Hospitals

This page is about the risks hospital workers face and provides resources about how to prevent injuries from occurring.

On this page

The hospital sector includes workers who provide care and physical assistance to patients in a public or private hospital setting.

The risks

Hospital workers face many risks in the workplace, including:

  • muscular stress from hazardous manual tasks and patient handling
  • slips, trips and falls

  • workplace violence and aggression

  • psychosocial hazards where aspects of the job, including role overload, low job control, conflict or poor workplace relationships and bullying, can cause a stress response.

These hazards may also impact security staff, kitchen workers, laundry workers, cleaners, and administration staff.

Resources

The following resources help employers and workers identify hazards in the workplace and prevent injuries from occurring.

WHS responsibilities in hospitals

A picture of a poster detailing the WHS responsibilities in hospitals.
WHS responsibilities poster

Whether you're a worker, manager, patient, or visitor, you have an important role to play in keeping a hospital safe.

SafeWork NSW has produced a poster to display in your hospital (pictured) to help promote work health and safety.

The poster outlines the responsibilities for:

  • decision makers
  • managers and supervisors
  • workers and contractors
  • patients and visitors.

It will help stakeholders quickly identify their role in making a positive impact on health and safety for everyone.

Download the poster (PDF, 137.75 KB)

 

View the accessible version of the WHS responsibilities poster

Responsibilities of hospital staff

All workers and contractors must:

  • understand and apply their WHS duties. For more details, see Legal obligations.
  • report health and safety hazards, injuries, and incidents in line with hospital procedures
  • participate in processes for consultation in procurement of plant and equipment (e.g. patient transfer equipment) to ensure suitability for tasks and management of health and safety risks
  • follow health and safety procedures
  • take reasonable care of your own health and safety, and the health and safety of others, and follow instructions and rules.
  • participate in health and safety training and consultation
  • use safety equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE) as instructed. For more details, see PPE.
  • leave the workplace in safe condition.

Responsibilities of decision makers and managers

In addition to the responsibilities above, if you are in a leadership position in a hospital you have extra duties. This includes managers and supervisors, as well as decision makers at the following levels:

  • hospital/district
  • department
  • work area/unit.

Decision makers and managers/supervisors must:

Decision makers must also notify SafeWork NSW if a serious injury or illness, death or dangerous incident occurs. For more details, see Incident notification.

Senior decision makers (hospital, district, and department level) have more responsibilities. They must:

If you’re senior decision maker at the hospital or district level, you must also ensure appropriate resources and processes are available, so hospital workers are healthy and safe. For more details, see Code of Practice: How to manage work health and safety risks (PDF, 556.72 KB).

Responsibilities of patients and visitors

Patients and visitors must:

  • take reasonable care of your own health and safety, and the health and safety of others, and follow instructions and rules.
  • use safety equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE) as instructed. For more details, see PPE.
  • leave the workplace in safe condition.

Moving and handling people

  • SafeWork NSW has an incident animation that shows how a musculoskeletal disorder can occur when handling people in a health, aged care, rehabilitation, or disability support services setting. It highlights the issues and contributing factors that led to the incident as well as what can be done to prevent them from occurring.

  • Our Hazardous manual tasks Code of Practice (PDF, 1499.23 KB) can help you create a safer work environment.

Managing psychosocial hazards

Image of three posters showing a nurse, doctor and allied health practitioner
Managing psychosocial hazards posters

Display these posters in your workplace to help educate staff about psychosocial hazards and where to get help. Click on the links to download.

SafeWork NSW has also developed the Code of Practice for Managing psychosocial hazards at work.

If you're experiencing bullying or other psychosocial hazards in your workplace you may raise the issue with SafeWork NSW by completing our request for service form. We can help within the scope of our legislative responsibilities.

Read about how we can help or call us on 13 10 50 for more information.

 

Contact SafeWork NSW to arrange a workplace visit by one of our trained Inspectors. Our Inspector will conduct a hazard identification inspection with your workers and managers, and recommend changes to existing practices or the work environment to reduce the risk of injury.

