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Month: September 2026

From Workplace Exposure Standards to Workplace Exposure Limits: What Australian Employers and Workers Need to Know Before December 2026

Posted on by Marnie Cruickshank

Australia is approaching an important change in the way workplace exposure to airborne contaminants is regulated.

From 1 December 2026, the existing Workplace Exposure Standards (WES) for airborne contaminants will transition to Workplace Exposure Limits (WEL). The change follows a national review of workplace exposure standards and has been agreed by Australian Work Health and Safety (WHS) ministers.

For many workplaces, this is more than simply a change of terminology. While many exposure values will remain unchanged, some limits have been revised, some substances have been added or removed, and there are changes to exposure categories and health-related notations.

With the transition date now approaching, employers should be reviewing their chemical inventories, risk assessments, exposure monitoring and control measures now, not waiting until December.

What Is Changing?

The current WES list sets airborne exposure levels for hundreds of substances that workers may encounter in the workplace, including dusts, fumes, gases, vapours and mists.

From 1 December 2026, the WES list will become the Workplace Exposure Limits for Airborne Contaminants (WEL list). Until 30 November 2026, PCBUs must continue to comply with the current WES requirements. From 1 December, the WEL list will apply, subject to implementation in the relevant Commonwealth, state or territory WHS laws.

The terminology is changing partly to make it clearer that these values are limits that must not be exceeded, rather than simply advisory standards or targets. Safe Work Australia says the change also brings Australian terminology more closely into line with international practice.

Importantly, the fundamental duty on employers has not changed.

PCBUs must continue to eliminate risks associated with airborne contaminants where reasonably practicable, or otherwise minimise those risks so far as is reasonably practicable. The WES/WEL value is only one part of a broader risk-management process.

What Does The Change Mean For Employers?

The biggest practical issue for employers is determining whether the substances used or generated in their workplace are affected by the revised WEL list.

Safe Work Australia has identified several types of changes, including:

  • reductions or increases to individual exposure limits;
  • changes to the type of exposure limit applying to a substance;
  • merging or splitting groups of airborne contaminants;
  • changes to substance names or listings;
  • new substances being added to the list; and
  • substances being removed from the list.

There are also changes to advisory notations. For example, the existing SEN sensitisation notation is being separated into DSEN for dermal sensitisation and RSEN for respiratory sensitisation. An OTO notation for ototoxicity has also been introduced for certain contaminants.

These changes can have practical consequences for risk assessments, control measures, air-monitoring programs, worker information and training.

Some Chemicals Require Particular Attention

One of the more significant changes concerns 33 non-threshold genotoxic carcinogens (NTGCs).

From 1 December 2026, these substances will no longer have exposure limits in the WEL list because a practical, protective exposure level cannot be assigned. Where these substances are present, PCBUs must eliminate them where reasonably practicable, substitute them with a safer alternative where possible, or otherwise minimise the risk as far as reasonably practicable.

This means businesses should not assume that the absence of a WEL means there is no regulatory obligation.

The opposite may be true: the risk-management requirements may require particularly strong attention to elimination, substitution and engineering controls.

What About Respirable Crystalline Silica and Other High-Profile Substances?

It is important to distinguish the general WEL transition from separate work that has been undertaken on proposed changes to nine substances.

These include:

  • respirable crystalline silica;
  • benzene;
  • chlorine;
  • copper;
  • formaldehyde;
  • hydrogen cyanide;
  • hydrogen sulphide;
  • nitrogen dioxide; and
  • titanium dioxide.

In June 2026, Safe Work Australia reported that a majority of WHS ministers had not supported the proposed new exposure levels for those nine substances at that stage, and further work was requested. Consequently, their exposure levels will remain at their current WES levels when the WEL framework takes effect on 1 December 2026.

Businesses should therefore use the current Safe Work Australia WEL information rather than relying on older articles, consultant reports or chemical registers prepared before the review was finalised.

What Does The Change Mean For Workers?

For workers, the transition should reinforce an important principle: exposure limits are not a substitute for good risk control.

Workers should continue to follow existing safe-work procedures, use control measures correctly and report problems with ventilation, extraction, PPE or other controls.

