NEWS & INSIGHTS
Industry News and Updates
The WHS obligations of company directors include taking reasonable steps to understand the psychological hazards in their workplaces, and this is a "personal" prosecutable duty, a new guide for directors warns. Directors' obligations include establishing that their organisations and their management "are equipped with appropriate resources and processes to eliminate or minimise these risks to the extent that is reasonably practicable", the guide by the Australian Institute of Company Directors and law firm King & Wood Mallesons says. Most of any organisation's work to address psychosocial hazards will be "driven by management", given the complexity of the risks and the deep operational knowledge required to guide action, it says. "The board plays a supporting role in constructively challenging these efforts and maintaining oversight of how effective psychosocial risk management contributes to broader organisational culture and leadership." Under Australia's national model WHS laws – adopted by all jurisdictions other than Victoria, which has similar legislation – officers have a duty to exercise due diligence to confirm their organisation is meeting its WHS obligations. (See section 27 of NSW's version of the laws, for example.) This duty is a "personal duty, meaning [officers] can be prosecuted for failing to meet their due diligence obligations", the guide says. "Prosecution typically requires proof that the officer failed to take reasonable steps to comply with their duty, assessed in the context of the organisation's overall safety and health management system," it says. These due diligence obligations apply to paid directors, and are "recommended" for volunteer directors, who can be prosecuted in limited circumstances. "While non-executive directors have not been the focus of WHS regulators to date, this can change, and regulatory expectations are rising," the guide notes. According to the 12-page document , company boards and governance play a crucial role in ensuring psychosocial risks are managed effectively. Directors must oversee management's efforts at identifying and implementing control measures, set expectations and confirm that the necessary frameworks are in place. "This includes seeking information, reviewing board reports, assessing organisational culture, and challenging management where needed to strengthen risk controls," the guide says. Examples of how boards should address the workplace factors that create psychosocial risks include: Overseeing how managers monitor the risks associated with work design by drawing on complaints data, employee surveys, and absence and turnover rates, and engaging regularly with management to assess risks and evaluate measures; Confirming that management is complying with the positive duty to eliminate workplace sexual harassment, and obtaining regular reports on key behavioural risks involving code of conduct breaches and harassment cases; Setting expectations for management to provide workers with practical assistance and timely consultation in the event of organisational change and restructures, which can create significant stress; Engaging with management to review how it is addressing remote work risks, and ensuring there they have a clear policy to guide them in determining when remote arrangements are appropriate; and Overseeing how HR and performance management processes are managed, and confirming that investigation procedures are fair, workers have access to appropriate support, and outcomes are handled as consistently as possible. Governing WHS Psychosocial Risks: A primer for directors, by the Australian Institute of Company Directors and King & Wood Mallesons, April 2025 This article has been reproduced with permission from OHS Alert, and the original version appears at www.ohsalert.com.au.
Australia has enacted mandatory sustainability reporting requirements, effective from 1 January 2025, through the Treasury Laws Amendment (Financial Market Infrastructure and Other Measures) Act 2024. These regulations mandate that large entities disclose climate-related financial information as part of their annual reporting obligations.
A workplace health and safety regulator has explained what the "safest workplaces" look like, in revealing it finalised more than 100 successful safety prosecutions in 2024.
Two years after the release of the groundbreaking 2022 Everyday Respect Report, Rio Tinto has undertaken a thorough Progress Review to assess its ongoing cultural transformation. As one of the world’s largest mining companies, Rio Tinto has been working to create a safer, more inclusive workplace culture that fosters respect, productivity, and innovation. The 2024 Progress Review highlights significant strides made, ongoing challenges, and areas requiring further attention. The Journey Towards Cultural Transformation Cultural change is a multi-year effort that requires consistent leadership, structural support, and engagement across all levels of an organization. Since launching its Everyday Respect initiative, Rio Tinto has embedded this agenda into its core business strategy, focusing on reducing bullying, sexual harassment, and racism in the workplace. Key Progress Areas: Increased Awareness and Open Conversations: The public release of the original report acted as a catalyst for change, encouraging more employees to speak up and engage in discussions about respect. Stronger Leadership Commitment: Leaders are playing a more proactive role in championing Everyday Respect, with a focus on psychological safety and inclusive leadership. Enhanced Training and Education: Programs such as Everyday Respect Training and Purple Banners have been widely implemented to build awareness and response capabilities. Facility Upgrades and Safety Improvements: Investments in workplace infrastructure have improved the physical environment, making it more inclusive and conducive to employee well-being. Greater Workforce Diversity: There has been a notable increase in gender and cultural diversity across teams, fostering innovation and improved workplace dynamics. Ongoing Challenges and Areas for Improvement Despite progress, resistance to change remains an obstacle, particularly among certain groups. Survey data indicates that while improvements have been perceived in many areas, instances of bullying, sexual harassment, and racism persist. Key focus areas include: Building Stronger Buy-in: Engaging those who are resistant to cultural change, particularly male employees, to foster a collective commitment to Everyday Respect. Enhancing Reporting Mechanisms: Increasing trust in reporting systems to ensure that employees feel safe and supported when raising concerns. Strengthening Frontline Leadership: Providing additional training and tools to equip supervisors and managers with the skills needed to drive culture change at all levels. Maintaining Momentum: Ensuring that Everyday Respect remains a priority in the face of organizational changes and external pressures. Looking Ahead: Staying the Course The findings from the 2024 Progress Review reaffirm Rio Tinto’s commitment to long-term cultural transformation. While meaningful progress has been made, continued efforts are needed to sustain positive momentum and address persistent challenges. As one employee noted: “ Change is definitely happening, and it will get hard at times. We can’t back away ... I’m here at Rio Tinto because I want to see through this change. We need to stay the course. ” With ongoing leadership, engagement, and strategic initiatives, Rio Tinto is on the path to embedding Everyday Respect across all facets of its global operations, ensuring a safer, more inclusive, and more productive workplace for all employees. See full report “ he re ”.
