New Psychosocial Health and Safety Laws for Victoria
Victoria to Introduce New Psychosocial Regulations by 2025
The Victorian Government has confirmed that new Psychosocial Health and Safety Regulations will be introduced by the end of 2025 to improve how workplaces manage mental health risks. The changes follow recommendations from key reviews, including the Boland Review, the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System, and the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Mental Health. These reports highlighted the need for stronger protections to address workplace mental health risks.
The new Psychosocial Health and Safety regulations are expected to be finalized in October 2025 and take effect on December 1, 2025. While the exact details are still being finalized, the draft regulations include a new section on psychological health, providing clearer guidance for employers. The goal is to ensure that psychosocial hazards—such as workplace stress, bullying, and harassment—are treated as seriously as physical safety risks.
Employer Responsibilities Under the New Psychosocial Regulations
To comply with the upcoming Victoria workplace safety laws, employers will need to:
- Identify psychosocial hazards as much as possible.
- Remove or reduce risks linked to workplace mental health hazards.
- Use control measures like adjusting work management, workplace design, and employee training. However, training alone cannot be the only solution unless no other options are available.
- Regularly review and update risk management measures in response to new hazards or reported incidents.
- Develop prevention plans for workplace risks such as bullying, workplace violence, exposure to traumatic events, high job demands, and sexual harassment.
- Submit written reports to WorkSafe Victoria if they have 50 or more employees and receive serious complaints about psychosocial risks.
If these regulations take effect as expected, Victoria will join Queensland in requiring written prevention plans for certain workplace mental health risks. While other states do not legally require these plans, they remain a recommended risk management strategy for businesses.
How Businesses Can Prepare for the New Work Health and Safety Regulations
To help businesses comply, a Compliance Code will be introduced, offering detailed guidance on employer responsibilities. Additional resources will explain how prevention plans can help reduce psychosocial hazards in the workplace. Employers should start preparing now by:
- Reviewing their current workplace mental health policies and risk management systems.
- Providing psychosocial risk training for employees and managers.
- Establishing clear processes for reporting and responding to workplace risks.
- Ensuring that their workplace health and safety (WHS) systems align with the upcoming Victorian WorkSafe regulations.
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