The Minns Labor Government is taking a proactive approach to help save lives in the workplace with SafeWork NSW bringing together a record attendance of 405 participants, including over 350 Health and Safety Representatives (HSR) from across the state for its annual HSR Training Refresher Day.
SafeWork NSW's regulatory priority areas include falls from heights and mobile plant, vehicles and fixed machinery, managing psychosocial risks at work, harms to workers in the health care and social assistance sector, exposure to hazardous substances.
Falls from heights are one of the most common causes of workplace fatalities. Of the 274 worker fatalities in NSW from 2019 to 2023, 36 workers died from falling from a height. While from July 2024 to June 2025 there were 267 serious injuries as a result of working from heights.
In March of this year, more than 140 improvement notices were issued by SafeWork NSW as part of a statewide targeted compliance operation to reduce injuries caused by mobile plant (including forklifts), fixed machinery and vehicles in the workplace
These workplace incidents highlight the need to train Health and Safety Representatives who can address potential workplace risks and hazards.
An HSR is an individual elected by workers to represent them on health and safety issues in the workplace. They have the power to keep workplaces safe by issuing Provisional Improvement notices.
They play a crucial role in speaking up about workplace safety on behalf of their colleagues and foster effective consultation on Work Health and Safety (WHS) matters to ensure that workers have a voice in decisions that impact them.
Businesses from over 20 industries have demonstrated their commitment to building safer workplaces by actively supporting HSR attendance at this year's training day. Among those attending will be workers from the Health, Construction, Transport and Manufacturing industries.
The training day featured interactive sessions designed to help HSRs build their capability and confidence in advocating for workplace health and safety. Other sessions covered a range of topics including addressing psychosocial hazards such as bullying, excessive workloads, violence and sexual harassment.
One of the most powerful sessions was from a member with a lived experience, David White who tragically lost his son to a workplace accident.
The NSW Government's 2025-26 Budget announcement strengthened the state's work health and safety regulator with a major $127.7 million investment over the next four years to address psychosocial hazards and compliance and enforcement of safe work practices.
51 inspectors are being recruited, which includes 20 psychosocial-focused inspectors.
The targeted reform is part of a broader $344 million Workplace Mental Health package, strengthening mental health support and injury prevention strategies in NSW workplaces.
More information about HSRs can be found here: https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/safety-starts-here/consultation-at-work/health-and-safety-representatives
Minister for Work Health and Safety Sophie Cotsis said:
"This day-long HSR Training refresher not only reinforced the important role of HSRs but also ensured HSRs across metro and regional NSW have the latest information to be able to advocate for safety in their workplaces.
"Our HSRs are vital to workplace health & safety as they are able to speak out and know the obligations of a work site- because just one fatality at work is one too many.
"I would also like to thank unions, businesses and families involved for their commitment to making our workplaces safer environments.
"Every worker has the right to return home safely at the end of every workday."
SafeWork NSW Commissioner Janet Schorer said:
"The WHS community must come together to shift the dial on greater WHS compliance in workplaces, and SafeWork NSW's recent Health and the Safety Representative Training Refresher Day is a prime example of that change in action.
"HSRs play a frontline role in workplace safety, and their contribution is vital in helping SafeWork NSW shape safer, healthier working environments across the state.
"By building strong relationships between HSRs, regulators, workplaces and unions, we lay the foundation for meaningful change that fosters shared understandings of workplace health and safety and amplifies the impact of safety initiatives across industries.
"SafeWork NSW's recent Training Refresher Day will be a huge success, and I applaud the 350 HSRs from over 20 industries who will participate for their dedication to improving health and safety in their workplaces."
Secretary of Unions NSW Mark Morey said:
"Health and Safety Representatives are the backbone of workplace safety across NSW. When unions, government and employers work together we can make serious progress in protecting workers.
"The 350 Health and Safety Representatives who attended this refresher training are returning to their workplaces equipped with the latest knowledge and tools to identify hazards, advocate for their colleagues, and ensure every worker gets home safe each day.
"When HSRs are empowered with the right skills and support, they become powerful advocates for workplace safety culture change."
TWU NSW State Secretary Richard Olsen said:
"I congratulate all HSRs this year who have put their training into action and demanded reasonable safety improvements at their places of work.
"Everyone deserves the right to go to work and feel safe, and taking steps to raise standards is to be commended every time it happens.
"It takes a lot of work and risk to stand-up for workplace safety, but doing so brings the industry along one case at a time."
