Model work health and safety laws
The model work health and safety laws consist of the Model Work Health and Safety (WHS) Act, supported by model WHS regulations, model Codes of Practice and a National Compliance and Enforcement Policy.
Safe Work Australia is the national policy body responsible for the development and evaluation of the model work health and safety laws. The Commonwealth, states and territories are responsible for regulating and enforcing the laws in their jurisdictions.
The model work health and safety laws are the basis for harmonised laws across Australia. For the model work health and safety laws to become legally binding they need to be enacted or passed by Parliament in each jurisdiction.
Under the Intergovernmental Agreement for Regulatory and Operational Reform in Occupational Health and Safety all jurisdictions have committed to adopting the model work health and safety legislation, with minor variations as necessary to ensure it is consistent with relevant drafting protocols and other laws and processes operating within the jurisdiction.