WHS stands for Workplace Health & Safety. It is the system of laws, policies and practices designed to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of people at work.
In Australia, WHS focuses on preventing injury, illness and fatalities by identifying workplace hazards, assessing risks and putting effective controls in place. WHS applies to all industries and all types of workplaces—from offices and construction sites to healthcare, manufacturing and education.
WHS applies to everyone involved in work, including employers, workers, contractors, volunteers and visitors. It covers a wide range of workplace issues such as physical hazards, chemical and biological hazards, psychological health, safe systems of work, training, supervision, incident reporting and emergency procedures.
The purpose of WHS is to prevent people from being harmed at work. Effective WHS reduces workplace injuries and illnesses, improves productivity, lowers costs associated with accidents, and helps organisations meet their legal and ethical obligations. Strong WHS practices also support positive workplace culture and employee wellbeing.
In Australia, WHS laws are largely harmonised through the Model Work Health and Safety Act, Regulations and Codes of Practice developed by Safe Work Australia. Most states and territories have adopted these model laws. Victoria operates under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004, which has similar duties and responsibilities. State regulators such as WorkSafe Victoria enforce compliance.
WHS was previously known as Occupational Health & Safety (OHS). The shift to WHS occurred around 2011 as Australia moved toward nationally harmonised laws to improve consistency across jurisdictions and strengthen preventative risk management.
A career in WHS is well suited to people who want to make workplaces safer and healthier.
Many professionals begin with a WHS course at Certificate IV level, which provides practical skills in risk management, incident response and compliance. This qualification is commonly delivered through TAFE.