Why Every Business Needs to Understand the New Psychosocial Safety Laws
Since 24 December 2022, psychosocial risks officially became enforceable under Western Australia’s Work Health and Safety (WHS) Act 2020.
That means everything from workplace aggression to burnout, bullying, and domestic violence spillover is now classified as a workplace hazard - one that employers (PCBUs) are legally required to identify, assess, and control. These obligations require real-time responses like Safety Assist psychosocial incident support and Biz Assist business crisis escalation.
What This Means for Business
Psychosocial risk is no longer a “HR issue.” It’s an enforceable WHS duty, subject to prosecution under Category 1–3 offences, with industrial manslaughter provisions applying in certain circumstances.
Boards and executives must now demonstrate active due diligence, which includes:
Directing and resourcing psychosocial risk management.
Verifying that hazards are identified, assessed, controlled, and reviewed.
Keeping documented evidence of controls, consultation, and incident responses.
Regulators expect formal risk management processes - not ad-hoc HR responses. When WHS duties include psychosocial harm, Biz Assist reputation risk management becomes essential.
Common Psychosocial Hazards Under the WA Code
Aggression or violence from customers or the public.
Bullying and harassment (including online).
Exposure to traumatic events or threats.
Poor change management or excessive workloads.
Remote or isolated work (including FIFO and WFH).
Domestic or family violence spillover when linked to work.
Every one of these requires documented hazard management, control measures, and evidence of review.
Why Documentation and Speed Matter
When psychosocial incidents occur, response time is critical.
An early, supported, and well-documented intervention reduces:
Legal exposure and regulatory scrutiny.
Workers’ compensation tail risk.
Reputational and operational fallout.
That’s why VUCA Risk’s Safety Assist and Biz Assist programs exist - to bridge the gap between compliance and real-world response, giving businesses insurer-backed support and defensibility when it matters most.
Download the Cheat Sheet
To help simplify what’s changed, we’ve created a one-page WA Psychosocial WHS Requirements Cheat Sheet - outlining key duties, regulator expectations, and practical examples for your business.
[Download the Cheat Sheet (PDF)]
Because compliance is the baseline - but care is the standard.
Learn how Safety Assist responds at the incident stage and how Biz Assist supports crisis escalation.