Work Health and Safety

Information provided by the Australian Sports Commission

Everyone has a right to be safe at work. This includes the paid and volunteer workers who contribute in many different ways to Australia’s diverse sporting organisations and clubs.

New work health and safety (WHS) laws may mean the responsibilities and duties of your sporting club have changed.

Since the Commonwealth’s Work Health and Safety ACT 2012 came into effect on 1 January 2012, states and territories have harmonised their WHS laws with the Act. This means that people conducting a business or undertaking (organisations and clubs) and workers (including volunteers) are protected by the same WHS laws across Australia. It provides greater consistency, certainty and clarity about WHS laws, making it easier to understand your WHS duties.

Under the WHS laws, some sporting organisations and clubs may need to take new actions to comply with the WHS Act and their state and territory WHS Codes of Conduct and Regulations.