Notify or register high risk work
Notify WorkSafe, report or register high risk work including asbestos removal, construction excavation, dangerous goods storage and handling, fireworks discharge and more.
More information
- Asbestos removal
You must have an appropriate asbestos removal license when performing asbestos removal work that exceeds quantities permitted as limited asbestos removal work.
Before performing asbestos removal work, an asbestos removal licence holder must notify WorkSafe. The time frames associated with the notifications are:
- at least 24 hours before commencing asbestos removal work - if the total area to be removed consists of 10 square metres or less of non-friable asbestos containing-material
- within 24 hours of commencing the asbestos removal work - if the asbestos removal work is undertake as the result of an unexpected situation (as per regulation 299 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017)
- at least 5 days before the asbestos removal work commences - in all other cases.
- Health monitoring for hazardous substances
A registered medical practitioner will complete the Hazardous Substance Surveillance report if your worker is exposed to a specific hazardous substance which may present a health risk to them.
If the report finds that the worker must not have any further contact with the hazardous substances for a period of time, you must notify WorkSafe.
- Intention to discharge fireworks
A pyrotechnician must notify WorkSafe in writing before discharging display fireworks, chinese firecrackers or theatrical fireworks.
Complete the form Notification of intention to discharge fireworks and also contact the appropriate fire authority at least 7 days before the date of the proposed display.
- Lead risk jobs
You must notify WorkSafe within 7 days if your worker is involved in a lead process where the blood lead level of the employee is reasonably likely to exceed:
- (a) 1.45 μmol/L; or
- (b) 0.48 μmol/L for female employees of reproductive capacity.
- Major hazard facility
You must notify WorkSafe in writing:
- before operations commence, if you intend to operate a major hazard facility (MHF) - either new or modified
- within 30 days, if you store over 10% of the threshold quantities for dangerous goods
- immediately if you store over 100% of the threshold quantities.
Following notification, WorkSafe will determine if you are an MHF.
If you are deemed a MHF, then your facility will be registered.
Following registration you have 30 months to comply with safety regulations. Within 24 months you must submit a safety case to WorkSafe for review.
- Medical practitioner engagement
When your workers work with asbestos and lead, they must have regular examinations with a registered medical practitioner.
- Asbestos: Employers must arrange for appropriate medical examinations to be conducted for employees engaged in ongoing asbestos-related activities.
- Lead: Employers must arrange medical examinations and biological monitoring for workers in lead-risk jobs. A registered medical practitioner will do medical examinations and supervise biological monitoring.
- Prescribed equipment design
There is a requirement to give notice of the design of prescribed equipment for certain types of prescribed equipment under the Equipment (Public Safety) Regulations 2017.
If a prescribed equipment design is altered to an extent that the prescribed equipment is subject to new measures to control risk, a notice of the altered design must be given to WorkSafe.
- Storage and handling of dangerous goods
You should contact WorkSafe to:
- notify of schedule 2 hazardous chemicals exceeding manifest quantities
- amend your existing details
- advise you are no longer using, storing or handling schedule 2 hazardous chemicals at the workplace and it is not likely that schedule 2 hazardous chemicals will be used, stored or handled in future.
Please note the Dangerous Goods (Storage and Handling) Amendment (Notification) Regulations 2021 came into effect on 1 July 2021 (Amended Notification Regulations).
This information has not yet been updated to reflect the changes introduced by the Amended Notification Regulations. Complying with the guidance after 1 July 2021 may not necessarily mean compliance with a duty under the Amended Notification Regulations.
Dangerous Goods Act and regulations
2014 changes to registration and notification
Since 1 July 2014, you are no longer required to register items of plant with WorkSafe or re-register every five years.
Advances in technology have allowed WorkSafe to rely on other sources, including an extensive network of stakeholders and suppliers, for information about the location of plant in Victoria.
However, you are still required to notify WorkSafe before undertaking certain activities, such as asbestos removal.
Please note: Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004, employers must still provide or maintain plant or systems of work that are, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe and without risks to health.
An employer must keep a record of any inspection and maintenance carried out on plant specified in regulation 106 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017 for the period that the employer or self-employed person has management or control of the plant.
Plant that required item registration until 1 July 2014 continues to be regulated by Part 3.5 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017.
For plant specified in Schedule 2 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017, plant designs and designs that have been altered to the point that new control measures are necessary, must be registered with WorkSafe.