Public administration and safety
This industry includes administrative activities across all, state and local government jurisdictions.
It also includes:
- police services
- fire and other emergency services
- investigation and security services
- correctional and detention services
- regulatory services
- border control.
Ambulance services are excluded from this industry as they fall within the health care industry.
Top causes of injury
This industry covers workers involved in distinctly different activities.
For administrative workers, the common injuries are caused by sedentary work. They include:
- repetitive manual activity
- slips, trips and falls from the same level and from height
- stress
- aggression and violence (front desk and telephone)
- bullying.
For workers involved in frontline community protection and safety activities, common causes of injury include:
- dragging, lifting and pushing or moving heavy objects
- psychological stress
- violence and aggression
- fire and explosion
- electric shock
- falls
- being hit by objects.
Common hazards
Each workplace presents its own safety challenges. You need to know what the hazards are in your business so you can assess the risk they pose.
To help you get started, we’ve prepared information on how to identify hazards and manage the risks common to the public administration and safety industry, including:
Resources to help you
As the work health and safety regulator in NSW, we have a wide range of technical, business, management and support services to help you make our business safe.
Our 'resource' and 'hazard' libraries
Our resource library and hazard library is where you will find up-to-date information on managing hazards and risks as well as codes of practice.
We also have extensive information that will help you improve and review your risk management processes. This includes videos, checklists, training and supervisory information, and safety alerts.
SafeWork Australia also has a fact sheet on developing a hazardous chemicals register.
Our safety management resources
Our Safety starts here section has a range of essential resources including:
- business must haves like emergency plans and first aid
- the basics for physical safety at work
- the basics for mental health at work
Our business resources
Our safety support services
If you employ fewer than 50 workers, you can book request a workplace advisory visit by one of our SafeWork inspectors who will help you identify hazards and develop risk management procedures.
Our mentor program, where other businesses work with you to improve safety in your workplace, is also a valuable addition to your risk management program.
You can call us on 13 10 50 at any time for assistance in finding the services you need quickly.
Keeping up to date
Get into the habit of checking our website twice a week for updates on your legislative obligations, on current incidents and prosecutions, for new safety tips and general health and safety information.
Link your business to our social media channels including Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn and never miss any of our news.
Subscribe to the SafeWork Wrap, our monthly newsletter, which contains safety tips, general information, industry updates, and news about our prosecutions and enforceable undertakings.
Subscribe to industry publications and join your industry group.
For police, the Police Association of NSW (PANSW) supports and advocates for officers and is affiliated with the Police Association Salaried Officers Union who represent all other staff.
The Fire Protection Association Australia (FPA Australia) is the peak national body for the fire services sector. In NSW, the Fire Brigades Employees’ Union (FBEU) advocates for workers.
The Public Service Association (PSA NSW) represents and advocates for administrative workers across the industry, with the Local Government, Energy & Utilities, Airlines and Private Sector Union representing administrative and other workers in local government.
Legislation
The NSW Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act) and the NSW Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 (WHS Regulation) define the obligations both employers and workers have to health and safety in the workplace.
The WHS legislation is supported by our Compliance policy and prosecution guidelines, which supplements the National compliance and enforcement policy.
You can find a complete breakdown of business operations that fall within the administrative and support services industry from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).