Work Health & Safety

Nurses and midwives are entitled to a healthy and safe workplace and to compensation and rehabilitation if they are injured at work. The ANMF expects employers to ensure the health and safety of their employees at work and calls on all governments to enact and enforce laws providing for the highest standards of work health and safety.

In 2011, Safe Work Australia (SWA) developed a single set of WHS laws to be implemented across Australia. These are known as ‘model’ laws. For the model WHS laws to become legally binding, the Commonwealth, states and territories separately implement them as their own laws.

WHS regulators in each state and territory and the Commonwealth are responsible for regulating and enforcing the laws in their jurisdictions. The model WHS laws have been implemented in:

• the Commonwealth;
• the Australian Capital Territory;
• New South Wales;
• Northern Territory;
• Queensland;
• South Australia;
• Tasmania; and
• Western Australia

Some jurisdictions have made minor variations to make sure the legislation is consistent with their relevant drafting protocols and other laws and processes. For example, Queensland provides for an industrial manslaughter offence in a Part 2A of its model WHS law.

Victoria has not implemented the model WHS laws.

For further information on model laws see:

• Safe Work Australia
• ACTU OHS