Systems thinking toolkit

Systems thinking is a way of thinking about the world that helps us better understand and improve outcomes in complex systems.

Find out more about systems thinking by watching this introductory video.

These resources provide practical steps and guidance on how to apply systems thinking to address work-related violence (WRV) in hospitals.

Download an overview of systems thinking for preventing WRV in hospitals (PDF, 168.66 KB).

Multi-level risk assessment toolkit

Provides guidance on managing risks associated with WRV from a system perspective, with tools for stakeholders at various system levels.

Preventing work-related violence systems thinking in incident investigations guide

Guidance about systems thinking principles for WRV incident investigations. Case studies are provided to show how principles can be applied in practice.

Download the guide (PDF, 457.77 KB).

Reporting culture improvement roadmap

Roadmap for initiatives for improving WRV reporting culture across timescales (i.e., short, medium, and long-term) and systems levels.

Download the roadmap (PDF, 209.52 KB).

Read more about how these resources were developed below.

Prevention by design (work environment) resource

Work design is a structured approach that helps you understand your work environment and implement specific changes to eliminate or reduce work health and safety (WHS) risks to your workers.

To support NSW hospitals in addressing work-related violence and aggression, SafeWork NSW has developed a catalogue of Australian and international work design resources. It helps you find materials to suit your specific needs.

This resource is part of the Action Against Violence in NSW Hospitals Working Group. This group focuses on improving safety and wellbeing in the NSW hospital sector.

Explore the resource catalogue today and take the next step toward a safer work environment in your workplace.

Download the resource catalogue (PDF, 2884.65 KB)

Using Work Design to Prevent Work-Related Violence in NSW Hospitals

SafeWork NSW has released a new educational webinar series focused on preventing and managing work-related violence and aggression in NSW hospitals through effective work design.

This series is a key deliverable from the Action Against Violence in NSW Hospitals Working Group, supporting health care professionals with practical tools and strategies to create safer hospital environments.

Webinar Series Overview

The series includes four informative videos:

1. Good Work Design in NSW hospitals

An introductory video that explains how work design can help address work-related violence in hospital settings. It is based on principles from the SafeWork NSW Designing Work to Manage Psychosocial Risks Guide.

2. Psychosocial Hazard Redesign Tool (PHReD-T) Webinars

A three-part webinar that demonstrates how to use the PHReD-T tool through a case study set in a NSW hospital emergency department.

This educational package is designed to build capability in:

  • Preventing work-related violence
  • Managing incidents effectively
  • Investigating workplace violence in health care settings

Disclaimer

This webinar series may contain information about the regulation and enforcement of work health and safety in NSW. It may include some of your obligations under some of the legislation that SafeWork NSW administers. To ensure you comply with your legal obligations you must refer to the appropriate legislation. Information on the latest laws can be viewed on the NSW legislation website. This webinar series does not represent a comprehensive statement of the law as it applies to particular problems or to individuals or as a substitute for legal advice. You should seek independent legal advice if you need assistance on the application of the law to your situation.

Hazardous chemicals

Exposure to chemicals is 100% preventable. Without the proper controls chemical exposure can cause cancer, respiratory illnesses, skin and eye irritations, as well as fire and explosion-related injuries. In a hospital setting some examples of hazardous chemicals include formaldehyde and cytotoxic drugs.

Our Hazardous Chemicals Code of Practice (PDF, 1171.43 KB) can help you manage hazardous chemicals in the workplace.

Information about clinical handling of cytotoxic drugs and related waste is available in our cytotoxic drugs and related waste risk management guide (PDF, 2798.43 KB).

Action Against Violence in NSW Hospitals Working Group

SafeWork NSW facilitated a systems-thinking project in response to the increasing incidence of work-related violence in NSW hospitals. Following this project, the Action Against Violence in NSW Hospitals Working Group was established to drive collaborative action across the hospitals sector. The group held its final meeting on 19 September 2025 in Sydney.

The Working Group brought together representatives from:

  • the NSW Ministry of Health
  • NSW Local Health Districts
  • Unions (Health Services Union, NSW Nurses and Midwives Association, Australian Salaried Medical Officers Federation)
  • NSW Ambulance
  • NSW Police
  • private hospitals (Healthscope Operations, Ramsay Health Care, Healthe Care)
  • Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network
  • SafeWork NSW.

