Penalties for work health and safety offences
View the penalty units and maximum penalties for offences under work health and safety legislation in New South Wales for the current financial year.
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Work health and safety laws place duties on PCBUs, officers, workers and other persons at a workplace. Failing to meet these duties can result in prosecution and penalties.
The tables below list the penalties courts may impose under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act 2011) and Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 (WHS Regulation 2025).
SafeWork NSW can also issue on-the-spot penalty notices for certain offences. These are set at a fixed amount and don't require the same calculation. Read more about penalty notices.
Increase to penalty provisions – Work Health and Safety Amendment Act 2023
Penalty unit amount calculated under section 242B of the WHS Act 2011.
Financial year | Penalty unit amount |
|---|---|
2026 – 2027 | $128.36 |
2025 – 2026 | $123.31 |
2024 – 2025 | $120.42 |
Increase to penalty provisions – Work Health and Safety Amendment (Review) Act 2020
Schedule 2 – Consequential amendments to the WHS Act
Penalty unit amount calculated under section 242B of the WHS Act 2011.
Financial year | Penalty unit amount |
|---|---|
2023 – 2024 | $115.29 |
2022 – 2023 | $107.47 |
2021– 2022 | $102.95 |
2020 – 2021 | $102.00 |
2019 – 2020 | $100.00 |
WHS Act 2011 penalties
The penalties for individuals and body corporates for the 2026/2027 financial year are in the tables below.
The penalty unit value for the current financial year is $128.36. For previous financial years refer to section 242B of the WHS Act 2011.
View penalties from past financial years.
2026/27 penalties for individuals
Section | Penalty units | Maximum penalty |
|---|---|---|
31(1) | 9,038 | $1,160,117 or 10 years imprisonment |
31(1) – Individual as a PCBU or officer of a PCBU | 18,805 | $2,413,809 or 10 years imprisonment |
32 | 1,813 | $232,716 |
32 – Individual as a PCBU or officer of a PCBU | 3,626 | $465,433 |
33 | 607 | $77,914 |
33 – Individual as a PCBU or offier of a PCBU | 1,214 | $779,145 |
38(1), 39(1), 52(5), 56(2), 61(4), 70(1) and (2), 71(2), 72(7), 79(1), (3), and (4), 155(5), 165(2), 171(6), 177(2) and (6), 185(4), 188, 189, 268 (1) and (2), and 271 (2) and (4) | 121 | $15,531 |
38(7),75(1), 97(1) & (2), 210 and 273 | 61 | $7,829 |
41, 99(2), 193, 200(1), 219 and 242(1) | 607 | $77,914 |
42-46 and 47(1) | 243 | $31,191 |
53, 57 and 74(1) | 25 | $3,209 |
104(1), 107, 108(1), 109(1) and 197 | 1,206 | $154,802 |
118(3), 124-126, 128, 129, 143, 144(1), 145, 146, 147(1) and 148 | 121 | $15,531 |
123 | 243 | $31,191 |
149(1) – WHS civil penalty provision | 25 | $3,209 |
150 – WHS civil penalty provision | 61 | $7,829 |
190 | 607 | $77,914 |
197D | 1,206 | $154,802 |
229B(4) | 1,200 | $154,032 |
