WorkSafe: The way forward 2023-24 to 2025-26

Following the introduction of the work health and safety legislation, WorkSafe began working on a strategy to focus the direction of the organisation through to the end of the 2025–26 financial year.

WorkSafe: The Way Forward 2023–24 to 2025–26 is a high-level three-year rolling strategy guiding efforts to reduce work-related fatalities, injuries and illnesses, that goes beyond day-to-day regulatory activities. The aim is to drive workplace change through education, specialist advice and enforcement.

The Way Forward describes the goals, priority areas and measures of success for health and safety actions undertaken by WorkSafe to achieve the goals of reducing work-related fatalities by ten per cent and incidents of serious injuries and illness by seven per cent.

To meet the objectives of this strategy, over the next three years, WorkSafe is focusing on four key priorities.

• Priority one: Repeat hazard exposure

• Priority two: Psychosocial hazards

• Priority three: Respiratory hazards

• Priority four: Consultation and representation

It also sets out a strategy to ensure emerging challenges are recognised and addressed in a coordinated and collaborative fashion. Emerging challenges include the rise of artificial intelligence, automation and related technologies, hybrid work, demographic shifts and climate-related risks.

The Way Forward provides an overview of WorkSafe’s commitments for general industry as well as mining and petroleum, so workplaces can better understand why focus areas are targeted, along with the desired outcomes, measures and achievements. The strategy should also contribute to the work of all stakeholders in the work health and safety system, including researchers, experts and practitioners, who play a role in owning, contributing to and realising the vision.

Progress on our commitments will be reported annually.

For more information, the full strategy can be found on our website.