Throughout its operation, the group developed strategies, priorities and initiatives to address work-related violence in NSW hospitals. These resources remain available to support PCBUs in improving workplace safety.

Transition to the Hospitals Industry Action Group

With the conclusion of the Action Against Violence in NSW Hospitals Working Group, SafeWork NSW is now supporting the formation of a Hospitals Industry Action Group. While violence in hospitals remains a significant and ongoing concern, and will continue to be a key focus, the new group will take a broader approach to hospital safety. Its expanded scope will include other risks such as psychosocial hazards, musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), and emerging health and safety challenges in hospital environments.

The Working Group’s legacy will continue through the broader efforts of the Hospitals Industry Action Group.

Enforceable undertakings in the hospital sector

An enforceable undertaking is a legally binding agreement between us and the person who proposed the undertaking.

The person is obliged to carry out the specific activities outlined in the undertaking. The activities may be substantial.

Read more about a recent enforceable undertaking in the sector:

 
Safety information for your sector

On this page

Managing harms

The nature of the work in this sector presents specific hazards for workers. It is important you know what the hazards are in your workplace so you can assess the risks they pose.

Find a list of common hazards and learn how to manage the risks below.

SafeWork NSW activities

Industry action report

SafeWork NSW has released a practical, co-designed guide to help employers address burnout, an escalating issue in the HCSA sector. This Industry Action Report offers clear, evidence-based strategies to manage burnout risks at the organisational level, where the biggest impact can be made.

Drawing on local and international research, the report highlights key drivers like excessive workloads, poor culture, and low peer support. It reinforces employers’ legal duty to manage psychosocial hazards.

In the end, safer work leads to safer care.

Download the report (PDF, 1880.72 KB).

When to notify SafeWork NSW

If there is a serious injury, illness, dangerous incident, or death relating to staff, customers or visitors to your worksite or your place of employment (even if it's off-site), you must report it to us immediately.

Incidents can be notified 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling 13 10 50. If you're unsure of whether to notify, use Safe Work Australia's Incident notification information sheet to help you decide. Read more about notifying SafeWork NSW.

Codes of practice and your legal obligations

Healthcare and social assistance industry

PCBUs in the health care and social assistance sector can refer to the Healthcare and social assistance industry Code of practice. The Code includes practical examples relevant to hospitals, aged care, and disability support services, helping duty holders manage common WHS risks.

Hazardous chemicals

Exposure to chemicals is 100% preventable. Without the proper controls chemical exposure can cause cancer, respiratory illnesses, skin and eye irritations, as well as fire and explosion-related injuries.

Our Hazardous Chemicals Code of Practice (PDF, 1171.43 KB) to help you manage hazardous chemicals in the workplace.

Manual tasks

For many businesses, manual tasks are an important part of getting the job done. Some of these tasks can be hazardous and are often the most common cause of workplace injuries.

Our Hazardous manual tasks Code of Practice (PDF, 1499.23 KB) can help you create a safer work environment.

Psychosocial hazards at work

NSW businesses need to manage exposure to psychosocial hazards and risks to psychological and physical health and safety at work.

Our Managing psychosocial hazards at work code of practice can help you manage psychosocial hazards at work.

Managing the work environment and facilities (remote and isolated work)

Download SafeWork NSW's Code of Practice for Managing the work environment and facilities (PDF, 422.29 KB).

Resources

Translated resources

There is a range of support and information available to you if you’re faced with a difficult situation at work.

The getting support at work pocket guide (PDF, 182.07 KB) is your starting point to finding the support you need. It is available in the following languages:

Visit our translated resources hub for other print, web and multimedia resources.

Videos

This video discusses making the health and safety of workers a priority within the health care and social assistance sector.

Subtitles are available in the following languages: Arabic, Nepali, Punjabi, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Filipino (Tagalog) and Vietnamese.

This video explains how we help the health care and social assistance sector provide safer work, safer care.

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