Record WHS Penalties in 2025 Despite Fewer Prosecutions

Newly released figures from Safe Work Australia indicate a clear shift in enforcement trends, with the total number of work health and safety (WHS) prosecutions declining in 2025, while the average financial penalty imposed by the courts has reached a record high. This reflects an increasingly firm regulatory stance on serious breaches of WHS legislation and highlights the cost of failing to manage workplace risks effectively.

Safe Work Australia has updated its WHS prosecutions dashboard with the latest publicly available data for 2025. The interactive dashboard presents national information on criminal prosecutions for contraventions of WHS laws and regulations dating back to 1 January 2020, including details of incidents, offences and sentencing outcomes.

The 2025 results reinforce the need for businesses to maintain comprehensive WHS management systems, supported by clear policies, procedures and Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) for high-risk work. These tools help duty holders demonstrate due diligence, systematically manage hazards and reduce the likelihood of enforcement action. Organisations seeking to strengthen their WHS documentation can access structured WHS management systems and supporting materials at BlueSafe Online.

The WHS prosecutions dashboard is updated annually, providing an ongoing picture of enforcement activity across Australia and enabling businesses, officers and safety professionals to track trends in prosecution outcomes and penalty levels over time. Users can explore the latest WHS prosecutions data, along with other WHS analytics dashboards, via Safe Work Australia’s interactive data platform, "Our Data. Your Stories."