Zenergy Events & Highlights
Zenergy recently hosted Women in Safety, a special networking event dedicated to fostering collaboration in the health, safety, and wellbeing sector. Held on March 20, 2025, at The Winery, Surry Hills, this event provided a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere where professionals gathered to exchange insights, share experiences, and build meaningful connections. With attendees from diverse industries—including construction, logistics, corporate sectors, and more—the event highlighted the vital role of women in shaping safer workplaces across Australia.
Zenergy invites you to be part of the prestigious 2025 Australian Workplace Health & Safety Awards (AWHSA) —a national platform dedicated to recognising outstanding achievements in workplace health and safety. These awards celebrate individuals and organisations that are making a real impact in fostering safer, healthier work environments.
Meet the Outstanding 2024 Winners
By Jason O’Dowd Recruitment - Health Safety Environment & Quality I have been fortunate to support this iconic organisation and project in many formats over the past 5 years and including recent HSEQ placements on the 2.0 project, Snowy Hunter Power Project and in the Snowy business, have assisted almost 20 Health & Safety, Environment and Quality professionals to land their dream roles and join the business or projects. I have developed relationships at all levels and am a trusted advisor to the organisation. If you have career aspirations in Health Safety Environment and Quality. Although the Snowy 2.0 project is one of the biggest infrastructure projects in Australian history, the feeling onsite is still a warm and friendly family feel with the surrounding towns really embracing the project and welcoming the 2000+ workers to the area. Generally, most people on the Snowy 2.0 project are working to a 2/1 roster (Two weeks on, one week off) and will have a partner doing the same back-to-back roster which covers the works. This roster encompasses 10-hour days, sleeping in a ‘camp style’ accommodation which gives you the chance to bond with your fellow workers which in turn aids in productivity during the workday. Snowy 2.0 currently employ over 2,500 people, who are spread across the three main sites being Lobs Hole, Marica and Tangtangara. Given its location in the Snowy Mountains, the Snowy 2.0 project poses a unique set of environmental and climate factors, which brings sleet & snow in the winter and high and dry temperatures in the summer. The location is also made up of areas of difficult terrain which presents significant geotechnical uncertainty for construction with a difference of 700m in elevation across some areas. I visited the site last year and was very grateful to be taken around the construction and manufacturing sites by the HSEQ team. If you are interested in working on energy projects in Australia, I would love to hear from you and may be able to help.
Insights
Discover the top traits of elite WHS Directors — from strategic thinking & board engagement to emotional intelligence & innovation.
Podcasts have become a dominant force in the world of media, revolutionising how we consume information and entertainment and the WHS, Environment & Sustainability is no different! As the podcast industry continues to expand, listeners are discovering a wealth of benefits, from educational insights to fostering community connections. In this article, we share some of the leading podcasts and why they’ve become a growing part of modern WHS, Environment & Sustainability consumption. Here are some of the leading podcasts that every WHS, Environmental, and Sustainability professional should tune into:
Colin Hansen, WHS Director John Holland - M7M12 Project
Pete Zmuda- West Gate Tunnel Project
For Employers
Discover the top traits of elite WHS Directors — from strategic thinking & board engagement to emotional intelligence & innovation.
Understand the key steps and checklists in conducting HSE audits. Learn when to bring in expert support to ensure safety, compliance, and continuous improvement.
Discover the main types of HSE audits—compliance, program, and management system audits—and understand why they are essential for workplaces.
Learn how to create a CoR Management Plan to meet Chain of Responsibility requirements under HVNL. Includes checklist and compliance steps.
For Candidates
Working From Home Safety
If you’re one of the millions of Australians not getting your recommended eight hours sleep each day, would you be willing to let your boss into your bedroom to fix that? Key points: Four in 10 Australians are not getting enough sleep An expert says many people underestimate the importance of sleep An inquiry has urged a national approach to address sleep issues Businesses across the country are enlisting the help of sleep consultants to audit the bedroom habits of their workers, and improve their shut-eye.
Your resume is like your first impression to a potential employer. You need to ensure you get it right. What should you include in your WHS resume?
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