA) Regulations 2015
- Rail Safety National Law (WA) (Alcohol and Drug Testing) Regulations 2015
- Regulator: Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator
Road
- Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL)
- Heavy Vehicle (Fatigue Management) National Regulation
- Heavy Vehicle (General) National Regulation
- Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation
- Heavy Vehicle (Vehicle Standards) National Regulation
- Regulator: National Heavy Vehicle Regulator
ACT
NSW
QLD
SA
TAS
VIC
WA
- Road Traffic Act 1974
- Road Traffic (Authorisation to Drive) Regulation 2014
- Road Traffic (Vehicles) Regulation 2014
- Regulator: Main Roads WA
You made it to the bottom of the list! Nice work!! Remember, this list is not exhaustive, and is always changing, so check with your legal team regarding the specific legislation that applies to your business or undertaking.
PAGE CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW. LAST UPDATE MAY 2024
