Legal obligations to consider when managing musculoskeletal disorder risks

Learn about employers’ legal obligations to manage the risks of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), and worker rights and responsibilities.

Legal duties to consider when managing musculoskeletal disorder risks webinar

Know your legal obligations

Watch this short webinar to learn more about your legal duties to consider when managing MSD risks (such as sprains and strains).

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Workers' rights and safety

As a worker, you are entitled to a healthy and safe work environment that protects you from harm. You have the right to be informed about, and to refuse, unsafe work practices that may expose you to the risks of MSDs. Ensuring a safe workplace is not only a legal requirement but also a fundamental right for every worker.

Businesses legal obligations

The Work Health and Safety (WHS) Act 2011 and the WHS Regulation 2025 place a range of duties on businesses, legally known as persons conducting a business or undertakings. As a business, you must ensure the health and safety of workers and others at your workplace, so far as is reasonably practicable (WHS Act section 19). Key duties include:

  • Consulting with workers who are (or are likely to be) directly affected by a matter relating to work health and safety.
  • Identifying reasonably foreseeable hazards that may lead to risks to health and safety relating to an MSD, such as hazardous manual tasks, work environment and psychosocial hazards.
  • Eliminating risks to health and safety so far as is reasonably practicable.
  • If it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate the health and safety risk, minimising the risk by applying the hierarchy of control measures.
  • Reviewing control measures to ensure they remain effective and that other risks haven’t been introduced.
  • Providing information, training and instruction to workers that is suitable and adequate.

Workers’ legal obligations

As a worker you have a legal obligation to:

  • Take reasonable care for your own health and safety.
  • Take reasonable care that your acts or omissions do not adversely affect the health and safety of other persons.
  • Comply with any reasonable work health and safety instruction from your employer.
  • Co-operate with any reasonable policy or procedure relating to health or safety at work.

Related information

Visit the Musculoskeletal Disorders Page for a full list of resources and guidance.

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