Wednesday 28 October 2026, 12pm to 1pm

Introduction:

Over 2025-26, Safe Work Australia (SWA) surveyed Australian workers to provide updated data on workers’ exposure to dangerous substances and psychosocial hazards.

With the last Australian Worker Exposure Survey completed in 2013, this new information is critical to highlight areas of increased risk, inform preventative action, increase awareness, support further research, and ultimately enhance available WHS evidence.

Methods:

The survey included exposure agents which were identified as priorities through a consultation process with work health and safety (WHS) experts, researchers and other stakeholders. Their collective input highlighted the need for contemporary data on a range of hazards, including dust and airborne contaminants (such as asbestos and silica dust), welding fumes, diesel particulate matter, chemicals, shift work and heat stress. Importantly, the survey included a specialised module on psychosocial hazards, to explore how these hazards can combine and interact.

The survey was designed to be representative of the Australian workforce and to provide estimates of exposure prevalence.

Results:

The presentation will share preliminary findings from the survey and highlight how SWA is building a stronger evidence base for WHS hazards and exposure data. This work aims to reduce reliance on lagged data and influence positive change to prevent work-related fatalities, injuries and illnesses from occurring.

Phil Wise

Phillip Wise is the Director of Data Improvement and Analysis at Safe Work Australia.

His team is responsible for building and maintaining a national evidence base on work health and safety and workers’ compensation issues to inform policies that shape healthier, safer and productive workplaces. This includes producing data on work-related fatalities, injuries, illnesses, and return-to-work experiences, as well as reporting and insights into the work health and safety trends affecting workers and employers.

Prior to joining Safe Work Australia, Phil worked in Labour Market Research and Analysis for the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations and the Census program at the Australian Bureau of Statistics. He holds a Mathematics degree from the University of Wollongong with honours in Applied Statistics.

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