Key Changes in Workplace Health and Safety Regulations in Australia: A Review of 2025 Developments

Posted by Apex Site Safety Audits

Workplace health and safety (WHS) remains a cornerstone of responsible business operations in Australia, particularly within high-risk sectors such as construction. As a leading provider of independent site safety audits and consulting services in Queensland and nationally, Apex Site Safety Audits continually monitors legislative and regulatory updates to ensure our clients maintain compliance and foster safer work environments. The year 2025 brought several significant changes to Australia's WHS framework, driven by evolving risks, stakeholder consultations, and lessons from incident data. These amendments, primarily under the harmonised model Work Health and Safety (WHS) laws adopted by most jurisdictions including Queensland, aimed to address emerging hazards, enhance accountability, and promote preventive measures.

This blog post offers a detailed examination of the key WHS changes implemented in 2025, drawing from updates by Safe Work Australia, Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ), and other regulatory bodies. We will explore the rationale behind these changes, their specific implications for businesses—especially in construction—and practical steps for implementation. By understanding these developments, persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBUs) can better mitigate risks, demonstrate due diligence, and protect their workforce.

1. Enhanced Psychosocial Risk Management Requirements

One of the most prominent shifts in 2025 was the strengthening of obligations around psychosocial hazards, building on the 2023 Code of Practice for Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work. Effective from January 1, 2025, amendments to the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld) (and equivalent regulations in other states) mandated explicit risk assessments for psychosocial factors as part of general duties under section 19 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld).

Key Details:

• Expanded Definitions and Controls: Psychosocial hazards—such as high job demands, low job control, poor support, bullying, harassment, and traumatic events—must now be identified and controlled using the hierarchy of controls. PCBUs are required to implement measures like workload monitoring, anti-bullying policies, and mental health training, with a focus on prevention rather than response.

• Reporting and Consultation: New provisions under regulation 55D require PCBUs to consult workers on psychosocial risk management plans and report notifiable incidents involving psychological harm (e.g., severe stress leading to hospitalisation) to WHSQ within specified timeframes.

• Rationale: This change responded to Safe Work Australia's 2024 data showing a 15% rise in mental health-related claims, with psychosocial factors contributing to over 12% of serious workers' compensation cases. In construction, where long hours, remote work, and high-pressure deadlines are common, these amendments address fatigue and interpersonal conflicts that exacerbate physical risks.

Implications for Construction:

In Queensland's construction sector, where projects often involve multi-tiered subcontracting chains, these changes necessitate updated Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) to include psychosocial elements. For instance, principal contractors must now assess risks like isolation for remote site workers or role ambiguity in fast-tracked builds. Non-compliance could result in improvement notices or penalties up to $720,000 for individuals or $3.6 million for corporations under section 31 of the WHSA.

Practical Steps: Conduct annual psychosocial audits, integrate mental health first aid training into site inductions, and use tools like WHSQ's Psychosocial Risk Assessment Template to document controls.

2. Updates to Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) Controls

Following the 2024 national ban on engineered stone, 2025 saw further refinements to RCS exposure standards under the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld), effective July 1, 2025. These amendments lowered permissible exposure limits and expanded monitoring requirements for construction and manufacturing activities involving silica-containing materials.

Key Details:

• Lower Exposure Limits: The workplace exposure standard for RCS was reduced from 0.05 mg/m³ to 0.02 mg/m³ (8-hour time-weighted average), with a new short-term exposure limit of 0.1 mg/m³ over 15 minutes. This aligns with International Agency for Research on Cancer classifications of RCS as a Group 1 carcinogen.

• Mandatory Controls and Monitoring: PCBUs must implement engineering controls (e.g., wet cutting, local exhaust ventilation) as the primary measure, supplemented by respiratory protective equipment (RPE) where necessary. Annual air monitoring is now required for high-risk tasks, with records retained for 30 years.

• Health Surveillance: Expanded requirements for health monitoring, including baseline spirometry and chest X-rays for workers exposed above action levels, with results shared with WHSQ upon request.

• Rationale: Driven by a surge in silicosis cases—over 600 reported nationally since 2018—these changes aim to prevent occupational lung diseases. Construction activities like concrete cutting, grinding, and demolition account for 40% of RCS exposures, per Safe Work Australia reports.

Implications for Construction:

Queensland's building boom amplifies these risks, with non-compliance potentially leading to prohibition notices or prosecutions. Principal contractors must ensure subcontractors' SWMS incorporate RCS controls, and labour hire firms must verify worker health surveillance.

Practical Steps: Invest in compliant tools (e.g., HEPA-filtered vacuums), conduct site-specific RCS risk assessments, and partner with accredited hygienists for monitoring. Apex offers specialised RCS audits to verify compliance.

3. Strengthened Duties for Gig Economy and Labour Hire Workers

Amendments to the WHSA in mid-2025 clarified duties for PCBUs in non-traditional work arrangements, including gig platforms and labour hire in construction. Effective September 1, 2025, new provisions under section 16 emphasised shared responsibilities in fragmented chains.

Key Details:

• Extended Consultation Duties: PCBUs must consult with labour hire providers on WHS matters, including fatigue management for gig workers on multiple sites.

• Information Sharing: Mandatory exchange of risk information between host PCBUs and hire firms, with penalties for withholding data.

• Rationale: Responding to a 20% increase in incidents among temporary workers (Safe Work Australia 2024 data), these changes address vulnerabilities in flexible arrangements, common in construction for casual labour.

Implications for Construction:

In Queensland, where labour hire supports peak project demands, principal contractors must now integrate hire workers into site safety plans, risking fines up to $144,000 for consultation failures.

Practical Steps: Develop joint protocols with hire firms, include gig workers in toolbox talks, and audit arrangements annually.

4. Digital Reporting and Incident Notification Enhancements

From April 2025, WHSQ introduced digital platforms for incident notifications, streamlining reporting under section 35 of the WHSA. This includes mandatory online submissions for notifiable incidents, with integrated AI-assisted risk categorisation.

Key Details:

• Real-Time Reporting: PCBUs must notify WHSQ within 30 minutes for fatalities and 24 hours for serious injuries, now via a secure portal with automated acknowledgements.

• Data Analytics Integration: Shared anonymised data to inform national trends, enhancing preventive strategies.

• Rationale: Aimed at reducing administrative burdens while improving response times, following a 10% under-reporting rate identified in 2024 audits.

Implications for Construction:

Sites with frequent notifiable events (e.g., falls) benefit from faster compliance, but require training on the platform to avoid delays.

Practical Steps: Register for the WHSQ portal, integrate notifications into emergency plans, and conduct mock drills.

Additional 2025 Developments

• Updated Codes of Practice: Revisions to the "Managing the Risk of Plant in the Workplace" Code included new guidance on autonomous machinery, effective October 2025.

• Fatigue Management Guidelines: Enhanced focus on shift work in construction, with new thresholds for rest periods.

• National Harmonisation Efforts: Queensland aligned with federal updates on hazardous chemicals labelling, streamlining cross-border compliance.

Implications and Strategies for Businesses

These 2025 changes underscore a shift toward proactive, holistic WHS management, with heightened accountability for psychosocial and emerging risks. In construction, non-compliance could result in project delays, increased premiums, or legal action. Apex Site Safety Audits recommends annual gap analyses, custom training, and independent audits to adapt effectively.

By staying ahead of these developments, businesses can not only comply but also enhance productivity and worker wellbeing. Contact Apex today for a consultation on tailoring these changes to your operations.