Model Code guides workplaces on biological hazard risks
06 Mar 2026•BlueSafe Team•Source: Safe Work Australia
A model Code of Practice on managing biological hazards at work provides practical guidance to help employers protect workers and others from exposure. Safe Work Australia describes it as the first Code of its kind in the world.
The model Code of Practice: Managing the risks of biological hazards at work covers identifying and putting effective controls in place to meet work health and safety (WHS) duties. Its broad scope extends to any workplace where workers or others could be exposed.
Biological hazards include viruses, bacteria, parasites and some fungi, such as mould. These hazards can occur across all industries and workplaces, and exposure can cause injury, illness or disease.
Exposure may arise directly from work tasks, such as farmers handling sick animals, or from the work environment, such as outdoor work in areas with mosquitoes. Biological hazards can also enter workplaces from the community through communicable diseases such as the common cold.
Under WHS laws, employers must manage risks from biological hazards as much as possible. The hazards present and the controls available differ between workplaces, but baseline controls can substantially reduce risk.
How Blue Safe can help: Our free WHS self-check can help you review your approach to workplace health and safety and identify areas that need closer attention. Take the free WHS self-check