Regulatory priorities
SafeWork NSW's regulatory approach and regulatory priorities for 2026-27.
This Annual Regulatory Statement outlines our key areas for attention over 2026-27. It describes our regulatory approach towards compliance and enforcement, as well as our regulatory priorities targeting harm and prevention.
The priorities outlined in this Annual Regulatory Statement complement, align with, and sit alongside our core regulatory functions as the primary work health and safety regulator for NSW.
Regulatory approach
The following principles guide how SafeWork NSW regulates work health and safety. In 2026-27 SafeWork will:
- put consultation at the centre of healthy and safe work by listening to workers, Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs), unions, industry, stakeholders and other regulators.
- lift safety standards to prevent harm, support health and safe work, and drive lasting change across industries and groups.
- use data, evidence and stakeholder insights to decide where we focus our efforts and to monitor trends and emerging harms for early action.
- make guidance and tools simple, short, practical and easy to use, especially for small businesses and workers who speak English as and additional language.
- match our compliance approach to the risk, using education and capability building for emerging harms and strong enforcement for persistent harms or repeat offenders.
- workers in workplaces are our key regulatory focus.
Regulatory priorities
We will take specific actions to prevent or reduce the risk of death, injury and illnesses in NSW workplaces.
Using data, evidence, stakeholder and community insights and sociopolitical considerations we identified four priority areas for action:
- Falls from heights
- Psychosocial risks
- Hazardous substances
- Mobile plant, vehicles and fixed machinery.
About us
SafeWork NSW is the primary work health and safety regulator in New South Wales.
It operates under the legislative mandate of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act) and is responsible for engaging with the NSW community to prevent work-related fatalities, serious injuries, and illnesses and securing compliance with work health and safety laws.
On 1 July 2025 SafeWork NSW became a standalone regulator under the Work Health and Safety Amendment (Standalone Regulator) Act 2025.
SafeWork NSW led by the SafeWork Commissioner, has clear legislative authority to enforce compliance, promote best practices, and engage meaningfully with workers, unions, and businesses across all industries in NSW.
Learn more about our regulatory priorities (PDF, 107.71 KB).