Safe Work Australia also recommends that workers familiarise themselves with changes to the limits for airborne contaminants used or generated in their workplace. Workers should be consulted where employers are making decisions about how risks will be eliminated or minimised, or where proposed changes may affect their health and safety.

It is also worth remembering that an exposure limit is not necessarily a guarantee that every individual will experience no health effect below that concentration. Individual susceptibility varies, which is one reason Australian WHS duties continue to require risks to be eliminated or minimised so far as reasonably practicable.

What Should Employers Do Before 1 December 2026?

With the transition only weeks away, businesses should treat this as a practical WHS review rather than simply an administrative change.

  1. Identify every airborne contaminant in the workplace

Start with a complete inventory of substances that could become airborne.

Look beyond chemicals stored in drums or containers. Consider contaminants generated by work processes, including:

  • welding fumes;
  • dust;
  • silica-containing dust;
  • diesel particulate matter;
  • solvent vapours;
  • gases;
  • mists;
  • fumes from heating or cutting;
  • dust generated during machining or processing; and
  • contaminants generated by maintenance, cleaning or waste processes.

Review Safety Data Sheets (SDS), chemical registers, purchasing records and process documentation.

The objective is to identify not only what the business uses, but also what its processes generate.

  1. Compare your current WES against the new WEL

For each relevant airborne contaminant, check the new WEL list.

Do not simply change the heading in your documentation from “WES” to “WEL”.

Determine whether the actual exposure value, exposure category, notation or substance listing has changed.

Safe Work Australia has published comparison information specifically to help PCBUs identify changes between the WES and WEL lists.

This provides a straightforward audit trail for the transition.

  1. Review existing risk assessments

Once the affected substances have been identified, revisit the relevant risk assessments.

Ask:

  • Has the exposure limit changed?
  • Does the current assessment rely on an old WES value?
  • Are workers potentially exposed during particular tasks or maintenance activities?
  • Are there short-term or peak exposure risks?
  • Are contractors or other people at the workplace potentially exposed?
  • Have processes, equipment or chemicals changed since the assessment was completed?
  • Are existing controls still appropriate?

This is particularly important where a new WEL is lower than the existing WES.

  1. Determine whether air monitoring is necessary

Where there is uncertainty about whether workers are exposed above the relevant limit, air monitoring may be necessary.

Safe Work Australia’s new guidance, published in July 2026, provides specific information for PCBUs on when air monitoring may be required, how to engage a competent person, and how to interpret monitoring results.

Air monitoring should not be treated as the first or only control.

The hierarchy of controls remains central. The preferred approach is to eliminate the airborne contaminant where reasonably practicable and, where that cannot be achieved, minimise the risk using appropriate controls.

Where monitoring is undertaken, consider whether personal exposure monitoring is necessary rather than relying solely on general area measurements.

  1. Review engineering controls

The WEL transition is a good opportunity to verify that engineering controls are actually performing as intended.

Depending on the workplace, this may include checking:

  • local exhaust ventilation (LEV);
  • extraction systems;
  • enclosure and isolation systems;
  • process ventilation;
  • dust suppression;
  • automated handling;
  • closed transfer systems;
  • equipment maintenance; and
  • filtration systems.

A documented control that exists on paper but does not adequately control exposure in practice does not provide effective risk management.

  1. Review PPE and respiratory protection

PPE should not be used as a substitute for higher-order controls where those controls are reasonably practicable.

However, businesses should review respiratory protective equipment where it forms part of the control strategy.

Check that:

  • the selected respirator is appropriate for the contaminant;
  • workers are correctly trained;
  • fit testing requirements are addressed where applicable;
  • filters and cartridges are appropriate;
  • maintenance and replacement arrangements are effective; and
  • workers understand when and how the equipment must be used.

Any change in exposure level may warrant a review of the existing respiratory protection arrangements.

  1. Review health monitoring requirements

Some hazardous chemical exposures can trigger specific health-monitoring obligations under WHS legislation.

The WEL transition should therefore prompt a review of whether existing health-monitoring arrangements remain appropriate for the substances and exposure scenarios present at the workplace.

