OH&S Acts

In Australia, states and territories have responsibility for making laws about occupational health and safety (OH&S) and for enforcing those laws. Each state and territory has a principal OH&S Act, setting out requirements for ensuring that workplaces are safe and healthy. These requirements spell out the duties of different groups of people who play a role in workplace health and safety.

OH&S Regulations and Codes of Practice

Some workplace hazards have the potential to cause so much injury or disease that specific regulations or codes of practice are warranted. These regulations and codes, adopted under state and territory OH&S Acts, explain the duties of particular groups of people in controlling the risks associated with specific hazards. Note that:

• Regulations are legally enforceable.
• Codes of Practice provide advice on how to meet regulatory requirements. As such, codes are not legally enforceable, but they can be used in courts as evidence that legal requirements have or have not been met.