WorkSafe is a division of the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) and its role is the regulation of workplace safety and health in accordance with the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984 (the OSH Act).

The principal objective of the occupational safety and health (OSH) laws is to promote and secure the safety and health of people at the workplace.

As a division of DMIRS, WorkSafe works to support a state-wide business environment that is productive, innovative, fair and safe. The development of a world class regulatory environment and enforcing the law in respect of safety and health in Western Australian workplaces has priority focus within the agency.

WorkSafe’s Vision and Mission are – 

Vision – safe and healthy Western Australian workplaces.

Mission – to inspire employers and workers to ensure workplaces are safe through partnership, education and enforcement.

WorkSafe’s collaborative approach with industry, employers and the workforce is focused on:

• influencing the commercial environment in Western Australia to ensure the achievement of best safety and health outcomes in the workplace;
• empowering business and community partners to lead in the reduction of workplace hazards and associated risks to health;
• developing a modern, world class regulatory environment;
• enforcing the law; and
• strengthening organisational capacity to assist business operators and workers to manage OSH effectively.

Our approach to ensuring compliance by employers and businesses is tailored to workplace circumstances and presenting risk. Our model for compliance extends from education, capacity building and preventative measures through enforcement. 

To ensure businesses, employers, workers and organisations are fully aware of their occupational safety and health obligations and how to meet them, WorkSafe provides educational information in a variety of formats. 

When WorkSafe receives a complaint about workplace safety it is assessed for potential regulatory action.  This may result in WorkSafe visiting the relevant workplace and taking steps to enforce the laws.  WorkSafe will only contact the complainant if additional information is required.

The scope of the OSH Act does not include every workplace. Workplaces and work activities in general industry will normally be included, excepting for those in mining and petroleum, and those covered under the Federal Comcare jurisdiction.

Securing a safe future

Online information and education –WorkSafe’s website has a wide range of industry information. It also has two online interactive training and education programs for secondary and tertiary level students. 

The WorkSafe Plan Assessment System – organisations can measure and assess their occupational safety and health performance using the WorkSafe Plan. When assessment is undertaken by an appropriately qualified assessor and the organisation meets set criteria for performance, they are eligible to receive WorkSafe Plan certificates of achievement.

Further information

• About WorkSafe, inspectors and notices
• The global code of integrity for labour inspection