This is separate from air monitoring: air monitoring measures exposure in the workplace, while health monitoring assesses aspects of a worker’s health in accordance with applicable requirements.

Businesses should seek competent professional advice where the interaction between exposure, health monitoring and WHS requirements is unclear.

  1. Consult workers

Worker consultation should be part of the transition process, not something left until the new limits come into effect.

Workers often have practical knowledge about where exposure occurs that may not be obvious from a written risk assessment.

Discuss:

  • which tasks generate dust, fumes, vapours or other contaminants;
  • when exposure appears to be highest;
  • whether controls are practical during real work;
  • problems with extraction or ventilation;
  • PPE issues;
  • changes to work procedures; and
  • any proposed additional monitoring or controls.

Safe Work Australia specifically highlights consultation as part of preparing for the WEL transition.

  1. Update WHS documentation

Once the assessment is complete, update relevant documentation, including:

  • chemical registers;
  • risk assessments;
  • hazardous chemical procedures;
  • Safe Work Method Statements (where applicable);
  • operating procedures;
  • air-monitoring programs;
  • training materials;
  • induction materials;
  • emergency procedures; and
  • internal WHS registers.

Make sure documents distinguish between the requirements applying before and from 1 December 2026 where necessary.

  1. Communicate the changes

Workers do not need to become occupational hygienists, but they should understand what the change means for their work.

For example, toolbox talks or training sessions could explain:

What is changing?

WES will become WEL from 1 December 2026.

Why is it changing?

The WES review has resulted in revised exposure limits and terminology intended to make clear that these are limits that must not be exceeded.

What does it mean for our workplace?

Some of the substances we use or generate may have different limits or classifications.

What do workers need to do?

Continue following established controls, report problems and participate in any monitoring, training or consultation.

A Special Consideration: Diesel Engine Emissions

Businesses that operate diesel-powered equipment should pay particular attention to the transition.

Safe Work Australia has identified a new workplace exposure limit for diesel particulate matter of 0.01 mg/m³, which will apply from 1 December 2026. New guidance has also been released covering industries including mining, quarrying, tunnelling, construction, agriculture, transport and logistics, oil and gas, and vehicle maintenance.

For workplaces with diesel engines, this should trigger a review of sources, ventilation, work practices, maintenance and exposure monitoring.

A Practical WEL Transition Checklist

Before 1 December 2026, employers should consider completing the following:

  • Identify all airborne contaminants used or generated at the workplace.
  • Review relevant Safety Data Sheets and chemical registers.
  • Compare current WES values against the new WEL list.
  • Identify substances with changed exposure limits.
  • Identify new or removed substances and changed notations.
  • Check whether any NTGCs are present.
  • Review existing risk assessments.
  • Determine whether air monitoring is required.
  • Engage a competent occupational hygienist where specialist assessment is needed.
  • Review engineering and ventilation controls.
  • Review respiratory protection and PPE arrangements.
  • Review health-monitoring requirements.
  • Consult workers and health and safety representatives.
  • Update procedures, risk assessments and registers.
  • Update worker training and induction material.
  • Document actions and assign responsibility for outstanding controls.
  • Confirm requirements with the relevant state, territory or Commonwealth WHS regulator.

Don’t Wait Until 1 December

The WES-to-WEL transition is sometimes described as a change in terminology. That description misses the practical implications.

The name is changing, but the more important issue for employers is that some exposure limits and classifications are changing as well.

The good news is that businesses do not need to reinvent their entire hazardous-chemical management system. Existing risk-management processes provide the foundation. The immediate task is to identify where the new WEL requirements differ from the requirements currently being applied and determine whether existing controls remain effective.

For Australian workplaces, the key date is 1 December 2026. Until 30 November, the current WES list continues to apply; from 1 December, the WEL list will apply following implementation in the relevant WHS laws.

Businesses should therefore use the remaining transition period to complete the review, undertake any necessary monitoring, strengthen controls and communicate the changes to workers.

Sherm Software gives businesses the ability to stay ahead of changes such as these and equips the business with powerful tools to maintain comprehensive, accurate and up to date safety records. By centralising data, automating workflows and ensuring compliance, Sherm Software enhances safety management, boosts regulatory compliance and fosters continuous improvement.