272A(1)(a) | 250 | $32,090 |
272A(1)(b) | 607 | $77,914 |
272B(1) | 1,250 | $160,450 |
273A | 243 | $31,191 |
276(3)(h) | 365 | $46,851 |
Schedule 5, Section 3 | 250 | $32,090 |
2026/27 penalties for body corporates
Section | Penalty units | Maximum penalty |
|---|---|---|
31(1) | 90,424 | $11,606,824 |
32 | 18,128 | $2,326,910 |
33 | 6,070 | $779,145 |
38(1), 39(1), 52(5), 56(2), 61(4), 70(1) and (2), 71(2), 72(7), 79(1), (3), and (4), 155(5), 165(2), 171(6), 177(2) and (6), 185(4), 188, 189, 268 (1) and (2), and 271 (2) and (4) | 607 | $77,914 |
38(7),75(1), 97(1) & (2), 210 and 273 | 304 | $39,021 |
41, 99(2), 193, 200(1), 219 and 242(1) | 3,036 | $389,700 |
42-46 and 47(1) | 1,214 | $155,829 |
53, 57 and 74(1) | 121 | $15,531 |
104(1), 107, 108(1), 109(1) and 197 | 6,028 | $773,754 |
118(3), 124-126, 128, 129, 143, 144(1), 145, 146, 147(1) and 148 | 607 | $77,914 |
150 – WHS civil penalty provision | 304 | $39,021 |
190 | 3,036 | $389,700 |
197D | 6,028 | $773,754 |
229B(4) | 1,200 | $154,032 |
272A(1)(a) | 1,250 | $160,450 |
272A(1)(b) | 3,036 | $389,700 |
| 273A | 1,214 | $155,829 |
276(3)(h) | 365 | $46,851 |
Schedule 5, Section 3 | 250 | $32,090 |
Schedule 2 – Amendment of WHS Regulation 2025 penalties
The penalties for individuals and body corporates for the 2026/2027 financial year are in the tables below.
The penalty unit value is $128.36. For previous financial years refer to section 242B of the WHS Act 2011.
View penalties from past financial years.
Penaties for individuals
Section | Penalty units | Maximum penalty |
|---|---|---|
19, 22, 46, 47, 50(3), 66(2) and (5), 68, 70, 77(5), 85(1)–(3), 149, 150(1) and (2), 151, 162(4), 165(1), 176(2), 182(4), 184B, 184C, 184K, 187, 188, 195, 196, 198, 200, 213, 224, 235, 236, 239, 253, 254, 294–296, 298, 301, 302, 303(3), 304(2)–(4), 308, 310, 311, 312, 313(3), 316, 317, 327, 336–338, 344(3), (5) and (6), 346(3), 347(3), 369, 371(2), 372, 373, 385, 387, 388, 398(2), 401, 403, 409, 410, 415(2), 425–428, 429(5), 430, 432(5), 433, 438, 439, 446, 448, 451(5), 454, 455, 464(3), 465, 466, 482(3), 529, 529CC(3), 529G(2), 529H, 529I(2), 529J, 547, 548, 551, 553, 555(5), 557(8), 560, 562, 563, 567(4), 570 and 576 | 43 | $5,519 |
39–45, 48, 49, 50(1), 53, 55, 57–59, 61, 64, 65, 67, 69, 71–75, 76(1), 78–80, 84, 142AA, 142B, 142C, 154–161, 163, 164, 166, 168, 177–179, 183, 184N,184O, 184P 184S, 189–194, 197, 199, 201, 202, 204–212, 215, 216, 218, 219, 222, 223, 225, 231–234, 238, 240, 241, 299, 300, 306, 309, 314, 329–335, 339, 340(1) and (2), 343, 344(1), 345, 346(1), 347(1), 348–350, 352–363, 365–368, 370, 371(1), 374–377, 379, 389, 391(2), 395–397, 398(1), 399, 400, 402, 405–408, 411–414, 415(1), 416, 417, 419, 420, 422, 424, 429(2) and (3), 432(2) and (3), 434–437, 440–443, 445(1), 449, 450, 451(2) and (3), 452, 453, 456–460, 462, 463, 464(1), 467–477, 479–481, 482(1) and (2), 483, 484, 529C, 529CA(1), 529CB(1), 529CC(1-2), 529CD(1), 529CE, 529D, 536, 555(1) and (4), 556, 557(1) and (5)–(7), 558, 559, 564–566, 567(1)–(3), 568, 569, 571, 572(1) and 573–575 | 73 | $9,370 |
