Safety And Prevention

WorkSafe Victoria, the VWA's occupational health and safety arm, takes the lead role in the promotion and enforcement of health and safety in Victorian workplaces. WorkSafe has a team of more than 450 field officers, investigators, work-site technical experts and support staff spread throughout a network of city, suburban and regional offices.

The WorkSafe team is responsible for improving workplace safety through implementing the organisation's comprehensive constructive compliance strategy which focuses on information and education, incentives, enforcement, investigations, prosecutions and penalties.

In general, the type of enforcement action taken by WorkSafe Victoria follows assessment of the situation and consideration of the following factors:

• extent of the risk
• seriousness of the perceived breach and the actual or potential consequences
• whether or not the situation or hazard type is targeted by WorkSafe Victoria for priority prevention activity
• impact of the regulatory action, especially its impact on encouragement and deterrence
• compliance history of the employer, and
• whether or not the incident of non-compliance is of considerable public concern.

Learn more about safety and prevention