Get in touch with us today and see how Sherm Software can support your business.

The Safe Work Australia WEL list and supporting guidance should be treated as the primary reference point, with businesses also checking the requirements of their relevant WHS regulator because Commonwealth, state and territory regulators are responsible for administering and enforcing WHS laws in their respective jurisdictions.

Further Resources

Employers can access the current Safe Work Australia Workplace Exposure Limits list, the comparison of changes between WES and WEL, and the Safe Work Australia guidance on air monitoring and WELs.

For Queensland businesses, WorkSafe Queensland’s information on the new Workplace Exposure Limits is also relevant.

This article provides general information and is not legal or occupational hygiene advice. Australian WHS requirements can differ between jurisdictions, so businesses should confirm the applicable requirements with their relevant WHS regulator and obtain competent professional advice where necessary.

ISO 9001:2026 Is Here – What Has Changed and What Does Your Organisation Need to Do?

Posted on by Marnie Cruickshank

ISO 9001:2026, Quality management systems – Requirements, was officially published on 16 September 2026, replacing ISO 9001:2015.

For organisations already operating an ISO 9001-certified Quality Management System (QMS), the good news is that this is an evolution rather than a complete redesign of the Standard.

The established foundations of ISO 9001 remain. Customer focus, leadership, the process approach, risk-based thinking, evidence-based decision-making and continual improvement continue to underpin an effective QMS.

What has changed is the emphasis.

ISO 9001:2026 places greater attention on how quality management operates in practice, particularly the connection between leadership, organisational culture, ethical behaviour, strategic direction, risks and opportunities, people and business performance.

For many organisations, the transition should therefore be less about rewriting the entire management system and more about determining where the existing system needs to mature.

What Are The Key Changes In ISO 9001:2026?

1. Stronger focus on leadership, quality culture and ethical behaviour

Leadership has always been central to ISO 9001, but the 2026 edition strengthens the expectation that quality is actively supported by organisational leadership.

This means demonstrating more than having an approved Quality Policy or completing an annual Management Review.

Organisations should consider how leadership:

This is an important shift in emphasis.

A mature QMS should be visible in how people make decisions and perform their work, not simply through procedures, forms and records.

2. Greater alignment between the QMS and business strategy

ISO 9001:2026 reinforces the relationship between the Quality Management System, the organisation’s context and its strategic direction.

The QMS should not operate as a separate compliance framework sitting alongside the business.

Instead, quality objectives, operational processes and performance measures should contribute to the organisation’s broader objectives.

For example, if an organisation has a strategic objective to improve customer retention, relevant quality measures might include:

The important question becomes:

Can the organisation demonstrate how its quality objectives and processes contribute to achieving its strategic direction?

This provides an opportunity for organisations to make their management systems more useful to management, rather than maintaining them primarily for certification.

3. Risks and opportunities receive clearer treatment

Risk-based thinking remains fundamental to ISO 9001, but the 2026 edition provides greater clarity around risks and opportunities.

This distinction is important.

Risk management asks:

What could happen that may prevent us from achieving the intended result?

Opportunity management asks:

What could we change, improve or pursue that could produce a beneficial result?

For example, an organisation may identify a risk that critical operational information is not available when employees are working remotely or in the field.

Controls could include access controls, document management, mobile access, backups and system availability arrangements.

The same analysis may identify an opportunity to digitise the process, improve access to current information and obtain better operational data.

Organisations should therefore review whether their existing risk processes genuinely address both sides of the equation rather than simply maintaining a traditional risk register focused on adverse events.

4. Increased emphasis on employee awareness

People remain fundamental to the effectiveness of any management system.

ISO 9001:2026 strengthens awareness around quality culture and ethical behaviour in addition to the established requirements relating to quality policy, objectives and an individual’s contribution to QMS effectiveness.

This means organisations should look beyond whether a worker has attended an induction or signed a training record.

Consider whether employees actually understand:

Effective awareness should be evident through workplace behaviour and decision-making.

5. Climate change remains part of organisational context

Climate change is not entirely new to ISO 9001.