50(2), 66(3), 76(2), 77(2)–(4), 85(4), 94(1), 96–98, 111, 124–127, 139, 142(1), 142D(1-2), 143I–143K, 143P, 143Q, 143ZD, 150(3), 162(2), (3) and (5), 165(2), 170, 175, 176(3), 180, 181, 182(2), (3) and (5), 184J, 184Q, 226, 228–230, 237, 242, 260, 262, 273, 275, 282, 287, 288, 288D, 303(1), (2) and (4), 304(5), 313(1), (2) and (4), 326, 340(3) and (4), 364, 378, 390, 391(3), 404, 418, 423, 444, 445(3) and (4), 461, 505–507, 512, 513, 525, 529CA(4), 529CD(2-3), 572(4), 587, 588, 593, 594(1) and 607 | 15 | $1,925 |
184R, 184S(2) | 15 | $1,925 |
Penalties for body corporates
Section | Penalty units | Maximum penalty |
|---|---|---|
19, 22, 46, 47, 50(3), 66(2) and (5), 68, 70, 77(5), 85(1)–(3), 149, 150(1) and (2), 151, 162(4), 165(1), 176(2), 182(4), 184B, 184C, 184K, 187, 188, 195, 196, 198, 200, 213, 224, 235, 236, 239, 253, 254, 294–296, 298, 301, 302, 303(3), 304(2)–(4), 308, 310, 311, 312, 313(3), 316, 317, 327, 336–338, 344(3), (5) and (6), 346(3), 347(3), 369, 371(2), 372, 373, 385, 387, 388, 398(2), 401, 403, 409, 410, 415(2), 425–428, 429(5), 430, 432(5), 433, 438, 439, 446, 448, 451(5), 454, 455, 464(3), 465, 466, 482(3), 529, 529CC(3), 529G(2), 529H, 529I(2), 529J, 547, 548, 551, 553, 555(5), 557(8), 560, 562, 563, 567(4), 570 and 576 | 217 | $27,854 |
39–45, 48, 49, 50(1), 53, 55, 57–59, 61, 64, 65, 67, 69, 71–75, 76(1), 78–80, 84, 142AA, 142B, 142C, 154–161, 163, 164, 166, 168, 177–179, 183, 184N,184O, 184P 184S, 189–194, 197, 199, 201, 202, 204–212, 215, 216, 218, 219, 222, 223, 225, 231–234, 238, 240, 241, 299, 300, 306, 309, 314, 329–335, 339, 340(1) and (2), 343, 344(1), 345, 346(1), 347(1), 348–350, 352–363, 365–368, 370, 371(1), 374–377, 379, 389, 391(2), 395–397, 398(1), 399, 400, 402, 405–408, 411–414, 415(1), 416, 417, 419, 420, 422, 424, 429(2) and (3), 432(2) and (3), 434–437, 440–443, 445(1), 449, 450, 451(2) and (3), 452, 453, 456–460, 462, 463, 464(1), 467–477, 479–481, 482(1) and (2), 483, 484, 529C, 529CA(1), 529CB(1), 529CC(1-2), 529CD(1), 529CE, 529D, 536, 555(1) and (4), 556, 557(1) and (5)–(7), 558, 559, 564–566, 567(1)–(3), 568, 569, 571, 572(1) and 573–575 | 364 | $46,723 |
50(2), 66(3), 76(2), 77(2)–(4), 85(4), 94(1), 96–98, 111, 124–127, 139, 142(1), 142D(1-2), 143I–143K, 143P, 143Q, 143ZD, 150(3), 162(2), (3) and (5), 165(2), 170, 175, 176(3), 180, 181, 182(2), (3) and (5), 184J, 184Q, 226, 228–230, 237, 242, 260, 262, 273, 275, 282, 287, 288, 288D, 303(1), (2) and (4), 304(5), 313(1), (2) and (4), 326, 340(3) and (4), 364, 378, 390, 391(3), 404, 418, 423, 444, 445(3) and (4), 461, 505–507, 512, 513, 525, 529CA(4), 529CD(2-3), 572(4), 587, 588, 593, 594(1) and 607 | 75 | $9,627 |
184R, 184S(2) | 15 | $1,925 |