New Code of Practice for managing psychosocial hazards in South Australia

Why the New Code of Practice Was Introduced

There are a variety of reasons as to why this Code of Practice has been introduced. Firstly, it will provide simple and practical guidance for managing psychosocial hazards in South Australia. Therefore, this guidance will support employers in meeting their WHS obligations relating to psychological health, as the new Code of Practice integrates findings from consultations with South Australian unions and employer representatives.

Additionally, this Code of Practice looks towards improving awareness and management of psychosocial hazards in South Australia across workplaces. The Executive Director of SafeWork SA Glenn Farrell has stated this new Code is essential and necessary for a number of reasons. Specifically, they are “an essential resource for employers to recognise, mitigate, and manage psychosocial safety risks” in South Australian workplaces (Kariahe, 2026). It also serves as a way to educate employees about their rights and what a secure work environment looks like for them. This Code of Practice has come at a crucial time, as injuries to do with psychosocial hazards “have longer recovery times, higher costs and require more time away from work” (SafeWork SA, 2026).

What the Code of Practice Covers

This new Code of Practice for psychosocial hazards in South Australia covers an expansive range of topics related to workplace hazards and employee wellbeing. With the new updates, the Code highlights and defines 17 different psychosocial hazards, such as bullying, aggression and sexual harassment.

Furthermore, there are now clear guidelines set out for employers on how to consult with their workers and also looks at:

• The various types of control measures.
• Ways to track and log the risk management process and its conclusions.
• Advice on how to respond effectively to complaints, incidents or reports.
• A variety of case studies that demonstrate how to manage psychosocial risks in different workplaces and industries.

Under this Code of practice, in order to eliminate or minimise psychosocial risks, employers must follow The Four-Step Risk Management Process for psychosocial risks:

• Identify psychosocial hazards in the workplace – discover what could cause these.
• Assess the level of risk to workers – understand how much harm this could cause and the probability of this occurring.
• Implement control measures to manage risks – measures that are reasonably practicable and continuously effective.
• Review and monitor controls to ensure they remain effective – make any necessary changes and ensure they are working well.

There is also further explanation on what obligations employers have, these have not been changed, just further clarified.

What This Means for South Australian Workplaces

With these laws in place, workplaces in South Australia should looks to implement some changes that adapt and integrate with the Code. For example, organisations should review their current workplace policies and procedures and ensure they have the appropriate escalation and reporting pathways for any incidents. Employers in South Australia may also need to assess psychosocial risks within their operations. This is where the risk management process explained previously should be implemented. A practical way to ensure this Code is enforced in South Australian workplaces is by providing training and awareness. This can help leaders and workers understand their roles in managing these risks and how they should be tackled.