Climate-related considerations were introduced into ISO 9001:2015 through the 2024 Climate Action Amendment and continue under ISO 9001:2026.

This does not mean every organisation needs a separate climate change procedure or extensive climate risk register.

Instead, organisations need to determine whether climate change is a relevant issue within their context and whether relevant interested parties have climate-related requirements.

Depending on the organisation, considerations could include:

Where these matters are relevant, they should be appropriately considered within the organisation’s planning and operational controls.

6. Recognition of the modern digital business environment

The way organisations operate has changed considerably since ISO 9001:2015 was published.

Cloud systems, digital workflows, mobile applications, automated processes, connected supply chains, remote work, data analytics and artificial intelligence increasingly influence business operations.

ISO 9001:2026 better reflects this contemporary operating environment.

Importantly, the Standard does not require organisations to implement artificial intelligence or any particular technology.

The focus remains on ensuring the organisation has appropriate processes, resources, knowledge, information and controls necessary to achieve the intended results of its QMS.

For organisations undergoing digital transformation, this provides an opportunity to consider whether their QMS has kept pace with how work is actually being performed.

7. Annex A provides greater clarification

The revised Annex A provides additional guidance on concepts, terminology and the intended application of requirements within ISO 9001:2026.

This supports an increasingly important principle in management system auditing:

Effectiveness matters more than paperwork for paperwork’s sake.

Rather than simply asking whether a procedure exists, organisations should consider whether the process is understood, implemented, controlled and achieving its intended result.

This is also an important consideration when reviewing management system documentation during the transition.

Not every existing procedure will need to change.

The priority should be identifying where a change is actually required and ensuring the system remains effective, proportionate and suitable for the organisation.

What Hasn’t Changed?

Organisations should not assume that ISO 9001:2026 means starting again.

The familiar management system framework remains, including:

Clause 4 – Context of the Organisation
Clause 5 – Leadership
Clause 6 – Planning
Clause 7 – Support
Clause 8 – Operation
Clause 9 – Performance Evaluation
Clause 10 – Improvement

ISO 9001:2026 also adopts ISO’s current Harmonized Structure, supporting integration with other ISO management system standards.

For organisations operating an Integrated Management System covering quality, health and safety, environment or other disciplines, this continuity is particularly useful.

What Should ISO 9001:2015-Certified Organisations Do Now?

The first step should be a structured ISO 9001:2026 Gap Analysis.

Rather than immediately rewriting procedures, organisations should compare their existing QMS against the revised requirements and determine what actually needs to change.

The review should consider:

Organisational context and interested parties – Are internal and external issues current, and are relevant interested-party requirements understood?

Leadership and quality culture – Can the organisation demonstrate how leaders actively support quality, ethical behaviour and accountability?

Strategic alignment – Is there a meaningful connection between business strategy, the Quality Policy, quality objectives and operational performance?

Risks and opportunities – Does the organisation appropriately consider both threats to intended outcomes and opportunities for improvement?

Competence and awareness – Do employees understand their contribution to quality and what is expected when quality issues arise?

Objectives and KPIs – Are quality objectives measurable, meaningful and connected to organisational priorities?

Internal audits – Do audit programmes and criteria need updating to address the revised requirements and increased focus on effectiveness?

Management Review – Does the Management Review process provide leadership with useful information about the performance and continuing suitability of the QMS?

Documented information – Which policies, procedures, registers, forms, workflows and records genuinely require amendment?

Transition planning – Who is responsible for each required change, when will it be completed and what evidence will demonstrate implementation?

A practical transition register could track:

ISO 9001:2026 Requirement → Current Arrangement → Gap Identified → Required Action → Responsible Person → Due Date → Document/System Change → Evidence of Completion

Don’t Turn The Transition Into A Documentation Exercise

One of the biggest risks during any ISO transition is immediately rewriting the management system before understanding the actual gaps.

For organisations with an established ISO 9001:2015 system, much of the existing framework may remain suitable.

The better approach is to:

Assess → Identify → Prioritise → Implement → Verify

This reduces unnecessary documentation, focuses resources on genuine gaps and provides clearer evidence that the organisation has systematically addressed the transition.

