These publications are designed to help WA organisations and their associated workforces (including volunteers) understand the new Work Health and Safety laws.

Statement of Regulatory Intent

This Statement from the regulator provides the principles for the regulatory approach that WorkSafe (inclusive of the general industries, mines safety and petroleum safety inspectorates) will use during the first twelve months upon implementation of the work health and safety (WHS) legislation in WA.

The Statement of Regulatory Intent is available on www.wa.gov.au.

WorkSafe policies

These policies support the Statement of Regulatory Intent and provide a framework for how decisions by the regulator and WorkSafe will be made.

• WorkSafe compliance and enforcement policy (www.wa.gov.au)
• WorkSafe prosecution policy (www.wa.gov.au)
• WHS undertakings policy (www.wa.gov.au) 

Overviews of the new WHS laws

Overview documents provide Information on the new WHS laws coming into effect in 2022. Guidance for mines and petroleum regulations will be released at a later date.

• Western Australia's Work Health and Safety Act 2020 - guide (dmirs.wa.gov.au)
• Overview of Western Australia’s Work Health and Safety (General) Regulations 2022 (dmirs.wa.gov.au)
• Work Health and Safety (Mines) Regulations 2022 comparison table – Information sheet (dmirs.wa.gov.au)

Interpretive guidelines

Describe how the WHS regulator believes key concepts in the WHS Act will operate and provide an indication of how the laws will be enforced.

• The meaning of 'person conducting a business or undertaking’ (PCBU) – interpretive guideline (www.wa.gov.au)
• How to determine what is reasonably practicable to meet a health and safety duty - interpretive guideline (www.wa.gov.au)
• Discriminatory, coercive and misleading conduct - interpretive guideline (www.wa.gov.au)
• The health and safety duty of an officer (www.wa.gov.au)
• Duty of persons conducting business or undertakings that provide services relating to work health and safety (www.wa.gov.au)

Guides

• Guide to Work Health and Safety for volunteer organisations - This guide provides information on how the WHS Act applies to organisations that engage volunteers.