WHS Regulations 2011
The Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 (WHS Regulations) are the primary operational regulations under the WHS Act. They turn the Act’s broad duties into specific, practical requirements that apply to most workplaces. Like the Act, the model Regulations are adopted (and enforced) by each jurisdiction as its own law; Victoria instead has its own OHS Regulations, which are broadly similar but differ in detail.
This page is not legal advice. For specific compliance questions, consult a qualified health and safety advisor or lawyer.
What the WHS Regulations cover
Section titled “What the WHS Regulations cover”The WHS Regulations are broad. The main areas relevant to most small and medium businesses are:
Risk management
Section titled “Risk management”The regulations set out the risk management process PCBUs must follow — this is the regulatory underpinning of the “identify, assess, control, review” cycle that is central to SteadyOn.
Key requirements:
- Identify hazards that could give rise to risks to health and safety
- Eliminate risks so far as is reasonably practicable, or if not, minimise them using the hierarchy of controls
- Maintain and review control measures so they remain effective
- Review controls in defined circumstances — for example after an incident, when a new hazard is identified, or when consulted to do so by a health and safety representative
SteadyOn support: The Hazard Register directly maps to these requirements. Each hazard record captures the identified hazard, risk assessment (likelihood × consequence), control measures in place, and a review date. The BRAG status flags when a review is overdue.
Specific hazard management
Section titled “Specific hazard management”A large part of the WHS Regulations is organised into chapters that set specific duties for particular hazards. The areas most relevant to small and medium businesses include:
- Hazardous manual tasks — tasks involving repetitive or sustained force, awkward postures, or high force; must be assessed and controlled
- Noise — exposure standard for noise, hearing protection, and audiometric testing where required
- Plant and structures — machinery, equipment, and vehicles: guarding, maintenance, registration of certain plant, and operator competency
- Hazardous chemicals — storage, labelling, safety data sheets (SDS), a chemical register, and a placarding/manifest regime for larger quantities
- Confined spaces — entry permits, atmospheric testing, and standby arrangements
- Falls — managing the risk of falls from height
- Asbestos — identification, asbestos registers, and management plans for buildings that may contain asbestos
- Electrical safety and remote or isolated work
SteadyOn support: Each of these maps to one or more hazards in your Hazards module. The BRAG system ensures these hazards are reviewed regularly. Competency requirements (for example, a high-risk work licence to operate certain plant) are tracked by adding the relevant Training Course and making it a Requirement of the operator Role. Registers and safety data sheets are stored in the Documents module.
Emergency plans
Section titled “Emergency plans”PCBUs must prepare, maintain, and implement an emergency plan for the workplace. The plan must provide for:
- Emergency procedures, including an effective response to an emergency
- Evacuation procedures
- Notifying emergency services at the earliest opportunity
- Medical treatment and assistance
- Effective communication between the person coordinating the emergency response and everyone at the workplace
- Testing of the emergency procedures, including their frequency
- Information, training, and instruction for relevant workers
SteadyOn support: Emergency plans themselves are documents — store and version-control them in the Documents module. The Inspections module can be used to schedule and record emergency drill testing. The Roles, People, and Training modules track First Aid and Warden competence for the people who will respond. See Emergency plans for the related Code of Practice.
Workplace facilities
Section titled “Workplace facilities”The regulations require PCBUs to ensure adequate facilities are provided for workers, including toilets, drinking water, washing facilities, and eating areas, and that they are maintained and accessible. These requirements scale with the number of workers and the nature of the work.
SteadyOn support: Facility adequacy is best assessed through regular workplace inspections. Use the Inspections module (General Workplace Inspection template) to check and record facility compliance on a scheduled basis.
Documentation requirements
Section titled “Documentation requirements”The WHS Regulations require certain records to be kept (for example, a hazardous chemicals register, plant maintenance records, and audiometric test results), and documented records are your evidence of compliance more generally. Key things to document in SteadyOn:
| Requirement | Where to record in SteadyOn |
|---|---|
| Identified hazards and risk assessments | Hazards |
| Control measures for each hazard | Hazards — Control measures field |
| Review and monitoring of controls | Hazards — Review date + Log tab |
| Emergency plan (the document itself) | Documents |
| Emergency drill test results | Inspections |
| Hazardous chemical register and SDS | Documents |
| Plant maintenance and inspection records | Inspections |
Relationship to the WHS Act
Section titled “Relationship to the WHS Act”The WHS Regulations are made under the WHS Act and must be read alongside it. The Act sets the duty; the regulations specify the minimum standard for discharging it. Where the regulations are silent, the Act’s general duty (“so far as is reasonably practicable”) still applies, and the relevant Codes of Practice provide practical guidance on how to comply.
See WHS Act 2011 and the Australian Regulatory Framework for the broader picture.