Employee health & safety policy template
A free, ready-to-edit employee health and safety policy template for Australian workplaces. Set out worker duties under WHS law, how to report hazards and incidents, and the right to raise safety concerns in plain English — no signup required.
Employee safety policy
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By downloading, you agree to our template disclaimer
This employee health and safety policy template reflects Australian model work health and safety (WHS) laws at the time of publication and is provided as a general guide to adapt for your business, industry and workplace hazards. It does not constitute legal, HR, or professional advice and should not be relied on as a substitute for advice specific to your business, workforce, or circumstances.
Why your workplace needs an employee health & safety policy
An employee health and safety policy is a written statement of how your business keeps people safe — and what every worker must do to help. While the employer holds the primary duty of care under work health and safety (WHS) law, workers also have their own legal duties: to take reasonable care for their own health and safety, to take reasonable care not to put others at risk, and to follow reasonable instructions and safe systems of work.
This template turns those duties into plain English so every employee understands their role. It complements your organisation-wide WHS policy by focusing on individual behaviour — using equipment safely, wearing PPE, reporting hazards and incidents, and speaking up about safety without fear of reprisal.
Documenting these expectations protects your people and your business. Store the policy and capture employee acknowledgements at induction in your HR software so you can show every worker has read and understood it. Pair it with the hazard & risk policy and incident reporting policy for a complete safety framework.
What an employee health & safety policy should cover
The essentials of a worker-focused safety framework
Worker duties
Taking reasonable care for your own safety and not putting others at risk.
Following procedures
Complying with safe work methods, instructions and signage.
Using PPE & equipment
Wearing and maintaining personal protective equipment correctly.
Reporting hazards
How and when to report unsafe conditions and near-misses.
Reporting incidents
Notifying injuries and incidents promptly so they can be managed.
Right to raise concerns
Speaking up about safety without fear of disadvantage or reprisal.
What's included in this template
A complete, plain-English framework for employee safety responsibilities
Purpose & scope
Why the policy exists and who it applies to, including contractors and visitors.
Worker rights
The right to a safe workplace and to raise safety concerns.
Worker responsibilities
Taking reasonable care for yourself and others under WHS law.
Following safe systems of work
Complying with procedures, instructions and signage.
Using PPE & safety equipment
Correct use, care and storage of protective equipment.
Reporting hazards & near-misses
How to report unsafe conditions before they cause harm.
Reporting injuries & incidents
Notification steps when something does go wrong.
Consultation & participation
Engaging with HSRs, safety committees and toolbox talks.
Fitness for work
Arriving fit to work safely and reporting impairment or fatigue.
Training & breaches
Attending required training and the consequences of breaches.
WHS duties: what employees and employers each must do
Shared responsibility is the foundation of a safe workplace
The employer's primary duty
Under model WHS law, the business (the PCBU) must ensure the health and safety of workers so far as is reasonably practicable — providing safe equipment and systems of work, information, training, supervision and consultation. This employee policy sits underneath that duty; it doesn’t replace your organisation-wide WHS policy.
The worker's own duty
Every worker must take reasonable care for their own health and safety, take reasonable care not to adversely affect others, follow reasonable instructions, and cooperate with safety policies. Workers can face personal liability for reckless conduct that endangers others — so the policy should spell these duties out clearly.
How an employee should respond to a hazard
Notice
Spot an unsafe condition, near-miss or potential hazard.
Make safe
Where safe to do so, remove or isolate the immediate risk.
Report
Tell a supervisor, HSR or use the hazard reporting process.
Record
Log the hazard or incident so it can be assessed and controlled.
Serious incidents and injuries may be notifiable to your state or territory WHS regulator — set out who is responsible for that in your incident reporting policy.
Recent model WHS reforms place clear duties on businesses to manage psychosocial hazards — such as bullying, harassment, high job demands and fatigue — alongside physical risks, so your policy should acknowledge psychological as well as physical safety. After a workplace injury, follow a structured return-to-work process. For broader guidance on writing and reviewing safety documents, see our guide on how to write a workplace policy.
Who should use this template?
Every Australian employer has WHS duties — and so does every worker
Especially valuable in higher-risk settings like construction, manufacturing and healthcare, where clear worker duties reduce injuries.
Compliance resources
Official guidance on work health and safety duties in Australia.
Manage your safety policies the easy way
RosterElf helps Australian businesses store WHS policies, capture employee acknowledgements at onboarding and keep an audit trail — so you can show every worker has read and understood their safety duties.
Related guides
Write, communicate and act on your safety policies
Related templates
Build out your safety and compliance framework
Employee health & safety policy FAQ
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An employee health and safety policy is a written document that sets out your organisation’s commitment to a safe, hazard-free workplace and explains what each worker must do to support it. It typically covers worker duties under WHS law, following safe systems of work, using PPE, reporting hazards and incidents, the right to raise concerns, and the consequences of breaches. It sits alongside your organisation-wide WHS policy, which captures the employer’s broader duties.
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A complete WHS policy should include its purpose and scope, a statement of management’s commitment, the employer’s responsibilities (safe equipment, risk assessments, training and consultation), worker responsibilities, hazard and incident reporting procedures, consultation arrangements, training requirements, and how the policy is reviewed. This employee-focused template concentrates on the worker responsibilities and reporting steps in plain English.
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Yes. The template is a solid starting point, but you should tailor it to your specific workplace hazards, industry and the WHS legislation in your state or territory. Consult your workers and health and safety representatives during the process, and review it whenever your operations or the law change. Our guide on how to write a workplace policy walks through the steps.
Before you download
General information only — not legal advice
This document is a general HR template provided for informational purposes only. It is not legal advice and may not reflect the latest changes in legislation or apply to every workplace situation. RosterElf Pty Ltd and the template provider accept no liability for any loss arising from reliance on this document. Users should seek independent legal advice and customise the template to ensure it complies with all relevant laws, awards and workplace requirements.