How Sherm Can Support The ISO 9001:2026 Transition

For organisations using Sherm as their management system platform, the transition can be managed through the existing system rather than creating a separate collection of spreadsheets, documents and action lists.

Sherm can support organisations to bring together the evidence required across areas such as:

This creates an opportunity to use the ISO 9001:2026 transition not simply to update certification documentation, but to review whether the QMS is actually providing management with useful operational information.

The Key Takeaway

ISO 9001:2026 does not require organisations to throw out their existing Quality Management System and start again.

It does, however, encourage organisations to look more closely at whether their QMS is genuinely connected to the way the organisation is led and managed.

The increased emphasis on leadership, quality culture, ethical behaviour, strategic alignment, risks and opportunities, employee awareness and system effectiveness reinforces an important principle:

A Quality Management System should be a business management tool, not simply a collection of documents maintained for an audit.

For organisations already certified to ISO 9001:2015, now is the time to understand the changes, undertake a structured Gap Analysis and develop a practical transition plan.

Need help preparing for ISO 9001:2026?

Sherm provides an integrated platform for managing quality, safety, environmental and operational management system requirements, helping organisations manage risks, actions, audits, documents, competency and performance within one central system.

A structured transition provides an ideal opportunity to simplify existing processes, remove unnecessary administration and strengthen the connection between your management system and the way your organisation actually operates.

For more information, see ISO – ISO 9001:2026: What businesses need to know

Consequential Amendments to Seven Queensland Codes of Practice

Posted on by Marnie Cruickshank

Queensland businesses should be aware of important updates to seven Work Health and Safety (WHS) Codes of Practice taking effect from 1 September 2026.

The amendments affect the following Codes of Practice:

  • Managing the risk of psychosocial hazards at work Code of Practice 2022
  • Managing noise and preventing hearing loss at work Code of Practice 2021
  • Safe design of structures Code of Practice 2021
  • How to manage work health and safety risks Code of Practice 2021
  • Confined spaces Code of Practice 2021
  • Managing the work environment and facilities Code of Practice 2021
  • Managing risks of plant in the workplace Code of Practice 2021

WorkSafe Queensland describes these as consequential amendments. They are intended to ensure the Codes remain consistent with changes to Queensland’s WHS legislative framework. The amended Codes commence on 1 September 2026.

What Are Consequential Amendments?

Consequential amendments are changes made to supporting documents, such as Codes of Practice, because the underlying legislation has changed.

Importantly, this does not necessarily mean that every amendment creates a new WHS obligation. Rather, the purpose is generally to ensure that the guidance provided to businesses reflects the current legislation, terminology, processes and requirements.

This distinction is important for businesses reviewing their WHS systems. A Code of Practice is not legislation itself, but an approved Code can be highly relevant to compliance. Codes may be admissible in court proceedings and may be relied upon when determining what is known about a hazard, risk or control and what is reasonably practicable in the circumstances.

1. Managing The Risk Of Psychosocial Hazards At Work

The most significant targeted change is to the Managing the risk of psychosocial hazards at work Code of Practice 2022.

WorkSafe Queensland confirms that the Code has been amended to reflect updated processes and timeframes for dispute and issue resolution, together with amendments relating to sexual harassment provisions. These changes take effect from 1 September 2026.

This is particularly relevant because psychosocial hazards can arise from the way work is designed, organised and managed, as well as workplace interactions and behaviours.

The Code already provides guidance on hazards including:

  • high or low job demands
  • low job control
  • poor support
  • poor organisational change management
  • poor workplace relationships
  • bullying
  • harassment, including sexual harassment
  • violence and aggression
  • remote or isolated work
  • traumatic events.

The updated provisions reinforce the need for businesses to have appropriate mechanisms for responding to concerns, complaints and disputes involving psychosocial hazards.

For employers, this means that it is timely to review not only the psychosocial risk assessment process but also the complaints, issue-resolution and workplace behaviour procedures that support it.

2. Managing Noise And Preventing Hearing Loss At Work

The Managing noise and preventing hearing loss at work Code of Practice 2021 has also been consequentially amended.

