28/09/2025
REGULATORY SNAPSHOT – AUGUST 2025
SNAPSHOT
August saw a number of prosecutions brought by the Work Health and Safety Regulator, including:
• 1 August 2025: A Brisbane-based metal fabrication and welding company was fined $300,000 after a worker was fatally ejected from a metal press. The company was found to have failed in its primary health and safety duty under section 32 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld).
• 6 August 2025 – A company was found guilty after trial and fined $70,000 following a worker's fall into a stormwater drain. The court determined the company failed to comply with its primary health and safety duty.
• 7 August 2025 – A manufacturer and supplier of stamped metal was fined $70,000 for failing to manage risks associated with a table saw, leading to a worker's injury.
• 11 August 2025 – A construction company was fined $50,000 after a scaffold plank fell, breaching section 32 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld).
• 25 August 2025 – A fabrication company was fined $50,000 for failing to manage risks associated with a table saw, leading to a worker's injury.
The Queensland Labour Hire Licensing Compliance Unit also brought a prosecution against an unlicensed labour hire provider for illegally supplying workers to pick and pack produce at two farms in the Mareeba region of North Queensland. The Operator was fined $80,000.
UPCOMING
October is Safe Work Month. It is expected that WorkSafe and related agencies will be actively promoting workplace safety throughout October, potentially coinciding with compliance initiatives or higher enforcement visibility.
October will also see WHSQ inspectors conducting audits of older premises – particularly those built before 1990 – to assess asbestos management practices.
Given the number of prosecutions in the August period, it is likely that Work Health and Safety will continue their investigation and enforcement of breaches in the construction and heavy machinery space.
TRENDS AND COMPLIANCE ALERTS
• Regulators across Australia continue to ramp up enforcement, with increased focus on emerging sectors like financial tech, ESG, cyber-security, and greenwashing. Expect more aggressive litigation from ASIC, AUSTRAC, and other major agencies.
• Notably, workplace regulators are shifting attention toward psychosocial hazards—mental health, harassment, and similar risks—with the legal framework evolving to capture non-traditional safety threats.
• As always, companies which are ignoring risk assessments, licensing or worker protections are going to be key targets for Queensland Regulators.
TAKEAWAYS
• Work Health & Safety Enforcement Remains Strong: Heavy fines, especially in August, serve as a stern warning to businesses—particularly those in high-risk industries like agriculture and manufacturing—to audit and reinforce safety protocols.
• Asbestos Audits Demand Immediate Action: October’s statewide asbestos inspections mean duty-holders must ensure they have compliant registers and management plans, especially in older buildings.
• Broader Regulatory Enforcement Accelerates: A notable uptick in action against financial misconduct, greenwashing, and technological breaches signals that businesses must prepare for multifaceted compliance scrutiny.
• New Focus on Mental Health as a Safety Issue: Organisations must treat psychosocial risk seriously—harassment, workplace culture, stress management—and build cross-functional frameworks that go beyond physical safety.
In Queensland, there are several State and Local Government bodies that are charged with the enforcement of laws and requirements. These can include investigations or prosecutions for such things as: Marine incidents and maritime safety prosecutions; Workplace health and safety investigations and pr...
