News & Alerts
Current safety alerts and information relevant to schools 

🔗WorkSafe WHS TRAINING for young and STUDENT WORKERS

WorkSafe WA has updated its SMARTMOVE ONLINE INITIATIVE TO EDUCATE YOUNG AND STUDENT WORKERS about work health and safety (WHS), teaching them about potential hazards, their rights and responsibilities, and helping them prepare for work experience and the workplace. Training modules include general safety and industry-specific safety in particular work environments, with the same modules available in alternative formats for learners with diverse needs. The SmartMove site and modules are freely available online, on demand.   

🔗SafeWork NSW- MENTAL HEALTH INSPECTORATE

A PSYCHOSOCIAL SAFETY ARM has been created WITHIN THE SAFEWORK NSW INSPECTORATE. The new group of inspectors has specialised expertise to help prevent and address workplace psychosocial risks before injury and claims occur. Their powers include directing psychological injury prevention and recovery actions, issuing penalities, enforcing compliance, responding to psychosocial incidents, and providing a tailored Advisory Service to help workers and business owners manage psychosocial safety at work.   

🔗Report of INDUSTRY FEEDBACK - review of Australia's model WHS laws

SafeWork Australia has published the results of its 2025 consultative INDUSTRY REVIEW OF AUSTRALIA'S MODEL WHS LAWS. Industry feedback will inform SafeWork's 2026 report to WHS Ministers, and includes industry concerns about jurisdictional legislation and enforcement variations, legal complexity, and the need to address emerging risks, including digital work, artificial intelligence and climate‑related hazards.   

🔗PETROL STOCKPILING during fuel shortage

WorkSafe VIC has isued a safety alert in the wake of UNSAFE TRANSPORT AND HANDLING OF PETROL during 'panic' buying caused by fuel shortages. Being a highly flammable Dangerous Good, unsafe storage, handling or transport of petrol can cause explosions and fires, serious or fatal injuries and large-scale damage to property or the environment. The warning outlines safety concerns and required risk controls for storing petrol. 

🔗WORK EXPERIENCE student - serious burn injury

A Victorian automotive repair company (Harnah Pty Ltd) has been fined without conviction following the SERIOUS BURN INJURY OF A 15-YEAR-OLD WORK EXPERIENCE STUDENT. There was a breach in the company's undertaking to train and supervise the student, who was unaware of procedures that should have been followed to safely depressurise a radiator system. Working on his assigned task unsupervised, hot coolant expelled from the radiator, burned his face, hands and chest, required multiple skin grafts, and left him with ongoing psychological trauma.    

🔗New Model Code - Managing the Risks of BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS

Following industry consultation, SafeWork Australia has released a new model CODE OF PRACTICE: MANAGING THE RISKS OF BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS AT WORK. The Code provides practical guidance for identifying and managing the risks to human health arising from workplace- and work-related biological hazards (e.g. infectious viruses, bacteria, parasites, prions, and fungi; and organic allergens, irritants, toxins and venoms).