The Code provides practical guidance on identifying hazardous noise, assessing exposure and implementing controls to prevent hearing loss. It also addresses audiometric testing, personal protective equipment and the responsibilities of designers, manufacturers, importers, suppliers and installers of plant.

For businesses, the amendment is an important reminder that noise management should not be treated simply as a matter of providing hearing protection.

The Code continues to emphasise the hierarchy of controls and the importance of considering noise at its source. Where workers are required to use hearing protection because their work exceeds the noise exposure standard, specific requirements apply to audiometric testing.

Businesses should therefore take the opportunity to review:

  • noise risk assessments
  • noise monitoring arrangements
  • engineering and other higher-order controls
  • hearing protection programs
  • audiometric testing arrangements
  • worker consultation and training
  • information provided with noisy plant and equipment.

3. Safe Design Of Structures

The Safe design of structures Code of Practice 2021 is another Code affected by the consequential amendments.

Safe design is particularly important because decisions made during the design stage can eliminate or reduce risks long before workers encounter them.

The Code applies to people involved in designing structures and is also relevant to clients, developers, builders and others whose decisions influence design outcomes.

The current Code takes a lifecycle approach to safety. Designers are expected to consider risks associated with construction, use, maintenance, modification and eventual demolition or dismantling.

The Code also recognises that safe design should consider both physical and psychosocial hazards. For example, design decisions may influence workplace violence, worker accommodation, access, environmental conditions and the way work is performed.

For designers and organisations commissioning design work, the amendments provide an opportunity to ensure that WHS considerations are being incorporated into design briefs, design reviews and information transferred between designers, clients and construction teams.

4. How To Manage Work Health And Safety Risks

The How to manage work health and safety risks Code of Practice 2021 is the foundation for the WHS risk-management process.

The Code applies across workplaces and provides guidance on identifying hazards, assessing risks where necessary, controlling risks and reviewing control measures. It also recognises that risks can be physical, psychological or both.

One of the important practical messages is that the risk-management process is not limited to traditional physical hazards.

For example, workplace hazards may arise from:

  • equipment and machinery
  • noise
  • hazardous chemicals
  • manual tasks
  • work design
  • high job demands
  • bullying and harassment
  • violence and aggression
  • workplace interactions and behaviours.

The Code also reinforces the importance of worker consultation and the need to consider psychosocial risks as part of the broader risk-management framework.

Businesses should therefore avoid treating risk assessments as static documents. Risk-management processes should be reviewed when work changes, new equipment is introduced, incidents occur, controls are found to be ineffective or workers identify new hazards.

5. Confined Spaces

The Confined spaces Code of Practice 2021 has also been updated as part of the consequential amendments.

Confined-space work remains a high-risk activity because conditions can change quickly and hazards may not always be obvious. Risks can include oxygen deficiency, airborne contaminants, fire or explosion, engulfment, falls and difficulties associated with rescue.

The Code requires a systematic approach to managing these risks, including identifying hazards, assessing risks where required, eliminating risks where reasonably practicable and implementing effective controls.

The Code also highlights the importance of design. Designers, manufacturers, importers, suppliers, installers and constructors have duties relating to structures or plant that contain, or may become, confined spaces. Where reasonably practicable, the need for entry should be eliminated and the risk of inadvertent entry should be addressed.

Businesses undertaking confined-space work should use the amended Code as an opportunity to review:

  • confined-space registers
  • risk assessments
  • entry permits
  • isolation procedures
  • atmospheric monitoring
  • communication systems
  • emergency and rescue arrangements
  • training and competency
  • consultation with workers and other duty holders.

6. Managing The Work Environment And Facilities

The Managing the work environment and facilities Code of Practice 2021 has also received consequential amendments.

The Code covers the physical work environment and facilities provided to workers, including work areas, lighting, ventilation, toilets, drinking water, dining areas, change rooms, personal storage, remote or isolated work and emergency arrangements.

A key feature of the current Code is its recognition that the work environment can contribute to both physical and psychosocial risks.

For example, workplace design, lighting and visibility can influence the risk of violence, aggression and harassment. Similarly, remote and isolated work can increase exposure to both physical and psychosocial risks.

