SafeWork NSW Launches Practical Tools to Lift WHS Due Diligence

SafeWork NSW has introduced a suite of practical online tools to help officers strengthen their understanding of due diligence and meet their work health and safety (WHS) duties under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011.

Officers have a legal obligation to exercise due diligence to ensure their business or undertaking complies with WHS requirements. This includes understanding the hazards and risks associated with operations, ensuring appropriate resources and processes are in place to manage those risks, and regularly verifying that WHS controls, WHS management systems and safety policies are effective in practice.

The key resource is an online self-assessment tool designed to support officers in assessing how well they are meeting their WHS obligations. The tool assists users to build knowledge, identify gaps in their current approach and incorporate improvements as part of ongoing safety leadership and continuous improvement processes.

To support completion of the assessment, SafeWork NSW has also developed a concise quick reference guide. This guide outlines the fundamentals of due diligence, including who may be considered an officer, the specific duties of officers, and practical steps they can take to strengthen compliance. It also highlights how integrating structured WHS management systems and documented policies and procedures can provide clear evidence of due diligence in action. For organisations looking to formalise their approach, additional management system resources are available from specialist providers such as Bluesafe.

On completion of the self-assessment, officers receive a personalised report that includes clear ratings against key due diligence elements, along with practical, prioritised actions for improvement. This allows officers to target critical gaps, reinforce existing strengths and actively demonstrate their commitment to WHS.

SafeWork NSW emphasises that due diligence means taking reasonable steps to secure safety compliance at work. It is not a one-off task, but an ongoing legal duty to protect workers, contractors, visitors and volunteers from harm.

Feedback from industry indicates that many officers are uncertain about how to apply due diligence in their day-to-day decision-making and leadership. These new tools have been developed specifically to address that challenge, providing clear, accessible guidance that can be integrated into existing WHS management frameworks, safe work method statements (SWMS) and broader governance processes.

SafeWork NSW is encouraging all officers, including directors, executives and senior managers, to use the self-assessment tool and supporting guide to build their capability, strengthen safety culture and improve WHS outcomes across their organisations and industry sectors.