Heads of Workplace Safety Authorities

Glenn Farrell, SafeWork SA’s Executive Director, continued to be South Australia’s representative of the Heads of Workplace Safety Authorities (HWSA).

During the 2024-2025 financial year, HWSA members considered a range of topics, including the following:

  • compliance campaigns to monitor enforcement with the prohibition of processing engineered stone
  • criminalisation of industrial manslaughter
  • the Australian Government’s National Hydrogen Strategy 2024 and codes of practice
  • the indicators and targets of the Silica National Strategic Plan 2024-30
  • the ‘People at Work’ survey
  • slips trips and falls in the workplace.

HWSA Planning Day

On 3 October 2024, SafeWork SA hosted the Heads of Workplace Safety Authorities (HWSA) Members’ Meeting, with members from other states and territories attending.

On 4 October 2024, SafeWork SA hosted the Heads of Workplace Safety Authorities (HWSA) Planning Day, to enable members to plan priorities for consideration during the next calendar year.

2025 WHS Regulators Forum

SafeWork SA hosted the four-day 2025 WHS Regulators Forum at Adelaide Oval from 31 March to 3 April 2025 following previous in Queensland and New South Wales in 2023 and 2024.

The event comprised of two two-day forums – the Investigations Forum and the Enforceable Undertaking Forum – and was attended by a total of about 150 WHS professionals from across Australia and New Zealand.

SafeWork SA staff attending the 2025 WHS Regulators Forum at Adelaide Oval.

Safe Work Australia

As the South Australian Work Health and Safety regulator, Glenn Farrell, SafeWork SA’s Executive Director, continued to be South Australia’s representative of Safe Work Australia.

Safe Work Australia develops national policy relating to work health and safety and workers’ compensation in consultation with its members.

During the 2024-2025 financial year, Safe Work Australia members considered a range of topics, including the following:

  • model codes of practice regarding managing fatigue risks at work, crystalline silica substances, and the healthcare and social assistance industry
  • the Asbestos National Strategic Plan Phase Three 2024–30
  • the application of the primary work health and safety duty to modern work arrangements including crowd platforms regarding the gig economy
  • a national policy approach to workers’ compensation and the gig economy.