SafeWork NSW has launched a series of free in-person workshops to help NSW businesses prevent workplace sexual harassment — framing the issue explicitly as a work health and safety risk that requires a systematic, risk-based approach.
The workshops, titled “From Risk to Respect”, are being offered to business leaders and WHS professionals across NSW. The sessions are designed to help organisations understand their legal obligations in relation to sexual harassment as a psychosocial hazard, identify risks in their own workplace, and implement practical control measures.
Sexual harassment as a WHS risk
The initiative reflects a significant regulatory shift across Australian jurisdictions — that psychosocial hazards, including sexual harassment, workplace bullying, and occupational violence, are WHS matters that regulators will actively enforce.
SafeWork NSW’s approach applies the risk management framework at the heart of the Work Health and Safety Act: identify the hazard, assess the risk, and implement controls — the same process used for any physical hazard. Under recent changes to the model WHS laws and supporting regulations, PCBUs have explicit obligations to manage psychosocial risks.
Inspectors are watching
WorkSafe Victoria, SafeWork NSW, and other state regulators have each identified psychosocial hazard enforcement as a priority for 2026. A new cohort of dedicated psychosocial inspectors is now operating across multiple jurisdictions, with the authority to issue improvement notices, prohibition notices, and refer matters for prosecution.
Sexual harassment is no longer solely an HR issue or an employment law concern. It sits squarely within the WHS framework — and businesses that have not yet conducted a psychosocial risk assessment face increasing exposure to regulatory action.
Register for a workshop
Businesses interested in attending a “From Risk to Respect” session can find dates and register through SafeWork NSW. The workshops are free and open to business leaders and WHS professionals across NSW.
