SafeWork NSW has reaffirmed mobile plant safety as one of its key priorities for 2026–27, giving mine operators an early indication of where the regulator will focus its compliance efforts.
The body’s 2026–27 regulatory statement outlines its compliance, enforcement and education priorities for the year ahead, with falls from heights, psychosocial risks and hazardous substances joining mobile plant as its four key focus areas.
The priorities remain largely unchanged from the previous year and reflect the hazards that continue to contribute to the greatest number of serious workplace injuries and fatalities across New South Wales.
Over the past 12 months, SafeWork NSW received more than 500 incident notifications involving mobile plant, vehicles and fixed machinery, including eight fatalities. During the same period, it was notified of more than 600 falls from height incidents, including five fatalities.
Psychosocial risks also remain a significant focus, with the regulator receiving more than 2200 requests for service and more than 190 workplace incident notifications related to psychosocial hazards.
Hazardous substances also present ongoing risks, with inspectors issuing more than 145 silica-related notices and receiving over 45 reports of silicosis in the past year.
SafeWork NSW said the regulatory statement reinforces its commitment to worker consultation, compliance with work health and safety codes of practice and targeted initiatives to better protect higher-risk worker groups, including young and migrant workers.
The statement also highlights progress made since SafeWork NSW became a standalone regulator in July 2025, including the expansion of its psychosocial inspectorate, the establishment of the Silica Worker Register, the creation of the SafeWork Advisory Council and reforms that have strengthened workplace safety laws and the enforceability of codes of practice.
SafeWork NSW commissioner Janet Schorer said the consistency of the regulator’s priorities should encourage businesses to assess their own safety performance.
“While we have work to do as a regulator, it’s also important for businesses in those key priority areas to think really seriously about their work health and safety in terms of what is working well and what needs to be improved,” Schorer said.
“As SafeWork NSW continues its journey, our focus remains on prevention by helping workplaces understand their obligations, lifting capability, and addressing risks early.”
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