SafeWork NSW's Psychosocial Blitz
What inspectors will ask for.
- SafeWork NSW’s six-week psychosocial blitz covers every industry statewide.
- Businesses issued notices earlier this year will get a return visit.
- The psychosocial code of practice is now the compliance benchmark.
- Inspectors want evidence of action and consultation, not good intentions.
- Check your risk assessment, worker communications, reporting pathway and improvement plan.
Download our guide to managing your teams mental health
SafeWork NSW has started its largest-ever compliance operation on psychosocial hazards. For six weeks, inspectors will visit workplaces across every industry in the state. They're also going back to the businesses that received improvement notices earlier this year.
This isn't a one-off. It's where SafeWork NSW will settle what a psychosocial inspection looks like from now on. Here's what's happening, what it means for your business, and what to check if you're not sure you've got the right things in place.
SafeWork NSW psychosocial enforcement blitz
On 9 October, timed to coincide with World Mental Health Day, SafeWork NSW announced a six-week program of proactive visits focused on psychosocial hazards. Inspectors will visit businesses in all industries. They'll be looking at how well businesses are meeting their psychosocial risk management obligations.
The operation follows a statewide program in May and June. In that program, inspectors visited more than 200 workplaces and issued more than 80 improvement notices relating to psychosocial hazards and risk management. This time, they'll also make repeat visits to check that those notices have been complied with.
A few other numbers show how seriously the regulator is taking this:
- 20 new psychosocial-focused inspectors joined SafeWork NSW this year, and they'll be part of this operation.
- 20.5% of all requests for service SafeWork NSW receives now raise psychosocial harm.
- Four industries account for the most requests for psychosocial assistance: construction, education and training, healthcare and social assistance, and retail. If you're in one of these, expect to be on the radar.
Read the SafeWork NSW announcement
What it means for your business
The bar has moved
Reforms to the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 took effect on 1 July 2026. Businesses must now comply with the relevant codes of practice, or manage the risk in another way that meets an equivalent or higher standard.
For psychosocial risk, the benchmark is the Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work Code of Practice.
Inspectors want evidence, not intentions
A code on paper doesn't tell an inspector what to ask for at a worksite. Six weeks of visits across every industry will. SafeWork Commissioner Janet Schorer has been clear that inspectors will look for evidence that psychosocial risks are being actively managed.
That includes hazards that come from how work is designed and managed. Organisations should be able to show how they identify risks, consult with workers and act to prevent harm before it happens.
Notices now come with a follow-up
An improvement notice in June was a request to fix something. A visit in November is a request to show the fix, show that workers were consulted on it, and show whether it's working. That standard will carry forward.
Expect this to become the norm
The results of this operation (workplaces visited, notices issued) are exactly the kind of numbers that support a case for more funding. More funding means more inspectors, and more inspectors means more visits. Treat this blitz as a dress rehearsal for the ongoing monitoring NSW organisations should now expect.
Not sure you're covered? What to check today
In our experience, what inspectors ask for on these visits is fairly basic. Before you start any new work, check what you already have. If an inspector walked in tomorrow, could you show them these four things?
1. A psychosocial risk assessment
Ask: Have you assessed psychosocial hazards specifically, not just general WHS risks?
Check that it:
- covers the key hazards for each group of workers (e.g. workload, role clarity, bullying, customer aggression)
- analyses and evaluates those risks
- records the controls already in place and any further controls identified
- was settled with your HSRs or through agreed consultation arrangements, and you can show this
2. Communication to workers
Ask: Have you told workers how the business is managing risks to their mental health?
Check that an email, intranet page or briefing explains:
- what the business is doing
- how to raise a concern
- what support is available
- where to find out more
3. A reporting and escalation pathway
Ask: Is there a documented way for workers to report psychosocial hazards, risks and incidents?
Check that it:
- is written down somewhere workers can easily find it
- lists the internal and external supports available
- is known to workers, not just managers
4. A plan for improvement
Ask: Do you have a plan to improve how you manage your highest-priority psychosocial risks?
Check that it:
- names at least two key areas from your risk assessment
- sets out actions for the next 6 to 24 months
- is endorsed by your officers (directors and senior executives), showing commitment and officer engagement
Found gaps?
If you answered "no" or "not sure" to any of these, start there. Fill the missing pieces first, then make sure you can show the consultation and evidence behind them. That's what inspectors are now asking to see.
Tip: If an inspection gets difficult, or starts heading towards an allegation of non-compliance, bring in your legal team early.
Where to get help
SafeWork NSW runs a Psychosocial Advisory Service on 13 10 50 for workers and businesses that want guidance. It's also running a psychological health and safety seminar for small business on 18 November. You can find the code of practice on the SafeWork NSW website.
Not confident you could show an inspector these four things tomorrow? Foremind can help you check where you stand and close the gaps before the visit, get in touch with us today.
Answers to the frequently asked questions.
Our last EAP was barely touched. Why would this be different?+
Most EAPs go unused because of how they're accessed, not because staff don't need them. Phoning a stranger, explaining yourself, then waiting weeks is enough to stop most people before they start. Foremind removes all three steps: staff see real counsellor profiles, pick someone themselves, and book the same day.
If you already have a provider, the question worth asking is what your current utilisation is. Most traditional EAPs sit in low single digits, which means you're paying for cover your people aren't reaching. If yours is being used, staff can get seen quickly, and it covers your psychosocial obligations, there's no reason to move. If not, it's worth knowing what you're getting for the spend.
Do you offer 24/7 support?+
Yes. A 24/7 after-hours crisis line means staff can reach someone immediately at any hour, including nights and weekends.
Counselling appointments are also available outside standard business hours, so shift-based and on-call teams aren't limited to a nine-to-five window. Those are two different things, and it's worth checking any provider offers both rather than just the crisis line.
Are your EAP counsellors based in Australia?+
Yes. Every practitioner on the platform holds current membership with an Australian professional body and practises under Australian standards, codes of ethics and disciplinary frameworks. There are no offshore call centres.
Practitioners hold membership with the Australian Counselling Association, the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia, or the Australian Association of Social Workers, along with a current Working with Children or Vulnerable People Check.
How much does an EAP cost?+
Pricing is usually per employee per month, based on total headcount rather than how many people use the service. Costs vary widely depending on whether sessions are bundled in and whether compliance tooling is included.
A more useful comparison is cost per employee who actually uses it. An EAP with 2% utilisation can work out several times more expensive per person helped than one that gets used. Foremind offers pay-as-you-go, inclusive session plans and compliance-inclusive plans, with discounted pricing for not-for-profits and charities.
For full breakdown of our plans, see our EAP pricing page or request a quote for a tailored proposal.
What information does an employer receive about EAP usage?+
Nothing that could identify anyone. All counselling is completely confidential and all reporting is anonymous - you'll never see who booked, when, or what was discussed.
What you do see is the aggregated picture: how many people are using it, what psychosocial risks are prevalent in the business, and which teams are under pressure. Enough to know the investment is working and where to act, never enough to identify a person. Reporting thresholds mean small teams can't be reverse-engineered from the data.
Does having an EAP meet an employer's psychosocial duty of care?+
No. An EAP is a control measure, and a valuable one, but it only addresses harm after it has occurred. It doesn't identify hazards, assess risk, or evidence that controls are working.
Australian WHS law requires you to identify psychosocial hazards, assess the risk, control it so far as is reasonably practicable, and review whether those controls are working — with documented evidence at each step. Offering counselling on its own leaves three of those four steps undocumented.
Foremind covers both in one platform. See how the compliance side works in our product tour.