Work Health And Safety Act, 2011 (Australia)

This is a set of model Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) laws that need to implemented by the Commonwealth and each individual state and territory to become legally binding. The model WHS laws have been implemented (with some individual modifications) in the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and the Commonwealth, and was adopted by Western Australia in 2021. The model act provides a framework to protect the health, safety, and welfare of all employees at work. It also protects the health and safety of other people who may be associated with the workplace such as customers, visitors, and the general public. From provisions allocating duties pertaining to the management and control of risks, incident reporting and consulting of workers, to enforcement through fines and penalties, this workplace health and safety legislation covers a wide range of employer obligations, which are aimed at the safety, security and comfort of employees. The act has a specific provision pertaining to workplace bullying. Workplace bullying is considered a risk to health and safety because it may affect the mental and physical health of workers.