The Code also contains guidance concerning ventilation and airborne contaminants, reinforcing the need for businesses to consider air quality as part of maintaining a safe work environment.

This makes the updated Code particularly relevant to employers undertaking workplace refurbishments, relocations, facility upgrades or changes to working arrangements.

7. Managing Risks Of Plant In The Workplace

The Managing risks of plant in the workplace Code of Practice 2021 is the final Code included in the consequential amendments.

Plant is a major source of workplace injury, and the Code applies to businesses that manage or control plant as well as those involved in installing, constructing or commissioning plant.

The Code adopts a lifecycle approach, covering matters including:

  • purchasing and hiring plant
  • second-hand plant
  • installation and commissioning
  • operation
  • modifications
  • inspection
  • maintenance and repair
  • storage
  • powered mobile plant
  • decommissioning and disposal
  • guarding
  • operational controls
  • emergency stops
  • warning devices
  • isolation of energy sources.

For businesses, the key message is that plant safety starts well before a machine is switched on. Procurement, design, installation and commissioning decisions can determine the level of risk workers will face throughout the plant’s lifecycle.

The updated Code should therefore be considered when reviewing plant procurement processes, machinery risk assessments, safe operating procedures and maintenance programs.

What Should Queensland Businesses Do Now?

Although these are described as consequential amendments, businesses should not assume that the changes can simply be filed away as administrative updates.

The seven Codes collectively cover many of the systems that underpin a modern WHS management framework.

Businesses should consider undertaking a targeted review before or from 1 September 2026, including:

  1. Review the amended Codes relevant to your business and identify changes to terminology, references and guidance.
  2. Review WHS policies and procedures, particularly psychosocial risk, complaints, issue resolution, consultation and workplace behaviour procedures.
  3. Check risk assessments to ensure they address both physical and psychosocial hazards where relevant.
  4. Review control measures rather than relying solely on administrative controls or PPE.
  5. Check training and competency requirements, particularly for high-risk work such as confined-space entry and plant operation.
  6. Review design and procurement processes so WHS considerations are incorporated before structures, plant or work systems are introduced.
  7. Confirm consultation arrangements with workers and health and safety representatives.
  8. Update internal references to legislation and Codes of Practice so supervisors, managers and workers are working from current information.
  9. Check contractor and supplier arrangements, particularly where multiple duty holders share responsibility for plant, structures, confined spaces or workplaces.
  10. Keep evidence of the review. Documenting what was reviewed, who was consulted and what actions were taken can help demonstrate that the business is actively managing its WHS obligations.

The Bigger Picture

The amendments demonstrate an important feature of Australia’s WHS framework: safety obligations do not operate in isolation.

Psychosocial health, workplace design, plant safety, confined-space work, noise, workplace facilities and general risk management can overlap considerably. A single activity may involve several of these Codes at the same time.

For example, a new manufacturing facility could involve safe design of structures, plant risk management, hazardous noise, workplace facilities and psychosocial hazards arising from work design. Similarly, confined-space work may involve plant isolation, atmospheric hazards, emergency response and psychosocial risks.

The most effective approach is therefore not to treat each Code as a standalone compliance exercise. Instead, businesses should integrate the updated Codes into their broader WHS management system.

Conclusion

From 1 September 2026, Queensland businesses will need to work with consequentially amended versions of seven important Codes of Practice covering psychosocial hazards, noise, safe design, risk management, confined spaces, workplace environments and facilities, and plant.

The changes are designed to keep the Codes aligned with Queensland’s current WHS legislative framework. In particular, businesses should take note of the updated processes and timeframes for dispute and issue resolution and the amended sexual-harassment provisions within the psychosocial hazards Code.

For duty holders, the practical response should be more than simply downloading the new documents. The commencement date provides a useful trigger to review WHS systems, risk assessments, consultation arrangements, procedures, training and controls and ensure that workplace practices continue to reflect current Queensland requirements.

Important: This article provides general information only and is not legal advice. Approved Codes of Practice and WHS legislation can have different application depending on the circumstances. Businesses should refer to the current Queensland legislation and WorkSafe Queensland guidance when determining their specific obligations.

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